Land & Water Pilgrimage | 13 Days 12 Nights China Panorama Group Tour of Shanghai + Guilin + Yangtze River Cruise + Xi'an + Beijing

Welcome to the magic city - Shanghai! Our driver will greet you at the airport/train station exit and escort you to your hotel in downtown Shanghai for check-in. You are free to arrange the rest of your time as you wish. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to recharge; if it is still early, you can also take a stroll around the neighborhood. Suggested ways to arrive 1. By plane: Shanghai has two airports - Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA), with many direct domestic routes, such as Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Kunming, Harbin, Hong Kong, etc., as well as direct international routes, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Los Angeles, Japan, etc. Transportation is very convenient. 2. By train: Shanghai has a total of 5 train stations. You can take high-speed rail to Shanghai from Beijing (4.5-6 hours), Xi'an (6-7.5 hours), Huangshan (2.5-3 hours), Guangzhou (7-8.5 hours), Suzhou (0.5 hours), Hangzhou (about 45 minutes), Wuhan (3.5-4.5 hours), and other places.

After breakfast, head to the Lujiazui business district in Pudong, Shanghai, to visit the tallest building in Shanghai and in China—the 【Shanghai Tower】. Here, you will take the world's fastest sightseeing elevator (73.8 km/h) directly to the "Top of Shanghai Observatory" on the 118th floor, 546 meters above ground, for a 360° unobstructed view of Shanghai's magnificent skyline and panoramic city views, looking down on the famous buildings around. If interested, you can also send a special blessing from above the clouds to family and friends at the Top of Shanghai Sky Post Office, currently the world's highest post office. Next, visit the 【Shanghai Museum East】 to admire various exquisite treasures and gain a deeper understanding of China's long and profound history and culture. The Shanghai Museum East has many artifacts on display, and especially worth seeing are its famous treasures: • The Da Ke Ding: This bronze vessel from about 3,000 years ago is majestic and solemn in appearance and is an outstanding representative of China's Western Zhou bronze culture. • The Shang Yang Fang Sheng: As a relic of Shang Yang's reforms, it was not only the physical standard of weights and measures in the Qin Dynasty but also carries the ultimate code of the rise of Great Qin's economy. • The Zi Zhong Jiang Pan: On this bronze water basin from the Spring and Autumn period are carved more than 30 lifelike aquatic animals. When clear water flows into the basin, these animals rotate 360°, offering endless fun and showcasing the superb craftsmanship of the ancients. Afterward, head to 【Yu Garden】, known as the "finest garden in the southeast," to enjoy the scenery of a classical Jiangnan garden in China. Yu Garden was first built in the 38th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1559 AD), more than 460 years ago. It was originally a private garden built by Pan Yunduan, the Ming Dynasty provincial administration commissioner of Sichuan, for his father to enjoy his later years in comfort. Strolling along Yu Garden's winding paths, you can admire China's ingenious garden layout, exquisite classical architecture, and superb brick carvings, stone carvings, clay sculptures, and wood carvings. Near Yu Garden, Yuyuan Bazaar is a very lively district where you can taste the most authentic Shanghai cuisine or browse various traditional Chinese handicraft shops. Afterward, you can walk along 【Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street】, known as "China's No. 1 Commercial Street," to the Bund, a total distance of about 2 km. Along the way, you can take in Shanghai's architectural style of the 1930s and 1940s and browse various century-old brand stores. 【The Bund】 is located on the west bank of the Huangpu River and is one of Shanghai's landmark attractions, known as the "Exhibition of World Architecture." It brings together 52 foreign-style buildings of different styles, such as the Shanghai Club, the Peace Hotel, and HSBC Bank. Stepping into it feels like entering the golden age of the former Wall Street of the East. Standing by the river, you can also gaze at landmark buildings such as Shanghai Tower, Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, and Shanghai World Financial Center. Tips: 1) Yu Garden is closed on Mondays, so it will be replaced by a visit to Shanghai City God Temple; 2) Shanghai Museum East is closed on Tuesdays, so we will first try to arrange the People's Square branch, and if a reservation there cannot be made, we will coordinate an alternative downtown attraction

This morning, after enjoying breakfast at the hotel, our driver will take you to the airport in advance according to your flight time to board a flight to Guilin (about 2.5 hours). Welcome to Guilin. Our driver will greet you at the airport exit and escort you to a downtown Guilin hotel to check in and rest briefly. In the afternoon, you will head to visit Guilin's landmark attraction, Elephant Trunk Hill. [Elephant Trunk Hill] is located at the confluence of the Li River and Taohua River and is named for its shape, which resembles a giant elephant drinking from the river. Afterward, head to visit Reed Flute Cave, known as the "Palace of Natural Art." [Reed Flute Cave] is one of China's most famous tourist caves. Inside the karst cave, large numbers of stalagmites, stalactites, stone columns, stone curtains, and stone flowers shine brilliantly and dreamlike under colorful lighting. You can follow the guide's explanations to learn about the formation process of stalactites and old stories.

After breakfast, depart from the hotel by car to the pier (about 1 hour), then take a Li River cruise to enjoy the most beautiful section of the Li River: the Guilin to Yangshuo section, about 84 kilometers in total, taking about 4 hours. People often say, "Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven, and Yangshuo's scenery is the best in Guilin." On this cruise, you can personally experience Guilin's picturesque, fairyland-like landscape, learn the legendary stories of sights such as Waiting-for-Husband Rock and Crown Cave, and enjoy the wonderful experience of traveling within a painting. (Lunch upgrade: We have carefully prepared a customized Western lunch for you, and the guide will bring the freshly cooked meal to you in the morning to enjoy on board.) After arriving in Yangshuo, the driver will pick you up from the pier and take you to the hotel to rest for a while. Then you can head out to explore Yangshuo and admire Guilin's most outstanding pastoral scenery. You can choose the following ways to explore: (1) driving plus walking; (2) cycling; (3) riding a motorcycle (an extra fee may apply). Whichever way you choose, you can travel along country roads and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way, including karst mountains, rice fields, villages, and rivers. You may also see scenes of life such as people working in the fields, children playing by the river, and cattle grazing in the fields. In the evening, head out to explore Yangshuo's busiest district - West Street. This is a street that perfectly combines Eastern and Western elements and is also the best place to experience Yangshuo's nightlife. Whether you want to taste some local food or find a small shop to order a drink, relax, and enjoy some rare leisure time, this place can meet your needs.

This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, our driver will, according to your ticket time, take you to the railway station in advance to board the high-speed train to Chongqing. Welcome to Chongqing! Our driver will meet you at the railway station exit and take you to Chaotianmen Pier to board the Yangtze River cruise ship and complete the boarding procedures. Today's Yangtze River cruise journey will officially begin at 21:00 in the evening. Tip: During the summer from March to September, if the water level is too high or too low, there may be a situation where you are transferred by vehicle from Chongqing to Fengdu to board the ship, about a 2.5-hour drive, with a relatively high frequency especially in March–April and July–August

Today the cruise will sail peacefully along the Yangtze River. After getting up in the morning, you can first head to the restaurant to enjoy the buffet breakfast. After that, you can admire the charming river views along the Yangtze River or choose to enjoy the cruise's rich entertainment facilities and activities. In the afternoon, you will go ashore with the guide to visit Fengdu Ghost City. [Fengdu Ghost City], also known as "Youdu," is famous for many buildings and sculptures representing China's underworld, such as Hengha Shrine, Tianzi Hall, Naihe Bridge, Yellow Springs Road, Wangxiang Terrace, and Yaowang Hall, and is renowned at home and abroad for its mysterious ghost culture. You can follow the guide's explanations to learn many legends of ghosts and gods about the Chinese underworld or traditional Chinese myths. If interested, you can also visit the Shibaoizhai Tower at your own expense. [Shibaozhai Tower] is the tallest existing folk chuandou-style wooden structure in China and has the most stories, and is called one of the "Eight Strange Buildings of the World." Climbing the 12-story redwood pagoda offers a panoramic view of the Yangtze River. Tips: The above itinerary is for reference only. The attractions visited may vary depending on different cruise companies, and we will choose the most suitable cruise for you according to your preferences.

Today, continue cruising the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River, following your guide's commentary to learn about the scenery and legends of the Three Gorges. First, you will sail through Qutang Gorge, which combines grandeur, wonder, danger, and steepness, and check in at Kuimen, known as the gate of China's mountains and waters and featured on the back of the 10-yuan RMB note. 【Qutang Gorge】is the shortest, narrowest, and most perilous section of the Three Gorges, with a total length of 8 kilometers. The cliffs on both banks look as if they were cut by knives and axes. The mountains are high and the gorge is narrow; looking up at the blue sky, the clouds and sky form a single line. The water in the gorge is deep and the current swift, and at the narrowest point the river surface is less than fifty meters wide, with turbulent waves that are breathtaking. Afterwards, pass through Wu Gorge, known for its depth and beauty. 【Wu Gorge】is flanked by unbroken green mountains, with peaks like screens. As the boat travels through the gorge, sometimes a great mountain looms ahead, and the rocks seem to block the way; then suddenly the peaks turn and the path opens, revealing another world beyond the clouds, like a winding gallery full of poetic charm. Finally, pass through Xiling Gorge. 【Xiling Gorge】is the longer gorge among the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The scenery within the gorge is bright and beautiful, majestic and spectacular, with towering peaks on both banks standing like walls along the river, steep ridges and cliffs stretching across the sky, jagged strange rocks, hanging waterfalls like white silk, and ancient green vines and trees that block out the sky and sun. In the afternoon, go ashore with your guide to visit Shennü Stream. 【Shennü Stream】, also known as "Beauty Stream," is 15 kilometers long. Within the stream, the mountains are high and the valleys deep, the scenery is gorgeous, and the stream water is deep and dark green, like an ink-wash painting. You will transfer to a local boat and travel downstream along the stream to admire up close the beautiful scenery of its peaks and gorges and the mysterious hanging coffins on the cliffs. If you are interested, you can also join the local Tujia song and dance performance, which is very lively and joyful. Afterwards, return to the cruise ship, attend the captain's dinner in the evening, enjoy a delicious dinner, and stay overnight on the cruise ship. Tip: The above itinerary is for reference only. The attractions visited may vary depending on different cruise companies. We will choose the most suitable cruise for you according to your preferences.

After breakfast, complete the check-out procedures, disembark at Maoping Port, and visit the world's largest water conservancy project—the Three Gorges Dam. 【Three Gorges Dam】 has a total length of 2,309 meters, with the entire dam poured to the designed elevation of 185 meters, and a maximum impoundment water level of up to 175 meters. It is the world's largest concrete gravity dam. After touring the Three Gorges Dam, you will take a tour bus arranged by the cruise company at around 12:30–13:30 to the Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal. In the afternoon, we will take you to the airport to fly to Xi'an (about 1.5 hours). Upon arrival in Xi'an, our driver will meet you at the airport exit and take you to your downtown Xi'an hotel to complete the check-in procedures.

After breakfast, you will drive about 40 kilometers (1 hour) to visit the Terracotta Army, one of the "Eighth Wonders of the World." The 【Terracotta Army Museum】 is a site museum built on the original pits, and it is also China's largest ancient military museum. With the vivid commentary of a professional guide, you will visit Pits 1, 2, and 3 in sequence, learning about the historical background of the Terracotta Army, its craftsmanship, and the little-known stories behind these thousand-year-old clay figures buried in the long river of history. In the afternoon, head to visit the time-honored Xi'an Ancient City Wall. The 【Xi'an Ancient City Wall】 was first built in the Ming Dynasty, also known as the Xi'an Ming City Wall, and is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient city walls in China. You can climb onto the wall, walk on the historic blue bricks, and feel the charm of the ancient city wall, or ride a bicycle to enjoy the superb scenery formed by the ancient city wall and the modern cityscape together. In addition, near the Xi'an Ancient City Wall, you can also visit the amazing Bell Tower and Drum Tower. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower were first built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, about 600 years ago. The two buildings echo each other from afar and are magnificent. When night falls, the lights of the Bell Tower and Drum Tower come on together, creating a spectacular scene.

After breakfast, you will visit Xi'an's famous cultural landmark - the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Located within the Daci'en Temple, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the earliest and largest existing square pavilion-style brick pagoda of the Tang Dynasty, with seven stories and a height of about 64 meters. Here you can admire the ancient architectural style, view the Buddhist scriptures and statues brought back from India by Master Xuanzang that are housed in the pagoda, and also climb this thousand-year-old pagoda to overlook the city scenery of Xi'an. Afterwards, you will head to Xi'an's famous food and culture street - the Muslim Quarter, where you can experience the local atmosphere while savoring local specialty snacks. After the tour, our driver will take you to Xi'an Railway Station to take the high-speed train to Beijing. Upon arrival in Beijing, our driver will greet you at the railway station exit and take you to a hotel in downtown Beijing for check-in. You can arrange the remaining time freely. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to recharge; if it is still early, you can also take a stroll around the neighborhood.

After breakfast, you will visit the world-renowned Tiananmen Square. 【Tiananmen Square】is located on Beijing's central axis and is the largest city-center square in the world. It holds an important place in Chinese history and has witnessed countless major historical events. Here you can view the majestic and solemn Tiananmen Gate Tower and learn about China's long-standing culture. Afterwards, cross the square and visit the Beijing Palace Museum. 【The Forbidden City】, also known as the Purple Forbidden City, is located at the center of Beijing's central axis. It was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties and is the world's largest and best-preserved complex of wooden palace architecture of the Forbidden City. Here you can visit the important halls along the central axis in sequence, admiring the splendid and exquisite ancient palace architecture while following the guide's commentary to further understand the historical stories of the Forbidden City. After finishing, you can also go to the nearby 【Jingshan Park】 (about a 15-minute walk) to overlook the panoramic view of the Forbidden City and the magnificent scenery of Beijing. In the afternoon, you will take a car to visit the famous royal garden - the Summer Palace. 【The Summer Palace】is the largest and best-preserved existing imperial garden in China, and one of China's four great famous gardens. It is known as the Royal Garden Museum, with beautiful scenery in the garden, and its pavilions, towers, lakes, bridges and other scenery are a feast for the eyes. Tip: The Beijing Palace Museum is closed on Mondays, and the visiting order will be adjusted according to the actual situation

After breakfast, you will drive 73 kilometers (about 1.5–2 hours) to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall, part of the Great Wall of China, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The 【Mutianyu Great Wall】 is the longest and best-restored section of the Great Wall in China, and has the reputation of being "the most outstanding section of the Great Wall at Mutianyu." You can first take the cable car to Tower 14, then hike westward, enjoying the magnificent mountain scenery and the winding, majestic Great Wall along the way, and finally reach the highest point at Tower 20 to complete your Great Wall journey. After visiting the Great Wall, return to downtown Beijing and, along the way, view the exterior of the 【Bird's Nest】 (Beijing National Stadium) and the 【Water Cube】 (Beijing National Aquatics Center), and take photos with them. Then return to the hotel and have a good rest.

After breakfast, this wonderful journey will come to an end. Our driver will take you to the airport or railway station for your next destination. If you wish to extend this trip and explore more destinations in China, such as Chengdu, Tibet, Yunnan, Zhangjiajie, Harbin, etc., you can also contact our customer service to arrange it for you. We look forward to welcoming you again someday in the future.