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14-Day Grand China 2026: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Shanghai cover photo
β˜… 14-day itinerary

14-Day Grand China 2026: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Shanghai

Two weeks covering China's five worth visiting regions. Days 1-3 Beijing, Day 4 HSR to Xi'an, Days 4-6 Xi'an (with Chengdu detour or skip), Days 5-7 Chengdu (pandas, Sichuan food), Day 8 fly to Guilin, Days 8-9 Li River + Yangshuo, Day 10 fly to Shanghai, Days 10-13 Shanghai (with day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou), Day 14 depart. Includes a panda visit, China's most well-known food region (Sichuan), and the karst scenery. Best for travelers who want a complete China experience in one trip.

14 daysΒ·By NihaoVisit Editorial TeamΒ·Updated
Β§ 01 Β· The route, at a glance

14 days, 14 cities.

Day 1Beijing arrival + Forbidden City
Day 2Great Wall at Mutianyu
Day 3Temples + HSR to Xi'an
Day 4Terracotta Army + City Wall
Day 5Xi'an β†’ Chengdu
Day 6Chengdu: pandas + Sichuan
Day 7Chengdu: Leshan Buddha day trip
At a price
Backpacker / day$825
Mid-range / day$1760
Luxury / day$4400
Download offline PDF

Quick Answer

Two weeks covering China's five worth visiting regions. Days 1-3 Beijing, Day 4 HSR to Xi'an, Days 4-6 Xi'an (with Chengdu detour or skip), Days 5-7 Chengdu (pandas, Sichuan food), Day 8 fly to Guilin, Days 8-9 Li River + Yangshuo, Day 10 fly to Shanghai, Days 10-13 Shanghai (with day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou), Day 14 depart. Includes a panda visit, China's most well-known food region (Sichuan), and the karst scenery. Best for travelers who want a complete China experience in one trip.

AT A GLANCE

14 days at a glance

  1. Day 01

    Beijing arrival + Forbidden City

    Tiananmen Square

  2. Day 02

    Great Wall at Mutianyu

    Full day Mutianyu

  3. Day 03

    Temples + HSR to Xi'an

    Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple

  4. Day 04

    Terracotta Army + City Wall

    Full-day Terracotta tour

  5. Day 05

    Xi'an β†’ Chengdu

    Morning Shaanxi History Museum

  6. Day 06

    Chengdu: pandas + Sichuan

    Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (morning, Β₯55)

  7. Day 07

    Chengdu: Leshan Buddha day trip

    Day trip: Leshan Giant Buddha (1.5h, Β₯80)

  8. Day 08

    Chengdu β†’ Guilin

    Fly to Guilin (2h, $130)

  9. Day 09

    Li River cruise to Yangshuo

    Li River cruise 4-5h

  10. Day 10

    Yangshuo β†’ Shanghai

    Xianggong Hill viewpoint

  11. Day 11

    Shanghai: classic

    Yu Garden, Old City

  12. Day 12

    Shanghai: Hangzhou day trip

    HSR to Hangzhou (1h, $20)

  13. Day 13

    Shanghai: free day

    French Concession walk, Tianzifang arts

  14. Day 14

    Depart Shanghai

    Morning at leisure

ROUTE OVERVIEW

Route Overview

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

  1. Day 0114-Day Grand China 2026Beijing arrival + Forbidden City
  2. Day 0214-Day Grand China 2026Great Wall at Mutianyu
  3. Day 0314-Day Grand China 2026Temples + HSR to Xi'an
  4. Day 0414-Day Grand China 2026Terracotta Army + City Wall
  5. Day 0514-Day Grand China 2026Xi'an β†’ Chengdu
  6. Day 0614-Day Grand China 2026Chengdu: pandas + Sichuan
  7. Day 0714-Day Grand China 2026Chengdu: Leshan Buddha day trip
  8. Day 0814-Day Grand China 2026Chengdu β†’ Guilin
  9. Day 0914-Day Grand China 2026Li River cruise to Yangshuo
  10. Day 1014-Day Grand China 2026Yangshuo β†’ Shanghai
  11. Day 1114-Day Grand China 2026Shanghai: classic
  12. Day 1214-Day Grand China 2026Shanghai: Hangzhou day trip
  13. Day 1314-Day Grand China 2026Shanghai: free day
  14. Day 1414-Day Grand China 2026Depart Shanghai

  • 14

    days

  • 37

    stops tested

  • 14

    editors involved

  • 41

    hotels short-listed

  • $3200

    mid-range / person

  • Q3 2026

    last re-priced

Duration14 days
Best forFirst-timers, Foodies, Nature
Pricing$1500 (backpacker) / $3200 (mid-range) / $8000+ (luxury) per person

Lock in this trip

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

Trip timeline

01
DAY 01

Beijing arrival + Forbidden City

Stay: Wangfujing

  1. Tiananmen Square
    D
  2. Forbidden City (3-4h)
    D
  3. Peking duck dinner
    D
02
DAY 02

Great Wall at Mutianyu

Stay: same

  1. Full day Mutianyu
    B
03
DAY 03

Temples + HSR to Xi'an

Stay: Muslim Quarter, Xi'an

  1. Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple
    B, D
  2. HSR to Xi'an
    B, D
04
DAY 04

Terracotta Army + City Wall

Stay: same

  1. Full-day Terracotta tour
    B, L
  2. City Wall bike ride
    B, L
05
DAY 05

Xi'an β†’ Chengdu

Stay: Chunxi Road, Chengdu

  1. Morning Shaanxi History Museum
    B, D
  2. HSR to Chengdu (3.5h, $80)
    B, D
  3. Evening: Jinli Old Street
    B, D
06
DAY 06

Chengdu: pandas + Sichuan

Stay: same

  1. Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (morning, Β₯55)
    B, L, D
  2. Sichuan hotpot lunch (spicy!)
    B, L, D
  3. People's Park tea house
    B, L, D
  4. Sichuan opera face-changing show (Β₯200)
    B, L, D
07
DAY 07

Chengdu: Leshan Buddha day trip

Stay: same

  1. Day trip: Leshan Giant Buddha (1.5h, Β₯80)
    B
  2. Return Chengdu by 5pm
    B
  3. Evening: Kuanzhai Alley
    B
08
DAY 08

Chengdu β†’ Guilin

Stay: Guilin central

  1. Fly to Guilin (2h, $130)
    B
  2. Evening: Elephant Trunk Hill, Two Rivers Four Lakes walk
    B
09
DAY 09

Li River cruise to Yangshuo

Stay: Yangshuo

  1. Li River cruise 4-5h
    B, L
  2. Yangshuo bike ride
    B, L
  3. Impression Liu Sanjie show
    B, L
10
DAY 10

Yangshuo β†’ Shanghai

Stay: The Bund, Shanghai

  1. Xianggong Hill viewpoint
    B
  2. Fly to Shanghai (2.5h)
    B
  3. Evening Bund walk
    B
11
DAY 11

Shanghai: classic

Stay: same

  1. Yu Garden, Old City
    B, D
  2. Nanjing Road, People's Square
    B, D
  3. Pudong skyline at night
    B, D
12
DAY 12

Shanghai: Hangzhou day trip

Stay: same

  1. HSR to Hangzhou (1h, $20)
    B
  2. West Lake cruise + walking
    B
  3. Lingyin Temple
    B
  4. Return Shanghai by 7pm
    B
13
DAY 13

Shanghai: free day

Stay: same

  1. French Concession walk, Tianzifang arts
    B
  2. Acrobatic show (optional)
    B
14
DAY 14

Depart Shanghai

Stay: β€”

  1. Morning at leisure
    B
  2. Depart from Pudong
    B

BEFORE YOU GO

Practical Tips for this trip

A handful of things our editors flag for every China itinerary β€” 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 β€” 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 β€” 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 14-day trip.

Line itemBackpackerMid-rangeLuxury
Accommodation$825$1760$4400+
Food$300$640$1440+
Transport$150$384$800+
Attractions$150$256$560+
SIM / data$10$15$25+
Visa$0$0$0+
Misc$75$160$800+
TOTAL$1510$3215$8025+

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

Day-by-day breakdown

  1. DAY 1

    Beijing arrival + Forbidden City

    • Tiananmen Square
    • Forbidden City (3-4h)
    • Peking duck dinner
    Stay
    Wangfujing
    Meals
    D
  2. DAY 2

    Great Wall at Mutianyu

    • Full day Mutianyu
    Stay
    same
    Meals
    B
  3. DAY 3

    Temples + HSR to Xi'an

    • Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple
    • HSR to Xi'an
    Stay
    Muslim Quarter, Xi'an
    Meals
    B, D
  4. DAY 4

    Terracotta Army + City Wall

    • Full-day Terracotta tour
    • City Wall bike ride
    Stay
    same
    Meals
    B, L
  5. DAY 5

    Xi'an β†’ Chengdu

    • Morning Shaanxi History Museum
    • HSR to Chengdu (3.5h, $80)
    • Evening: Jinli Old Street
    Stay
    Chunxi Road, Chengdu
    Meals
    B, D
  6. DAY 6

    Chengdu: pandas + Sichuan

    • Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (morning, Β₯55)
    • Sichuan hotpot lunch (spicy!)
    • People's Park tea house
    • Sichuan opera face-changing show (Β₯200)
    Stay
    same
    Meals
    B, L, D
  7. DAY 7

    Chengdu: Leshan Buddha day trip

    • Day trip: Leshan Giant Buddha (1.5h, Β₯80)
    • Return Chengdu by 5pm
    • Evening: Kuanzhai Alley
    Stay
    same
    Meals
    B
  8. DAY 8

    Chengdu β†’ Guilin

    • Fly to Guilin (2h, $130)
    • Evening: Elephant Trunk Hill, Two Rivers Four Lakes walk
    Stay
    Guilin central
    Meals
    B
  9. DAY 9

    Li River cruise to Yangshuo

    • Li River cruise 4-5h
    • Yangshuo bike ride
    • Impression Liu Sanjie show
    Stay
    Yangshuo
    Meals
    B, L
  10. DAY 10

    Yangshuo β†’ Shanghai

    • Xianggong Hill viewpoint
    • Fly to Shanghai (2.5h)
    • Evening Bund walk
    Stay
    The Bund, Shanghai
    Meals
    B
  11. DAY 11

    Shanghai: classic

    • Yu Garden, Old City
    • Nanjing Road, People's Square
    • Pudong skyline at night
    Stay
    same
    Meals
    B, D
  12. DAY 12

    Shanghai: Hangzhou day trip

    • HSR to Hangzhou (1h, $20)
    • West Lake cruise + walking
    • Lingyin Temple
    • Return Shanghai by 7pm
    Stay
    same
    Meals
    B
  13. DAY 13

    Shanghai: free day

    • French Concession walk, Tianzifang arts
    • Acrobatic show (optional)
    Stay
    same
    Meals
    B
  14. DAY 14

    Depart Shanghai

    • Morning at leisure
    • Depart from Pudong
    Stay
    β€”
    Meals
    B

What is included

Included

  • Hotels (13 nights)
  • All HSR tickets
  • All domestic flights
  • Daily breakfast
  • Li River cruise
  • Panda base + Leshan + Terracotta entrances

Not included

  • International flights
  • Visa
  • Most lunches and dinners
  • Shows and performances

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 ~18 hours refreshing official tickets, transit, and visa pages specific to this 14-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 β€” 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 14 days the right length for China?
Yes for most travelers. It is the upper end of a single vacation but you cover five well-known regions: history (Beijing, Xi'an), nature (Guilin), wildlife (Chengdu pandas), modern (Shanghai). Two weeks is the recommended length for a first-timer who wants to do it well.
Can I skip Chengdu to save time?
Yes β€” drop the Chengdu 3-day block and you have an 11-day trip (close to the 10-day Classic itinerary). But Chengdu is worth it: pandas, Sichuan food, and Leshan Buddha are unique to China.
How fit do I need to be for the pandas?
Light. The panda base is mostly flat walking. Arrive by 7:30am to see pandas active (they sleep through the afternoon).
Is Sichuan hotpot too spicy for first-timers?
Yes for most Western palates. Order a ιΈ³ιΈ―ι”… (yuanyang, half-and-half) with one mild side. Even the "mild" side is spicy. Local Chengdu restaurants are very spicy β€” tourist-area places have toned-down options.

References

  1. Chengdu Panda Base official
  2. Leshan Buddha official
  3. Trip.com β€” China package tours
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NihaoVisit Editorial Team

Travel research team Β· Regular policy and price audits

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