Beijing, Zhangjiajie & Shanghai – 10 Days in China with Private Guides

The biggest day of the trip starts early. Your guide walks you across Tiananmen Square, one of the largest public squares in the world, and through the gate into the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing emperors. You walk in a straight line through a series of great halls and courtyards, so expect two to three hours on foot.

After lunch you drive out to Mutianyu, around one and a half hours, and ride the cable car up to the Great Wall. This section is restored, less crowded than Badaling and set among wooded hills, and you can walk between the watchtowers for as long as your legs allow. Your guide shares stories of the dynasties as you go, and you are back at the hotel by evening.

At a glance: Time needed: ~7 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~3 hrs driving in total · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (around 8:00 AM): Breakfast, then Tiananmen Square with your guide, about 30–45 min (passport needed for the security check).

• Late morning: Forbidden City, allow about 2.5–3 hrs. It is closed on Mondays except on some holidays.

• Noon: Lunch, then drive to Mutianyu, about 1.5 hrs.

• Afternoon: Cable car up and a walk along the Great Wall at Mutianyu, allow about 2–2.5 hrs.

• Evening: Drive back to Beijing, about 1.5 hrs. Free evening.

Travel for the day

• Hotel → Tiananmen ~10–15 min, Beijing → Mutianyu ~1.5 hrs, and back, by private vehicle.

Tips & what to carry

• Carry your passport. It is needed for tickets and the security checks at Tiananmen and the Forbidden City.

• Wear proper walking shoes. The Forbidden City is all on foot, and the Wall has steep, uneven steps between towers.

• Carry water, sunscreen and a cap in summer, and a warm jacket in winter; the Wall is exposed to the wind.

• Drones and large tripods are not allowed at Tiananmen.

Included today

• Private guide & vehicle, entry tickets, Great Wall cable car, lunch.

Overnight: Beijing

Start at the Temple of Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors came to pray for good harvests. The round, triple-roofed Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the photograph everyone wants, and in the surrounding park local people practise tai chi, dance and play cards in the mornings.

Next is the Summer Palace on the edge of the city, a royal garden built around Kunming Lake, with pavilions, a marble boat and the Long Corridor, its beams painted with thousands of small scenes. In the afternoon you climb into a traditional rickshaw for a Hutong tour through Beijing's old lanes and courtyard homes, with your guide explaining how life here has changed. A relaxed evening follows before tomorrow's flight.

At a glance: Time needed: ~6.5 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~2 hrs driving in total · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning (around 8:30 AM): Breakfast, then the Temple of Heaven, allow about 1.5 hrs.

• Late morning: Drive to the Summer Palace, about 45 min–1 hr, and explore Kunming Lake and the Long Corridor, about 2–2.5 hrs.

• Noon: Lunch.

• Afternoon: Hutong tour by traditional rickshaw, about 1–1.5 hrs, with a stop at a courtyard home.

• Evening: Return to your hotel. Free — pack for tomorrow's flight.

• Optional: Peking duck dinner at a local restaurant (own cost).

Travel for the day

• Hotel → Temple of Heaven ~20 min, Temple of Heaven → Summer Palace ~45 min–1 hr, Summer Palace → hutong area ~40 min, by private vehicle.

Tips & what to carry

• Get to the Temple of Heaven park early to see the morning activities.

• The Summer Palace is large; your guide will choose a route, but expect 4–5 km of walking.

• Rickshaw drivers may ask for a tip at the end; it is up to you.

• Pack your bags tonight. Domestic flights in China have strict rules on power banks, which must go in hand luggage.

Included today

• Private guide & vehicle, entry tickets, lunch.

Overnight: Beijing

After breakfast your driver takes you to Beijing airport for the domestic flight to Zhangjiajie, about two and a half to three hours. As you come in to land the scenery changes completely: forested hills and the first of the tall sandstone pillars rising out of the mist.

A private driver meets you at Zhangjiajie Hehua (Dayong) Airport and takes you to your hotel. Settle in and rest this evening in the fresh mountain air, because the next two days are full and involve a lot of walking.

At a glance: Time needed: Travel day · Travel: ~1 hr to Beijing airport, ~3 hr flight, ~20–30 min to hotel · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast and check out. Private transfer to Beijing airport, about 1 hr.

• Noon: Domestic flight to Zhangjiajie, about 2.5–3 hrs.

• Afternoon: Meet your driver at Zhangjiajie airport and transfer to your hotel, about 20–30 min. Check in.

• Evening: Free — rest, or walk around the town near the hotel.

• Night: Dinner in Zhangjiajie (own cost).

Travel for the day

• Beijing hotel → airport ~1 hr by private car.

• Beijing → Zhangjiajie by domestic flight, about 2.5–3 hrs.

• Zhangjiajie airport → hotel ~20–30 min by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• Reach the airport at least 2 hours before a domestic flight; security checks are thorough.

• Power banks must be in hand luggage and clearly marked with their capacity.

• Zhangjiajie is humid and often misty. Pack a light rain jacket and quick-dry clothes for the next two days.

Included today

• Domestic flight, private airport transfers both ends.

Overnight: Zhangjiajie

A full guided day inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the UNESCO-listed park of more than 3,000 sandstone pillars that inspired the floating mountains in the film Avatar. Your guide meets you at the hotel and you travel within the park on its shuttle buses, which link the main viewing areas.

In the Yuanjiajie area you walk along cliff-top paths to the pillar known as the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain and the natural stone bridge called the First Bridge Under Heaven. Many visitors also take the Bailong Elevator up the cliff face, Tianzi Mountain for wider views, and the flat Golden Whip Stream walk at the bottom of the valley. Attraction order and exact timings depend on weather and crowds on the day.

At a glance: Time needed: ~7 hrs in the park · Travel: ~1 hr driving, plus park shuttle buses · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (around 7:30–8:00 AM): Breakfast and pickup from your hotel, drive to the park entrance, about 45 min–1 hr.

• Late morning: Yuanjiajie area: the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain and First Bridge Under Heaven, allow about 2–2.5 hrs on the cliff-top paths.

• Noon: Lunch inside the park (own cost).

• Afternoon: Tianzi Mountain viewpoints, about 1.5 hrs, and the Bailong Elevator, about 30 min including the queue.

• Late afternoon: Golden Whip Stream walk along the valley floor, about 1–1.5 hrs, if time and energy allow.

• Evening: Return to your hotel, around 6:00 PM. Dinner in town (own cost).

Travel for the day

• Hotel → National Forest Park ~45 min–1 hr by vehicle; inside the park you move on the park's shuttle buses.

Tips & what to carry

• Wear comfortable walking shoes with grip; paths are paved but have many steps and can be wet.

• The Bailong Elevator and the park cable cars may be ticketed separately from park entry. Check with your guide before the day.

• Queues for the elevator and shuttles are long on Chinese public holidays and weekends.

• Mist can hide the peaks in the morning and clear later. Your guide may change the order to catch the views.

• Monkeys in the park will grab food; keep snacks in your bag.

Overnight: Zhangjiajie

Today starts with one of the longest cable car rides in the world, running from the edge of Zhangjiajie town up to the top of Tianmen Mountain, gliding over villages, cliffs and often the clouds. At the top you walk the cliff paths, including the Glass Skywalk bolted to the rock face with a sheer drop below, and then see Heaven's Gate, a huge natural arch in the mountain.

After lunch you drive to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon to walk across its glass-bottomed bridge, one of the longest and highest of its kind, strung between the canyon walls. You look straight down hundreds of metres to the valley floor, which is either thrilling or terrifying. Head back to your hotel in the evening, ready to fly on tomorrow.

At a glance: Time needed: ~7 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~3 hrs driving in total · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (around 7:30–8:00 AM): Breakfast and transfer to the Tianmen Mountain cable car station in town, about 15–20 min. Cable car up, about 30 min.

• Late morning: Cliff paths and the Glass Skywalk at the summit, about 1.5–2 hrs, then down to Heaven's Gate (Tianmen Cave), about 1 hr. The 999 steps to the arch can be avoided by an escalator inside the mountain.

• Noon: Lunch.

• Afternoon: Drive to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, about 1.5 hrs, and walk the Glass Bridge, about 1.5 hrs including the canyon path.

• Evening: Drive back to your hotel, about 1.5 hrs. Free — pack for the morning flight.

Travel for the day

• Hotel → Tianmen cable car station ~15–20 min, Tianmen → Grand Canyon ~1.5 hrs, Grand Canyon → hotel ~1.5 hrs, by private vehicle.

Tips & what to carry

• Shoe covers are handed out for the Glass Skywalk; there may be a small charge.

• The Glass Bridge does not allow high heels, selfie sticks or large bags; lockers are available at the entrance.

• If you are nervous of heights, walk in the middle of the bridge and look ahead, not down.

• The escalator to Heaven's Gate is usually paid separately; the 999 steps are steep but free.

Included today

• Private guide & vehicle, cable car, Skywalk & Glass Bridge entry, lunch.

Overnight: Zhangjiajie

After breakfast your driver takes you to Zhangjiajie airport for the flight to Shanghai, about two hours. The change could not be bigger: from quiet mountains to China's most cosmopolitan city of glass towers and wide boulevards.

Your private driver meets you and takes you to your hotel. Once you have settled in, head out in the evening to the Bund promenade on the west bank of the Huangpu River. The old banks and trading houses behind you are lit up, and across the river the Pudong skyline glows. It is the best first taste of Shanghai.

At a glance: Time needed: Travel day, ~1.5 hrs on the Bund · Travel: ~2 hr flight, ~45 min–1 hr to hotel · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast and check out. Private transfer to Zhangjiajie airport, about 20–30 min.

• Noon: Flight to Shanghai, about 2 hrs.

• Afternoon: Meet your driver at Pudong or Hongqiao Airport and transfer to your hotel, about 45 min–1 hr. Check in.

• Evening: Free — walk the Bund promenade for the lit-up skyline, about 1.5 hrs (lights usually come on after sunset until around 10:00 PM).

• Night: Dinner in Shanghai (own cost).

Travel for the day

• Zhangjiajie hotel → airport ~20–30 min by private car.

• Zhangjiajie → Shanghai by domestic flight, about 2 hrs.

• Shanghai airport → hotel ~45 min–1 hr by private car; the metro or a taxi is easiest to reach the Bund in the evening (own cost).

Tips & what to carry

• The Bund is very crowded on weekend evenings and holidays. Keep your phone and wallet secure.

• Shanghai's metro is clean, cheap and signposted in English.

• Didi, China's ride app, works with international cards and is easier than hailing taxis.

Included today

• Domestic flight, private airport transfers both ends.

Overnight: Shanghai

A guided day through the old and new faces of Shanghai. Start on the Bund by daylight, with its row of colonial-era banks and customs houses facing Pudong's skyline across the river, then walk down Nanjing Road, the city's main shopping street, with its department stores and crowds.

Yu Garden is a classical Ming-dynasty garden of rockeries, ponds and pavilions linked by zig-zag bridges, with the busy Yuyuan Bazaar of snack stalls and souvenir shops around it. After lunch you cross to Pudong and go up the Oriental Pearl Tower for views over the river and the city. The evening is free to explore further or relax.

At a glance: Time needed: ~6 hrs sightseeing · Travel: Short city drives · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning (around 9:00 AM): Breakfast, then the Bund with your guide, about 1 hr.

• Late morning: Nanjing Road pedestrian street, about 1 hr.

• Noon: Yu Garden and Yuyuan Bazaar, about 1.5–2 hrs. Lunch near the bazaar (own cost); the soup dumplings here are famous.

• Afternoon: Oriental Pearl Tower in Pudong, about 1.5 hrs including the observation decks.

• Evening: Return to your hotel. Free to explore further or relax.

• Optional: Huangpu River night cruise, about 1 hr (paid locally).

Travel for the day

• All sightseeing by private vehicle with your guide; Bund → Pudong ~15–20 min through the river tunnel.

Tips & what to carry

• Yu Garden is busiest at weekends; go early in the morning if you can.

• Bargain at the Yuyuan Bazaar stalls; prices start high.

• The Oriental Pearl Tower has a glass-floor section; queues are long at sunset.

• Ignore strangers on Nanjing Road who invite you to a tea ceremony or art show. This is a known scam.

Included today

• Private guide & vehicle, entry tickets

Overnight: Shanghai

A relaxed day at your own pace. Shanghai is perfect for shopping, café-hopping and going back to a favourite spot: the tree-lined streets of the former French Concession, the lanes of Tianzifang, or the malls around People's Square and Lujiazui.

Alternatively, you can take a private day trip to Zhujiajiao, an old water town about an hour out of the city, with canals, stone bridges and old houses. Wander quiet lanes of traditional shops and riverside teahouses, or take a small boat along the canal. This trip is an optional add-on with private guide, vehicle and entry, and is not part of the standard package. Return to your hotel by evening for your last night in China.

At a glance: Time needed: Free day · Travel: No included transfers (Zhujiajiao ~1 hr each way if added) · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Free — rest or shop.

• Noon: Lunch at a café in the French Concession or Xintiandi (own cost).

• Afternoon: Free for shopping and walks at your own pace.

• Optional: Private day trip to Zhujiajiao Water Town, about 5–6 hrs including the drive (optional add-on: private guide, vehicle & entry).

• Evening: Final night in China. Dinner out (own cost).

Travel for the day

• No transfers included today. Shanghai → Zhujiajiao ~1 hr each way by private vehicle if you add the tour.

Tips & what to carry

• Zhujiajiao is quieter on weekdays.

• Canal boat rides in Zhujiajiao are usually paid locally.

• Good souvenirs from Shanghai: tea, silk and porcelain. Buy from proper shops to be sure of quality.

Included today

• Breakfast; Zhujiajiao tour available as optional add-on (private guide, vehicle & entry).

Overnight: Shanghai

After breakfast, check out and spend any last moments in the city if your flight time allows.

Your private driver then takes you to Shanghai Pudong or Hongqiao Airport for your flight home, after a trip that took you from imperial palaces to mountain peaks and a modern megacity.

At a glance: Time needed: Free morning, flight permitting · Travel: ~45 min–1 hr airport transfer · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast at the hotel and check out (usually by 12:00 noon).

• Departure: Private transfer to Shanghai Pudong or Hongqiao Airport, about 45 min–1 hr, reaching at least 3 hrs before an international flight.

Travel for the day

• Shanghai hotel → airport ~45 min–1 hr by private car; allow more at rush hour.

Tips & what to carry

• Pudong Airport is far from the city centre; do not cut the transfer time short.

• Spend or change your remaining yuan before you leave.

• Power banks go in hand luggage only.

Included today

• Private airport transfer.