The 9-Day (Beijing, Guilin, Shanghai) Private China Escape: Imperial Grandeur & Hidden Gems

• Tian’anmen Square → Forbidden City → Summer Palace
  4+ Star Hotels
  Breakfast Included

Start at the world’s largest public square – Tian’anmen Square. Feel the vastness and spot the Great Hall of the People and Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum. Then step into the Forbidden City, a sprawling 980-building complex where 24 emperors once ruled. Your guide shares eerie stories of concubines and eunuchs. After lunch (local noodles recommended), head to the Summer Palace. Rent a boat on Kunming Lake or walk the Long Corridor adorned with 14,000 paintings. End the day with a taste of Peking duck (optional, not included).

• Mutianyu Great Wall → Bird’s Nest (Olympic Stadium)
  4+ Star Hotels
  Breakfast Included

Escape the city for Mutianyu – a restored, less-crowded section of the Great Wall. Take a cable car up, then hike along the ancient ramparts. For fun, toboggan down on a wheeled sled! After a rustic farmhouse lunch (wallet-friendly and delicious), return to Beijing. Visit the Bird’s Nest (National Stadium) from the 2008 Olympics. Snap photos of its twig-like steel structure at sunset.

• Temple of Heaven → Hutong Rickshaw → Fly to Guilin
  4+ Star Hotels
  Breakfast Included

Morning at the Temple of Heaven, where emperors prayed for harvest. Join locals practicing tai chi and listen to the “echo wall.” Then hop on a rickshaw through ancient hutongs (narrow alleys). Visit a family home, sip tea, and try your hand at making dumplings. After lunch, fly to Guilin (approx. 2.5 hours). Check into your hotel and wander the riverside night market.

• Xingping Ancient Town → Silver Cave → Yangshuo West Street
  4+ Star Hotels
  Breakfast Included

Drive to Xingping – the fishing village featured on the 20-yuan banknote. Hike to a viewpoint for classic karst peaks reflected in the Li River. Next, explore Silver Cave, a glittering limestone labyrinth with stalactites shaped like waterfalls and dragons. In the evening, hit Yangshuo West Street – a lively pedestrian lane with foreigner-friendly bars, street food (try beer fish!), and quirky souvenir shops.

• Yulong River Rafting → Ten-Mile Gallery → Elephant Trunk Hill → Sun and Moon Pagodas
  4+ Star Hotels
  Breakfast Included

Start with a bamboo raft on the Yulong River – you’ll drift past water buffalo, farmers, and willow-draped banks (gentle and safe, no motor noise). Then cycle or e-scooter along the Ten-Mile Gallery, a scenic road lined with karst formations. Stop at a local fruit stand for mangosteens or passion fruit. Afternoon: see Guilin’s symbol – Elephant Trunk Hill (looks like an elephant drinking water). End at the Sun and Moon Pagodas – illuminated at dusk for a magical reflection.

• Fly to Shanghai – Free Time
  4+ Star Hotels
  No Food

Morning flight to Shanghai (approx. 2.5 hours). Check in and enjoy a free afternoon. Wander the Former French Concession for tree-lined streets and art deco villas, or head to Xintiandi for trendy cafes. For dinner, explore a local night market like Yuyuan Bazaar (self-arranged).

• Yu Garden → Tianzi Fang → Nanjing Road → The Bund
  4+ Star Hotels
  Breakfast Included

Start at Yu Garden, a Ming-dynasty classic with zigzag bridges and jade rocks. Then dive into Tianzi Fang – a maze of alleyways packed with art studios, indie boutiques, and tiny dumpling shops. Try a “soup dumpling” (xiaolongbao). Walk along Nanjing Road, China’s busiest shopping street, then end at The Bund – where colonial-era buildings face futuristic Pudong skyline. Watch the light show at 7 PM.

• Depart from Shanghai – Airport Transfer
  4+ Star Hotels
  No Food

Enjoy a final breakfast (if time allows). Your private driver will take you to Shanghai Pudong or Hongqiao Airport for your departure flight. End of service – but the memories of China’s imperial wonders, river valleys, and neon skylines will linger.