Explore the route, then refine the details.
A China Adventure Club route through several contrasting regions of China. Explore the operator’s itinerary outline, then refine its pace and arrangements for your dates.
Adapted from China Adventure Club’s original regional and national collection. The outline below describes the source route; your written proposal establishes the current order, overnight stops and service arrangements.
Itinerary outline
Select a route section to explore the map. Tap a stop for its location or use the directions link for the next leg. Flights, trains, cruises and hiking arrangements follow your itinerary.
1 Beijing Directions to Huanghuacheng Great Wall
2 Huanghuacheng Great Wall Directions to Beijing
3 Beijing Directions to Xi’an
4 Xi’an Directions to Chongqing
5 Chongqing Directions to Three Gorges
6 Three Gorges Directions to Yichang
7 Yichang Directions to Shanghai
8 Shanghai
See how history flows like a river for 5,000 years.
Day 1: Arrival in Beijing.
Day 2: Discover all the fantasies that Beijing, the first ancient city in China has to offer - the Royal Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, the royal China's largest inner-city garden. The next day head to the lakeside Huanghuacheng Great Wall. Camping under the moon and stars in the Great Wall Beacon, where the ancient generals commanded battles, to experience the hardships of the warriors' lives. Savor the delicisious Chinese country-style dishes of organic food planted locally.
Day 3: In the early hours of the morning, spread your arms to greet the sunrise on the Great Wall. Enjoy the unique sunrise sensation at the Great Wall with breakfast delivered to your tower. Hike for 2 hours on the silent ancient Great Wall and marvel at its grandeur and architectural wonders! ! High up on a hill overlooking a quiet lake. This section of the Great Wall is the only one built on the water's edge. After lunch return to Beijing and listen to the echoes of the past at the Temple of Heaven where the emperor used to pray every year.
Day 4: Fly to Xi’an in the morning to visit the Terracotta Warriors. Discovered by local farmers in 1974, these life-size soldiers and horses form part of the burial complex of China’s first emperor. In the evening, enjoy a dumpling banquet followed by a Tang dynasty music and dance performance inspired by imperial court life.
Day 5: Visit the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, a library built during the Tang Dynasty to store hundreds of sutras brought back from India. Afterwards, go for a bike ride on top of the ancient walls of Xi'an, one of the most famous city structures of the late Middle Ages. Take a bite of Xi'an's meat bun - known as the Chinese hamburger before you say Good-bye. Fly to Chongqing. Board a luxury Yangtze River cruise ship to start your excursion to the Three Gorges.
Days 6–8: Cruise through the Three Gorges, where steep cliffs and mountain slopes rise above the Yangtze River. Look for Goddess Peak and learn about its connection to local legends. Disembark in Yichang and take an approximately four-hour high-speed train to Shanghai.
Days 9–10: Explore Shanghai’s historic neighborhoods and modern skyline. Walk along Nanjing Road, enjoy panoramic views from an observation deck, and pause for coffee in Tianzifang. Cruise the Huangpu River to see both banks and learn about the Bund’s commercial history. Visit Zhujiajiao for a different view of the city through its canals, bridges, and traditional streets.
What to refine before booking
Protect the travel days
Review the full hotel-to-hotel transfer for every intercity leg. Avoid relying on a flight or train arriving early enough for a tightly timed major attraction unless the final schedule supports it.
Choose a comfortable pace
Confirm stairs, slopes and time on foot. Ask which optional visits can be shortened or removed, and where an additional night would make the biggest difference.
Make inclusions explicit
Request the actual hotel and room choices, guide language, vehicle arrangements, admission coverage, meals and any activity-specific support in the written quotation.
Compare another approach
For a more spacious route, explore the original journey briefs in our national and regional collections. These show overnight allocations, transfer days and the tradeoffs behind each route.