Eight days of ancient culture and modern miracles. Have more personal touch with your guide and driver. The Essence of China is there to be discovered alongside the world phenomenon of "New China".
China Highlights' most popular private tour. Our private guide, driver and car at alavailablel times. You take the trip, we take the stress.
A private tour, with private guide and driver but some days we will go local. Riding bikes, the subway, an overnight train, or call a cab with a mobile app.
Only the essential parts of your trip are guided, we'll arrange the travel, hotels and arrival transfer in each city, the rest is left for your own adventure.
- Comfort Trip
- Discovery Trip
- Essential Trip
Comfort Trip Summary
Full ItineraryYour Beijing guide will hold a name plate, and wait for you at the arrival hall of airport. Transfer to hotel by private car and driver, and check in with the help of your guide.
In the morning, stroll around Tian'anmen Square – the world's largest city square, before entering the Forbidden City. It served as the venue of work and residence for 24 emperors in ancient times. The Hall of Clocks and Watches has a beautiful collection and display of clocks and watched made in the 19th century in China and some other countries.
After lunch, hop on a rickshaw or ride a bike to the traditional neighborhood area of Beijing, which is known as Hutong. Drop by a friendly local family, have a breezy chat to learn about their daily life.
The Tian'anmen Square
Your guide will pick you up in a private vehicle and take you to Mutianyu Great Wall section. This section provides spectacular views, and is less crowded. A cable car is available to take you up and down the mountain, or you can ride a chair lift. After lunch, return to city area and visit Temple of Heaven, where ancient emperors used to hold worship ceremonies to pray for good harvest. Now besides the ancient buildings, you will also see local people enjoying their leisure time singing, dancing or playing musical instruments.
Jinshanling Section of the Great Wall
In the morning, your guide, driver and car will pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport to board flight to Lhasa. After arrival, meet your Lhasa guide and transfer to hotel for a rest and acclimatize yourself to the high altitude.
Norbulingka is the largest garden in Tibet and used to serve as the summer retreat for Dalai Lamas. Drepung Monastery is home to Dalai Lamas, and the biggest Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. It is also the venue of Shoton Festival, an important festival celebrated by Tibetans. Sera Monastery is one of the main monasteries in Tibet, and the daily debate among monks will be a highlight for travelers.
The Drepung Monastery
The magnificent Potala Palace is a sacred place for many people. The white and red palaces create a formidable sight, housing over 1,000 rooms, with valuable statues of Buddha, murals and antiques. Jokhang Monastery's architecture is unique, blending Tibetan, Tang Dynasty, Nepalese and Indian styles. Outside the monastery is surrounded by Barkhor Street, the central place of pilgrimage and activities in Lhasa, and it is also a good place for people watching and souvenir hunting.
The Potala Palace
As your memorable Tibet tour wraps up, your guide, driver and car will pick you up from hotel and transfer to train station for overnight train to Shanghai. The train is expected to leave at 11:15, and you will stay on the train for 2 nights before reaching Shanghai. For your comfort of train experience, we will arrange soft-sleeper bunks on the train.
The View on Train
The train is expected to reach Shanghai at 11:25. Meet your Shanghai guide at the train station and transfer to hotel for a rest. For the rest of the day, you will visit Yuyuan Garden to appreciate South China's classical landscape garden, and get to know about local people's life by visiting Longtang – traditional Shanghai neighborhood, and sip tea and chat with a friendly local family.
The Yuyuan Garden
As your trip ends, your guide, driver and car will pick you up from hotel on time, and transfer to the airport for your flight home. The guide will accompany you to help with luggage and check-in, till the point of security check.
Jessica Zhao
