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You are here: Home » China Hiking » 11 Days Great Wall & Li River Hiking Tour

11 Days Great Wall & Li River Hiking Tour

Beijing / Xian / Guilin / Shanghai

  • Great Wall Hiking Tour
  • Longji Rice Terraces Trekking
  • 11 days Hiking tour map
    of
  • 11 days Hiking tour map
  • Great Wall Hiking Tour
  • Longji Rice Terraces Trekking
Tour Type:
Private Tour
questions
Experience:
Departure:
Any day you want
Group size:
You, your family, friends or group
Tour Code:
CD-HT-11
Features:
Extend the golden triangle cities route to heavenly Guilin. This best of China tour provide you an impressive experience of hiking in China. Just bring a pair of comfortable shoes and start your China Tour!

Price from $1943

Trip at a Glance

  • Day 1-4: Beijing
  • Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven
    Great Wall, Summer Palace

  • Day 5-6: Xian
  • Terracotta Warriors
    Ancient City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda

  • Day 7: Longsheng
  • Longsheng Rice Terraces Trekking

  • Day 8-9: Guilin
  • Li River Cruise, Yangshuo
    Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave

  • Day 10-11: Shanghai
  • Urban Planning Exhinbition Center
    Yu Garden & Bazaar, the Bund

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Full Itinerary Day by Day

Day 1 Beijing Arrival

Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China, rich in history and culture.

Your lifetime China tour begins with welcome from your local guide at the Beijing airport. Then be escorted to your hotel in a private vehicle. The rest of today is yours to acclimatize or explore the vast metropolis on your own.

Day 2 Beijing ( B, L )

After breakfast, start to explore the historical face of Beijing with a brief visit to Tiananmen Square, now the largest city plaza in the world. Tiananmen Gate on the northern side of the square was the site where Chairman Mao announced the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

Stepping into the Tiananmen, you will see one of the world's five most important palaces - Forbidden City (Palace Museum), a huge palace complex of more than 9,000 rooms where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties lived. Pass through various doorways in this magnificent structure to admire the beautiful and well-preserved buildings decorated with yellow-glazed tile roofs, white marble bases and splendid colorful paintings. After Forbidden City exploration, take a short visit to Jingshan Park where you can get a nice shot of one watchtower of Forbidden City and take a panoramic view of Forbidden City.

After lunch, drive to the outskirts of Beijing to spend an enjoyable time in the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China. Stroll around ancient pavilions, mansions, temples, bridges and corridors while feasting your eyes on the vast lotus in Kunming Lake and the colorful paintings in the Long Corridor.

Optional activities: 1) You can watch a wonderful Kungfu Show in the Red Theater (Hong Ju Chang) which usually starts at 19:30; 2) Enjoy the classic Chinese art performance of Beijing Opera at Liyuan Theater during 19:30-21:00.

Linda's family visited the Forbidden City with China DisocveryThe Fudol Couple visited Summer Palace with China Discovery
Day 3 Great Wall Hiking ( B, L )

After breakfast, your tour guide and drive will takes to Jinshanling Great Wall which is about 130km away from Beijing city. Upon arrival, start to your hiking on the Jinshanling Great Wall. After entering the check-in office, you will walk about 20 minutes to the western section of Jinshanling Great Wall, near to Gubeikou Great Wall. Your hiking starts at Zhuanduo Tower, walk eastward with the up walls snaking on the hills to the eastern edge. On route, you have chance to see some featured towers, such as General Tower, Large Jinshan Tower, Flower Tower, Corner Tower, etc. You’re hiking takes about 4~5 hours, and stops at East Tower with Five Holes where you will get off the wall, and get back to the tourist center.

Get down from Jinshanling Great Wall, drive back to Beijing.

Taking a Great Wall Hiking Tour and be a Hero
Day 4 Beijing & Flight to Xian ( B, L )

After breakfast, drive to the imperial site of the Temple of Heaven. Originally a site used to pay homage to Heaven and pray for good harvests, it is now a bustling place where locals take part in traditional activities such as Tai Chi, dancing, kite flying, water calligraphy, and others.

Then get back to the central city to hop on a rickshaw to experience the Beijing Hutongs - small alleys made by neighboring quadrangle dwellings. Shuttle among different Hutongs to get a feel of the old Beijing lifestyle, visit various antique shops and small boutiques, and truly feel the historical changes of Beijing, also pay a visit to a local family's home in the traditional Hutongs.

Your Beijing tour is now about to end. Your tour guide will see you off at the Beijing West Railway Station for a high speed train trip to Xian (about 5 hours). You will be picked up by your tour guide at Xian North Railway Station and escorted to your hotel in Xian. The rest of the day is on your own to explore this ancient capital of China.

Fantastic View of Temple of Heaven Shared by Our Guest Daniel
Day 5 Xian ( B, L )

After breakfast, drive about 40 km to discover one of the greatest man-made wonders in the world - the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, built by the first emperor of China Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. Over 8,000 life-size warriors, horses and chariots, buried in 3 pits for more than 2,000 years until uncovered by a local farmer in 1974, form an ancient military army with complete battle units of infantry, cavalry, etc. Standing in front of these figures, one can’t help being amazed not only by the ambition of Emperor Qin Shihuang but also by the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans. (Before the Terracotta Warriors Museum visit, you will have a rare opportunity to make a miniature Terracotta Warrior on your own under the instruction of a local potter.)

After lunch, return to Xian to spend a leisure time on the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. Just like the merchants and envoys on the Silk Road thousands of years ago, you will enter the interior of the city walls through the Hanguang Gate. There you will visit a mini museum to see the real Tang Dynasty city wall ruins from over 1400 years ago, including gateways, cross-sections of the wall, and the remains of water channels. After the museum visit, get up to the city wall to enjoy a leisure stroll and pleasant panoramic views of Xian city. Rent a bike (extra cost: 45RMB) to enjoy a relaxing cycling on the Wall is strongly recommended. The cycling routes and duration are flexible. Feel free to discuss with your tour guide. Leave the City Wall, then go to wander leisurely around the bustling and lively Muslim Quarter, a place where you can try different local snacks and explore Muslim culture.

This evening you will be offered an interesting visit to Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City which is a great place to walk, enjoy amazing nightscape and most importantly recall the prosperity and glory of the mighty Tang Dynasty. Seeing this area at night is totally different as the lighting is marvelous yet tastefully done.

Optional activity: enjoy a wonderful Tang Palace Dance Show (usually from 8pm to 9pm) after (or without) a hearty dumpling dinner.

Terracotta WarriorsOur customers enjoyed biking on Ancient City Wall in 2019 Dazzling Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City lovely night views
Day 6 Xian ( B, L )

Today after breakfast, you’ll visit the Great Mosque, a tranquil and historic mosque that has served Xian’s Muslim community for more than a millennium. By the way, you’ll stop by the Muslim Community.

Then head to the age-old Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the symbol of the old-line Xian, a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists.

After lunch, be transferred to the airport and take a flight to Guilin, the finest scenery of China. Be met and transferred to your hotel by the local guide and the rest of today is free at your leisure.

Explore the Home of Buddhism in China
Day 7 Drive to Longsheng from Guilin ( B, L )

Today after breakfast, be driven to the Longsheng Rice terraces. This area is famous for the many ethnic minorities that reside here. It takes around 3 hours to get there from Guilin by car. After arrival, go on a trekking tour passing through the awe-inspiring Longji terraced rice fields, watching Yao minority women showing off their super long hairs. Then drive back to Guilin.

Overnight in Guilin.

Day 8 Hiking the Li River ( B, L )

Today, you’ll be driven back to Guilin, and head to the Mopanshan Pier to cruise the Li River, a must-do for any Guilin tourists and a mile-long natural gallery.

Take a cruise down the Li River, and land half way at Xingping pier to start a hiking tour along the most picturesque section of Li River between Xingping and Yangdi.

After the hike tour, be driven to Yangshuo, the paradise of Guilin. Check in your hotel, the rest of today is free to explore Yangshuo and find out why West Street is so popular among tourists.

Josh's Group from USA Enjoyed Li River Cruise from Guilin in July, 2023
Day 9 Guilin & Flight to Shanghai ( B, L )

Being driven back to Guilin after breakfast (1.5~2 hrs), and have an essential Guilin city tour. The first stop surely is the Elephant Trunk Hill, the city symbol. Then head to visit the fabulous Reed Flute Cave to see the beautiful stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars, and stone flowers with various shapes.

After the tour, be escorted to the airport for your flight to Shanghai, the most cosmopolitan city of China. Upon your arrival, transferred to your hotel in Shanghai with the private vehicle and help you check in.

Gerhard from Germany visited Reed Flute Cave in August, 2019
Day 10 Shanghai ( B, L )

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel to start your Shanghai exploration. Your first stop is Shanghai Museum, one of the Best Four Museums in China. This modern museum, with a round top and a square base which symbolizing the ancient Chinese perception of the world as "round sky, square earth", has collected many international-standard exhibits of bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, jade from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing dynasty. To help you learn about the history and facts about the relics in the museum easily, an Audio Explanation Device will be prepared for you. Next, you will take an interesting visit to Yu Garden, a shining star among all the ancient Chinese gardens in Jiangnan. This garden fully embodies the traditional design of Chinese architecture with jagged pavilions with elegant decorations, glittering pools with roving fish, and pine trees sprouting to the sky, all designed to refresh your mood and spirit. Adjacent to the garden is the Yuyuan Bazaar where you can savor tasteful local snacks and explore elaborate traditional Chinese handicrafts and art works. Next, you will drive several kilometers to enjoy a panoramic view of the modern face of Shanghai from the 100th floor (474m) of “the Eye of Shanghai” Shanghai World Financial Center.

You will then be transferred to another popular landmark of Shanghai, Nanjing Road, a shopping paradise as well as a great place to take a wonderful walk to experience the modern atmosphere of the City. Lastly, you will stop at the Bund, originally a simple towpath for transporting goods but now transformed into a feverish trading district. You will stroll along the Bund, seeing and feeling the perfect fusion of Chinese and Western cultures while at the same time taking in the stunning Shanghai skyline with your own eyes!

Optional Activity - Take a relaxing Huangpu River night cruise to see the city’s most significant edifices and streets sparkling under the atmospheric cover of darkness (about 50 minutes).

Shanghai Museum - One of the Best Four Museums in ChinaThe Tranquil  Yu Garden with Classical Chinese Style  to Relax Enjoy Shopping on Fashion Nanjing Road
Day 11 Shanghai Departure ( B, L )

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel. First, you will pay a wonderful visit to Jade Buddha Temple, the site of the largest Jade Buddha in the world and numerous religious artifacts, ancient statues and Buddhist scriptures. This peaceful kingdom of Buddhism hidden among modern blocks and dominating mansions is a great place for a nice break in this very busy city.

Next, you will be transferred to Tianzifang which is touristic arts and crafts enclave that has developed from a renovated traditional residential area. It is the typical tourist attraction to appreciate the preservation of local Shikumen architecture. In this place full of rich flavor of life, you can leisurely stroll along the clean old alleys to watch the daily life of local Shanghai people, savor a cup of drink at the open-air café, and find some interesting things in the novel shops to feel the international feature mixed with real Shanghai culture.

In the afternoon, your guide will escort you to the airport for your flight to next destination or home.

Spend  Leisure Time at the Mazy Lanes of TianzifangWoo's group visited Jade Buddha Temple

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