China: The Long Arc
17 Days Across China
Beijing · Xi'an · Lhasa · Chengdu · Yangtze · Shanghai
From the imperial capitals to the Tibetan Plateau, from panda country to the Yangtze, and finally into modern Shanghai.
Introduction
One country. Completely different worlds.
China is too big to understand through one city.
This journey follows a long arc across the country — beginning among Beijing's imperial palaces, travelling west to Xi'an and the Silk Road legacy, climbing to 3,650 metres in Lhasa, dropping into the relaxed Sichuan Basin, sailing through the Three Gorges, and finally arriving in Shanghai.
Across 17 days, the journey moves through radically different landscapes, cultures and rhythms of life.
It is designed for travellers who want more than a checklist of famous sights — but who still want to experience many of China's essential places on one carefully planned journey.
Duration
17 Days / 16 Nights
Start
Beijing
Finish
Shanghai
Highest Altitude
3,650 m — Lhasa
Recommended Period
April – June
Difficulty
Moderate
Travel Pace
Active / Well-Paced
Transport
High-speed rail · 3 domestic flights · private transfers · 3-night cruise
Destinations
Travel Style
Why This Journey
Eight sides of China in one route
01
Beijing's Imperial Heart
Walk through Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, climb Jingshan for the full palace panorama and explore Beijing's hutong neighbourhoods.
02
Walk the Great Wall
Travel to Mutianyu and walk the wall between its mountain watchtowers.
03
Ancient Xi'an
See the Terracotta Army, discover the Muslim Quarter and Great Mosque, and experience the Tang heritage of the city.
04
Three Nights in Tibet
Explore the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor pilgrimage circuit, Drepung and Sera monasteries.
05
See the Giant Pandas
Visit Chengdu's Giant Panda Base early in the morning, when the pandas are at their most active.
06
Experience Chengdu Life
Tea houses, Sichuan culture, temples, mahjong, street food and the slower rhythm of Chengdu.
07
Cruise the Yangtze
Spend three nights aboard a Yangtze River cruise and travel through Qutang, Wu and Xiling Gorges.
08
Shanghai: Past or Future
Finish with a full day in Shanghai, choosing between its classic historical landmarks or a more futuristic route focused on technology and the new city.
Route Overview
Beijing to Shanghai, the long way round
Beijing
TrainHigh-Speed Rail
Xi'an
FlightFlight
Lhasa
FlightFlight
Chengdu
TrainHigh-Speed Rail
Chongqing
Cruise3-Night Yangtze Cruise
Yichang
FlightFlight
Shanghai
Day by Day
Seventeen days across China
Day 1
Arrival in Beijing
Arrive in Beijing and transfer to your hotel. The afternoon is free to rest.
In the evening, experience dinner in a traditional courtyard setting with a Peking opera performance.
Overnight Beijing
Day 2
Forbidden City & Old Beijing
Begin at Tiananmen Square.
Enter the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate and follow the historic central axis through the imperial palace.
Climb Jingshan Park for panoramic views over the Forbidden City.
Finish by exploring Beijing's hutong neighbourhoods by rickshaw.
Overnight Beijing
Day 3
Mutianyu Great Wall
Travel outside Beijing to Mutianyu.
Take the cable car to the ridge and walk along one of the most scenic sections of the Great Wall.
Return to Beijing and see the Bird's Nest and Water Cube from the Olympic Green.
Overnight Beijing
Day 4
Summer Palace → High-Speed Train to Xi'an
Train journey: approx. 4.5–5.5 hours
Visit the Summer Palace in the morning.
In the afternoon, board a high-speed train to Xi'an.
Overnight Xi'an
Day 5
Terracotta Army & Muslim Quarter
Visit the Terracotta Army outside Xi'an.
Optional: add a hands-on miniature terracotta warrior workshop.
Return to the historic centre to see the Bell and Drum Towers.
In the evening, explore Xi'an's Muslim Quarter and Great Mosque.
Overnight Xi'an
Day 6
Tang Dynasty Xi'an & Hanfu
Visit the Xi'an Museum and Small Wild Goose Pagoda.
Continue to Da Ci'en Temple and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
In the afternoon, enjoy a traditional hanfu fitting with hair and make-up.
Optional evening: the Great Tang All Day Mall.
Overnight Xi'an
Day 7
Acclimatisation DayXi'an → Lhasa
Altitude change: approx. 400 m → 3,650 m
Enjoy a free morning in Xi'an. Optional suggestion: cycle or walk a section of the Xi'an City Wall.
Fly to Lhasa in the afternoon.
The remainder of the day is deliberately free to allow your body to adjust to the altitude.
Overnight Lhasa
Day 8
Potala Palace, Jokhang & Barkhor
Visit the Potala Palace.
Continue to Jokhang Temple, Tibet's most sacred temple.
Walk the Barkhor pilgrimage circuit around the temple.
Overnight Lhasa
Day 9
Drepung & Sera Monastery
Spend the morning at Drepung Monastery.
Take part in hands-on Tibetan cultural activities including incense-making and traditional woodblock printing.
In the afternoon, visit Sera Monastery and watch the famous monks' debating session.
Overnight Lhasa
Day 10
Lhasa → Chengdu
Altitude: 3,650 m → approx. 500 m
Enjoy a free morning in Lhasa.
Fly from the Tibetan Plateau down to Chengdu.
Optional evening: Sichuan hotpot, or Sichuan opera with a face-changing performance.
Overnight Chengdu
Day 11
Giant Pandas & Chengdu Life
Visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding early in the morning.
Continue to Wenshu Monastery.
Spend the afternoon in People's Park at a traditional Chengdu teahouse.
Finish the day around Jinli.
Overnight Chengdu
Day 12
Chengdu → Chongqing → Yangtze Cruise
Take the high-speed train to Chongqing.
Visit the Three Gorges Museum.
Experience Chongqing's extraordinary vertical cityscape at Liziba, where the monorail passes through a residential building.
Continue to Eling Park and Hongyadong.
In the evening, board the Yangtze River cruise. The ship departs Chongqing around 21:00.
Overnight Yangtze River Cruise
Day 13
Yangtze River — Fengdu
Spend your first full day on the river.
Visit Fengdu Ghost City as part of the cruise programme.
Optional: Shibaozhai may be offered by the cruise operator at additional cost.
Overnight Yangtze River Cruise
Day 14
The Three Gorges
Qutang Gorge · Wu Gorge · Xiling Gorge
Travel through Qutang, Wu and Xiling Gorges.
Transfer to smaller boats to explore the Goddess Stream.
Spend your final evening aboard the ship.
Overnight Yangtze River Cruise
Day 15
Three Gorges Dam → Shanghai
Disembark at Maoping.
Visit the Three Gorges Dam.
Optional: the Ship Lift experience, subject to availability and additional cost.
Continue to Yichang and fly to Shanghai.
Overnight Shanghai
Day 16
Shanghai — Choose Your City
Choose between two ways to spend your full day in Shanghai (see the two routes below).
Overnight Shanghai
Day 17
Departure from Shanghai
The morning is free depending on your flight time.
Transfer to Shanghai airport for your onward journey.
Day 16 — Choose Your Shanghai
Route A
Classic Shanghai
- Shanghai Museum
- Shanghai Tower
- Yu Garden
- Nanjing Road
- The Bund
Explore Shanghai through its history, architecture and iconic skyline.
Route B
The Future City
- Robot technology experiences
- Robotaxi experience
- White Magnolia Plaza observation deck
- Yu Garden
- The Bund after dark
See the Shanghai being built right now — technology, robotics, driverless transport and a futuristic skyline.
The Journey at a Glance
17
Days
7
Major destinations / regions
3
Nights in Tibet
3
Nights on the Yangtze
3,650 m
Highest overnight altitude
3
Domestic flights
2
High-speed rail journeys
The Tibet Experience
Three Nights on the Tibetan Plateau
The journey includes three nights in Lhasa at 3,650 metres.
Rather than rushing directly into sightseeing, the first afternoon is intentionally kept free after the flight from Xi'an to allow time to adjust to the altitude.
The following days introduce the cultural heart of Tibet through the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor, followed by Drepung and Sera monasteries.
Lhasa altitude
3,650 m
The Yangtze Cruise
Three Nights on the Yangtze
Board in Chongqing and spend three nights travelling downstream through one of China's most dramatic river landscapes.
Cruise through all three major gorges — Qutang, Wu and Xiling — with a smaller-boat journey into the Goddess Stream before reaching the Three Gorges Dam.
The exact cruise vessel, cabin class, shore excursions and timings are subject to the cruise operator's confirmed programme. The published cruise itinerary takes priority over the sample itinerary shown here.
Who This Journey Is For
Is this trip for you?
Good For
- First-time visitors who want to see more than Beijing and Shanghai
- Travellers interested in both Chinese and Tibetan culture
- People who enjoy history, food and landscapes
- Travellers who want a broad introduction to China
- Couples, friends and families
- Older travellers comfortable with a busy itinerary
- People who want a mix of guided sightseeing and slower experiences
Less Suited To
- Travellers wanting a very slow itinerary
- Anyone wanting to stay in only one region
- Travellers unable to travel comfortably at 3,650 metres
- People looking mainly for hiking or outdoor adventure
Travel Pace
Active / Well-Paced
This journey covers a large part of China in 17 days. There are several travel days involving trains, flights and transfers, but the itinerary is intentionally varied so major sightseeing days are balanced with lighter periods, free mornings and the slower pace of the Yangtze cruise.
Where You Sleep
Accommodation
Accommodation is planned in centrally located hotels throughout the land portion of the journey.
The Yangtze section includes three nights in a cruise cabin.
Exact hotel properties, categories, cruise vessel and cabin class are to be confirmed with the final quotation.
Food
Meals
Selected breakfasts and lunches are included throughout the journey, with some special meals and cruise meals depending on the final programme.
Exact meal inclusions will be clearly confirmed in the final itinerary and quotation.
Important Information
Tibet Travel Permit
International travellers require a Tibet Travel Permit to visit Lhasa.
The permit must be arranged in advance and requires passport and Chinese visa information from every traveller.
Because permits need advance processing, very late bookings or last-minute changes to passport or visa details may not be possible.
Permit support will be arranged as part of the trip planning process.
Price
On Request
Pricing depends on your travel dates, group size, accommodation choices and final Yangtze cruise arrangements.
Send me your preferred dates, number of travellers and travel style, and I'll help you build the right version of this journey.
Make it yours.
This is a reference itinerary, not a fixed package. The route can be adapted around your interests, pace and travel dates. You can add more time in Beijing or Shanghai, change the hotel level, extend Chengdu, adjust the Tibet section or combine the journey with another part of China.