Itinerary · 14 days · balanced
Off the beaten path — two weeks (Pingyao, Datong, Hongcun)
Walled towns, cliff temples, southern villages — China away from the tour-bus routes.
Pingyao for the most complete Ming/Qing walled town; Datong for the Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple; Anhui for the Mt Huangshan + Hongcun + Xidi cluster; Suzhou for the canonical gardens.
Day by day
Day 1 · beijing
Arrival
Settle in.
Day 2 · datong
HSR to Datong, Yungang Grottoes
Half-day at the cave complex.
Attractions: yungang-grottoes
Day 3 · datong
Hanging Temple, Wooden Pagoda
Day trip.
Attractions: hanging-temple
Day 4 · pingyao
HSR to Pingyao, walking the wall
Settle in inside the wall; first walking.
Attractions: pingyao-ancient-city
Day 5 · pingyao
Wang Family Compound
Day trip from Pingyao.
Day 6 · huangshan
HSR to Huangshan, Tunxi Old Street
Travel day; evening Tunxi food street.
Day 7 · huangshan
Mt Huangshan ascent and overnight
Cable car, walk, overnight on the mountain.
Attractions: huangshan-mountain
Day 8 · huangshan
Mt Huangshan sunrise, descent, Hongcun
Sunrise from East Sea; descend; bus to Hongcun.
Attractions: hongcun-village
Day 9 · huangshan
Hongcun and Xidi villages
UNESCO twin villages.
Attractions: xidi-village
Day 10 · suzhou
HSR to Suzhou, Pingjiang Road
Old town walking.
Attractions: humble-administrators-garden
Day 11 · suzhou
Suzhou gardens
Master of Nets, Lion Grove.
Attractions: master-of-nets-garden, lion-grove-garden
Day 12 · suzhou
Tongli Water Town
Day trip.
Attractions: tongli-water-town
Day 13 · shanghai
HSR to Shanghai
Travel + Bund.
Day 14 · shanghai
Departure
Home.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥700 |
| Mid-range | ¥1500 |
| Comfortable | ¥3500 |
Attractions covered