01Day 1
At the confirmed Beijing airport or station, your driver takes you straight to the hotel. We leave the first day clear after a long flight; sightseeing begins when you have slept.
21 DAYS / 20 NIGHTS · PRIVATE TOUR · NO SHOPPING
Grand China with Zhangjiajie & the Yangtze: 21‑Day Private Tour
Three weeks across the cities, mountains and the Yangtze
Two sharing twin hotel rooms and a standard balcony cabin pay USD 5,890 each to take the 21-day China private tour; international flights are extra. It joins Beijing and Xi’an, Chengdu’s pandas, the Li River, Zhangjiajie and a three-night downstream Yangtze cruise. Expect several full travel days between them.
Choose group size
Published price for selected groupUSD 4,690per person · 6 travellers · private tour package · international flights not included
Prices are shown in USD. We confirm the payment currency, exchange rate and total in your written quote before you pay.
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Need a different group size?We confirm room needs, luggage count and a suitable vehicle before sending a written quote.Plan this journey
- Journey
- 21 days / 20 nights
- Touring
- Guide and vehicle days confirmed in writing
- Stay
- 20 nights · scope confirmed in writing
- Price
- Published for 2, 4, 6 travellers
The shape of the journey
Three weeks across the cities, mountains and the Yangtze
The 20 nights comprise 17 breakfast-included hotel nights and three in a balcony cruise cabin. Local private guides and vehicles on land touring days, transfers, named tickets, trains, domestic flights and the cruise with onboard meals are included. Guides change by city; the ship runs its own programme.
- 01
Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors and Chengdu's pandas
- 02
The Li River and two Yangshuo nights
- 03
Zhangjiajie Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain
- 04
A three-night Three Gorges cruise
Day by day
See how each day unfolds.
Arrival, core touring and departure are shown day by day. Opening hours, named-entry tickets and local conditions may change the order. If anything important needs to change, we discuss it with you.
Beijing city · Destination view - 02Day 2
The guide takes you through the Tiananmen area and into the Forbidden City with the ticket issued for your date. The museum closes on Mondays, so we set the Beijing day order after the reservation is confirmed.
Forbidden City - 03Day 3
The drive to Mutianyu takes about 90 minutes. A cable car or chairlift is included one way, leaving you to walk the restored wall at your pace. The toboggan is an extra.
Great Wall near Beijing - 04Day 4
Morning is a good time for the Temple of Heaven: local residents are often exercising in the park. Then walk by the Summer Palace lake. We check seasonal boat operation on the day.
Temple of Heaven - 05Day 5
The confirmed second-class train to Xi’an takes about 4.5–6 hours. A driver takes you to the Beijing station and another meets you in Xi’an; leave the evening free after the crossing.
Xi’an city · Destination view - 06Day 6
Do not rush the Terracotta Warriors: the guide has the morning and early afternoon there. Return to Xi’an for the City Wall when the light softens; you can walk or cycle it. The Muslim Quarter is free time in the evening.
Terracotta Army, Pit 1 - 07Day 7
The second-class train from Xi’an to Chengdu takes about 3–4.5 hours. There is still an afternoon for tea in People’s Park and a walk along Kuanzhai Alley.
Jin River, Chengdu - 08Day 8
We go to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding near opening, when the pandas are usually moving around. In the afternoon choose one plan before booking: Sanxingdui Museum, roughly an hour each way, or an easier walk around Wenshu Monastery.
Visit the Chengdu panda base around opening time. - 09Day 9
The confirmed economy flight from Chengdu to Guilin takes about 1.5 hours. Drivers handle both airport transfers. We leave the rest of the day open and stay overnight in Guilin before the river cruise.
Guilin city · Destination view - 10Day 10
The Li River boat takes about four hours from the pier to Yangshuo, between the karst peaks. Your main bags travel separately by road, so keep what you need on the boat with you. The rest of the Yangshuo day is free.
Li River cruise - 11Day 11
If the water level and operator allow, ride a bamboo raft on the booked stretch of the Yulong River. Afterward, see the countryside by bike or vehicle without a fixed walking target. Stay in Yangshuo.
Yulong River countryside - 12Day 12
First drive about 1.5 hours from Yangshuo back to Guilin. The direct high-speed train to Zhangjiajie West then takes about 7–7.5 hours, making this a full travel day. A driver takes you on to the hotel by the Wulingyuan gates.
Wulingyuan peaks · Destination view - 13Day 13
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park takes a full day. The guide links Yuanjiajie’s sandstone pillars, the Bailong Elevator and part of Golden Whip Stream; the order changes with the weather and the queues.
Wulingyuan sandstone peaks on this route. The photograph illustrates the place; access, weather and the final day order are confirmed for your dates. - 14Day 14
Tianmen Mountain starts from Zhangjiajie city. Up top are the cliff-side walkways and Tianmen Cave; whether the cable car comes before or after the mountain road depends on the ticket route issued for that date.
The Tianmen Mountain cable car leaves from Zhangjiajie city. - 15Day 15
Zhangjiajie to Chongqing is about 2–3 hours on the booked high-speed train. Later, walk from Jiefangbei along the river to Hongyadong; it is lit after dark. Stay in Chongqing.
Chongqing city · Destination view - 16Day 16
Before boarding, there is time for the monorail at Liziba and the old hillside lanes. Boarding at Chaotianmen pier opens at about 18:00, dinner is served on the ship and it sails at about 21:00. If the water level or river control moves boarding to another pier, the cruise company runs a transfer from central Chongqing and your driver takes you to it.
Liziba monorail - 17Day 17
The included shore visit is usually Fengdu Ghost City in the morning; the rest of the day is on board. Stops such as Shuanggui Mountain and the evening show are paid options sold on the ship, and weather or the water level can change a stop.
Yangtze cruise ship example · Vessel confirmed for your sailing - 18Day 18
Around midday the ship sails through Qutang Gorge. In the afternoon the included side trip takes a smaller boat into the Lesser Three Gorges, and Wu Gorge follows from the deck. White Emperor City in the morning and the Mini Three Gorges are paid options.
Qutang Gorge - 19Day 19
Leave the ship at Maoping, just above the dam, at about 08:00 and visit the Three Gorges Dam. The cruise company’s coach reaches the cruise terminal in central Yichang at about 12:30, and we book the afternoon train to Shanghai, about six hours, or an evening flight from that time. Two paid add-ons sold on board get back later, at about 13:30 and 17:00; if you want one, tell us before we book. Lunch is on your own, and you reach Shanghai late.
Shanghai city · Destination view - 20Day 20
Decide before booking how to spend the day. Stay in Shanghai with a guide for the Bund, Yu Garden and an old French Concession neighbourhood, or take the high-speed train to Suzhou for one garden and Pingjiang Road.
The Bund, Shanghai - 21Day 21
Your driver takes you to the confirmed Shanghai airport or station. We leave the departure day free of sightseeing.
Shanghai city · Destination view
Day 1 · Arrive in Beijing
Travel made seamless
Hotels, guides and transfers work together.
Your hotel level, guided days, transfers, route transport and principal admissions are planned together. We check availability for your dates before payment.
Stay
This 20-night trip has 17 breakfast-included hotel nights at the four-star standard (4 diamonds on Trip.com/Ctrip), with twin rooms: Beijing 4, Xi’an 2, Chengdu 2, Guilin 1, Yangshuo 2, Wulingyuan 2, Zhangjiajie city 1, Chongqing 1 and Shanghai 2. Three more nights are in a standard balcony cabin on a five-star-rated Yangtze ship, normally with Gold Cruises; on the lowest cabin deck the balcony may be glassed in. We confirm the hotels, ship and cabin before payment.
Guide, transport and admissions
An English-speaking local guide and vehicle serve your party on land touring days. Transfers and named first entries include Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the Bailong Elevator and Tianmen Mountain cable car. The Li River cruise moves luggage separately, and one Yulong River bamboo raft is included. Second-class trains run Beijing–Xi’an–Chengdu, Guilin–Zhangjiajie and Zhangjiajie–Chongqing; flights are economy Chengdu–Guilin and, if chosen over rail, Yichang–Shanghai. The Yichang–Shanghai train is also included as that alternative. The ship booking covers the cabin, meals from boarding-night dinner to last-morning breakfast, and three shore visits, usually Fengdu Ghost City, the Lesser Three Gorges and the Three Gorges Dam. Guides change by city; drivers cover travel-day handovers. Korean-speaking land guides cost the same where available.
Before you choose
How much does a three-week China tour cost?
A 21-day private China trip covering Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin, Zhangjiajie, the Yangtze and Shanghai is USD 5,890 each for two sharing hotel rooms and a standard balcony cabin, USD 11,780 together. Four pay USD 4,990 each and six USD 4,690. Included are 17 hotel nights with breakfast, a three-night Yangtze cruise with onboard meals, the Li River boat, local private guides and vehicles on land, tickets, route trains and domestic flights. International flights and land meals are separate; peak sailings may raise the total. Ask for a written quote for another group size.
Is three weeks too much moving?
The 21-day China private tour still has several full travel days, even though most stops get at least one full day and the three Yangtze cruise nights reduce hotel changes. If that pace feels heavy, the 17-day Beijing–Xi’an–Chengdu–Yangtze–Shanghai tour leaves out Guilin and Zhangjiajie and starts at USD 4,690 each for two.
When is the best time for this route?
The 21-day China private route works best in April–May or September–October, when Zhangjiajie has more clear days and the heat is easier. The Yangtze ships run from late February to late December, so the cruise is rarely what limits the dates. Avoid the first weeks of May and October if you can; the holiday crowds make several stops busier.
Clear before payment
What is separate—and what your written quote will confirm.
The listed starting price is per person for the stated group size, assuming twin hotel rooms and a standard balcony cabin. Yangtze fares vary by ship and sailing date. Before payment, we put the ship, cabin, any peak-date difference and the final total in writing. We request passport details ahead of Forbidden City and Terracotta Warriors ticket sales.
Not included
- International flights to and from China
- Lunches, dinners and drinks on land (hotel breakfasts and onboard cruise meals are included)
- Travel insurance, visas, tips and personal expenses
- Room upgrades and public-holiday surcharges
- Single-room and single-cabin supplements (a cabin for one is charged at close to twice the shared per-person cruise fare)
- Cruise gratuities, paid shore options sold on board (such as White Emperor City and the dam's ship lift) and cabin upgrades
- Peak-date cruise surcharges above the base balcony cabin
- The Day 20 option not chosen in writing
Confirmed in writing
- Your dates, arrival and departure details
- The hotel, room arrangement and vehicle for the actual group
- Bookable admissions and the final total before payment
Plan the destination
Check the route against the destination guides.
Use these city hubs and decision guides to test the route's stay base, gateways and day order before enquiring.
Destination hubs
Decision guides
Compare a related published route
Photo credits
The location-specific external photographs are credited below. Only conventional cropping, resizing and WebP conversion were applied; no generative edits were made. Adapted CC BY-SA photos are shared under the linked CC BY-SA license.
- Wulingyuan sandstone peaksPhoto by 颐园居 · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Temple of HeavenPhoto by xiquinhosilva / Xiquinho Silva · CC BY 2.0
- Guilin city viewPhoto by Chlukoe · CC0 1.0
- Tianzi Mountain panoramaPhoto by Chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0
- A Line 2 train at Liziba StationPhoto by David290 · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Yangtze River cruise shipPhoto by Gaynor · CC BY 2.0
- Qutang Gorge on the Yangtze RiverPhoto by Tan Wei Liang Byorn · CC BY 3.0
- Wu GorgePhoto by Photnart · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Traditional buildings and pond in Yu GardenPhoto by King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Humble Administrator's GardenPhoto by Chainwit. · CC BY 4.0
- Chengdu Panda BasePhoto by George Lu · CC BY 2.0
- Sanxingdui MuseumPhoto by STW932 · CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Bund, ShanghaiPhoto by Another Believer · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jin River, ChengduPhoto by tyrosin · CC BY 2.0
- Terracotta Army, Pit 1Photo by Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China · CC0
- Great Wall near BeijingPhoto by Francesco Bini · CC BY-SA 4.0
All remaining photographs were selected from the Homeground project library and authorised by the site owner for this website. Only routine cropping, resizing and format conversion were applied.