China is huge, but if it's your first time, two weeks is actually a pretty good amount of time. You can visit 4–5 major cities and enjoy a nice mix of culture, history, nature, and some outdoor fun.
It's also a relaxed pace that suits families well, without feeling too rushed.
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- Where to Go
- The Classic Itinerary
- An Itinerary Including Pandas
- A Tour with Tibet
- Costs
- How to Travel Around China
Where to Go for a 2-Week Itinerary in China
Based on our guests' choices and insights from our local experts, we believe Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai should be included your first-time trip to China.
These three cities are renowned for their iconic and well-known landmarks, including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Warriors, and the Bund.
They provide a perfect introduction to both China's ancient civilization and its modern development.
You'll need about one week to explore these core cities.
Besides these three cities, you could choose one or two more cities based on your interests:
- If you love nature, choose Zhangjiajie and Guilin. They bring dramatic natural beauty to your itinerary, balancing out the culture and history.
- If you are traveling with seniors and prefer greater comfort, and like food and leisurely urban life, we recommend Chengdu and a Yangtze River Cruise.
- If you like culture and want to explore China's spiritual side, we recommend Tibet. You could also see the awe-inspiring plateau landscapes.
Of course, there are many other incredible places to explore, such as Yunnan, Northeast China (Harbin and Changbai Mountain), or Xinjiang. These can also be excellent additions to a two-week itinerary.
Just let us know your interests and preferences, and we'll help you craft a personalized route, organize transportation and hotels, and recommend the activities to suit your family's needs.
1. The Classic 2-Week Itinerary for First-Timers
- Beijing – Xi'an – Zhangjiajie – Guilin – Shanghai
This itinerary suits most travelers, keeping a good balance between China's classic cultural attractions and iconic natural landscapes.
Days 1–4: Beijing
You'll need at least 3–4 days to cover Beijing's iconic sights
| Days | Activities |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Beijing |
| Day 2 | Temple of Heaven & Forbidden City |
| Day 3 | Great Wall |
| Day 4 | Summer Palace & Bullet Train to Xi'an |
Itinerary Tips:
1. For visiting the Great Wall, if you're more active and enjoy hiking, we recommend a full-day hike from Jinshanling to Simatai. This section is wilder, less crowded, and offers breathtaking views, with many original watchtowers still preserved.
If you're traveling with kids or elderly family members and prefer a more relaxed half-day experience, we recommend the Mutianyu section, which is fully restored with cable cars, gentler walking paths, and even a fun toboggan ride.
Our guests tried a toboggan ride in Mutianyu.2. If you're more into culture and local life, you could spend half a day exploring Beijing's hutongs. You can try local snacks, discover hidden restaurants, or shop in boutique stores tucked away in the lanes.
White Pagoda Temple Hutong3. For dinner, consider reserving a table at one of the city's authentic roast duck restaurants, such as Quanjude or Sijiminfu.
If you enjoy traditional culture and performances, we highly recommend the Imperial Banquet (gong yan) experience, where you can dress in Hanfu, dine like royalty, and enjoy live performances during the meal.
4. For evening entertainment, you can watch a Peking Opera show at Liyuan Theater or catch an exciting kung fu performance (especially great for kids).
If you'd rather stroll around and shop, check out Sanlitun for a trendy vibe or Qianmen Street for a more historical atmosphere.
Sanlitun5. As for accommodation, we suggest staying near Wangfujing. It's centrally located, convenient for getting around, and surrounded by plenty of shops, restaurants, and attractions. See more on Where to Stay in Beijing.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Good Experience！！
The experience with Tom was good. Very good choice of venues and restaurants and a lot of good experiences in a short timespan. more
Jul 2025, Iulia
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Beijing Great Wall and Forbidden City tour
We had a great experience with the Great Wall and Forbidden City tour. Our guide, Kevin - was very patient and knowledgeable. The Great Wall was an amazing sight, we were able to walk for about 30 minutes on this tourist-oriented section of the Wall; we were fortunate that the weather was misty and rainy- most days during the summer are very hot and humid. After a lunch nearby, we went on a tour of the Forbidden City; The former palace is a huge area full of history. I highly recommend this tour. more
Jul 2025, Jason
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Hike on the great wall
We booked a hike through China Highlights, where we hiked an unrestored part of the Great Wall. Our tour guide, Oliver, was very nice and shared a lot of history along the way. The hike was about four hours long and took us through various terrain. It was very beautiful. more
Jul 2025, Tobias E
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Days 5–6: Xi'an
Two days can basically cover all the essential scenic spots in Xi'an.
| Days | Activities |
|---|---|
| Day 5 | The Terracotta Army & Ancient City Wall |
| Day 6 | Little Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an History Museum, Muslim Quarter, evening flight to Zhangjiajie |
Itinerary Tips:
1. The Terracotta Army is undoubtedly the top highlight in Xi'an. If you're passionate about history and want a deeper, hands-on experience, we can arrange a visit to a restoration lab where you'll get up close to real Qin Dynasty relics and even try your hand at artifact restoration.
Our family clients are making clay warriors.2. The Shaanxi History Museum is one of the most popular museums in China, often fully booked and crowded. If you're unable to secure a reservation or prefer a quieter museum experience, we recommend the Xi'an Museum.
It offers an equally rich journey through Xi'an's 3,000-year history and is conveniently located near the Little Wild Goose Pagoda.
3. For evening activities, head to the Great Tang All Day Mall — a lively pedestrian area full of lights, cultural performances, and street food.
4. If you're into photography, consider trying on traditional Hanfu clothing for a photo session. Xi'an's historical buildings make the perfect backdrop for elegant, classical portraits, especially at places like the City Wall and Tang Paradise.
Our guest is taking a photo at the Ancient City Wall.5. We recommend staying near the Bell and Drum Towers, where you'll be centrally located with easy access to attractions, restaurants, and public transport.
Days 7–8: Zhangjiajie
| Days | Activities |
|---|---|
| Day 7 | Zhangjiajie National Forest Park |
| Day 8 | Tianmen Mountain & Glass Bridge |
Zhangjiajie National Forest ParkItinerary Tips:
1. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is vast and requires at least a full day to explore.
The park can get quite crowded, and queues, especially for popular spots like the Bailong Elevator, may take up a significant amount of time.
To minimize waiting, consider purchasing VIP access tickets, which allow you to skip the regular lines and save valuable time.
2. For accommodation choice, we recommend staying in Wulingyuan Town. It's close to the park entrance, offers better hotel options with Western-style breakfasts, and some well-located hotels even offer stunning views of the park right from your window.
Days 9–12: Guilin
| Days | Activities |
|---|---|
| Day 9 | Bullet Train to Guilin |
| Day 10 | Guilin city tour: Elephant Hill, Reed Flute Cave, Daxu Ancient Town |
| Day 11 | Li River Cruise to Yangshuo |
| Day 12 | Explore Yangshuo, fly to Shanghai |
Itinerary Tips:
1. There are many ways to enjoy the stunning scenery of the Li River — by cruise, bamboo raft, hiking along the riverbanks, or even biking. Among them, we highly recommend taking a river cruise for its comfort and lower dependence on weather conditions.
We'll arrange a 4-star cruise for you, which includes a buffet lunch, better onboard facilities, and a less crowded experience.
2. You'll spend about a day in Yangshuo, where you can explore the countryside by bike, on foot, by car, or even by motorbike along the peaceful Yulong River.
You'll pass through rice fields, encounter friendly locals, and visit charming spots like West Street. In summer, you can also try kayaking or even swimming in the river.
Our guests are biking in Yangshuo.3. In Guilin city, we recommend staying at a hotel near the Li River or Elephant Trunk Hill, such as the Shangri-La Hotel or Hilton.
In Yangshuo, we suggest staying at a boutique guesthouse near the Yulong River for better views and a tranquil atmosphere.
Days 13–14: Shanghai
| Days | Activities |
|---|---|
| Day 13 | The Bund, some free time |
| Day 14 | Departure |
Itinerary Tips:
1. There are two best ways to explore the Bund: if you want to see the dazzling night lights, taking a night cruise on the Huangpu River allows you to enjoy the spectacular view.
If you like historic architecture and want to learn about the stories behind the buildings on the Bund, we highly recommend taking a walking tour.
Step into the buildings to learn about the history2. As your final stop, you can leave some free time in Shanghai. You can go shopping on Nanjing Road, take a city walk through the French Concession and Tianzifang, visit the Shanghai Tower to see the skyline, or relax with a spa treatment.
3. For accommodation in Shanghai, staying near the Bund is a great choice — central location, convenient transportation, vibrant nightlife, and a nice river view.
2. A 2-Week Itinerary Including Pandas
- Days 1–4: Beijing arrival and exploration with must-sees including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City
- Days 5–6: Xi'an sightseeing with a visit to the Terracotta Army and a clay-warrior-making experience
- Days 7–8: Chengdu panda tour with a keeper program — make panda cakes, see pandas being fed at close quarters, and clean the glass of their enclosures.
- Days 9–11: Yangtze River cruise with excursions
- Days 12–13: Shanghai exploration with a visit to the Bund and some free time
The map of a 2-week China itinerary including pandasIf you or your kids love pandas, you might be considering Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an plus Chengdu.
See pandas in the panda baseFor the best panda experience, we recommend a panda volunteer program, which would allow you to observe pandas more closely and understand them better.
We can arrange a convenient program for you: you would make panda cakes, clean the glass of their enclosures, watch them being fed, and get a volunteer certificate.
Chengdu is also famous for its cuisine. If you would like a food-hunting tour or a cooking class, we can also arrange these for you. See more on Things to Do in Chengdu.
To add relaxation to the central China part of the trip, we recommend a Yangtze River cruise, which departs from nearby Chongqing. It offers stunning views of huge gorges and plenty of typical cruise activities for all ages.
Lying on the chairs on the deckIn Chengdu, it's best to stay around Chunxi Road. It is super convenient for shopping, nightlife, and getting around.
All our tours can be customized according to your travel duration, interests, and other needs. Just contact us.
3. A 2-Week China Tour with Tibet
- Days 1–4: Beijing arrival and exploration with must-sees including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City
- Days 5–6: Xi'an sightseeing with a visit to the Terracotta Army and clay-warrior-making experience and a food tour with dumpling making
- Days 7–11: Lhasa with must-sees and special monastery experiences plus a picnic visit to Yamdrok Lake.
- Days 12–14: Shanghai exploration with a visit to the Bund and some free time
The map of a 2-week China itinerary with TibetTibet, which is on many people's bucket list, can be visited during a two-week trip. If you have a passion for Tibet, we can arrange it for you.
On a 2-week itinerary, apart from the time spent in the golden triangle of Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai, you can spend about 5 days in Tibet seeing Lhasa and serene Yamdrok Lake with a picnic.
Insider Tips:
Lhasa is at a high altitude of 3,650 meters (12,000 feet), therefore, your schedule in Lhasa is better arranged at a more relaxed pace, especially on the first day.
In Lhasa, staying near the Potala Palace or Barkhor Street is ideal, as it puts you close to the main attractions and offers a great atmosphere for sightseeing and local shopping.
Barkhor StreetTibet is usually closed to foreign travelers in February and March for 5 or 6 weeks. The best times to visit Tibet are from May to October.
Tibet Entry Permits, which are a must for foreign travelers, are best applied for 2 weeks in advance. We can handle it for you when booking a tour with us.
You can get more itinerary ideas on our 14 Days in China: Top 10 Tours and Itineraries
Costs for a 2-Week Tour in China
For a private tour of China, the average cost per day is about US$220–350 per person, including flights/trains within China, 4- or 5- star hotels, lunches, attractions, guides, and private transport. Kids under 10 usually get 30–50% off.
Thus, for a couple, a 2-week private tour may cost about US$6,000–10,000 in total. For a family of four, it may cost about US$11,000–15,000. (International airfares are not included.)
The cost of flights from the U.S. or Europe to China varies a lot depending on when you fly and which airline you use, from around US$1,200 to US$3,000 for an economy round trip.
The peak tourist times in China are on the first weeks of May and October (China's two golden weeks), summer holidays, and Christmas and New year holidays.
The biggest price difference between the off and peak seasons is in the price of hotels and airfares. Prices can go up by 50 to 100% in peak seasons.
Our refund policy minimizes the monetary risk to you when booking: you'll receive a 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights if you cancel up to three weeks before departure. (See more details)
How to Travel around China
High-speed trains and flights are the two main ways to travel between cities in China.
For shorter distances, typically when the journey is under 6–7 hours, taking a high-speed train is often the better choice.
Train stations are usually easier to access than airports, and the boarding process is less complicated, with fewer security and baggage procedures. High-speed trains also offer more spacious and comfortable seating, especially if you opt for First Class.
When the train ride exceeds 8–9 hours, flying may be more efficient. Flights usually take around 2 hours, allowing you to spend more time exploring your destination rather than in transit.
When booking with us, let us know your travel preferences, and we will arrange the best travel routes for you seamlessly booking the flight/train tickets you need.
Within a city/destination, a private vehicle and driver, which we supply as standard, is the most convenient and comfortable way to get around.
Touring China with Us
Our private tours are custom-designed to be the most convenient and fulfilling option for your trip to China. We would create an itinerary according to your flight times, interests, and any other requirements. Just contact us.
- 2-Week A Close Encounter with Pandas
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