Why we built this route
Most first-time visitors want the icons, the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army, and they are right to. But a trip that is only famous cities can feel like a checklist. So we built the route we wish more travellers took: Beijing and Xi’an for the history, then Zhangjiajie for the wow that almost no first-timer expects. Ten days is the honest minimum to do all three well without living on trains. Private guides throughout, no group buses, no shopping detours.
A compact first-time China itinerary covering imperial Beijing, ancient Xi’an and the dramatic Avatar Mountains in Zhangjiajie.
Quick Facts
| Duration | 10 days / 9 nights |
| Best for | First-time China visitors who want the classic highlights plus the Avatar mountains |
| Main sights | Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Army, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain |
| Travel style | Private guide, private transfers, inter-city trains and flights booked for you, flexible pacing |
| Can customize | Hotels, guide coverage, city pacing, optional add-ons, relaxed pace |
Best For
- First-time China visitors with around 10 days
- Travellers who want history plus nature
- Guests who do not need to include Shanghai
- Families or couples who prefer a strong but not too long itinerary
Suggested 10-Day Route
Day 1: Arrive in Beijing
Private airport pickup and transfer to your centrally located hotel. Depending on your arrival time, settle in or take a first evening stroll near Wangfujing or Qianmen before the sightseeing begins.
Day 2: Beijing – Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven
Begin at Tiananmen Square, then explore the Forbidden City, the vast imperial palace at the heart of old Beijing. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests, set in its tranquil park.
Day 3: Beijing – Mutianyu Great Wall and the Summer Palace
Drive out to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall – well restored, scenic and less crowded than Badaling, with a cable car option for an easier climb. Return via the Summer Palace, the imperial lakeside garden with its Long Corridor and Kunming Lake.
Day 4: Beijing to Xi’an by High-Speed Rail
Morning at leisure or a short walk through an old hutong neighbourhood, then transfer to the station for the high-speed train to Xi’an (about 4.5 to 6 hours). On arrival, check in and explore the ancient City Wall or the lively Muslim Quarter and its street food.
Day 5: Xi’an – Terracotta Army and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda
A full day with the Terracotta Army, the thousands of life-sized warriors guarding the tomb of China’s first emperor – one of the great archaeological discoveries of the modern world. Later, see the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and, if time allows, more of the city’s Tang-dynasty highlights.
Day 6: Xi’an to Zhangjiajie by Air
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Zhangjiajie. On arrival, your local guide meets you and transfers you to your hotel near Wulingyuan, ready for the mountain days ahead.
Day 7: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park – Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and the Ten-Mile Gallery
A full day in the upper realm of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Wulingyuan). Ride the Bailong Elevator – the world’s tallest outdoor sightseeing lift – up to Yuanjiajie for the Avatar “Hallelujah” floating mountains and the No. 1 Bridge Under Heaven, continue to Yangjiajie and Tianzi Mountain’s sea of sandstone peaks, and finish along the Ten-Mile Gallery beneath the towering rock pillars.
Day 8: Huangshizhai, Golden Whip Stream and the Charming Xiangxi Show
Ride the cable car up to Huangshizhai, the park’s largest clifftop viewing platform, then walk the gentle Golden Whip Stream, the park’s loveliest valley trail and a “Journey to the West” filming location. In the evening, enjoy the Charming Xiangxi show – a vivid performance of Tujia and Miao song, dance and wedding customs.
Day 9: Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, Baofeng Lake and the 72 Wonder Towers
Walk the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge and cruise serene Baofeng Lake among the karst peaks. In the late afternoon, transfer back to Zhangjiajie city and, after dinner, visit the 72 Wonder Towers (Qishi’er Qilou) – a 109.9-metre Tujia stilt-house complex that lights up after dark with a 7D holographic show. Overnight in Zhangjiajie city.
Day 10: Tianmen Mountain and Departure
Ascend Tianmen Mountain by the world’s longest mountain cableway to the mid-mountain station, then continue by scenic shuttle road and step-free tunnel escalators to Heaven’s Gate cave, the cliff-hugging glass skywalk and the Guigu cliff path above the 99-bend road. Afterwards, a private transfer to the airport or station for your onward journey.
Why Choose 10 Days?
Ten days is a strong short China highlights route. It avoids overloading the trip with too many cities while still giving first-time visitors a clear China experience.
Request a Custom Version of This Tour
Getting between cities – we handle all of it
China is big, and the long-distance legs are the part travellers worry about most. You never have to book a Chinese train or domestic flight yourself, or work out which station is which. We buy every ticket, time it to your sightseeing, and your guide hands you off at one end while the next guide meets you at the other.
- Your cities are linked by high-speed train or domestic flight – we choose whichever gives you the best timing and the shortest travel day, and we book it for you.
- Every ticket is bought, timed to your sightseeing, and re-confirmed by us. You just show your passport at the gate – no Chinese booking apps, no station guesswork.
- Guide-to-guide handover: your guide sees you onto the train or plane, and the next city’s guide is already waiting when you arrive.
- Fares itemised in your quote: the land price does not bundle these tickets. Once your dates are set we price the exact trains and flights, split them out line by line, and add them to your quote before you confirm.
What our guests say
Real guests, real words – translated from their original Chinese and Cantonese reviews. We never invent a review.
“We experienced Zhangjiajie in drizzle, mist and sunshine – and loved every minute. Special thanks to our guide A-Jing: professional, attentive, and he timed everything so well that whenever we were tired, he had already built in a rest stop. We will absolutely be telling our friends to visit.”
“An absolute joy – excellent value, and the guide service was thoughtful at every turn. Even the shuttle to the high-speed rail station was already included, so we never once needed a taxi. No surprises, no hidden costs.”
“Shiny looked after us so thoughtfully – everything perfectly arranged, and the commentary at every stop detailed and heartfelt. Our driver was first-rate too: steady, precise, always putting safety first. I will recommend them to my friends without hesitation.”
🔒 Only a 10-20% deposit (of your trip cost) to book – you pay the balance after you arrive in China and sign your formal tour contract. Your deposit is fully secured and you receive a written receipt for every payment. Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure.
Make it unforgettable – optional add-ons
Your private trip is yours to shape. Tell us when you enquire and we fold any of these into your itinerary and quote – no pressure, no fixed packages.
- Cultural experiences from $80 per person – Tujia home cooking, Miao embroidery, or a mountain-teahouse tea ceremony.
- Travel photography – a professional Hanfu & Miao ethnic-costume photoshoot among the peaks.
- Slow it down – extra rest days, a private sunrise viewpoint, or a quiet local village most tours never reach.
Add Travel Photography & Local Culture to Any Tour
Every private China tour can include a few local experience stops and photography-friendly timing — at no extra tour cost. Tell us what interests you, and we adjust the pace and route.
📷 Travel Photography Moments
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park — best viewpoint timing for golden-hour shots
- Tianmen Mountain — cliff walk and Heaven’s Gate wide-angle frames
- Fenghuang Ancient Town — riverside evening portraits with lantern reflections
- Great Wall at Mutianyu — less crowded, better photo angles
- Your guide can pause for photos, suggest angles, and avoid rushed group-tour timing
Photos above on this page are real guest moments from recent private tours. Your guide helps capture yours.
🎮 Local Culture & Food Experiences
- Tujia home-cooking experience — learn to cook Xiangxi-style dishes with a local family near Zhangjiajie
- Miao embroidery workshop — try traditional Miao textile art in Fenghuang or a nearby village
- Tea tasting in a mountain teahouse — taste Wuling Mountain teas away from souvenir shops
- Local market walk + cooking class — shop for ingredients, then cook together
- Riverside evening in Fenghuang — lantern-lit walk, Miao costume photos, street food
All culture stops are optional, private, and paced around your group. No forced shopping. No bus groups.
What’s Usually Included
- Private itinerary planning and on-the-go adjustments
- Private English-speaking local guide on all sightseeing days
- Private vehicle and driver, with all airport, station and hotel transfers
- Hotels for every night at your chosen star level, with daily breakfast
- All attraction tickets, cable cars and the Glass Bridge on your itinerary
- Complimentary cinematic drone aerial video
- Local coordination and 24/7 support throughout
What’s Usually Not Included
- International flights to and from China
- Domestic inter-city flights and high-speed trains (Beijing to Xi’an to Zhangjiajie) — not part of the land price; we book every ticket for you and itemise the fares in your quote
- China visa and travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners, except any welcome or special meals noted in your itinerary
- Personal expenses, tips, and optional add-ons
Hotel Level & Price Guide
All our tours are private and customized — final pricing depends on your travel dates, group size, hotel preference and included services. The table below gives a practical reference range per person (USD) for a 10-day Beijing, Xi’an and Zhangjiajie private tour with 2 travellers sharing a room.
| Hotel Level | Example Hotels | Guide Price (USD pp) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget 3-Star | Clean, well-located local hotels in each city | $1,980 – $2,480 | Travellers who prioritize sightseeing and route coverage over hotel luxury |
| Comfort 4-Star | Holiday Inn, Mercure, Pullman or similar across cities | $2,480 – $3,080 | Most travellers — good balance of quality and value across three cities |
| Luxury 5-Star | Crowne Plaza, Sofitel, InterContinental or similar | $3,080 – $3,880 | Couples, seniors and travellers who prefer premium comfort throughout |
What affects the final price? Travel season, number of travellers, hotel star level, guide coverage days, private vehicle type, domestic flights or trains, and attraction tickets. Send your travel month and group size — we will return a clear quote within 2 hours.
How booking works
- Ask us anything – free. Tell us your dates and what you would love to see. No account, no card, no commitment.
- We send a route and a price – within 2 hours, 8:00-20:00 Beijing time. A real person (usually Tian) replies with a day-by-day route and an honest number.
- You pay a 10-20% deposit. Bank transfer to the licensed operator’s corporate account – the account name matches the company on licence L-HUN-304201. Fully refunded if you cancel 30 or more days before departure.
- You pay the balance in China. After you arrive, after we meet, after the itinerary is signed. Not before.
Tour FAQ
Can this tour be customized?
Yes. The route, pace, hotels, guide coverage and special interests can be adjusted.
Is this a private tour?
Yes, this page is designed for private China tour planning, not a fixed group tour.
How do I get the final price?
Send your travel month, group size, hotel preference and must-see places through the inquiry form.