China Natural Wonders Discovery
14-Day Beijing – Xi'an – Zhangjiajie - Guilin/Yangshuo – Shanghai Private Tour
This 14-day natural wonders discovery tour covers the most important historical destinations and extraordinary scenery destinations in China. Discovery with fun. The advantage with comfort!
The itinerary below is only one possibility. Tips to tailor-make your trip are 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-Zhangjie-Shanghai Tour Map
Tour 'Wow' Points
Discover the Hidden Halls in the Forbidden City.
While most tour groups only visit the six halls on the central axis, your private guide will take you to the hidden halls for a deeper understanding of the history and dodge the crowds.
Walk on a Delicate Mixture of the Restored and Wild Great Wall
Witness both the wild section and the restored section of the Great Wall to experience the sencse of history and its original glory in the heyday of imperial China.
Meet the Terracotta Army and Make Your Own Terracotta Warriors
Unveil some secrets of the Terracotta Army. See the life-size warriors at the site, get to know how ancient craftsmen made them. Visit a traditional cave dwelling and learn how to make warriors.
Witness the Closest Things on Earth to the Hallelujah Mountains
Marvel at the sandstone peaks which are said to be the inspiration for Avatar's Hallelujah Mountain.
Walk on the World's Longest and Highest glass-floored bridge
Challenge yourself on the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge. Let your heart race with this adrenaline pumping Activity.
Go Cycling in the Most Beautiful Countryside of China.
Experience the picturesque rural China with the rice paddies and the limestone hills. Learn about the daily life of the local farmers.
Enjoy a Half-Day Customized Icing-on-the-Cake Experience in Shanghai.
Whether you want to relax, experience fashion, appreciate art, explore folk customs, or shop; from having fun in a fancy bar to exploring an art center, trying nail beauty, testing your popularity in the marriage market, or just buying some lovely gifts, we will make it happen.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
|
The tour was of The Greta Wall of China
The tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history more
Mar 2024, Alice W
|
Beautiful Beijing with Ethan & Mr. Chen
Ethan, our wonderful guide, whose praises we can not sing loudly enough, was compassionate, caring, and overall endearing! His sense of ease and familiarity with each sight, which were unfamiliar wonders to us, provided a sense of peacefulness that facilitated full enjoyment - helped too by his punctuality and attention to detail. more
Feb 2024, apisn2023
|
The Highlights and High Life of Beijing with Ethan & Mr. Chen
Ethan, our wonderful tour guide, made our entire trip an absolute joy for us as he was extraordinarily caring, considerate, and generous. Having had the pleasure of taking in the sights of Beijing previously with another lovely guide, Angela, it was spectacular not only to show the family how fantastic the city is but also how high the quality of services provided by China Highlights are. Each day unveiled a new treasure, helpfully detailed by Ethan, and punctuated by delicious and varied local food. Our driver, Mr. Chen, was also a delight, and was equally as key to the overall experience as he was both attentive and almost mystically punctual! more
Feb 2024, Apis
|
Great Time in Beijing
Our 4-day experience in Beijing was unforgettable. Our guide, Selinda, opened the doors to the city's millennia-old history and culture with her knowledge, kindness, and courtesy. We discovered magnificent places, tasted delicious food, and stayed in clean hotels, all accompanied by safe and reliable transportation service. We recommend traveling with China Highlights. more
Feb 2024, Nicola B
|
3rd time the charm, is being charmed for the 3rd time.
This is my 3rd tour of Beijing in the last 18 months and I think that speaks a little to the quality of service you get with China Highlights. Each time the sites are the same but each tour guide managed to present them in new and wonderful ways. Also some attractions that were undergoing renovations have been completed, so there were new things to see as well.A big thanks to Mr. Michael, our tour this time around. He was very gregarious and knowledgeable about all the sites. more
Feb 2024, Jonathan Mueller
|
3rd time the charm, is charmed for the 3rd time
The sites stay the same but each time we have done this tour, the tour guides manage to make it feel like it is the first time you are experiencing it. And, with the constant renovations, this time we were able to see previous areas that were unavailable the last time we came. more
Feb 2024, Jonathan M
|
Great trip and experience!
From beginning to end, China Highlights was very courteous, responsive and attentive in planning and executing a great trip!Aspects and execution of the trip was as discussed and was an overall great experience. Our guide, Michael, was very kind and knowledgeable throughout the tour and would address all questions and help us take lots of photos. Would definitely travel with China Highlights again! more
Feb 2024, Karol
|
3rd the charm is charmed for the 3rd time
This is my 3rd tour of Beijing in the last 18 months and I think that speaks a little to the quality of service you get with China Highlights. Each time the sites are the same but each tour guide managed to present them in new and wonderful ways. Also some attractions that were undergoing renovations have been completed, so there were new things to see as well.A big thanks to Mr. Michael, our tour this time around. He was very gregarious and knowledgeable about all the sites. more
Feb 2024, jkjmueller
|
1 Day in Beijing
Nice views, Not too much people, Jessi (guide ) so friendly and she have a great service & she knows the answer of all your questions more
Feb 2024, Fernando J
|
Fabulous day!
Jesse He ,she is a nice tourist guide patience and take good care for us. We had a wonderful time in Beijing,we did the forbidden city and greatwall We love everything ! more
Feb 2024, Charon R
|
Private trip in Beijing and Luoyang
We spent 3 days in Beijing with Helen as our guide. We went to TianAnMen, Forbidden City and MuTianYu Great Wall to name a few. Helen took great care of us and is very attentive as I travel with my 60+ years old parents, from asking whether we need restroom breaks to making sure that our lunch were all according to our dietary needs more
Jan 2024, Iriana Iriana
|
An excellent day with Linda
Linda (Ling ling)is a great tour guide,provide a lot of knowledge and history of the great wall,and took us to taste very delicious food too,we had a very good time with her!highly recommend her! more
Jan 2024, Angeline Lim
|
Great time in Beijing with Bruce
We stayed in Beijing for three days altogether. We went to the summer palace. the Tian'an'men square, the Forbidden City,the Temple of heaven and the Great Wall. Our tour guide Bruce is very friendly and speaks English fluently. He explained every scenic spot to us patiently and humorously. my family are very satisfied with his service. more
Jan 2024, Mayra C
|
Bucket List Trip to China
My first stop in China was Beijing. Ethan was my guide there. Daily, they would pick me up and take me to the spots on the itinerary. He helped me plan outside activities like a Chinese acrobat show. He even walked me to my seat in my theater so I could easily find my correct chair. What was most helpful was Ethan waiting with me at the train station and even helping me on to my seat and giving the train attendant my meal order. Very little English was spoken by the train attendant. more
Jan 2024, Megan Sandbothe
|
Great Wall at Jinshanling
We went to the Great Wall at Jinshanling which is a very beautiful place which is not that busy. In fact most of the time it felt like we were alone on the wall.The tourguide (Jack) was very knowledgeable and very friendly.A big thumbs up more
Jan 2024, Onno
|
Private trip in Beijing and Luoyang
We spent 3 days in Beijing with Helen as our guide. We went to TianAnMen, Forbidden City and MuTianYu Great Wall to name a few. Helen took great care of us and is very attentive as I travel with my 60+ years old parents, from asking whether we need restroom breaks to making sure that our lunch were all according to our dietary needs. We had great 3 days in Beijing.We also visited Luoyang. Our travel advisor arranged a Business class seat for our high speed train to Luoyang. We were picked up at the station by our guide in Luoyang, Lisa. We then visited Dengfeng to see Songyang academy, shaolin temple, Luoyang grottoes. She also took care of us very well and very knowledgeable about the history. more
Jan 2024, lriana lriana
|
Beijing 2024
We traveled to Beijing with China Highlights in January 2024. Our tour guide Ethan was organized and knowledgeable which made our trip seamless and very interesting!! He helpfully suggested additional activities if we had time in the evenings and assisted us in booking tickets for them. Visiting the Mutianyu Great wall of China was a big highlight of our time in Beijing! more
Jan 2024, Lydia
|
Beijing 2024
We traveled to Beijing with China Highlights in January 2024. Our tour guide Ethan was organized and knowledgeable which made our trip seamless and very interesting!! He helpfully suggested additional activities if we had time in the evenings and assisted us in booking tickets for them. Visiting the Mutianyu Great wall of China was a big highlight of our time in Beijing more
Jan 2024, Explore49612084715
|
Beijing
Fantastic couple days in Beijing. Thank you to my guide Mark who eloquently relayed stories about China history and culture. more
Jan 2024, Steve P
|
Jack is an excellent guide
Jack is an excellent guide, very patient, punctual, wonderful command of english. I recommend him any day. more
Jan 2024, Brahma
|
Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests and schedule.
When your flight has landed, your tour guide will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall of the airport. He/she will greet you with a smile and a nameplate. You will be transferred to your hotel by a private van and driver.
Hotel options:
Penta Hotel Beijing (4-star)
Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town (5-star)
breakfast and lunch
Start your journey at the Temple of Heaven, which was the place where emperors prayed for a good harvest. Interact with the locals and join them to experience their healthy lifestyle. Lunch is served in a popular local restaurant with authentic local food.
Walk through Tian'anmen Square to explore the mysterious Forbidden City in the afternoon. While most tour groups only visit the six halls on the central axis, your private guide will take you to go deeper into the hidden halls for a fuller understanding of the history and to avoid the tour groups.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
Do you want to discover more about the lifestyle of Beijingers? Take a rickshaw tour through the hutongs, make dumplings in a local family's home, or experience a local market — let us know what you would like to do on the form to the right.
breakfast and lunch
Freshen up in the morning and get ready for a 5-kilometer hike along the most recommended hiking route: from Jinshanling to Simatai West.
This section has breathtaking views and offers stunning photo opportunities in different seasons. There are over 15 watchtowers in various styles and in good condition. As this section is half restored, you can see the unrepaired ancient watchtowers and broken sections as well as the restored section of the wall during the hike.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
- For a unique experience, a visit to Simatai – the only Great Wall section that's lit up and open at night – is highly recommended.
- If you prefer just to take a relaxing walk along the Great Wall, we can arrange a visit to the Mutianyu section with a round-trip cable car for you.
breakfast & lunch
Walk around the tranquil Summer Palace at a leisurely pace, and enjoy the 300-year-old royal garden. Take a pleasant boat ride on the lake and have a stroll in the long corridors to view the exquisite paintings on the ceilings.
Enjoy lunch and race towards Xi'an on a high-speed train, which is a good way to experience the technological development of China.
Hotel options:
Grand Noble Hotel Xi'an (4-star)
Wyndham Grand Xi'an South (5-star)
breakfast & lunch
Visit the Terracotta Army and admire the vividness of the warriors and listen to their stories spanning over 2,000 years.
Then discover a local craftsman's cave dwelling and learn how to make clay warriors with your own hands.
After lunch, return to the city area and visit the 600-year-old ancient city wall. Cycling along the wall provides a good view of the city. You may also walk or take a golf cart on it.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
Xi'an is a good destination for tasting Chinese dumplings. If you are a food lover, we can arrange a local family visit to learn how to make dumplings, or we can arrange for you to enjoy a dumpling banquet.
breakfast & lunch
Discover more ancient history at Xi'an History Museum and Little Wild Goose Pagoda, then head to the Muslim Quarter and wander through the alleys to taste the local Muslim cuisine.
Transfer to the airport for your evening flight to Zhangjiajie.
Hotel options:
Pullman Zhangjiajie (5-star)
breakfast & lunch
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is located in Wulingyuan Scenic Area, and Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie are the most classic sights.
Take the cable car up Tianzi Mountain and look through the glass walkway to see spiky sandstone peaks below your feet.
After a simple lunch on the mountain, visit Yuanjiajie Scenic Area, which was the inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
To save some energy, you can descend Tianzi Mountain by taking the cable car or taking the Bailong Elevator, a glass elevator built on the side of a cliff, which only takes 2 minutes. If you are interested in either of these, just let us know.
breakfast and lunch
Take the world's longest cable car to the top of Tianmen Mountain. During the tour, you will enjoy the unique natural scenery of spiky peaks. Feel your heart beat when you walk across the glass walkway and are then driven down the curvy mountain road known as the 99 Bends.
Continue to visit Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and walk on the world's longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge. Walking along this glass bridge at 300 meters above ground level will be one of the coolest experiences of your tour.
breakfast and lunch
Bullet train from Zhangjiajie to Changsha Railway Station. Take a taxi to Changsha South Railway Station to take a bullet train. After 3½ hours, your tour guide in Guilin will be ready to meet you.
Hotel options:
Lijiang Waterfall Hotel (4-star)
Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin (5-star)
breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Be amazed by Guilin's two landmarks in the city, Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill.
Appreciate the natural limestone cave with multicolored lighting. And then take a picture at Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin.
After lunch, travel back in time when visiting Daxu Old Town, where lots of craftsmen and businessmen used to live. Let's knock on the local people's doors and discover their lasting stories.
breakfast and lunch
Karst hills, graceful bamboo groves, and cormorants — the stunning view of the Li River is the essence of Guilin. While most tour groups only use a 3-star cruise, we will arrange a 4-star cruise (the highest level with better facilities and a buffet lunch) to ensure you have the best experience of the river's charm.
The cruise arrives in Yangshuo at noon. After you've checked in, you can enjoy your free time to explore the beautiful area near the hotel.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
If you prefer to enrich your day, Yangshuo provides various activities: a cooking class, a tai chi lesson, a farming experience, and even rock climbing.
Tell us what you want to try in the form on the right, so that we can include it for you.
Hotel options:
Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (4-star)
Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel (5-star)
breakfast
Explore the beautiful countryside along the Yulong River.
Choose whichever type of transport you prefer, whether it's a private car, bicycle, or moped. This is a good opportunity to meet the local people and interact with them.
And then take a bamboo raft to go down the Yulong River. Enjoy a peaceful and memorable morning before flying to Shanghai.
Hotel options:
Sunrise On The Bund (4-star)
Les Suites Orient, Bund Shanghai (5-star)
breakfast
Do more than just take one or two selfies on the Bund. Travel back in time to the golden age of the Bund in the 1920s during our In-Depth Bund Culture Discovery Tour.
Go into some of the old Bund buildings and listen to their stories.
Enjoy lunch and ascend the tallest building in China (the highest outside of Dubai) — Shanghai Tower. There, you will not only enjoy a panoramic view of Shanghai but will also see the development of China.
Half-Day Customized Icing-on-the-Cake Experience
After traveling in China for around 10 days, you might want to do something different at the end of your tour. Do you want to have some relaxation time? Do you have any unfulfilled trip wishes? In the magic city of Shanghai, your private guide will make your wishes come true!
Whether you want to relax, experience fashion, appreciate art, explore folk customs, or shop; from having fun in fancy bar to exploring an art center, trying nail beauty, testing your popularity in the marriage market, or just buying some lovely gifts, we will make it happen. Just tell us what you're interested in.
If you don't know what you want, just let your guide make the arrangements. You will not be disappointed!
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 2-3 days — giant pandas, Leshan Buddha and delicious food
- Suzhou and/or Hangzhou: add 1–4 days — water towns, gardens, the Grand Canal, and West Lake
- More destinations: Huangshan, Yunnan and Tibet. Inform us of your interests and we will offer you some recommendations.
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.
3. Transportation
China is a huge country, so to make your travel experience more efficient, we usually arrange flights to connect to 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.
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 during your booking.
Tour Price
Price includes:
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- English speaking local guide
- Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
|
The tour was of The Greta Wall of China
The tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history more
Mar 2024, Alice W
|
Beautiful Beijing with Ethan & Mr. Chen
Ethan, our wonderful guide, whose praises we can not sing loudly enough, was compassionate, caring, and overall endearing! His sense of ease and familiarity with each sight, which were unfamiliar wonders to us, provided a sense of peacefulness that facilitated full enjoyment - helped too by his punctuality and attention to detail. more
Feb 2024, apisn2023
|
The Highlights and High Life of Beijing with Ethan & Mr. Chen
Ethan, our wonderful tour guide, made our entire trip an absolute joy for us as he was extraordinarily caring, considerate, and generous. Having had the pleasure of taking in the sights of Beijing previously with another lovely guide, Angela, it was spectacular not only to show the family how fantastic the city is but also how high the quality of services provided by China Highlights are. Each day unveiled a new treasure, helpfully detailed by Ethan, and punctuated by delicious and varied local food. Our driver, Mr. Chen, was also a delight, and was equally as key to the overall experience as he was both attentive and almost mystically punctual! more
Feb 2024, Apis
|
Great Time in Beijing
Our 4-day experience in Beijing was unforgettable. Our guide, Selinda, opened the doors to the city's millennia-old history and culture with her knowledge, kindness, and courtesy. We discovered magnificent places, tasted delicious food, and stayed in clean hotels, all accompanied by safe and reliable transportation service. We recommend traveling with China Highlights. more
Feb 2024, Nicola B
|
3rd time the charm, is being charmed for the 3rd time.
This is my 3rd tour of Beijing in the last 18 months and I think that speaks a little to the quality of service you get with China Highlights. Each time the sites are the same but each tour guide managed to present them in new and wonderful ways. Also some attractions that were undergoing renovations have been completed, so there were new things to see as well.A big thanks to Mr. Michael, our tour this time around. He was very gregarious and knowledgeable about all the sites. more
Feb 2024, Jonathan Mueller
|
3rd time the charm, is charmed for the 3rd time
The sites stay the same but each time we have done this tour, the tour guides manage to make it feel like it is the first time you are experiencing it. And, with the constant renovations, this time we were able to see previous areas that were unavailable the last time we came. more
Feb 2024, Jonathan M
|
Great trip and experience!
From beginning to end, China Highlights was very courteous, responsive and attentive in planning and executing a great trip!Aspects and execution of the trip was as discussed and was an overall great experience. Our guide, Michael, was very kind and knowledgeable throughout the tour and would address all questions and help us take lots of photos. Would definitely travel with China Highlights again! more
Feb 2024, Karol
|
3rd the charm is charmed for the 3rd time
This is my 3rd tour of Beijing in the last 18 months and I think that speaks a little to the quality of service you get with China Highlights. Each time the sites are the same but each tour guide managed to present them in new and wonderful ways. Also some attractions that were undergoing renovations have been completed, so there were new things to see as well.A big thanks to Mr. Michael, our tour this time around. He was very gregarious and knowledgeable about all the sites. more
Feb 2024, jkjmueller
|
1 Day in Beijing
Nice views, Not too much people, Jessi (guide ) so friendly and she have a great service & she knows the answer of all your questions more
Feb 2024, Fernando J
|
Fabulous day!
Jesse He ,she is a nice tourist guide patience and take good care for us. We had a wonderful time in Beijing,we did the forbidden city and greatwall We love everything ! more
Feb 2024, Charon R
|
Private trip in Beijing and Luoyang
We spent 3 days in Beijing with Helen as our guide. We went to TianAnMen, Forbidden City and MuTianYu Great Wall to name a few. Helen took great care of us and is very attentive as I travel with my 60+ years old parents, from asking whether we need restroom breaks to making sure that our lunch were all according to our dietary needs more
Jan 2024, Iriana Iriana
|
An excellent day with Linda
Linda (Ling ling)is a great tour guide,provide a lot of knowledge and history of the great wall,and took us to taste very delicious food too,we had a very good time with her!highly recommend her! more
Jan 2024, Angeline Lim
|
Great time in Beijing with Bruce
We stayed in Beijing for three days altogether. We went to the summer palace. the Tian'an'men square, the Forbidden City,the Temple of heaven and the Great Wall. Our tour guide Bruce is very friendly and speaks English fluently. He explained every scenic spot to us patiently and humorously. my family are very satisfied with his service. more
Jan 2024, Mayra C
|
Bucket List Trip to China
My first stop in China was Beijing. Ethan was my guide there. Daily, they would pick me up and take me to the spots on the itinerary. He helped me plan outside activities like a Chinese acrobat show. He even walked me to my seat in my theater so I could easily find my correct chair. What was most helpful was Ethan waiting with me at the train station and even helping me on to my seat and giving the train attendant my meal order. Very little English was spoken by the train attendant. more
Jan 2024, Megan Sandbothe
|
Great Wall at Jinshanling
We went to the Great Wall at Jinshanling which is a very beautiful place which is not that busy. In fact most of the time it felt like we were alone on the wall.The tourguide (Jack) was very knowledgeable and very friendly.A big thumbs up more
Jan 2024, Onno
|
Private trip in Beijing and Luoyang
We spent 3 days in Beijing with Helen as our guide. We went to TianAnMen, Forbidden City and MuTianYu Great Wall to name a few. Helen took great care of us and is very attentive as I travel with my 60+ years old parents, from asking whether we need restroom breaks to making sure that our lunch were all according to our dietary needs. We had great 3 days in Beijing.We also visited Luoyang. Our travel advisor arranged a Business class seat for our high speed train to Luoyang. We were picked up at the station by our guide in Luoyang, Lisa. We then visited Dengfeng to see Songyang academy, shaolin temple, Luoyang grottoes. She also took care of us very well and very knowledgeable about the history. more
Jan 2024, lriana lriana
|
Beijing 2024
We traveled to Beijing with China Highlights in January 2024. Our tour guide Ethan was organized and knowledgeable which made our trip seamless and very interesting!! He helpfully suggested additional activities if we had time in the evenings and assisted us in booking tickets for them. Visiting the Mutianyu Great wall of China was a big highlight of our time in Beijing! more
Jan 2024, Lydia
|
Beijing 2024
We traveled to Beijing with China Highlights in January 2024. Our tour guide Ethan was organized and knowledgeable which made our trip seamless and very interesting!! He helpfully suggested additional activities if we had time in the evenings and assisted us in booking tickets for them. Visiting the Mutianyu Great wall of China was a big highlight of our time in Beijing more
Jan 2024, Explore49612084715
|
Beijing
Fantastic couple days in Beijing. Thank you to my guide Mark who eloquently relayed stories about China history and culture. more
Jan 2024, Steve P
|
Jack is an excellent guide
Jack is an excellent guide, very patient, punctual, wonderful command of english. I recommend him any day. more
Jan 2024, Brahma
|