Top 10 China tours 2024/2025 for first visits and returns: embark on a lifetime experience. Learn more
10-Day Imperial and Scenic China Family Tour

Discover the Ancient China and the Unique Landscape

10-Day Imperial and Scenic China Family Tour

A whole family experience to make the stories from history books come alive: the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace. Then relax on the Yangshuo nature trails before enjoying exciting Hong Kong Ocean Park amusement area.

Highlights

  • Walk or hike on the Great Wall of China
  • Be welcomed by a local family and learn how to make dumplings with them
  • Acquire the spirit of Chinese calligraphy and traditional painting
  • Enjoy a relaxing Li River cruise to Yangshuo
  • Take a bamboo raft on the crystal-clear Yulong River
  • Learn to cook tasty Chinese dishes
  • Revel in the Hong Kong Ocean Park

Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1Beijing Arrival

Your vacation starts from the moment you arrive. Your guide and driver will be waiting for you, ready to take you to your hotel in a private van. Your guide will assist you with the check-in and take any stress away.

Hotel Recommendations

The itinerary price includes 4-star hotels for your reference.

Novotel Beijing Peace

Novotel Beijing Peace

  • Very central location, 15 minutes walk to the Forbidden City
  • Member of Accor Group, ensuring standard Western service
Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Chaoyang U-Town

Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Chaoyang U-Town

  • Wins Certificate of Excellence of Tripadvisor
  • Near Sanlitun, in the new CBD area, surrounded by touring conveniences
  • Member of Intercontinental Group, ensuring great breakfasts and services
Hotel Eclat Beijing

Hotel Eclat Beijing

  • Ranked 3/6561 of Beijing hotels on TripAdvisor
  • Near Sanlitun, about 5 km (3 mi) from the Forbidden City
  • Member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, with a unique artistic atmosphere
Day 2Beijing: City Highlights and Interaction with a Local Family

The vast Tian'anmen Square is probably the most famous square in the world, and the surrounding buildings, such as Chairman Mao's Mausoleum, the National Museum, and the People's Congress, emphasize its iconic appearance. History comes to life in the Forbidden City, with interesting insights into the emperors' lives and the impressive architecture in the public spaces in contrast with the domestic space in the private accommodation.

The classic hutongs area is a charming place to spend an afternoon, and a visit to a local family still living in one of the traditional houses brings the experience to life. You will learn how to make dumplings (jiaozi) and you will also get to savor them together.

Good to know

  • As well as dumpling making, many other interactive activities can be arranged in the hutongs area to enrich your day: learn traditional crafts like Chinese knot-tying and decorative paper-cutting, see a remarkable acrobatic display by a Chinese yo-yo master, and learn to make dumplings with a local family.
  • Night shows, such as the Kung fu Show at the Red Theater and the Acrobatic Show at Chaoyang Theater, are recommended to enrich your night. It is recommended to book with your guide a day before, or on the day, to allow flexibility.
Forbidden City
Forbidden City
Learn to Make Dumplings
Learn to Make Dumplings
Day 3Beijing: Family Day Tour to the Great Wall

The Great Wall is an exciting experience for the whole family. It evokes images of soldiers and battles from ancient China. The Mutianyu section that you will be taken to is much less crowded than other sections, and the drive is through beautiful countryside. Lunch is served in the best restaurant nearby, with several dishes appealing to the younger customers. Fish is a specialty and is always fresh from the ponds.

After returning to Beijing, you will get to visit the Temple of Heaven, surrounded by a beautiful park. There, the emperors made their offerings for a good harvest each year, and locals now do their daily exercises there and practice singing and dancing.

Good to know

  • Want to spend more time on the Great Wall and make the most of your time? No problem! We can arrange a picnic lunch including sandwiches, bread, cake, fruit, and coffee or milk for you to enjoy on the Great Wall.
  • To make the Great Wall tour more memorable, taking a toboggan to slide down is an exciting option when the weather is nice. You can control the speed to ensure your safety.
Mutianyu Great Wall
Mutianyu Great Wall
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Day 4Beijing: Boat Ride at the Summer Palace and See Pandas at Beijing Zoo

The Forbidden City was the winter abode of the emperors, but the Summer Palace is where they escaped the heat and enjoyed outdoor living in the vast gardens and pavilions. A short boat ride across the lake takes you to the main buildings, and you can climb the tower and see the entire park.

At lunchtime you will taste the popular cuisine of the Hakka people. Then, the kids will not need to wait any longer to see the pandas; Beijing Zoo has many wild and rare animals from China, and among them are some adorable pandas.

Good to know

If you are arriving in summer, the Water Magic Cube Amusement Park is highly recommended to escape the heat. The Water Cube was used during the Beijing Olympics for aquatics and is now designed to be the biggest water amusement park in China. Remember to take a swimsuit, slippers, sunscreen lotion, shower gel, shampoo, and a towel.

Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Beijing Zoo
Beijing Zoo
Day 5Morning Flight to Guilin and See the Natural Karst Scenery of the City

In the morning, you will catch a flight to Guilin which is said to have the most beautiful scenery in China and is home to very distinctive karst mountains.

Two of the most famous local sites - Reed Flute Cave with a large natural formation of stalactites and stalagmites, and the Elephant Trunk Hill which is the symbol of Guilin - are on the experience list this afternoon.

Hotel Recommendations

The itinerary price includes 4-star hotels for your reference.

Lijiang Waterfall Hotel

Lijiang Waterfall Hotel

  • Ranked 4/651 of Guilin hotels on TripAdvisor
  • Very central location, 2 minutes walk to the Li River and lakes
  • Its man-made waterfall from hotel building top wins Guinness World Records
Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

Shangri-La Hotel Guilin

  • Ranked 2/651 of Guilin hotels on TripAdvisor
  • Wins Certificate of Excellence of Tripadvisor
  • Located amidst mountain & river vistas, full of enchantment, fascinating and distinct Chinese-style architecture
Guilinyi Royal Palace

Guilinyi Royal Palace

  • Ranked 4/651 of Guilin hotels on TripAdvisor
  • Wins Certificate of Excellence of Tripadvisor
  • Located in a botanical garden, quiet and picturesque setting, fascinating and distinct Chinese-style architecture
Reed Flute Cave
Reed Flute Cave
Elephant Trunk Hill
Elephant Trunk Hill
Day 6Guilin: Relaxing Cruise on the Famous Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo

A tranquil four-hour cruise along the Li River offers great views of the bamboo forests and limestone peaks, the scenery immortalized by Chinese artists throughout the centuries.

After arriving in Yangshuo, you will be taken to your hotel. In the afternoon, our arranged experiences of Chinese painting or calligraphy give a taste of the cultural activities of the local people.

Good to know

  • Your luggage will be transferred directly from Guilin to your hotel in Yangshuo by a private van and driver. Your personal guide will accompany you on the cruise and take care of you.
  • Currently, either 3-star or 4-star riverboats are available for the Li River cruise. The 3-star boats are lower-priced, but have less-modern facilities. Their seat- spacing is narrower and the lunch on board is simpler. The 4-star boats are the best. We will only use the relatively new 4-star boats, which serve a buffet lunch.

Hotel Recommendations

The itinerary price includes 4-star hotels for your reference.

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

  • Ranked 3/482 of Yangshuo hotels on TripAdvisor
  • Wins Certificate of Excellence of Tripadvisor
  • A riverside gem with breathtaking view on the Yulong River
Lijiang Waterfall Hotel

Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel

  • Opened in 2016 and managed by the same hotel company of Tea Cozy
  • It is hidden behind and nestled in the mountain areas
  • Reformed from local traditional mud and wooden houses, authentic flavor
Shangri-La Hotel Guilin

Tea Cozy Hotel

  • Ranked 2/482 of Yangshuo hotels on TripAdvisor
  • Wins Certificate of Excellence of Tripadvisor
  • Away from hustle and bustle town center, enjoy fresh air and quiet atmosphere
Li River Cruise
Li River Cruise
Learn Chinese Calligraphy
Learn Chinese Calligraphy
Day 7Yangshuo: Chinese Cooking Class and Bamboo Raft Ride in Yangshuo

In the morning, your guide can show you around the local food market - the hub of life there. All the food is fresh, even the chickens are still flapping in their cages. A cookery class helps you to discover where those delicious dishes get their flavor from, as you see which vegetables and meat are used, cook with the teacher, and then taste the results. You even get the recipes to take home.

A bamboo raft ride along the Yulong River is a fun experience due to the small weirs giving you a light spray. This section of the area has been called "Paradise on Earth", and for good reason.

Cookery Class
Cookery Class
Bamboo Raft Ride
Bamboo Raft Ride
Day 8Yangshuo: Explore China's Countryside by Bike; Flight to Hong Kong

Exploring thecountryside continues with a bike ride in the small roads and lanes surrounded by paddy fields and orchards away from traffic and the crowds. A visit to a local farmer's home lets you see how people really live in these rural areas.

After lunch, you will be taken back to Guilin Airport for your late afternoon flight to Hong Kong. Upon arrival, you will be picked up by a local guide, private van and driver, and transferred to your hotel.

Good to know

If your children are too young to ride a bike, we can arrange to have a seat fitted to the back of the bike for you. There is also the option to choose a tandem bike for you to share with your child.

Yangshuo Countryside
Yangshuo Countryside
Bike Ride
Bike Ride
Day 9Hong Kong: City Highlights with Ocean Park Fun

Your guide will pick you up at the hotel to take you on a whole day tour in a private car, which really maximizes your time in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong in all its vastness spreads beneath your feet from the Victoria Peak, the highest point on the island. Then you descend to the Repulse Bay beach, considered the finest in Hong Kong. Aberdeen has a lovely harbor full of local fishermen's boats and seafood restaurants. Lunch is not included, but feel free to ask your tour guide for recommendations.

The Ocean Park is an amusement park and zoo all-in-one, and is sure to delight the smallest to the biggest member of the family.

Good to know

The price includes a private car/van transfer to and from the Victoria Peak. This may save time if the lines are long for the Peak Tram. You can choose to take it at an extra cost of HK$28 per adult for a one-way trip and HK$40 for a round trip. The cost for a child is HK$11 and HK$20 respectively.

Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak
Ocean Park
Ocean Park
Day 10Hong Kong Departure

You will be taken to the airport to make sure you stay relaxed until the last moment of your vacation. Hong Kong Airport has Wi-Fi and many eateries, so you will be entertained while waiting for your flight home.

Trip Notes

Tailoring your tour

This tour is very flexible. You can alter the itinerary, extend or shorten it to suit your price, interest, and schedule. Feel free to tell us your requirements, and we are happy to help you arrange with our professional knowledge and experience.

Hotel

  • Hotels with a convenient location and swimming pool are recommended. Please note that a swimsuit/trunks and swimming cap are required to enter the swimming pool.
  • If you prefer other hotel options: economical choices, Chinese-style hotels, home stay, apartment, or would like to book the hotels on your own, please feel free to inform us and we will be happy to adjust the details.
  • 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.

Food

Lunches at popular local restaurants are included for you in order to taste authentic Chinese food. Your guide will assist you with ordering dishes loved by both adults and children. Most families enjoy eating local Chinese food as there is plenty of variety and different flavors, and the food is so much better and different from the Chinese food served back home. Some children may prefer Western food or have some special requirements for meals. Please inform us and we will do our best to cater to your needs

Car Seats, Stroller, and Baby Crib

To maximize the safety of your children, we can arrange for car seats to be fitted at your request during the private transfers in Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Suzhou. A baby stroller can be provided in Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. For a baby under two years old, we will inform the hotel to arrange a crib for you. No extra cost is needed. The number of car seats, strollers, and cribs are limited. Please inquire and confirm early to reserve them.

Tour Price

FromUS2,619 p/p Based on a private tour for 2 people. Price varies depending on program, travel date, number of people and chosen hotel

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

Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.

Number in your group

What's your hotel choice?

I prefer to be contacted via:

Start planning your tailor-made tour with 1-1 help from our travel advisors. Create Your Trip

Sign up to Our Newsletter

Be the first to receive exciting updates, exclusive promotions, and valuable travel tips from our team of experts.

Why China Highlights

Save Your Time

Save Your Time

  • Less research, more enjoyment!
  • Real-time 1V1 expert planning.
  • Seamless coordination
Maximize Your Flexibility

Maximize Your Flexibility

  • Your own personal guide and ride.
  • Explore at your own pace.
  • Unparalleled flexibility, impossible on a group tour.
Ensure Your Satisfaction

Ensure Your Satisfaction

  • Well-trained elite 20% of guides.
  • 20% vacancy on vehicles.
  • 24/7 emergency support.
Live Your China Story

Live Your China Story

  • Authentic local culture and lifestyles.
  • Understand the culture by living it.
  • Uncover fascinating histories and witness New China.
Rated 5 out of 5 | 98.8% Excellence
China Highlights International
Travel Service Co., LTD
Featured on
China Highlights was featured on these medias.

Address: Building 6, Chuangyi Business Park, 70 Qilidian Road, Guilin, Guangxi, 541004, China