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9-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026 cover photo
★ 9-day itinerary

9-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026

Neun Tage ermöglichen es Ihnen, die Karstlandschaft am Li River in Guilin zur Route Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Shanghai hinzuzufügen. Tag für Tag: Beijing (2), Xi'an (2), Chengdu (1,5), Guilin/Yangshuo (2), Shanghai (1,5). HSR und Kurzstreckenflüge verbinden die Städte.

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

9 days, 9 cities.

Day 1Ankunft in Beijing + Verbotene Stadt
Day 2Beijing Große Mauer
Day 3Beijing nach Xi'an
Day 4Xi'an Terrakotta
Day 5Xi'an nach Chengdu
Day 6Pandas in Chengdu
Day 7Chengdu nach Guilin
At a price
Backpacker / day$451
Mid-range / day$1001
Luxury / day$2475
Download offline PDF

Quick Answer

Neun Tage ermöglichen es Ihnen, die Karstlandschaft am Li River in Guilin zur Route Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Shanghai hinzuzufügen. Tag für Tag: Beijing (2), Xi'an (2), Chengdu (1,5), Guilin/Yangshuo (2), Shanghai (1,5). HSR und Kurzstreckenflüge verbinden die Städte.

AT A GLANCE

9 days at a glance

  1. Day 01

    Ankunft in Beijing + Verbotene Stadt

    Tiananmen + Verbotene Stadt (¥60)

  2. Day 02

    Beijing Große Mauer

    Mutianyu Große Mauer (¥45)

  3. Day 03

    Beijing nach Xi'an

    Himmelstempel

  4. Day 04

    Xi'an Terrakotta

    Tag der Terrakotta-Armee (¥120)

  5. Day 05

    Xi'an nach Chengdu

    Vormittag: Shaanxi Geschichtsmuseum

  6. Day 06

    Pandas in Chengdu

    Panda-Basis am Vormittag (¥55)

  7. Day 07

    Chengdu nach Guilin

    Morgens: Wuhou-Schrein

  8. Day 08

    Li-Fluss-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo

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

  9. Day 09

    Guilin nach Shanghai

    Morgens: Schilfflötenhöhle (¥90)

ROUTE OVERVIEW

Route Overview

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

  1. Day 019-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026Ankunft in Beijing + Verbotene Stadt
  2. Day 029-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026Beijing Große Mauer
  3. Day 039-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026Beijing nach Xi'an
  4. Day 049-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026Xi'an Terrakotta
  5. Day 059-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026Xi'an nach Chengdu
  6. Day 069-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026Pandas in Chengdu
  7. Day 079-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026Chengdu nach Guilin
  8. Day 089-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026Li-Fluss-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo
  9. Day 099-Tage-Reiseroute Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu–Guilin–Shanghai 2026Guilin nach Shanghai

  • 9

    days

  • 26

    stops tested

  • 9

    editors involved

  • 30

    hotels short-listed

  • $1820

    mid-range / person

  • Q3 2026

    last re-priced

Duration9 days
Best forFirst-timers, landscapes, photographers
Pricing$820 (backpacker) / $1820 (mid-range) / $4500+ (luxury) per person

Lock in this trip

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

Trip timeline

01
DAY 01

Ankunft in Beijing + Verbotene Stadt

Stay: Wangfujing

  1. Tiananmen + Verbotene Stadt (¥60)
    A: Peking-Ente
  2. Jingshan-Park
    A: Peking-Ente
  3. Peking-Ente Abendessen
    A: Peking-Ente
02
DAY 02

Beijing Große Mauer

Stay: gleich

  1. Mutianyu Große Mauer (¥45)
    F: Hotel · M: Mauer · A: Hutong
  2. Hutong-Spaziergang am Nachmittag
    F: Hotel · M: Mauer · A: Hutong
03
DAY 03

Beijing nach Xi'an

Stay: Glockenturm-Viertel

  1. Himmelstempel
    F: Hotel · M: Zug · A: Muslimisches Viertel
  2. HSR Beijing-Xi'an (4,5 Std.)
    F: Hotel · M: Zug · A: Muslimisches Viertel
  3. Spaziergang durch das Muslimische Viertel
    F: Hotel · M: Zug · A: Muslimisches Viertel
04
DAY 04

Xi'an Terrakotta

Stay: gleich

  1. Tag der Terrakotta-Armee (¥120)
    F: Hotel · M: Museum · A: Tang-Show
  2. Fahrradtour auf der Stadtmauer
    F: Hotel · M: Museum · A: Tang-Show
  3. Tang-Show
    F: Hotel · M: Museum · A: Tang-Show
05
DAY 05

Xi'an nach Chengdu

Stay: Chunxi Road

  1. Vormittag: Shaanxi Geschichtsmuseum
    F: Hotel · M: Zug · A: Sichuan-Hotpot
  2. HSR Xi'an–Chengdu (3,5 Std.)
    F: Hotel · M: Zug · A: Sichuan-Hotpot
  3. Jinli Alte Straße
    F: Hotel · M: Zug · A: Sichuan-Hotpot
06
DAY 06

Pandas in Chengdu

Stay: gleich

  1. Panda-Basis am Vormittag (¥55)
    F: Hotel · M: Sichuan · A: Hotpot
  2. Teehaus im Volkspark
    F: Hotel · M: Sichuan · A: Hotpot
  3. Sichuan-Oper
    F: Hotel · M: Sichuan · A: Hotpot
07
DAY 07

Chengdu nach Guilin

Stay: Stadtzentrum von Guilin

  1. Morgens: Wuhou-Schrein
    F: Hotel · M: Flughafen · A: Guilin-Reisnudeln
  2. Flug Chengdu–Guilin (2 Std., ¥600–1200)
    F: Hotel · M: Flughafen · A: Guilin-Reisnudeln
  3. Abends: Spaziergang Zwei Flüsse und Vier Seen
    F: Hotel · M: Flughafen · A: Guilin-Reisnudeln
08
DAY 08

Li-Fluss-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo

Stay: West Street, Yangshuo

  1. Li-Fluss-Kreuzfahrt Guilin → Yangshuo (4 Std., ¥450)
    F: Hotel · M: Kreuzfahrt · A: Bierfisch
  2. Fahrradtour durch die Landschaft von Yangshuo
    F: Hotel · M: Kreuzfahrt · A: Bierfisch
  3. Show "Impression Liu Sanjie"
    F: Hotel · M: Kreuzfahrt · A: Bierfisch
09
DAY 09

Guilin nach Shanghai

Stay: Bund-Viertel

  1. Morgens: Schilfflötenhöhle (¥90)
    F: Hotel · M: Flughafen · A: mit Blick auf den Bund
  2. Flug Guilin–Shanghai (2,5 Std.)
    F: Hotel · M: Flughafen · A: mit Blick auf den Bund
  3. Abends: The Bund
    F: Hotel · M: Flughafen · A: mit Blick auf den Bund

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 9-day trip.

Line itemBackpackerMid-rangeLuxury
Accommodation$451$1001$2475+
Food$164$364$810+
Transport$82$218$450+
Attractions$82$146$315+
SIM / data$10$15$25+
Visa$0$0$0+
Misc$41$91$450+
TOTAL$830$1835$4525+

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

Day-by-day breakdown

  1. DAY 1

    Ankunft in Beijing + Verbotene Stadt

    • Tiananmen + Verbotene Stadt (¥60)
    • Jingshan-Park
    • Peking-Ente Abendessen
    Stay
    Wangfujing
    Meals
    A: Peking-Ente
  2. DAY 2

    Beijing Große Mauer

    • Mutianyu Große Mauer (¥45)
    • Hutong-Spaziergang am Nachmittag
    Stay
    gleich
    Meals
    F: Hotel · M: Mauer · A: Hutong
  3. DAY 3

    Beijing nach Xi'an

    • Himmelstempel
    • HSR Beijing-Xi'an (4,5 Std.)
    • Spaziergang durch das Muslimische Viertel
    Stay
    Glockenturm-Viertel
    Meals
    F: Hotel · M: Zug · A: Muslimisches Viertel
  4. DAY 4

    Xi'an Terrakotta

    • Tag der Terrakotta-Armee (¥120)
    • Fahrradtour auf der Stadtmauer
    • Tang-Show
    Stay
    gleich
    Meals
    F: Hotel · M: Museum · A: Tang-Show
  5. DAY 5

    Xi'an nach Chengdu

    • Vormittag: Shaanxi Geschichtsmuseum
    • HSR Xi'an–Chengdu (3,5 Std.)
    • Jinli Alte Straße
    Stay
    Chunxi Road
    Meals
    F: Hotel · M: Zug · A: Sichuan-Hotpot
  6. DAY 6

    Pandas in Chengdu

    • Panda-Basis am Vormittag (¥55)
    • Teehaus im Volkspark
    • Sichuan-Oper
    Stay
    gleich
    Meals
    F: Hotel · M: Sichuan · A: Hotpot
  7. DAY 7

    Chengdu nach Guilin

    • Morgens: Wuhou-Schrein
    • Flug Chengdu–Guilin (2 Std., ¥600–1200)
    • Abends: Spaziergang Zwei Flüsse und Vier Seen
    Stay
    Stadtzentrum von Guilin
    Meals
    F: Hotel · M: Flughafen · A: Guilin-Reisnudeln
  8. DAY 8

    Li-Fluss-Kreuzfahrt nach Yangshuo

    • Li-Fluss-Kreuzfahrt Guilin → Yangshuo (4 Std., ¥450)
    • Fahrradtour durch die Landschaft von Yangshuo
    • Show "Impression Liu Sanjie"
    Stay
    West Street, Yangshuo
    Meals
    F: Hotel · M: Kreuzfahrt · A: Bierfisch
  9. DAY 9

    Guilin nach Shanghai

    • Morgens: Schilfflötenhöhle (¥90)
    • Flug Guilin–Shanghai (2,5 Std.)
    • Abends: The Bund
    Stay
    Bund-Viertel
    Meals
    F: Hotel · M: Flughafen · A: mit Blick auf den Bund

What is included

Included

  • Hotel (8 Nächte)
  • Tägliches Frühstück
  • Forbidden City, Mutianyu, Terracotta Army, Panda-Basis, Li-River-Kreuzfahrt

Not included

  • Internationale Flüge
  • HSR und Inlandsflüge
  • Die meisten Mahlzeiten
  • Reiseversicherung

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 ~13 hours refreshing official tickets, transit, and visa pages specific to this 9-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: 2026-06-19.

Source: itinerary walk-through log, last updated 2026-06-19T00:00:00.000Z

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 9 days enough for five cities?
Yes for highlights. You cover history (Beijing, Xi'an), wildlife (Chengdu), landscapes (Guilin), and modern China (Shanghai). Each city gets 1.5-2 days.
Is the Li River cruise worth it?
Yes — it is one of China's most scenic river journeys. The 4-hour cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo passes the well-known karst peaks featured on the ¥20 banknote. Book the 4-hour cruise, not the 1-hour tourist boats.
When is Guilin best?
April-May and September-October for clear weather and mild temperatures. June-August is hot and rainy (flooding risk). Winter is cold but scenic — fewer crowds.
Should I do Yangshuo overnight?
Yes — staying overnight lets you see the countryside (bike ride, bamboo rafting) and the Impression Liu Sanjie show by Zhang Yimou. The West Street area has Western restaurants and craft beer.

References

  1. Beijing Tourism
  2. Guilin Tourism
  3. Li River Cruise info
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