Itinerary · 21 days · balanced
Three weeks deep — adds Yunnan and Tibet
Two weeks comprehensive plus Yunnan loop (Kunming, Dali, Lijiang) and a Tibet permit-tour to Lhasa.
Three weeks moves from the headline cultural sites to the western and southwestern landscapes. Yunnan adds ethnic-minority cultures, the Stone Forest, the Lijiang and Dali old towns, and the option to extend to Shangri-La. Tibet — Lhasa for 4 days with Potala, Jokhang, Drepung — requires the permit and a licensed agency tour. Allow buffer days for altitude.
Day by day
Day 1 · beijing
Arrival
Settle in.
Attractions: tiananmen-square
Day 2 · beijing
Forbidden City
All day.
Attractions: forbidden-city
Day 3 · beijing
Great Wall
Mutianyu.
Attractions: great-wall-mutianyu
Day 4 · beijing
Temple of Heaven, 798, hutongs
Local Beijing.
Attractions: temple-of-heaven, 798-art-district
Day 5 · xian
HSR to Xi'an
City Wall, Muslim Quarter.
Attractions: xian-city-wall
HSR.
Day 6 · xian
Terracotta Army
Half-day site.
Attractions: terracotta-army
Day 7 · chengdu
Fly to Chengdu, Wuhou Shrine
Travel; pandas tomorrow.
Attractions: wuhou-shrine
Day 8 · chengdu
Panda Base, Leshan
Morning pandas, afternoon Leshan.
Attractions: panda-base-chengdu, leshan-giant-buddha
Day 9 · kunming
Fly to Kunming, Stone Forest
Day trip to the Stone Forest.
Attractions: stone-forest
Domestic flight.
Day 10 · dali
HSR to Dali, Erhai Lake
Walking the old town and lakeside.
Attractions: dali-three-pagodas
Day 11 · lijiang
HSR to Lijiang, Old Town
Walking Dayan and Black Dragon Pool.
Attractions: lijiang-old-town
Day 12 · lijiang
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Cable car day. Acclimatise for Tibet.
Attractions: jade-dragon-snow-mountain
Day 13 · lhasa
Fly to Lhasa, rest day
Rest at altitude. No exertion.
Stay in: Old Town near the Barkhor
Domestic flight; permit and agency required.
Day 14 · lhasa
Jokhang and Barkhor
Walk the pilgrim circuit.
Attractions: jokhang-temple
Day 15 · lhasa
Potala Palace
Morning permit-window entry.
Attractions: potala-palace
Day 16 · lhasa
Drepung Monastery and free time
Afternoon at Drepung.
Attractions: drepung-monastery
Day 17 · shanghai
Fly to Shanghai
Travel day.
Domestic flight.
Day 18 · shanghai
Bund, French Concession
Walking the historic city.
Attractions: the-bund, french-concession
Day 19 · shanghai
Pudong
Shanghai Tower, Shanghai Museum.
Attractions: shanghai-tower, shanghai-museum
Day 20 · shanghai
Day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou
HSR ¥40 each way.
Attractions: humble-administrators-garden
Day 21 · shanghai
Departure
Travel home.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥1000 |
| Mid-range | ¥2200 |
| Comfortable | ¥5000 |
Per day per person; Tibet pulls average up. Tibet 4-day package ¥3,500–¥6,000 per person on top.
Attractions covered
- Tiananmen Square天安门广场
- Forbidden City (Palace Museum)故宫
UNESCO
- Great Wall — Mutianyu慕田峪长城
UNESCO
- Temple of Heaven天坛
UNESCO
- 798 Art District798艺术区
- Xi'an City Wall西安城墙
- Terracotta Army兵马俑
UNESCO
- Wuhou Shrine武侯祠
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding成都大熊猫繁育研究基地
- Leshan Giant Buddha乐山大佛
UNESCO
- Stone Forest (Shilin)石林
UNESCO
- Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple崇圣寺三塔