15-Day Classic China Tours

Arrival in Beijing Welcome to the magnificent city of Beijing! To make your arrival as smooth as possible, our dedicated private tour guide will greet you in the arrivals hall and escort you to your hotel via a private vehicle. We will also handle your luggage and assist with the hotel check-in process.

Lunch or dinner would be arranged according to the voucher Linkedtours gives you. Otherwise you can find some local restaurants nearby or have meals in the hotel.

Hotel options:

Novotel Beijing Peace (4-star)

Crowne Plaza Beijing (5-star)

Begin your day at the Temple of Heaven, an esteemed complex of religious structures that epitomizes the connection between Earth and Heaven. Here, you'll witness local residents engaging in their distinctive morning exercises. For lunch, enjoy a meal at a well-known local eatery, featuring authentic regional cuisine. Your guide will assist you in selecting dishes that suit your taste.

Stroll through Tian'anmen Square and delve into the enigmatic Forbidden City, the world's largest imperial palace. Venture off the beaten path within the Forbidden City to uncover fascinating tales of notable figures, stories often overlooked by conventional tour guides.

Morning:  

  - Mutianyu Great Wall (3.5 hours): Hike between Towers 10–23 for Ming Dynasty watchtowers and forested vistas. Optional toboggan ride down the mountain.   

Afternoon:  

  - Summer Palace (2.5 hours): Cruise Kunming Lake past Marble Boat and Longevity Hill. Explore Suzhou Street's Qing-era market replicas.  

Evening: High-speed train to Datong (2.5 hours).  

 Hotel: Datong Garden Hotel.  

Morning:  

  - Yungang Grottoes (3.5 hours): UNESCO site with 45 caves of 5th-century Buddhist carvings. Cave 5's 17-meter Buddha symbolizes Northern Wei Dynasty piety. Admire intricate apsara (celestial nymph) reliefs.   

Afternoon:  

  - Hanging Temple (2 hours): A 1,500-year-old wooden temple clinging to Hengshan cliffs. Walk narrow walkways to see statues of Laozi, Confucius, and Sakyamuni coexisting.  

Evening: Datong Ancient City Wall (Illuminated Ming-era ramparts with archery demonstrations).  

Morning:  

  - High-speed train to Pingyao (4 hours via Taiyuan).  

Afternoon:  

  - Pingyao Ancient Town: UNESCO-preserved 14th-century trading hub. Walk cobblestone streets to Rishengchang Draft Bank (China's first bank, est. 1823) and secret vaults.  

Evening: Qing Dynasty-themed dinner with storytelling and folk music.  

Hotel: Jing's Residence (Boutique courtyard hotel).  

Morning:  

  - Shuanglin Temple (2.5 hours): A 1,400-year-old temple with 2,000 painted clay statues. The "Avalokitesvara with 1,000 Arms" exemplifies Song Dynasty craftsmanship.  

Afternoon:  

  - Qiao Family Compound (2 hours): A 18th-century merchant mansion with intricate woodcarvings and hidden courtyards. Learn about Jin Dynasty business culture.    

Evening: Free time to shop for lacquerware or attend a shadow puppet show.  

Morning:  

  - Pingyao City Wall (1.5 hours): Walk 6.4km of Ming-era fortifications. Climb the South Gate for views of gray-tiled rooftops and temple spires.  

 Afternoon:  

  - High-speed train to Xi'an (3 hours).  

 Evening:  

  - Muslim Quarter: Taste cumin-spiced lamb skewers, persimmon cakes, and pomegranate juice. Visit the Great Mosque (Tang Dynasty blend of Islamic and Chinese architecture).  

Hotel: Sofitel Legend People's Grand Hotel.  

Visit the world-famous Terracotta Army, also known as the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

Get to a local warrior replica making center near the Army Museum before the visit to the actual Army Museum, make a miniature of the warriors by yourselves.

Drive back to the city and visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the Da Cien Temple. The pagoda is where the famous monk in the Tang Dynasty translated Buddhist scriptures when he came back from ancient India.

Enjoy a Tang-Dynasty-styled Dinner and Music Show in the evening. It is a cultural landmark offering a unique blend of dining and performance, featuring the renowned "Great Tang Empress" dance show.

Visit the Shaanxi History Museum, housing 370,000 artifacts like Tang Dynasty goldware and Han Dynasty jade. Admire the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, a 7th-century Buddhist pagoda storing scriptures from India. 

Stroll the Muslim Quarter, savoring yangrou paomo (lamb stew with crumbled bread) and huoshao (crispy sesame cakes). Fly to Chengdu, China's “Land of Abundance.” 

Hotel options: 

- The Temple House Chengdu: A chic blend of traditional Sichuan architecture and modern art. 

- Chengdu Marriott Hotel Financial Center: A high-rise gem with skyline views and a Sichuan tea lounge. 

At the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, observe playful cubs munching bamboo and climbing trees. Learn about conservation efforts to protect this endangered species. 

Feast on Sichuan hotpot at Haidilao, where numbing peppercorns and fiery broths ignite the senses. 

Explore Jinli Ancient Street, a Tang Dynasty-style lane lined with tea houses and artisan stalls. Cap the day with a Sichuan opera, featuring face-changing performers and fire-spitting acts. 

Discover the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, a 2,200-year-old UNESCO site that tamed the Min River using bamboo baskets and stones. Walk across the Anlan Cable Bridge for engineering marvels. 

Hike Qingcheng Mountain, a Taoist sanctuary shrouded in misty forests. Visit the Tianshi Cave, birthplace of Taoism, and savor taoist vegetarian dishes at a hillside temple. 

Fly to Shanghai, China's futuristic metropolis. After check-in, embark on a night tour of the Bund, where Art Deco buildings glow alongside neon-lit skyscrapers like the Oriental Pearl Tower. 

Hotel options: 

- The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong: A lavish stay with panoramic Huangpu River views. 

- Fairmont Peace Hotel: A Jazz Age icon hosting legendary live bands in its art-deco ballroom.  

Morning: 

Visit the Shanghai Museum. The Shanghai Museum is a large-scale museum of ancient Chinese art and is one of the first batch of national first-class museums.

Afternoon: 

Visit Yu Garden and the surrounding markets. Yu Garden is not only a historical and cultural landmark of the city of Shanghai but also a treasure of traditional Chinese culture.

Morning:

• Departure from Shanghai:

• Visit the Humble Administrator's Garden: Start your tour with one of the most famous classical gardens in Suzhou. This garden, built in 1522 during the Ming Dynasty, is known for its beautiful water features, rockeries, and pavilions. It is a great example of the harmonious blend of nature and architecture in traditional Chinese gardens.

  
  

Midday:

• Lunch: Enjoy a meal at a local restaurant in Suzhou. 

• Pingjiang Road: After lunch, stroll along Pingjiang Road, a historic street that showcases the traditional architecture and culture of Suzhou. The street is lined with canals, bridges, and shops, offering a glimpse into the city's past.

  
  

Afternoon:

• Visit the Lingering Garden: Explore this compact and delicate garden, which is another of Suzhou's classic gardens. It features a series of interconnected halls, pavilions, and gardens, each with its own unique charm.

  
  

Evening:

• Return to Shanghai: Take the high-speed train back to Shanghai, concluding your day trip.

Transfer to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for your onward journey.