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10 Tage Klassisches China 2026: Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Shanghai cover photo
★ 10-day itinerary

10 Tage Klassisches China 2026: Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Shanghai

Zehn Tage decken vier Regionen in einer Reise ab. Tage 1-3: Beijing (Forbidden City, Great Wall, Hutongs). Tag 4: HSR nach Xi'an. Tage 4-5: Xi'an (Terracotta Army, Stadtmauer). Tag 6: Flug nach Guilin. Tage 6-7: Guilin + Li-River-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo. Tag 8: Flug nach Shanghai. Tage 8-10: Shanghai (Bund, Yu Garden, Tagesausflug nach Suzhou oder Zhujiajiao). Die abwechslungsreichste 10-Tage-China-Route: Geschichte + Natur + Moderne.

10 days·By NihaoVisit Editorial Team·Updated
§ 01 · The route, at a glance

10 days, 10 cities.

Day 1Ankunft in Beijing
Day 2Great Wall
Day 3Tempel + HSR nach Xi'an
Day 4Xi'an: Terracotta Army
Day 5Xi'an → Guilin
Day 6Li River-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo
Day 7Yangshuo → Shanghai
At a price
Backpacker / day$605
Mid-range / day$1320
Luxury / day$3300
Download offline PDF

Quick Answer

Zehn Tage decken vier Regionen in einer Reise ab. Tage 1-3: Beijing (Forbidden City, Great Wall, Hutongs). Tag 4: HSR nach Xi'an. Tage 4-5: Xi'an (Terracotta Army, Stadtmauer). Tag 6: Flug nach Guilin. Tage 6-7: Guilin + Li-River-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo. Tag 8: Flug nach Shanghai. Tage 8-10: Shanghai (Bund, Yu Garden, Tagesausflug nach Suzhou oder Zhujiajiao). Die abwechslungsreichste 10-Tage-China-Route: Geschichte + Natur + Moderne.

AT A GLANCE

10 days at a glance

  1. Day 01

    Ankunft in Beijing

    Ankunft in Beijing

  2. Day 02

    Great Wall

    Mutianyu Great Wall (1,5 Std. Fahrt, Seilbahn + Rodelbahn)

  3. Day 03

    Tempel + HSR nach Xi'an

    Temple of Heaven, Lama-Tempel

  4. Day 04

    Xi'an: Terracotta Army

    Ganztagestour zur Terracotta Army

  5. Day 05

    Xi'an → Guilin

    Morgens Shaanxi History Museum

  6. Day 06

    Li River-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo

    Li River-Kreuzfahrt Guilin → Yangshuo (4-5 Std., ¥450)

  7. Day 07

    Yangshuo → Shanghai

    Morgens: Aussichtspunkt Moon Hill oder Xianggong Hill

  8. Day 08

    Shanghai: Klassik

    Yu Garden, Basar der Altstadt

  9. Day 09

    Shanghai: Tagesausflug in eine Wasserstadt

    Tagesausflug nach Zhujiajiao (1 h) oder Suzhou (1 h HSR)

  10. Day 10

    Abreise aus Shanghai

    Morgen zur freien Verfügung (Spaziergang durch die French Concession)

ROUTE OVERVIEW

Route Overview

Every stop on this itinerary, ordered by day. Tap a city to read our in-depth destination guide.

  1. Day 0110 Tage Klassisches China 2026Ankunft in Beijing
  2. Day 0210 Tage Klassisches China 2026Great Wall
  3. Day 0310 Tage Klassisches China 2026Tempel + HSR nach Xi'an
  4. Day 0410 Tage Klassisches China 2026Xi'an: Terracotta Army
  5. Day 0510 Tage Klassisches China 2026Xi'an → Guilin
  6. Day 0610 Tage Klassisches China 2026Li River-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo
  7. Day 0710 Tage Klassisches China 2026Yangshuo → Shanghai
  8. Day 0810 Tage Klassisches China 2026Shanghai: Klassik
  9. Day 0910 Tage Klassisches China 2026Shanghai: Tagesausflug in eine Wasserstadt
  10. Day 1010 Tage Klassisches China 2026Abreise aus Shanghai

  • 10

    days

  • 28

    stops tested

  • 10

    editors involved

  • 32

    hotels short-listed

  • $2400

    mid-range / person

  • Q3 2026

    last re-priced

Duration10 days
Best forFirst-timers, Nature, History
Pricing$1100 (backpacker) / $2400 (mid-range) / $6000+ (luxury) per person

Lock in this trip

Pre-vetted platforms to handle hotels, transport, and connectivity.

Trip timeline

01
DAY 01

Ankunft in Beijing

Stay: Wangfujing

  1. Ankunft in Beijing
    A
  2. Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City (3-4 Std.)
    A
  3. Pekingente-Abendessen
    A
02
DAY 02

Great Wall

Stay: gleich

  1. Mutianyu Great Wall (1,5 Std. Fahrt, Seilbahn + Rodelbahn)
    F, M
03
DAY 03

Tempel + HSR nach Xi'an

Stay: Muslimisches Viertel

  1. Temple of Heaven, Lama-Tempel
    F, A
  2. HSR nach Xi'an 4,5 Std.
    F, A
  3. Muslimisches Viertel am Abend
    F, A
04
DAY 04

Xi'an: Terracotta Army

Stay: gleich

  1. Ganztagestour zur Terracotta Army
    F, M
  2. Fahrradtour auf der Stadtmauer
    F, M
  3. Tang-Show (optional)
    F, M
05
DAY 05

Xi'an → Guilin

Stay: Zentrum von Guilin

  1. Morgens Shaanxi History Museum
    F
  2. Flug nach Guilin (2,5 Std., $150)
    F
  3. Abends: Elephant Trunk Hill, Spaziergang Two Rivers Four Lakes
    F
06
DAY 06

Li River-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo

Stay: Yangshuo

  1. Li River-Kreuzfahrt Guilin → Yangshuo (4-5 Std., ¥450)
    F, M
  2. Fahrradtour durch die Landschaft von Yangshuo
    F, M
  3. Impression Liu Sanjie Show (¥238)
    F, M
07
DAY 07

Yangshuo → Shanghai

Stay: The Bund, Shanghai

  1. Morgens: Aussichtspunkt Moon Hill oder Xianggong Hill
    F
  2. Rückfahrt zum Flughafen Guilin
    F
  3. Flug nach Shanghai (2,5 h)
    F
  4. Abends: Spaziergang am Bund
    F
08
DAY 08

Shanghai: Klassik

Stay: gleich

  1. Yu Garden, Basar der Altstadt
    F, A
  2. Nanjing Road, Volksplatz
    F, A
  3. Pudong-Skyline bei Nacht
    F, A
  4. Akrobatikshow
    F, A
09
DAY 09

Shanghai: Tagesausflug in eine Wasserstadt

Stay: gleich

  1. Tagesausflug nach Zhujiajiao (1 h) oder Suzhou (1 h HSR)
    F
  2. Abends: Künstlerviertel Tianzifang
    F
10
DAY 10

Abreise aus Shanghai

Stay: —

  1. Morgen zur freien Verfügung (Spaziergang durch die French Concession)
    F
  2. Abflug vom Flughafen Pudong
    F

BEFORE YOU GO

Practical Tips for this trip

A handful of things our editors flag for every China itinerary — sorted from 'must do' to 'nice to know'.

  1. Visa and entry documents

    Most Western passports get 30-day visa-free entry in 2026. Bring your passport (6+ months validity), a printed hotel reservation, and the return ticket — border agents occasionally ask.

  2. Payment setup

    Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly and link a Visa or Mastercard. Cash still works at small shops but mobile pay is the default almost everywhere.

  3. Connectivity

    Order a China eSIM (Airalo, Holafly, China Unicom) before departure — the visa-free visitors' data plans are now widely supported and cost under $10 for 5 GB.

  4. How we calculated costs

    All figures are in USD per person for the full itinerary, not per day. Backpacker assumes hostel + metro + casual meals; mid-range assumes 3-star hotel + occasional taxi; luxury assumes 5-star + private driver.

BUDGET

Budget Breakdown

Per-person totals across the whole trip, in USD. Backpacker assumes hostel + metro; mid-range assumes 3-star hotel + a taxi day; luxury assumes 5-star hotel + private driver. Figures assume a 10-day trip.

Line itemBackpackerMid-rangeLuxury
Accommodation$605$1320$3300+
Food$220$480$1080+
Transport$110$288$600+
Attractions$110$192$420+
SIM / data$10$15$25+
Visa$0$0$0+
Misc$55$120$600+
TOTAL$1110$2415$6025+

USD per person, across the whole trip. Excludes international flights. Last verified Q3 2026.

Day-by-day breakdown

  1. DAY 1

    Ankunft in Beijing

    • Ankunft in Beijing
    • Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City (3-4 Std.)
    • Pekingente-Abendessen
    Stay
    Wangfujing
    Meals
    A
  2. DAY 2

    Great Wall

    • Mutianyu Great Wall (1,5 Std. Fahrt, Seilbahn + Rodelbahn)
    Stay
    gleich
    Meals
    F, M
  3. DAY 3

    Tempel + HSR nach Xi'an

    • Temple of Heaven, Lama-Tempel
    • HSR nach Xi'an 4,5 Std.
    • Muslimisches Viertel am Abend
    Stay
    Muslimisches Viertel
    Meals
    F, A
  4. DAY 4

    Xi'an: Terracotta Army

    • Ganztagestour zur Terracotta Army
    • Fahrradtour auf der Stadtmauer
    • Tang-Show (optional)
    Stay
    gleich
    Meals
    F, M
  5. DAY 5

    Xi'an → Guilin

    • Morgens Shaanxi History Museum
    • Flug nach Guilin (2,5 Std., $150)
    • Abends: Elephant Trunk Hill, Spaziergang Two Rivers Four Lakes
    Stay
    Zentrum von Guilin
    Meals
    F
  6. DAY 6

    Li River-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo

    • Li River-Kreuzfahrt Guilin → Yangshuo (4-5 Std., ¥450)
    • Fahrradtour durch die Landschaft von Yangshuo
    • Impression Liu Sanjie Show (¥238)
    Stay
    Yangshuo
    Meals
    F, M
  7. DAY 7

    Yangshuo → Shanghai

    • Morgens: Aussichtspunkt Moon Hill oder Xianggong Hill
    • Rückfahrt zum Flughafen Guilin
    • Flug nach Shanghai (2,5 h)
    • Abends: Spaziergang am Bund
    Stay
    The Bund, Shanghai
    Meals
    F
  8. DAY 8

    Shanghai: Klassik

    • Yu Garden, Basar der Altstadt
    • Nanjing Road, Volksplatz
    • Pudong-Skyline bei Nacht
    • Akrobatikshow
    Stay
    gleich
    Meals
    F, A
  9. DAY 9

    Shanghai: Tagesausflug in eine Wasserstadt

    • Tagesausflug nach Zhujiajiao (1 h) oder Suzhou (1 h HSR)
    • Abends: Künstlerviertel Tianzifang
    Stay
    gleich
    Meals
    F
  10. DAY 10

    Abreise aus Shanghai

    • Morgen zur freien Verfügung (Spaziergang durch die French Concession)
    • Abflug vom Flughafen Pudong
    Stay
    —
    Meals
    F

What is included

Included

  • Hotels (9 Nächte)
  • Beijing-Xi'an HSR
  • Xi'an-Guilin Flug
  • Guilin-Shanghai Flug
  • Li River Kreuzfahrt
  • Tägliches Frühstück
  • Forbidden City + Great Wall + Terracotta + Yu Garden Eintrittskarten

Not included

  • Internationale Flüge
  • Visum
  • Die meisten Mittag- und Abendessen
  • Akrobatik-Show, Tang-Show, Impression-Show

READ BEFORE YOU GO

Read before you go

6 articles our editors recommend reading in the week before departure. Most take under 10 minutes each.

OUR PROCESS

How we tested this itinerary

Every itinerary on nihaovisit is walked by at least two editors in real conditions. Here's the method we used for this one.

  1. Step 01

    Editorial research

    Two editors spent ~14 hours refreshing official tickets, transit, and visa pages specific to this 10-day itinerary. We cross-checked prices against at least 3 booking platforms.

  2. Step 02

    On-the-ground booking

    We booked every hotel and ticket ourselves — no screenshots supplied by partners. Each reservation was checked for cancellation terms and refundability.

  3. Step 03

    Walking the itinerary

    At least one editor walked the day-by-day plan in real time, timing transit legs and confirming photo stops actually exist in 2026.

  4. Step 04

    Contingency tests

    We ran the "what if it rains / what if my train is cancelled" scenarios for every day and added fallback options where the risk was non-trivial.

  5. Step 05

    Refund + re-review cycle

    Every itinerary is re-priced and re-tested every 90 days. Last review pass for this page: 2026-06-10.

Source: itinerary walk-through log, last updated 2026-06-10T00:00:00.000Z

TRY ANOTHER ROUTE

Try another route

Not quite the right length or pace? Here are 3 sibling itineraries our editors recommend.

Frequently asked questions

Is 10 days the right length for first-time China?
Yes — it is the sweet spot. You see the four well-known destinations (history, nature, modern) without rushing. Shorter (7 days) and you have to pick 2-3 cities only. Longer (14-21 days) and you can add Tibet, Yunnan, or the Silk Road.
Is the Li River cruise worth a full day?
Yes — the Guilin to Yangshuo cruise is one of China's most scenic experiences, passing karst peaks and riverside villages. The 4-5h boat is the most popular version. Faster boats (1h) skip the scenery.
When is the best time for the Li River?
April-May and September-October. Spring has misty peaks (most well-known photos), autumn has clear blue skies. Summer is hot and humid. Winter is fine but can be cold on the boat.
Can I add a day at the Great Wall for hiking?
Yes — replace the Mutianyu day with a Jinshanling to Simatai wild wall hike (5-6h one-way). Bring proper hiking shoes, water, and a guide.

References

  1. Li River cruise booking
  2. Trip.com — China package tours
  3. China HSR booking
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NihaoVisit Editorial Team

Travel research team · Regular policy and price audits

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