8-Day China Tour: Beijing, Xi'an & Chengdu - Emperor & Panda

Your private English-speaking guide and driver will wait for you at the arrival hall of Beijing airport with a personalized welcome sign, assist with your luggage and escort you to the air-conditioned private vehicle. Transfer directly to your pre-booked downtown Beijing hotel. Early check-in is subject to room availability; you may leave your luggage at the front desk if the room is not ready. Free leisure time after check-in for rest and jet lag recovery. You may explore nearby local streets and restaurants on your own. Your guide will confirm the exact pick-up time for the next day via phone or hotel front desk the evening before.

Hotel pickup at the time confirmed the previous evening, which may be adjusted earlier during peak season to avoid heavy traffic and large crowds. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Temple of Heaven, the largest preserved imperial sacrificial complex in ancient China, where you will explore the iconic Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the acoustic Echo Wall and the Imperial Vault of Heaven as your guide shares stories of imperial heaven worship ceremonies. Enjoy a self-paid lunch at a guide-recommended nearby restaurant, with options including traditional Beijing copper pot lamb hot pot, classic northern Chinese family dishes and casual local snacks. Walk across Tiananmen Square in the afternoon, then enter the UNESCO Forbidden City, the world's largest intact ancient wooden imperial palace, to explore the grand outer ceremonial halls and quiet inner royal quarters along the central axis. Afterwards climb Jingshan Park to Wanchun Pavilion for the best panoramic bird's-eye view of the entire Forbidden City golden rooftop complex and Beijing's central axis. Private transfer back to your hotel in the evening, and your guide can recommend local dinner options including authentic Peking duck and old Beijing street food.

Hotel pickup in the morning, then drive to the Badaling Great Wall, the most representative and best-preserved Ming Dynasty Great Wall section. Hike along the ancient stone ramparts, climb watchtowers and enjoy sweeping views of the wall winding across lush mountain ranges, with optional round-trip cable car available at your own cost for easier access. Have a self-paid farm-style lunch at a local family restaurant near the foot of the wall, featuring fresh local mountain ingredients. Return to downtown in the afternoon to visit Beijing Olympic Park, where you can take photos of the iconic Bird's Nest National Stadium and Water Cube Aquatics Center. Then stroll through the 500-year-old Dashilan historic commercial street lined with time-honored Beijing brands, followed by a walk along Wangfujing Pedestrian Street, a lively mix of modern shopping malls and traditional snack stalls. Private transfer back to your Beijing hotel in the evening.

Hotel pickup in the morning, then visit Beijing Zoo, China's oldest public zoo founded in 1906 and a core giant panda conservation base. Watch giant pandas eat bamboo and play in naturalistic enclosures, and you may also see golden snub-nosed monkeys, red pandas and other rare native species. Enjoy a self-paid lunch at a local restaurant near the zoo. Afterwards take private transfer to Beijing West Railway Station, and your guide will assist with check-in and boarding procedures. Ride a comfortable high-speed bullet train to Xi'an, enjoying the countryside scenery of northern China along the way. Your local Xi'an guide will meet you at the station arrival hall and transfer you to your downtown hotel for check-in in the evening.

Hotel pickup in the morning, then drive to Huaqing Palace at the foot of Lishan Mountain. Tour the famous Tang Dynasty imperial hot spring palace known for the historical romance of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei, visiting ancient hot spring pools, imperial gardens and the historic site of the Xi'an Incident. Have a self-paid lunch of authentic Shaanxi specialties at a nearby restaurant. In the afternoon visit Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, the UNESCO World Heritage Terracotta Army, exploring Pit 1, Pit 2 and Pit 3 to see thousands of life-sized terracotta warriors and horses with unique facial features and learn about the first emperor of unified China. Enjoy a self-paid dinner with options including Shaanxi noodles, rougamo and traditional dumpling banquets, then stroll the illuminated Great Tang All Day Mall, a grand Tang Dynasty-themed pedestrian street with light shows, street performances and folk culture experiences. Private transfer back to your Xi'an hotel in the evening.

Hotel pickup in the morning, then visit Ci'en Temple, one of China's most famous ancient Buddhist temples built in the Tang Dynasty, where you will see the iconic Giant Wild Goose Pagoda that stored Buddhist scriptures brought back by monk Xuanzang from his pilgrimage to India. Enjoy your last self-paid lunch of Shaanxi specialties before departure. Afterwards take private transfer to Xi'an North Railway Station, with guide assistance for boarding procedures. Take the high-speed bullet train to Chengdu, passing through the Qinling Mountains with landscapes shifting from northern to southwest China. Your local Chengdu guide will meet you at the station and transfer you to your downtown hotel for check-in in the evening.

Early morning hotel pickup to visit the panda base when pandas are most active. Tour Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the world's largest giant panda breeding and research base, where you can watch adult pandas and baby pandas eat bamboo, climb and play in open-air enclosures and learn about panda conservation efforts. Enjoy a self-paid lunch of authentic Sichuan-flavored dishes at a local restaurant near the base. In the afternoon visit the UNESCO World Heritage Dujiangyan Irrigation System, a 2200-year-old dam-free ancient water project still in use today to irrigate the Chengdu Plain, and learn about the ingenious ancient hydraulic engineering technology. Drive back to downtown Chengdu and drop you off at your hotel in the evening.

Hotel pickup in the morning, then depart for the Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan. Explore the mysterious 3000-year-old ancient Shu civilization, seeing stunning relics including bronze masks, golden masks and sacred bronze trees that rewrite the understanding of ancient Chinese history. Have a self-paid lunch of local Guanghan specialties at a restaurant near the museum. Afterwards take private transfer to Chengdu airport or railway station for your departure, marking the end of the 8-day Beijing-Xi'an-Chengdu classic tour.

Please bring your valid passport for all scenic area entry checks and train boarding. Wear comfortable, non-slip walking shoes as the Great Wall and mountain scenic areas have steep steps. This itinerary is for reference only; minor adjustments may be made due to extreme weather, traffic conditions, temporary scenic spot closures or holiday crowds. All meals are self-paid unless otherwise stated, and your guide will provide recommendations based on your preferences. Optional cable cars, sightseeing buses and other on-site experiences are at your own cost.