10 Days China Essence Tour With Chengdu Pandas
Tour Route: Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Shanghai
This 10-day itinerary covers the four most typical cities of China. Starting in Beijing, you will marvel at the imperial Forbidden City, walk on the majestic Great Wall, and mingle with the locals in a lively market. Take a high-speed train to Xi'an for a big appointment with the world-famous Terracotta Army. Continue to Chengdu, where you will encounter adorable Giant Pandas, taste authentic Sichuan hotpot, and savor a cup of local tea as the Chengdu people like to do. Conclude the journey in modern Shanghai, where futuristic skyscrapers live in harmony with colonial buildings and narrow lanes lined with folk houses.
Inclusions
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Group SizeMin 2 | Max 8
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MEALS
Breakfasts: 9, Lunches: 5
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ACCOMMODATIONSelected 4-star hotels (9 nights)
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TRANSPORT
Deluxe AC Vehicles, High-speed Train, Domestic Plane
Trip Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1:Beijing, Arrival
Begin your fantastic vacation from Beijing, the capital of China.
After landing at the airport, take a taxi or our valued private transfer to your downtown hotel. Have the remainder of the day at leisure to recover from the jet lag or do some exploration on your own around the accommodation.
Accommodation: Sunworld Hotel or similar (4-star)
Day 2:Forbidden City & Hutongs
Kick off the day from the remarkable Tiananmen Square in the center of the city. Then, step into the nearby Forbidden City, home to emperors of the feudal Ming and Qing Dynasties. Rambling around this superb imperial palace complex, admire the magnificent wooden architecture, and listen to the most talked-about stories of the royal families.
After the palace visit, walk into the heart of Beijing‘s old neighborhoods. Explore former residences and traditional courtyard homes once inhabited by influential historical figures and enjoy a traditional drink while taking in a brief but engaging performance of Peking Opera.
Accommodation: Sunworld Hotel or similar (4-star)
Day 3:Beijing: Great Wall & Olympic Venues
After breakfast, travel for around two hours to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. Take a cable car up and hike along this formidable ancient structure to take in epic views and imagine defending the realm in centuries past.
Late in the afternoon, on the way back to your hotel, view the Olympic Bird Nest and Water Cube from the outside and visit a pearl store nearby.
Accommodation: Sunworld Hotel or similar (4-star)
Day 4:Beijing - Xi'an
Your morning begins with a visit to a lively food market, where locals pick up fresh produce, enjoy traditional breakfast snacks, and socialize in the early hours.
Afterward, discover the Temple of Heaven, another architectural masterpiece from the Ming Dynasty (about 600 years ago). Follow your guide to admire its elegant structures and see locals enjoying their morning exercises like tai chi and other traditional games.
Afterward, be transferred to the railway station for a high-speed train to Xi'an. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and proceed to the hotel for check-in.
Accommodation: Eastern House Boutique Hotel or similar (4-star)
Day 5:Xi'an: Terracotta Warriors
Dedicate today to the world-renowned Terracotta Army. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, built a large army of over 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors and horses to protect him in his afterlife. Although buried underground for more than 2,200 years, they still look alive with vivid expressions on their faces.
For the rest of the day, get back to the city center and take some time to hang out around the bustling Muslim Street, lined with shops selling interesting local delicacies, snacks, and souvenirs.
Accommodation: Eastern House Boutique Hotel or similar (4-star)
Day 6:Xi'an - Chengdu
Leave Xi'an behind for Chengdu by high-speed train. Upon arrival, about four hours later, a local guide and driver will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. If you still have energy, find your way to the Wide and Narrow Alley or Jinli Pedestrian to do some exploration. Both of them, packed with traditional-style buildings selling various mouthwatering specialties, are ideal places to kill time.
Accommodation: Dorsett Chengdu or similar (4-star)
Day 7:Chengdu: Pandas, Hotpot & Tea
Wake up early today for a visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. At around 8:30 am, when pandas are more active, you will have more chances to see them eating or playing with each other.
For lunch, enjoy authentic Sichuan hot pot. After that, get back to the downtown and visit the ancient Wenshu Temple. Wander around its stately Chinese architecture to absorb the peaceful atmosphere here and then sit in the teahouse at the back of the complex, sipping a cup of local tea while observing local life.
Accommodation: Dorsett Chengdu or similar (4-star)
Day 8:Chengdu - Shanghai, by Airplane
Have some free time in the morning until your guide escorts you to the airport for the flight to Shanghai. On arrival, another guide will meet you and take you to your hotel. Settle in and have a good rest.
Accommodation: Central Hotel Shanghai or similar (4-star)
Day 9:A Journey Through Shanghai's History, Culture, and Food
Experience the harmonious coexistence of ancient and modern Shanghai through a full-day tour today. Stroll along the waterfront avenue of the Bund featuring colonial-era buildings of different Western architectural styles, contrasting futuristic skyscrapers on the other side of the river.
Walking into the classical Yu Garden, you will soak up a relaxing atmosphere with a beautiful landscape of pagodas, pavilions, rockeries, fountains, ancient trees, and precious flowers. After a stopover at a silk workshop, unwind in the peaceful surroundings of Fuxing Park, where locals practice tai chi and play chess under shady trees. From there, set off on a walking tour through Bugaoli, a tucked-away residential block filled with charming alleyways, old lane houses, and nostalgic stories of everyday life. Sample time-honored local treats along the way.
In the afternoon, delve into Chinese art and history at the Shanghai Museum, home to thousands of cultural treasures spanning ancient bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, and more.
Accommodation: Central Hotel Shanghai or similar (4-star)
Day 10:Shanghai, Departure
Time to say goodbye to China. Make your way to the airport and board your homebound flight.
Dates and Prices
What Our Clients Say
Important Notes
2. Meals: 9 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches as listed in the itinerary
3. Flights or trains as listed in the itinerary.
Flights (economy seat): Chengdu - Shanghai, airport tax and fuel fee included.
Trains (second-class seat): Beijing - Xi'an, Xi'an - Chengdu
4. Sightseeing and transfers with air-conditioned vehicles and guides as listed in the itinerary.
5. Accommodation with daily breakfast.
* Check-in after 2:00 pm & Check-out before 12:00 pm. Early check-in or late check-out is subject to room availability and may generate additional full-day room charges.
6. Bottled water on sightseeing days Odynovo Tours provides our customers with at least one bottle of drinking water per day on the days with sightseeing.
2. Flight / Sightseeing / Meals NOT listed in the itinerary
3. Airport transfers on the arrival or departure day.
4. Gratuities.
5. Travel Insurance: Kindly note that the full coverage travel insurance from your country of origin should be purchased in advance on your own.
6. Personal Expenses such as room service, internet charges, laundry, drinks, fax, telephone calls, optional activities, etc.
7. Excess Baggage Charge: Extra or overweight luggage will be subject to extra cost, please pay to the airlines directly upon checking in at the airport.
8. Optional activities either recommended by tour guides or out of your own interests.
9. Payment Transaction Fee
2. The above prices are net for end-consumers and not applied to any third party.
3. This small group tour requires a minimum of 2 travelers and accommodates a maximum of 8 travelers. Your travel consultant will confirm whether the tour will proceed as scheduled no later than 60 days before the departure date.
If the minimum number of travelers is not met, we may offer you the option to proceed with the trip as a private tour at an additional cost. We recommend waiting until you receive the final tour confirmation before booking any non-refundable or non-changeable international flights or other travel arrangements.
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