China Private Tour Itinerary: Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin and Shanghai in 8 to 12 Days

China is huge, and the first question most travelers ask us is simple: how do I fit the highlights into one trip without spending half of it in airports? The answer is a route that uses China’s high-speed trains where they are fastest and short domestic flights where the distances are long. Below is the itinerary we recommend for a first private tour, how to shorten or stretch it from 8 to 12 days, and the practical details that make the difference on the ground.

Which route should you choose: 8, 10 or 12 days?

All three versions start in Beijing and finish in Shanghai, which has the best choice of international flights home or onward to Vietnam, Japan and Korea. The difference is how much time you give the karst landscapes of Guilin and Yangshuo.

The 12-day route is our Classic China private tour: Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin and Shanghai. The 8-day version is China Essentials: Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai. The 10-day route is a tailor-made middle ground we build on request.

The 12-day China private tour, day by day

Beijing (4 nights)

Four nights let you see Beijing’s big three without rushing: the Forbidden City, home of the Ming and Qing emperors for almost 500 years; the Great Wall at Mutianyu, one of the best-restored and least crowded sections, about 90 minutes from the city; and the Temple of Heaven, where local residents gather each morning for tai chi, dancing and card games. The Summer Palace, with its lakeside corridors and pavilions, fills the fourth day. Your guide times each visit to avoid the busiest hours, and at Mutianyu a cable car lifts you onto the ridge, so you can walk as much or as little as you like.

Xi’an (2 nights)

The high-speed train from Beijing West takes about four and a half hours, a comfortable ride through the farmland of northern China. In Xi’an you visit the Terracotta Army, discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, where thousands of life-size clay figures stand in rows, each with a different face. In the late afternoon, walk or cycle on top of the 14th-century city wall, still almost complete, then explore the Muslim Quarter for dinner.

Guilin and Yangshuo (3 nights)

A domestic flight takes you south to Guilin, and the next morning a boat carries you down the Li River to Yangshuo, about four hours between steep karst peaks, bamboo groves and small villages. Yangshuo is the slow heart of the trip: a bamboo raft on the clear Yulong River, quiet lanes for walking or cycling, and a countryside hotel at the foot of the peaks. It is also the part of the route most travelers remember best.

Shanghai (2 nights)

Fly to Shanghai, about two hours, for the contrast: the classical Yu Garden in the old town, the riverside Bund with the Pudong skyline opposite, the plane-tree streets of the former French Concession and the canal town of Zhujiajiao on the edge of the city. Shanghai is the easiest place in China to fly onward, which is why the route ends here.

How you travel between cities

• Beijing to Xi’an: high-speed train, about four and a half hours, city center to city center. Faster door to door than flying.
• Xi’an to Guilin and Guilin to Shanghai: domestic flights of roughly two hours each; the distances are too long for the train to make sense on a short trip.
• Within each city: a private air-conditioned car with driver for all transfers and touring.

The high-speed train and the domestic flights are quoted separately, so we can match the class and timing to your plans. We book the tickets for you, and your guide meets you at every station and airport. China uses real-name ticketing, so we need your passport details exactly as printed to book trains and many sights.

What a private China tour includes

• Your own private English-speaking guide in each city on sightseeing days (guides in other languages on request).
• A private car with driver for all transfers and touring, never a shared bus.
• Hotels at 4★ level in central locations, with daily breakfast; 5★ upgrades in every city.
• Entrance fees, the Mutianyu cable car, the Li River cruise with lunch and the Yulong River raft.
• Lunch on most sightseeing days, chosen to give you a feel for each region’s food.

Not included: international flights, the domestic flights and high-speed train (quoted separately), visa fees, travel insurance, tips and meals not mentioned.

Where to stay: 4★ or 5★?

Our standard plan uses 4★ hotels chosen for location: near Wangfujing in Beijing, inside or near the city wall in Xi’an, a countryside or riverside hotel in Yangshuo and a central hotel in Shanghai close to the Bund or People’s Square. Location matters more in China than almost anywhere, because traffic can turn a short distance into a long drive. If you would like more space, a spa or a river view, 5★ upgrades are available in every city; we confirm the exact hotels in your quote.

Best time to go

April to May and September to October bring the most comfortable weather across all four cities, with clear skies in Beijing and green scenery in Guilin. Summer is hot and humid, with heavy rain around Guilin in June. Winter is cold and dry in Beijing and Xi’an but quiet at the big sights. Try to avoid the national holiday weeks in early May and early October, and Chinese New Year, when sites are at their busiest and hotels add surcharges. For a month-by-month view, read our guide to the best time to visit China for a private tour.

Practical tips from our planners

• Mondays: the Forbidden City and several museums close on Mondays, so we arrange the days around them.
• Visa: rules depend on your passport and change from time to time. Check current visa rules for your passport before you book flights; we help you confirm what applies to you.
• Payments: mobile payment is everywhere in Chinese cities. Bring a credit card and some cash, and ask us about setting up a payment app before you travel.
• Apps and internet: many Western apps and websites do not work on local networks. Plan your roaming or eSIM before departure, and download offline maps.
• Walking: expect two to four hours on foot on most days, with steps at the Great Wall, Jingshan Park and the Forbidden City. The route suits families with children over 10 and active older travelers.

Ways to change the route

A private tour is built around you, so the route above is a starting point. Popular changes include adding two or three days in Zhangjiajie for its sandstone pillars, swapping Guilin for the Yunnan old towns of Dali and Lijiang, or ending in Hong Kong. If landscapes matter more than cities, look at our Zhangjiajie, Guilin and Yangshuo private tour, or travel overland from Yunnan into northern Vietnam, as described in our Yunnan and northern Vietnam overland guide. More routes are on our China destination page.

Adding Vietnam after China

Shanghai and Guilin have flights to Hanoi, so it is easy to continue into Vietnam once your China tour ends. Many of our travelers spend a further ten days to two weeks in Vietnam, for example on The Best of Vietnam and Cambodia in 14 days, which adds Halong Bay, Hoi An, the Mekong Delta and Angkor. As a Vietnam-based company with more than 2,000 bookings and over 10,100 travelers looked after, we handle both halves of the trip with one team.

FAQ

How many days do you need for a first trip to China?

Ten to twelve days is ideal for Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin and Shanghai. With eight days, focus on Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai, which are linked by a fast train and one flight.

Is a private tour of China suitable for older travelers and teenagers?

Yes. There are no long road drives, the Great Wall at Mutianyu has a cable car, and the Yangshuo days are deliberately slow. Teens tend to love the Terracotta Army, the bamboo rafts and cycling in the countryside.

Are the trains and domestic flights included in the price?

They are quoted separately, so we can match class and times to your plans. We book them for you and your guide meets you at every station and airport.

Do we need a visa for China?

It depends on your passport, and the rules change. Check current visa rules for your passport before you book flights, and we will help you confirm what applies when you plan the trip.

How much does a private China tour cost?

It depends on your dates, hotel class and group size. See the tour page for the current from-price, confirmed in your tailor-made quote.

Last updated: 26 October 2026

Photo: Velatrix, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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