11-Day Beijing · Xi’an · Shanghai · Guilin & Yangshuo Private Tour

Flexible airport pick-up service; guide and driver wait with name sign at arrival hall, transfer you to 4/5-star downtown hotel (Wangfujing/Qianmen area). Free time after check-in for rest and jet lag recovery. Recommended local dinner options include Peking duck, soybean paste noodles and instant-boiled mutton. Guide will confirm next day's schedule one day in advance.

Hotel pick-up (time confirmed the previous evening), visit UNESCO World Heritage Temple of Heaven, the Ming & Qing imperial worship site with iconic Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and acoustic Echo Wall. Self-paid lunch with local Beijing snack options nearby. Afternoon visit Tiananmen Square for landmark photos, tour the Forbidden City (world's largest ancient wooden imperial complex), then climb Jingshan Park for a panoramic view of the entire palace layout. Return to hotel after sightseeing.

Transfer to Mutianyu Great Wall, the best-preserved Ming Dynasty section with 96% forest coverage and far fewer crowds than Badaling (optional cable car/slideway available for easy access). Self-paid farm lunch at the foot of the wall with chestnut braised chicken and local specialties. Afternoon visit Beijing Olympic Park to see Bird's Nest and Water Cube, then stroll 500-year-old Dashilan ancient street and Wangfujing pedestrian street for old Beijing culture and shopping. Return to hotel in the evening.

Visit Beijing Zoo to see national treasure giant pandas, plus golden monkeys, flamingos and other rare animals. Self-paid lunch with included free dumpling DIY cultural experience to learn making traditional Chinese reunion food. Afternoon take 4.5-hour comfortable high-speed train across North China plain to Xi'an, local driver will pick you up at the station and transfer to 4/5-star downtown hotel near Muslim Quarter and Ancient City Wall.

Hotel pick-up, visit Huaqing Palace, the Tang Dynasty royal hot spring resort famous for Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei's love story and Xi'an Incident historical relics. Self-paid lunch with Shaanxi specialties including hand-pulled noodles, roujiamo and mutton soup. Afternoon tour UNESCO World Heritage Terracotta Warriors Museum, the "Eighth Wonder of the World" with nearly 8000 life-sized Qin soldiers and bronze chariots. Evening visit Grand Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City for immersive Tang culture, street performances and night light shows. Return to hotel after sightseeing.

Visit Ci'en Temple and Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, the Tang Dynasty Buddhist heritage and Silk Road World Heritage landmark where Monk Xuanzang translated ancient scriptures. Self-paid light lunch with Tang-style pastries and local snacks, then take domestic flight to Shanghai. After landing, transfer to 4/5-star downtown hotel near the Bund and Yu Garden.

Experience the world's first commercial maglev train (top speed 430km/h) for ultra-high-speed rail technology, then visit Madame Tussauds Wax Museum for interactive photos with hyper-realistic celebrity wax figures. Self-paid lunch with Shanghai local snacks including pan-fried buns and soup dumplings. Afternoon tour 400-year-old Yu Garden (classic Jiangnan-style garden) and adjacent City God Temple snack street, then take hop-on hop-off 360° double-decker sightseeing bus with multi-language audio guide covering all core Shanghai landmarks. Return to hotel in the evening.

Visit Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the iconic Pudong landmark with high observation decks offering full bird's-eye view of Huangpu River and Bund skyline. Self-paid light lunch with local desserts, then take domestic flight to Guilin. After landing, transfer to 4/5-star downtown hotel near Li River and Elephant Trunk Hill.

Visit Xianggong Mountain, the best viewing platform for the 20 RMB note Li River karst scenery with layered green peaks and winding river views. Self-paid lunch with Xingping local specialties including Li River beer fish and bamboo shoot rice noodles. Afternoon take quiet electric bamboo raft along the golden Li River section, then explore 1000-year-old Xingping Ancient Town with well-preserved Ming & Qing stone streets. Return to hotel in the evening.

Leisure cycling along Yulong River ("Little Li River") through pastoral rice fields and karst peaks, with riverside swing photo spots for relaxing countryside views. Self-paid farm lunch with wild vegetable dishes and local osmanthus wine. Afternoon take scenic bus tour through Twenty-Five Mile Gallery karst corridor, then enjoy afternoon tea with coffee and pastries amid natural mountain landscape. Return to hotel after sightseeing.

Visit Silver Cave, the large underground karst cave with glowing stalactites and stone formations illuminated by colorful lights. Self-paid lunch with Guilin rice noodles and local snacks. Afternoon visit Elephant Trunk Hill, the city symbol of Guilin shaped like an elephant drinking water by the Li River, then private transfer to Guilin airport or railway station according to your schedule, marking the end of the 11-day China private tour.