A Broad Taste of China
13-Day Private Tour: Beijing – Xi'an – Chengdu – Guilin – Hong Kong
This 13-day suggested itinerary is an in-depth discovery ofChinese cuisinefrom the north to the south and from modern to rural areas, covering the representative destinations where different styles of cuisine originated from.
The itinerary below is only one possibility.Tips to tailor-make your tripare offered as inspiration. Send us details of your preferences and our travel experts will customize this trip to suit your interests, tastes, and budget.
Beijing-Xi'an-Chengdu-Guilin-Hongkong Tour Map
Tour "Wow" Points
Get off the Beaten Pathto Find Hidden Halls and Interesting Stories in the Fobidden City
Follow your personal guide to explore the emperors' Forbidden City. Visit the halls which are skipped by most of the tourists and listen to the stories which are never told by other guides.
EnjoyPeking Roast Duckof a Time-Honored Brand
Feast your eyes and stomach with the most famous Beijing dish in a courtyard restaurant. Walk into the kitchen for roasting ducks.
Explore aTop-Ranked Sectionof the Great Wall
Make the most of your time to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall. Walk leisurely through the watchtowers and enjoy a superb view of the Wall snaking across the mountains.
WitnessWorld-Famouse的兵马俑and Create a Warrior by Yourself.
You will not only see the life-size warriors at the site, but also get opportunity to know how ancient craftsmen made them. Your guide will unveil some secrets of the world wonder and share his/her insight from a local people's point of view.
Challenge Yourself to Take aFood Adventurein the Muslim Quarter
Try some delicious traditional food and special snacks that have gone viral.
A Morning Date withActive Pandas
It is best to go early in the morning to see the pandas feeding at around 9:30am, which is their most active time of the day.
Unmask the Secrets ofSichuan Cuisineand Cook Representative Dishes Yourself.
Visit Sichuan Cuisine Museum, where you can engage all your senses to experience Sichuan cuisine. Also to a street food hunting in the most famous alley in Chengdu
Explorethe Amazing Homeland of Chinese Ethnic Minority and Learn to Cook Their Traditional Food.
Visit the Longji Rice Terraces Where the Chinese ethnic minorities live. Enjoy lunch with a Zhuang family who invite you into their home. Learn how to stuff and cook rice inside a bamboo tube
Taste Hong Kong-Style Dim Sum Recommended by theMichelin Guide
Follow your local guide to find and taste the most famous snack loved by locals in the narrow lane.
Suggested Itinerary
这是一个建议的行程。我们很乐意前来tomize a tour according to your interests.
Welcome to Beijing! To ensure your arrival is stress-free, your private tour guide will meet you in the arrivals hall andtransfer you to your hotelin a private car.
Your luggage and hotel check-in will betaken care of.
Hotel options:
Penta Hotel Beijing (4-star)
Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town (5-star)
breakfast & lunch
Begin your day at the world's biggest city square,Tian'anmen Square. Then visit the Forbidden City. Immerse yourself in the stories told by your knowledgeable guide, feel the dignified atmosphere, and admire the historical masterpiece from the smallest piece of brick to the magnificent palace.
It's time for a gourmet lunch and the first stop of your food tour lets you taste one of the most distinguished dishes of Beijing cuisine,Beijing roast duck.
The chef will slice the cooked golden duck by your table, so that you can watch his/her cutting skills of the thin crispy skin and firm meat. You will alsolearn how to eatit in the correct way.
If the Forbidden City is the epitome of what imperial life was like,the hutongsare the reflection of how the common people lived in old Beijing. After your meal, walk into a historical Hutong area to see the real life-link past of old Beijing.
breakfast & lunch
Visiting theTemple of Heavenin the morning is an awesome idea, as you may meet some local people who are singing and doing their morning exercises, such as tai chi. This noble park was where ancient ceremonies were held annually hundreds of years ago by emperors to pray for good harvests.
Then travel to theGreat Wall at Mutianyu. Authentic food is offered in the nearby restaurant. Spend a memorable afternoon on this top-ranked and better preserved section of the Great Wall.
Enjoy a bird's-eye view of this endless wonder when you take the cable car, then touch the ragged walls and wander for a while along the stone trail that zigzags through different watchtowers.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
- The cable car ride up to a good section of the Great Wall is included. You may choose to descend by cable car or toboggan.
- Looking fordifferent experiences of the Great Wall? We also offer a hiking tour to the wild Jinshanling section and a night tour to the romantic Simatai section.
breakfast & lunch
Designed as an imperial summer retreat in the Qing Dynasty, theSummer Palaceis stunningly combined with beautiful horticulture and landscaped gardens. Feel the breeze and clear your mind as you sit peacefully by Kunming Lake.
After lunch, you will be transferred to the airport for your afternoon flight toXi'an, which has a history of 3,000 years.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
If you are interested inhigh-speed railand want to experience the technological development of China, a high-speed train journey from Beijing to Xi'an is a recommended alternative to taking a flight.
It takes about 5 hours andreduces the cost slightly.
Hotel options:
Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an(4-star)
Wyndham Grand Xi'an South (5-star)
breakfast & lunch
Prepare to be amazed by a close encounter withthe Terracotta Army. Unmask the mysteries of this underground army that dates back to 206 BC together with your professional guide.
You will experience more than a simple visit to the Terracotta Army Museum.Make clay warriorswith your own hands under the guidance of a local skilled craftsman in a cave dwelling.
After lunch, discoverthe ancient city wall. Guarding the inner city for over 600 years, the city wall is the most complete city defense that still exists.
Visit the Muslim Quarter. Take a food adventure to try the most typical and popular Xi’an food, your guide will accompany you to forage some famous tastes, such as roujiamo (Chinese hamburgers), biangbiang noodles, steamed cold noodles and pita bread soaked in lamb soup.
breakfast & lunch
Have a better understanding of Xi'an and China's rich history atShaanxi History Museum.
Take a bullet train from Xi'an to Chengdu in the afternoon.
Hotel options:
Tibet Hotel Chengdu (4-star)
Sofitel Chengdu Taihe (5-star)
breakfast & lunch & dinner
Chengdu is known as the home of giant pandas and is also the first place that you can get close to them. The first stop is theChengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, home to nearly 50 giant pandas and red pandas. Go there early in the morning. This time of day is when they are most active.
After waving goodbye to the adorable pandas, it is time to start your food discovery experience. Your local guide will take you to the uniqueSichuan Cuisine Museum, where you can engage all your senses to experience Sichuan cuisine, which is praised worldwide.
Under the guidance of the professional chef, learn what Sichuan cuisine is, taste authentic Sichuan snacks, and understand how chopped garlic and different kinds of peppers delicately mingle with other ingredients.
After unearthing the secrets of this cuisine, you are encouraged tocook three typical Sichuan dishesand invent your own recipe.
breakfast & lunch
Visit the Jinsha Museum to discover the civilization in Chengdu area which has a history of more than 3000 years.
Explore an old alley by trying some typical Chengdu street food. Then experience the typical lifesyle of Chengdu in People's Park.Try a cup of tea and some snacks. Enjoy a relaxing moment before flying to Guilin.
Hotel options:
Lijiang Waterfall Hotel (4-star)
Shangri-La Hotel Guilin (5-star)
breakfast & lunch
Escape from the busy urban life and breathe in the fresh air at theLongji Rice Terraced Fields.
You may meet ethnic people who are dressed in their national costumes or are working in the fields as you hike up them.
Ethnic groups in this area share different ways of life with the majority. They are good at using local resources to make food: rice is cooked in a bamboo tube and minced tea leaves are mixed with flavorings.
Sit around a bonfire in a traditional kitchen and follow the host's example as youmake bamboo tube rice. Enjoy a local meal cooked with fresh ingredients andtaste some oil tea.
breakfast & lunch
Feast your eyes on the picturesque views on either the side of theLi Riveras you enjoy the highest level of cruise to ensure your comfort. Your guide will show you the best spots to take good photos.
邮轮中午抵达阳朔,你很快就会回来的l be welcomed with the sight of the most beautiful countryside in China.
Pick whichever type of transport you prefer, whether it's a private car, bicycle, or moped, toembrace these natural surroundings.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
Yangshuo offers arelaxing atmosphereand various activities, such as a farming experience and rock climbing.
Hotel options:
Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (4-star)
Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel (5-star)
breakfast & lunch
After a good night's sleep, start your day with abamboo raftingtour.
Sitting back on a non-motorized raft that's steered along the Yulong River by a gondolier is the best way to enjoy the rural view and the tranquility.
Then take a flight at evening to Hong Kong,an oriental melting potwhere Chinese and Western cultures meet.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
Taking a high-speed train to Shenzhen and then transferring in a private car to Hong Kong is a recommended alternative to taking a flight.
It takes about 6 hours andreduces the cost slightly.
Hotel options:
The Salisbury YMCA of Hong Kong Hotel (4-star)
The Harbour Plaza Hong Kong Hotel (5-star)
breakfast & lunch
You cannot miss out on tryingdim sum, the highlight of Cantonese cuisine, so you will have lunch at a specialty dim sum restaurant. These small but delicate morsels are only your first bite of the flavor of Hong Kong.
Visiting to the street markets and trying the street foodare the ultimate things to do in Hong Kong. Ladies' Market is a dazzling street market that may make you feel like you've been there before in an old Hong Kong movie scene.
Your guide is a walking map for foodies like you. Follow him/her and shuttle through the narrow lanes to discover the authentic street food. Trya piece of traditional snack and a bowl of refreshing drinkthat on the street food list of Michelin Guide Hong Kong.
Trip Notes
Every element of the tour above can be tailored. Feel free to tell us your ideas and we will be happy to make adjustments for you.
1. Extend the Tour
- Chengdu:Add a day for the Panda Keeper Program in Dujiangyan Panda Base.
- Guilin:Add a day for a farming experience in Yangshuo, or see the Guilin city highlights and Daxu Ancient Town.
- Shanghai:Add 2 days to visit the Bund, Yu Garden, and Shanghai Tower.
- Suzhou and/or HangzhouAdd 1–4 days to visit the water towns, gardens, the Grand Canal, and West Lake.
2. Accommodation
Various types of accommodation are available, including famous 5-star hotel chains, 4-star hotels in the best locations, good value 3-star hotels, or boutique hotels that reflect the style of the region. Whatever your accommodation preferences are, our travel experts will seek out and find the perfect one for you.
Most hotels in China allow at most three people in one room. If there are more than three people in your group, we will check if there is family room available or do our best to arrange interconnecting rooms or adjoin rooms.
3. Transportation
China is a huge country, so to make your travel experience more efficient, we usually arrange flights to connect your destinations.
China's high-speed rail network is a fast-paced way to travel. We recommend taking high-speed trains for journeys of less than 6 hours to interested customers — please tell us if you are one of them.
4. Meals
Lunches at popular local restaurants are included for you so you can taste authentic Chinese food. Your guide will assist you with ordering the dishes.
We have left the evening meals for you to make your own arrangements, as having dinner is part of the cuisine discovery and you may want to explore all the options yourself.
Our tour guides are happy to make recommendations based on your taste preferences. If you want us to arrange a hassle-free dinner for you, let us know.
Vegetarian, halal, kosher, Indian, or gluten-free — all your dietary requirements can be taken care of by our experienced private guides. Let us know if you have any of these dietary requirements when you make your booking.
Tour Price
Price includes:
98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+
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This hiking was amazing
This hiking was amazing. Organization was perfect since the beginning. Kimmi was answering all our questions rapidly and effectively. Once in China we found really a good team The driver and the tour guide Oliver accompanied us all the trip and they took a good care of us. They adapted to our needs always happy and smiling. Good work China Highlights! more
Jun 2023, Virginia Tapia Hompanera
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An excellent 2 days in Beijing with guide Lily
We had a great experience with China Highlights and our tour guide for the two days in Beijing, Liu Yuan (Lily), was excellent. She is friendly, professional and very knowledgeable about the Forbidden Palace, Temple of Heaven, The Great Wall and the Summer Palace. These are the places we visited with her. She is patient and didn't rush us at all. She adapted the tour activities and schedule to accommodate our interests and side trips such as Bei Hai Park. She is also very helpful: she took the extra time to walk us to the pizza restaurant in a mall which we would not have found on our own. We appreciate everything Lily did for us and highly recommend her. more
Jun 2023, Flamenco64
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I booked on short notice and Roger was…
I booked on short notice and Roger was very quick in responding and planning the shedule to our wishes. Our guide was very friendly and we got along great and our driver very polite. Unfortunately due to a lot of traffic our shedule was affected but we were not hurried and could enjoy our 2 destination Greta wall and the Summer Palace. I would recommend booking with China Highlights! more
Jun 2023, Clemens
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Great Wall China
It has been a unique experience from start to finish. Our tour guide Oliver made it possible, very prepared and always up to the task, always very responsible and capable of keeping our interest at all times. Thank you Oliver for this very special and unforgettable experience. more
Jun 2023, Maytee
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Great experience in Bejing with Jack
We had an amazing experience with China Highlights and our Bejing Guide Jack. We travelled through China for two weeks with two small kids (3-5) and all the China Highlights Guides and Drivers went out of their way to make this a memorable experience. Jack and our driver Mr. Lee in Bejing were amazing and we had a wonderful time here. The kids loved the great wall and the topoganing down, the face painting and the rikscha ride - and we loved all the sights. Jack and Mr. Lee were very patient with us and the kids and we managed to see everything in a relaxed fashion. We can highly recommend China Highlights and Jack and Mr. Lee. more
Jun 2023, Leo
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Best Tour Company
Olivia was our guide throughout the tour.During the actual tour, Olivia was exceptional and provided us with great insights into the sights and history as well as stories about Chinese culture and experiences (I now have to visit more places in China!). Her restaurant recommendations were amazing and I will definitely trust her to find great food options. She even showed us to our train gate at the end! more
Jun 2023, Pranam P
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3 day tour of Beijing with Tom
We had a 3 day tour of Beijing with our amazing tour guide Tom. He is super knowledgeable, and we learned a lot from him about the interesting history of everything we saw. He also took great care of us and made sure we had everything we needed to be comfortable. I highly recommend Tom! more
Jun 2023, Raghav
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Great wall with kids
We visited The Great Wall in Mutianyu and the Changling Tomb. We had a good buffet lunch and had some interesting conversation about local life. Recommend Linda from China Highlights as a guide in Beijing. It was really hot on the wall, so better be earlier. more
Jun 2023, XX
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Best Tour in China
Ivy is the best tour guide we ever have , very knowledgeable and take good care of us throughout our trip in Beijing . She is always early and love her arrangement for the entire trip . Will not hesitate to chose China Hightlights again . more
Jun 2023, Jade
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Excellent Service
I organise a group tour for U.K. nurses to China and communicated with Roger who’s been very efficient, helpful and accommodating. Good service and reliable. Guided us through the process accordingly and has given us different options that suit our budget and need.The company has different tour options from high end to reasonable choices of tour packages. Excellent English speaking skills too! Highly recommended! more
Jun 2023, RALPH DEOCAMPO
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Roger Li is a valuable asset to your company
I live in California and was referred to your company by a friend in Beijing for a group of 4, private tour to Beijing and the Great Wall in 9/2023. After I submitted my inquiry online, on 5/27, I received a reply from Roger Li within 24 hours. And it was the weekend. I was very impressed. Roger has been very helpful and patient in assisting me in planning this trip since 5/27. He is extremely responsive and detailed. I am very grateful to have been assigned to such a responsible young man. I am looking forward to a safe and pleasant trip with your company’s arrangement in 9/2023. more
2023年6月,李休伊
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My experiences have been great!
I have been working with China Highlights for different trips in the past few years. My experiences have been great. This year I work with Roger Li to plan a 11-day tour in 2024 with a group of 7. Roger Li has been responsive and patient. We are excited about our China adventure next year. more
Jun 2023, Ying W
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Planning a Tour
I have been working with China Highlights to plan a 6 day tour. Our group has changed its mind a few times. Roger Li has been great at working with us and our changing agenda. He is very responsive. I am truly looking forward to our China adventure more
Jun 2023, Cathy
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I had a great experience with a private…
我有一个伟大的经验与Ro私人旅行ger Li. We went to Gubei Water Town and Roger climbed the Great Wall at Simatai with me all the way up, which was much more than I could expect. Roger is very kind and knowledgeable. I asked him for the real China food experience and Roger on the spot improvised a very special visit to a local family restaurant where through Roger’s excellent interpretor skills I could have wonderful conversations with the family and 2 other guests. All food was made fresh, veggies came from their own garden - and I ate a rare mountain plant salad. Superb day thanks to Roger. more
Jun 2023, Dianne
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China Highlights - Ivy, exceptional tour experience
Our family recently had the pleasure of embarking on a tour in Beijing led by Ivy, and we must say it was an amazing experience. Ivy possesses a remarkable talent for guiding and enlightening her guestsFrom the moment our tour began, Ivy's passion for her craft shone through. Her enthusiasm was infectious. It was clear that Ivy not only possessed an immense knowledge of the tour's subject matter but also had a genuine love for sharing it with others.Another standout quality of Ivy was her impeccable organizational skills. The tour ran seamlessly, with every detail carefully planned and executed. From coordinating transportation to ensuring timely breaks, Ivy's attention to detail was commendable. Her efforts created a stress-free experience for the guests, allowing us to focus solely on the exploration and enjoyment of the tour. Thanks Ivy for giving us an unforgettable experience and such great first impression of a beautiful China. more
Jun 2023, YH Loh
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My advisor Mr Roger Li
My advisor Mr Roger Li was very accurate precise and knowledgeable . You can trust him in every aspect.good job! more
Jun 2023, FILIPPO AND PAOLA SCEVOLA
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Great Wall and Summer Palace
We have just spent a wonderful day touring the Great Wall and Summer Palace in Beijing. We were all blown away by the Wall (including our children who are not easily impressed!) and loved the scenery, the history and the toboggan slide down! The grounds of the Sumner Palace are beautiful. Our guide, Jack, was so helpful, patient and full of interesting information and patiently answered all our questions. A fantastic day out! more
Jun 2023, Kate Newberry
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Fantastic time in Beijing with Olivia as our guide
奥利维亚是我们导游在北京。我们看到人y amazing things, Tianamen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall (Mutianyu). She was so delightful and informative. Really added to our experience. We ate at some wonderful restaurants, including a delicious luncheon of Peking duck. It was my daughter's birthday and we were surprised by a lovely birthday cake too. Great recommendations for our free time too. more
Jun 2023, Pamela B
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wonderful guide Tom
我决定和我的妻子一起旅行China. After we visited Shanghai, we went to Beijing by train. There we were met by the guide Tom. We stayed in the hotel and the next day we started the tour according to the plan. historical and cultural objects, for events that took place in those periods of history. The Great Wall is a pride of the Chinese people and it was a dream to visit it. Thank you Tom, thank you to the company China Highlights. I would recommend this company and the guide Tom to everyone. . more
Jun 2023, Fatmir B
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Sanya and Gubei Water Town
My second trip, was at Gubei Water Town. Again my private car and my guide Tom were wonderful. Tom was very helpful when I was on the great Wall of China, always lending me a helping hand and warning me when the terrain was uneven. Excellent scheduling of events, e.g. from the Great Wall I saw a drone show and a water fountain show. Both perfectly timed for amazing views. Tom was helpful in selecting places to eat and was knowledgeable. I would strongly recommend both tour guides Tom and Valerie. more
Jun 2023, Alaa Elmoursi
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