Original
Explorer
Rail
China Highlights
8 days • 4.9
5
Excellent
circle111 reviews
location_on 8 days
location_on
Start
Shanghai, China
location_on
Finish
Beijing, China
tour
Trip Code
CBSD
how_to_reg
Min Age
15
diversity_3
Trip Size
1 - 16
trending_up
Physical Rating
restaurant_menu
Meals
3 breakfasts
airport_shuttle
Transport
Private Vehicle, Public Bus, High Speed Train, Subway
bed
Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Guesthouse (1 night)
From £1,208(8 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
verified
Take on one of the most popular trips in China, packed full of experiences that will give you a great insight into China in just a short time.
verified
Be dazzled by Shanghai’s neon lights and the stunning night skyline. Then, get a peek into what life was like in ancient times with a visit to the incredibly scenic Huishan Ancient Town and one of the finest examples of traditional Chinese gardens – Jichang Garden.
verified
Spend the night in a charming, family-run guesthouse near the Great Wall of China – a great opportunity to experience local life – and take the chance for a short sunset hike over one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
verified
Explore Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in Beijing with a local leader who knows all the history, tips and tricks for this fascinating and historic area.
verified
Witness the incredible sight of the Terracotta Army – buried for over 2000 years, this fantastic historical wonder is an excellent example of the genius and artistic prowess of man.
Is this trip right for you?
verified
Be prepared for some long travel days as you’ll need to cover over 2000 km to see China's main highlights in this 8-day adventure, without a flight.
verified
This trip packs a lot in over a short amount of time, so it’s highly recommended you spend some extra time in Shanghai and Beijing before or after your trip to experience more of what these great cities have to offer.
verified
As a short, city-based trip, there isn't a lot of time to experience China's beautiful natural landscapes or get further off the beaten track. If you have more time to explore, consider China Experience (CBSE), or Beijing to Hong Kong Adventure (CBSJ)
verified
China’s world-class sites and experiences draw large numbers of local and international travellers. We recommend a little patience and comfortable shoes as you may need to wait before entering the more popular locations on your itinerary.
Itinerary
Discover the highlights of China, from the neon lights of Shanghai to the Wonder of the Great Wall
Get a taste of historical China on this culture-stuffed adventure. Travel from Shanghai to Beijing, taking in iconic attractions such as the Great Wall of China (one of the Seven Wonders of the World!) and the Terracotta Warriors along the way. In between the well-known sights, you'll delve beneath the surface, visit the ancient town and traditional garden in Wuxi City, snack through the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an and watch the sun setting on the Great Wall. In just eight days, you’ll have the perfect introduction to the highlights of China.
- DAY 1Day 1 • Shanghai
- DAY 2Day 2 • Wuxi/Shanghai
- DAY 3Day 3 • Xi'an
- DAY 4Day 4 • Xi'an
- DAY 5Day 5 • Great Wall
- DAY 6Day 6 • Beijing
- DAY 7Day 7 • Beijing
- DAY 8Day 8 • Beijing
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
3 breakfasts
airport_shuttle Transport
Private Vehicle, Public Bus, High Speed Train, Subway
bed Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Guesthouse (1 night)
festival Included activities
circleWuxi - Huishan Ancient Town
circleWuxi - Jichang Garden
circleXi'an - Muslim Quarter Walking Tour and Snack Sampling
circleXi'an - Terracotta Warriors Tour - leader led
circleGreat Wall - Sunset
circleGreat Wall - Jinshanling section
circleBeijing - Forbidden City
circleBeijing - Tiananmen Square
museum Optional activities
circleShanghai - Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre (entrance fee) - CNY25
circleShanghai - Yuyuan Garden (entrance fee) - CNY40
circleShanghai - Shanghai Museum (entrance fee) - Free
circleXi'an - Great Mosque (entrance fee) - CNY25
circleXi'an - Bell & Drum Towers (entrance fee) - CNY50
circleXi'an - City Wall bike hire - CNY45
circleXi'an - Tang Dynasty Show - CNY290
circleXi'an - Big Goose Pagoda (entrance fee) - CNY80
circleXi'an - Little Wild Goose Pagoda - CNY50
circleBeijing - Temple of Heaven (entrance fee) - CNY40
circleBeijing - Hutong family visit - CNY150
circleBeijing - Lama Temple (entrance fee) - CNY25
circleBeijing - Acrobat show (ticket) - CNY290
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Saturday Jun 07, 2025
Saturday Jun 14, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 4 spaces left
£1,403£1,262
expand_more
Wednesday Jun 18, 2025
Wednesday Jun 25, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 1 space left
£1,397£1,257
expand_more
Saturday Jun 21, 2025
Saturday Jun 28, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 5 spaces left
£1,370£1,233
expand_more
Monday Jun 23, 2025
Monday Jun 30, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 8 spaces left
£1,370£1,233
expand_more
Saturday Jul 05, 2025
Saturday Jul 12, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 6 spaces left
£1,342£1,208
expand_more
Monday Jul 07, 2025
Monday Jul 14, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 4 spaces left
£1,524£1,371
expand_more
Monday Jul 14, 2025
Monday Jul 21, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 6 spaces left
£1,370£1,233
expand_more
Saturday Jul 19, 2025
Saturday Jul 26, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 11 spaces left
£1,370£1,233
expand_more
Saturday Aug 02, 2025
Saturday Aug 09, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 9 spaces left
£1,315£1,249
expand_more
Monday Aug 04, 2025
Monday Aug 11, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 2 spaces left
£1,408£1,338
expand_more
Saturday Aug 16, 2025
Saturday Aug 23, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 16 spaces left
£1,370
expand_more
Monday Aug 18, 2025
Monday Aug 25, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 6 spaces left
£1,397£1,327
expand_more
Monday Aug 25, 2025
Monday Sep 01, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 16 spaces left
£1,370
expand_more
Monday Sep 01, 2025
Monday Sep 08, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - Sold Out
Saturday Sep 06, 2025
Saturday Sep 13, 2025
Trip size max: 16 - 1 space left
£1,524£1,447
expand_more
Important notes
verified
1. Your trip starts at 4pm on Day 1.
verified
2. A single supplement is bookable for this trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
verified
3. A scanned copy of the personal details page of your passport needs to be sent to your booking agent no later than 40 days before departure in order for us to purchase our train tickets.
verified
4. Travelling in China will heavily rely upon using local payment apps – Wechat and Alipay for making payments. It’s essential to install them on your phone and have a data package ready prior to your travel. Please read ‘money matters’ in the Essential Trip Information for more details. You shouldn’t rely on credit card for travel in China.
verified
5. While travelling in China, you won’t have access to social media and some websites. You may consider installing a VPN to access those sites and apps. Please check the Essential Trip Information for more details.
Reviews (107)
5 stars
97
4 stars
6
3 stars
4
account_circle
Helen
May 15, 2025
account_circle
Patricia
May 13, 2025
The entire trip across China was absolutely perfect, especially for an elderly couple like us. We are extremely grateful to our outstanding tour leader, Gavin. He went far beyond the call of duty. He's a truly wonderful person. He made our journey incredibly smooth, well-organized, and efficient. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to China. The itinerary was extremely well - planned. We managed to see an abundance of sights within just eight days. We especially adored the sunset at the Great Wall. It was absolutely spectacular, and we thoroughly enjoyed that moment!
account_circle
Karen
May 12, 2025
Such a great trip to China for a first timer. Few long days but well worth it. Highly recommend this to anyone thinking about it
account_circle
Sharon
May 11, 2025
I would highly recommend this tour which covers some of the main highlights of China and three cities in just over one week. Pretty impressive! The tour leader (Long) provided excellent knowledge and insights to China and helped to make our trip unforgettable.
account_circle
Monique
Apr 30, 2025
Absolutely fantastic trip, shout out to our guide Feng who was a rockstar. Itinerary was well rounded, loved the high speed train experience and the Great Wall especially.
account_circle
Thomas
Apr 29, 2025
If you want to see China this is a brilliant way to do so. You'll cover the main tourist sites, and really get a feel for China. A few things to note, there is naturally a lot of travel time due to the sheer distances covered, but the bullet trains are pleasant and an experience in themselves. I would note if you don't sleep easily, like myself, you're probably best booking an extra day in Shanghai at the start of the trip, as the time zone adjustment from the UK is tough. Shanghai is a fantastic city to have some extra time in anyway. The hotels are good, the more traditional lodging near the Great Wall is fine, has hot water and a comfy bed and such.
account_circle
Diana
Apr 26, 2025
This trip was perfection!!!! Tori was such an amazing and sweet guide. She really cared about each and everyone one of us and made sure all of our needs were met. Tori also included an acrobatic show as well as a music/dance show for us to go to which was so cool! The best part of the trip was being at the Great Wall with no other tourists there other than our group!! What a dream. That was so special and I will never forget it. It was also so incredible to see the terracotta soldiers and we even met the man who discovered them! This tour is a perfect taste of China and its beautiful culture. I highly recommend
account_circle
Sophie
Apr 25, 2025
My trip to China with Intrepid has exceeded all expectations. It covered all the highlights in a short space of time without feeling rushed. There was also some free time each day which worked out great to do the optional activities and explore the cities in my own time. My tour guide Feng was brilliant, he gave clear information and instructions in advance of each day so there was no confusion and the itinerary for the day was very clear. He also taught us some basic Chinese which came in handy when purchasing souvenirs and ordering food.
account_circle
Fionn
Apr 24, 2025
Great trip to see the main highlights within a week. Highlight of the trip was The Great Wall which we got to see for sunset & again the next morning with virtually nobody else there. A lot of travel is involved but the train and bus is comfortable.
account_circle
Nick
Apr 24, 2025
Great experience, Xian was amazing city and the quiet area of great wall at sunset was something else.