Panorama China 10 Days
Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin and Shanghai in ten days — with the internal flights, rail legs and booking order that make the route actually work.
Route: Beijing → Xi’an → Guilin → Shanghai
Last reviewed October 23, 2026 · schedules, prices and opening hours change — re-check before booking
Who this suits
First-time visitors with 10–12 days who want the headline sights plus one landscape. Not for slow travellers, and hard with children under six because of the internal flights.
What it costs
¥12,000–18,000 per person, including nine nights of mid-range hotel, one high-speed train, two internal flights, tickets and food. International flights excluded.
Book in this order
- 1Book the Beijing–Xi’an train at the 15-day release and both internal flights as soon as dates are fixed.
- 2The Xi’an→Guilin flight is the constraint: take an evening departure after the Terracotta Army, not a night train.
- 3Book the Li River cruise one day ahead and confirm whether it ends in Yangshuo or Xingping.
- 4Forbidden City and Terracotta Army tickets are passport-linked and timed; book both before you fly.
Day by day
- 1
Arrive in Beijing
Settle in, gentle evening hutong walk, early night.
- Sleep
- Beijing
- Getting around
- Airport express or DiDi; short hutong walk.
- Book
- Forbidden City ticket for day two.
- Daily cost
- ¥400–700 (excl. hotel)
- 2
Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven
Morning palace visit with timed ticket, afternoon in the Temple of Heaven park.
- Sleep
- Beijing
- Getting around
- Metro between the palace and Temple of Heaven.
- Book
- Timed Forbidden City entry.
- Daily cost
- ¥400–700 (excl. hotel)
- 3
The Great Wall
Mutianyu for the day — walk the wall as far as you like.
- Sleep
- Beijing
- Getting around
- Private car to Mutianyu, about 1.5 hours each way.
- Book
- Car and cable-car ticket.
- Daily cost
- ¥500–800 (excl. hotel)
- 4
High-speed train to Xi’an
Morning train (4.5 hours), afternoon City Wall bike ride, evening Muslim Quarter.
- Sleep
- Xi’an
- Getting around
- High-speed train Beijing West→Xi’an North, about 4.5 hours.
- Book
- Train at the 15-day release; City Wall bike rental.
- Daily cost
- ¥700–1,000 including train (excl. hotel)
- 5
Terracotta Army, then fly to Guilin
Early start to the army, then an evening flight to Guilin (about 2.5 hours). A night train is not a realistic option on this route.
- Sleep
- Guilin
- Getting around
- Terracotta Army in the morning; evening flight Xi’an→Guilin, about 2.5 hours.
- Book
- Timed Terracotta ticket and the evening flight — do not book a night train.
- Daily cost
- ¥1,000–1,500 including flight (excl. hotel)
- 6
Guilin city
Arrive Guilin, see Elephant Trunk Hill, recover with rice noodles and a slow evening.
- Sleep
- Guilin
- Getting around
- DiDi to Elephant Trunk Hill; walk the riverside.
- Book
- Li River cruise for the next morning.
- Daily cost
- ¥350–600 (excl. hotel)
- 7
Li River cruise to Yangshuo
The classic four-hour float to Xingping and the 20-yuan-note view, then into Yangshuo.
- Sleep
- Yangshuo
- Getting around
- Four-hour Li River cruise to Yangshuo; local shuttle to the hotel.
- Book
- Cruise ticket one day ahead; confirm the pier and drop-off.
- Daily cost
- ¥500–800 (excl. hotel)
- 8
Yangshuo countryside, then fly to Shanghai
E-bike morning through the karst valleys, then a private car to Guilin airport and an afternoon flight to Shanghai (about 2.5 hours).
- Sleep
- Shanghai
- Getting around
- Morning e-bike loop; private car to Guilin airport (1.5 hours); afternoon flight to Shanghai, about 2.5 hours.
- Book
- Book the Guilin→Shanghai flight, not an evening train — the rail journey is 10+ hours.
- Daily cost
- ¥1,200–1,800 including flight (excl. hotel)
- 9
Shanghai
The Bund, Yuyuan, the French Concession — one efficient, comfortable day.
- Sleep
- Shanghai
- Getting around
- Metro between the Bund, Yuyuan and the French Concession.
- Book
- No timed tickets; reserve dinner if needed.
- Daily cost
- ¥400–700 (excl. hotel)
- 10
Shanghai and departure
Morning museum or a last xiaolongbao breakfast, then the airport.
- Sleep
- Departure
- Getting around
- Metro or DiDi to Pudong/Hongqiao; allow three hours.
- Book
- Museum reservation if using the morning.
- Daily cost
- ¥300–500 (excl. hotel)
If the plan does not fit
Swap Guilin for Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie replaces river scenery with vertical peaks and far more stairs. It suits active travellers; Guilin suits anyone who wants the landscape without hiking.
Trade Shanghai for Chengdu
Chengdu adds pandas, teahouses and hotpot but needs another flight. It is the better ending if food matters more to you than skyline and museums.
Slow it down
Drop Shanghai and add two nights in Yangshuo. The route becomes Beijing–Xi’an–Guilin/Yangshuo and feels like a holiday rather than a relay.
Destinations on this route
Beijing
China's capital, from the Great Wall and Forbidden City to hutongs and night markets: what to see, how many days you need and when to go.
Best time: April - May, September - October
Xi'an
Step back in time at the ancient capital with the Terracotta Army and City Wall. Taste amazing Muslim Quarter street food.
Best time: April - May, September - October
Guilin
Experience breathtaking karst landscapes along the Li River. Explore Yangshuo and Longji Rice Terraces.
Best time: April - October
Shanghai
Experience the dynamic blend of East and West in China's most cosmopolitan city. Explore historic Bund, modern Pudong, and vibrant food scenes.
Best time: March - May, October - November
Read before you book
Other itineraries
Beijing 3-Day First Trip
A realistic three-day Beijing route for first-timers: the Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall and one calm neighborhood day without rushing the city.
View day-by-day →Classic Beijing Experience
Five unhurried days in Beijing: the Forbidden City, Mutianyu’s Great Wall, hutong evenings and a realistic pace for a first visit.
View day-by-day →Xi’an 2-Day Highlights
Two efficient days in Xi’an: the Terracotta Army, City Wall, Muslim Quarter and the museum pieces that matter most on a short stop.
View day-by-day →Want this route checked against your dates?
I can help decide whether this route is too full, where to cut a city, and whether it still works for a first trip, family travel or a tighter budget.
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