Find a starting route, then adapt it to your interests, time, and pace. Combine historic cities with regional food, mountain scenery, or everyday local life.
Plan by Map
Explore China by region, route, and travel style
From Silk Road deserts and Tibetan plateau views to coastal skylines, river towns, mountain parks, and historic capitals, this map offers a visual first step into China's regional diversity. Select a card to read its regional guide, or choose a region from the list below.
Compare established touring combinations and focused regional options. Choose fewer bases for a slower trip, or allow extra days when combining distant regions.
11 routes
Suggested days include arrival, departure, and travel between bases. Night splits are examples at the shorter end; add nights where you want more time. These are adaptable route ideas, not fixed tour packages. Check transport on your dates before booking.
A first visit combining imperial history, ancient capitals, and modern city life.
Pace: Moderate. Arrival, departure, and intercity journeys are included in the suggested trip length.
Highlights and practical fit
Give Beijing a separate Great Wall day, then visit the Terracotta Warriors and city wall in Xi’an. Finish with Shanghai’s Bund, Yu Garden, and neighborhood walks.
Food angle: Peking duck, biangbiang noodles, roujiamo, and xiaolongbao.
Getting between stops: High-speed rail or flights between the cities; the Xi’an–Shanghai rail leg needs a substantial part of a day. Compare door-to-door travel before booking.
First-time visitors who want pandas, Sichuan food, and local-life experiences alongside the classic cities.
Pace: Moderate, with three changes of base. Choose the longer end if including Leshan.
Highlights and practical fit
Keep Beijing and Xi’an’s headline history, then slow down in Chengdu with a panda-base visit, a teahouse, and a park. Leshan is an optional full-day excursion, not an extra stop to squeeze into arrival day.
Food angle: Peking duck, Xi’an noodles, mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, and Shanghai dumplings.
Getting between stops: Rail works well for Xi’an–Chengdu. Compare rail and flights for the longer Beijing–Xi’an and Chengdu–Shanghai legs.
Visitors who want major historic cities and a meaningful countryside stay.
Pace: Moderate to busy. Keep at least three nights in Yangshuo rather than making it a quick photo stop.
Highlights and practical fit
Follow Beijing and Xi’an with a Li River excursion and time in Yangshuo’s karst countryside. Leave a flexible outdoor day for weather rather than treating every river activity as guaranteed.
Getting between stops: Compare flights with long rail journeys for Xi’an–Guilin and Guilin–Shanghai. Plan road or river transfers within the Guilin–Yangshuo area; the Yangshuo rail station is outside the town.
Travelers interested in ancient capitals, Buddhist cave art, and desert landscapes.
Pace: Moderate, with a full transfer allowance. Reserve Mogao through its official channel and check the available visit type.
Highlights and practical fit
Start with Xi’an’s ancient-capital history, continue to Lanzhou’s Yellow River setting, then dedicate time to Mogao Caves and Dunhuang’s desert scenery. Zhangye or Jiayuguan needs additional days.
Food angle: Xi’an noodles and snacks, Lanzhou beef noodles, and Gansu dishes.
Getting between stops: Compare rail and flights for each westbound leg. Lanzhou–Dunhuang is a long transfer; confirm whether your service uses Dunhuang or Liuyuan, which needs an onward road journey.
Visitors who prioritize dramatic scenery and can allow several transfer days.
Pace: Active and busy. Cable-car queues, stairs, visibility, and weather all affect outdoor days.
Highlights and practical fit
Separate Wulingyuan’s sandstone-pillar landscapes from Tianmen Mountain, which is a different sightseeing area. Then enjoy Yangshuo’s rivers and rural roads before finishing in Shanghai.
Getting between stops: Do not assume a nonstop flight for every leg. Compare available rail, flights, and connections for Zhangjiajie–Guilin; include local station and airport transfers.
A shorter regional trip with city walks, classical gardens, canals, and tea landscapes.
Pace: Unhurried at nine days.
Highlights and practical fit
Explore the Bund and Shanghai neighborhoods, Suzhou’s gardens, then West Lake and Hangzhou’s tea-growing surroundings. Wuzhen can be added with an extra night or by replacing another excursion.
Food angle: Xiaolongbao, Suzhou noodles, and Hangzhou dishes.
Getting between stops: Link the cities by high-speed rail; check the station names and onward metro or taxi journeys. Keep your international arrival and departure plans compatible with the route.
Food lovers and visitors who enjoy teahouses, river skylines, and contemporary urban life.
Pace: Moderate. Add a day for each major excursion rather than stacking both into a short stay.
Highlights and practical fit
Pair Chengdu’s parks and panda-base visit with Chongqing’s riverfront, hillside neighborhoods, and evening views. Choose Leshan from Chengdu or Wulong from Chongqing as a full-day addition.
Food angle: Sichuan dishes, dan dan noodles, Chongqing hotpot, and xiaomian.
Getting between stops: Use high-speed rail between the cities. Day trips still require station transfers or road transport, so check their full journey before adding them.
Visitors who prefer old towns, lakes, mountain views, and fewer hotel changes.
Pace: Unhurried. Elevation increases along the route; high-mountain excursions need separate preparation.
Highlights and practical fit
Explore Kunming, spend time around Dali’s old town and Erhai, then enjoy Lijiang’s old town and nearby villages. Shangri-La is an extension needing extra days, not an automatic day trip.
Food angle: Crossing-the-bridge rice noodles and regional Yunnan cooking.
Getting between stops: Rail can connect the three bases. Check station-to-hotel journeys; rural excursions require local transport. Arrange an onward journey from Lijiang or allow a return travel day.
A focused landscape trip without adding distant cities.
Pace: Unhurried, with outdoor walking. Choose the village and accommodation to match your mobility and luggage.
Highlights and practical fit
Combine a Guilin arrival with an overnight stay in the Longji rice-terrace area, then spend several nights among Yangshuo’s karst peaks. Terrace appearance and river activities depend on season and conditions.
Getting between stops: Longji requires road transport and onward access to the village. Allow a substantial road-transfer day from Longji to Yangshuo; do not plan a tight departure connection.
Visitors drawn to grottoes, courtyard architecture, and old merchant towns.
Pace: Moderate. Plan your exit via the appropriate regional rail or airport connection; do not assume an international flight from Pingyao.
Highlights and practical fit
Combine selected Beijing sights with Datong’s Yungang Grottoes and Pingyao Ancient City. The Hanging Temple is an optional separate excursion with access conditions to check.
Food angle: Beijing roast duck and Shanxi noodles, including knife-cut noodles.
Getting between stops: Compare rail services between Beijing, Datong, and Pingyao; some options need a change. Datong South and Pingyao Gucheng stations require onward transfers to the historic areas.
A regional option for Cantonese dining, urban design, and modern city life.
Pace: Moderate at five days, more relaxed at seven.
Highlights and practical fit
Pair Guangzhou’s historic neighborhoods and Pearl River views with Shenzhen’s parks, museums, and contemporary skyline. It works as a compact southern-China stay or an extension to a longer journey.
Food angle: Cantonese dim sum, roast meats, congee, and a wide range of contemporary dining.
Getting between stops: Use intercity or high-speed rail, checking which stations serve your chosen hotels. Adding Hong Kong involves a separate border crossing and entry arrangements.
Before You Book
Check that your route fits
Match arrival and departure citiesCount full days lost to transfersChoose bases before adding day tripsCheck sightseeing closures and reservations
1 · Choose your focus
Pick a main interest and the total days available.
2 · Set your bases
Allocate nights and leave time for arrival and departure.
3 · Test the connections
Compare complete journeys, including station and airport transfers.
4 · Keep some flexibility
Leave a buffer for weather, rest, or a visit you want to extend.
Route chosen? Open Travel Tips for entry documents, payments, phone setup, packing, and everyday travel preparations.
