A Tale of Two Cities
If you want to understand the history of China over the last 600 years and how fast China is developing right now, this private 6 days Beijing and Shanghai tour is a great option. These 2 metropolises will let you see different sides of China. They facilitate discovery of China's history, culture, tradition and modern life for first-time visitors.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Immerse Yourself in the Interesting Lives and History of the Royal Families
Besides admiring the splendid palaces on the central axis of the Forbidden City, you will get off the main tourist route to explore spots related to some famous figures in the 2 dynasties: the most hardworking emperors, the longest-serving empress dowager, the most talented concubine and the last emperor.
Walk into the 300-Year-Old Hutongs and Discover Traditional Beijing Lifestyle
Enjoy a home-visit to a traditional hutong courtyard house and learn Chinese calligraphy. Ascend the Bell Tower and take a bird's-eye view of the hutong area.
Explore a Top-Ranked Section of the Great Wall
The Great Wall at Mutianyu is ranked top among all parts of the Great Wall on TripAdvisor.Walk leisurely through the watchtowers, enjoying a superb view of the Mutianyu Great wall snaking across the mountains.
Discoverthe story of Shanghai's rise to the skies…
Walk a route that seldom tourist will find by themselves to discover the hidden stories of the Bund. Cross the Huangpu River and travel from old Shanghai to Shanghai's Pudong New Area. Ascend Shanghai Tower and get a bird's-eye view of the entire city.
Enjoy the Local Snacks and Local Life Experiences
Wander through alleyways to get a glimpse of the locals' lives, sit down in a Michelin-starred restaurant for a break and enjoy some delicious Shanghai snacks.
Admire the Charm of Old Shanghai in the Former French Concession
The Former French Concession is the most charming and elegance area in Shanghai. Follow our local guide to wander in the gorgeous tree-lined avenues and listen to anecdotes about it.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Beijing trip 2025
Great tour! Jennifer, our tour guide, was outstanding. She always made sure we understood everything related to each monument we visited. more
Jun 2025, Beatriz C
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Great trip
Lily was an amazing guide, knowledgeable and friendly and the trip was easy and stress free. We had a great time in Beijing, thank you! more
Jun 2025, YL
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Amazing and Effortless Experience Overall!
China Highlights is totally legit and they planned our visit in Beijing perfectly, they were also great with being flexible to meet our unique needs and timelines, with multiple changes on the fly. Our guide in Beijing, William, was amazing as well! William was friendly, kind, thoughtful, funny, and also was great at keeping us on track timing-wise (as we didn’t make this particularly easy for him lol). Cannot recommend both China Highlights and William to anyone else looking to visit China for the first time! more
Jun 2025, jamesrkable
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Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Your private guide will be ready to meet and greet you at the arrival hall. A comfortable private car with an experienced driver will transfer you directly to your hotel.The rest of the day is your own to explore Beijing.
After breakfast, visit Tian'anmen Square. Your guide will provide you with commentary about the history and architecture about the square.
Then start to enjoy the main highlight of the day - the Forbidden City. Your guide will help you explore 12 carefully-selected places in the Forbidden City. In addition to giving a background introduction on architecture, history, and art of the city, your guide will explain to you stories of 8 famous figures in the 2 dynasties and help you to trace elements of their lives here.
Ride to the old hutong area with your guide and walk through the 300-year-old hutongs. A visit to a local family, whose ancestors have lived in the hutongs for generations, offers a local perspective on history.
In the morning, your guide and driver will take you to the Temple of Heaven – a place where emperors used to pray for a good harvest. The Park is full of life. Immerse yourself in the lives of local people – now and centuries ago – through joining in local elderly people's morning activities.
In the afternoon, hike the Great Wall at Mutianyu. In order to save time, we will arrange round-trip cable car rides to ascend and descend the Wall, instead of spending about 40 minutes climbing steps. On the Wall, you will have free time to walk around, after your guide does some introductions.
In the morning, visit the Summer Palace. It is where the emperors used to retreat from the summer heat.
Your guide will show you the palace area and the lake area. The best way to do sightseeing at the Palace is by taking a dragon boat on the lake. On the way, you will have a chance to view all the beautiful palaces around the lake.
After the tour, your guide will accompany you to the railway station to ride the high-speed train to Shanghai.
Visit the Bund in-depth and learn about the history of Shanghai. Your guide will uncover stories hidden behind the old buildings.
Catch a glimpse of locals' lives in an old alley and then sit down in a Michelin-starred restaurant for a break and enjoy some delicious Shanghai food for lunch.
Take a ferry across the Huangpu River and be amazed by the skyscrapers in Shanghai's Pudong New Area, which tells another part of Shanghai's story. Ascend the tallest building in Shanghai - Shanghai Tower.
In the more traditional part of the city, Yu Garden presents exquisite garden scenes. Listen to stories from the 1930s in the Former French Concession Precinct of China.
Say goodbye to Shanghai. Your guide will escort you to the airport or train station and help you check in, before leaving.
Hotel Selection
—the Icing on the Cake
Boutique hotels are recommended to enrich your travel experience.
Price includes: