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.

21-day itinerary starting in Beijing — Beijing by CIA/NRO/USGS. Public domain · Source

Three weeks is where China starts to reveal its depth. The first ten days cover the headline imperial-and-modern route (Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Shanghai triangle); the remaining eleven days head southwest into Yunnan's ethnic-minority cultures and the Tibetan plateau. The Yunnan section — Kunming, Dali (Bai culture and Erhai Lake), Lijiang (Naxi old town and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain) — is accessible without permits. Tibet requires advance planning: a Tibet Travel Permit must be arranged through a licensed Tibetan agency before travel, and an 8-day all-inclusive agency tour (approximately ¥6,000–¥10,000 per person) is the standard format. The high altitude of Lhasa (3,656m) makes the acclimatisation days non-negotiable — the Yunnan section before Tibet, at 1,800–3,300m, provides partial preparation. The three-week format is the minimum duration for doing the Tibet section without feeling rushed.

Day by day

Day 1 · beijing
Arrival
Arrive at PEK or PKX. Check in near Tiananmen — the Qianmen or Wangfujing areas are most convenient for the first two days. Brief evening walk to Tiananmen Square (free, open until 10pm) for orientation.
Attractions: tiananmen-square
Day 2 · beijing
Forbidden City
Book Forbidden City tickets online at least 3 days in advance — they sell out frequently. Enter via Tiananmen Gate in the morning; exit north into Jingshan Park for the aerial view. Afternoon in Beihai Park or the Nanluoguxiang hutong area. Evening Peking duck dinner.
Attractions: forbidden-city
Day 3 · beijing
Great Wall
Hired car to Mutianyu (90 minutes each way, ¥600–¥900 round trip). Cable car up, toboggan down — the toboggan run alongside the wall is the most memorable exit. Return to Beijing by 4pm. Evening in the 798 Art District if energy allows.
Attractions: great-wall-mutianyu
Day 4 · beijing
Temple of Heaven, 798, hutongs
Morning at the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan Park) — the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the defining Beijing image after the Forbidden City; the Circular Mound Altar is geometrically significant. Afternoon at the 798 Art District in Dashanzi — a former East German-designed factory complex now containing dozens of commercial galleries and the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. Evening hutong walk around Shichahai.
Attractions: temple-of-heaven, 798-art-district
Day 5 · xian
HSR to Xi'an
Morning HSR from Beijing West to Xi'an North (4.5 hours, ¥515). Arrive mid-afternoon. The City Wall bicycle circuit takes 1.5 hours — the best way to appreciate the wall's scale. Evening Muslim Quarter food street: roujiamo, paomo soup, persimmon cakes, cumin lamb skewers.
Attractions: xian-city-wall
HSR Beijing West → Xi'an North, 4.5h, ¥515.
Day 6 · xian
Terracotta Army
Full morning at the Terracotta Army — Pit 1 (6,000+ soldiers, the main hall), Pit 2 (cavalry and archers), Pit 3 (the command structure), and the Bronze Chariots Museum. Afternoon at the Shaanxi History Museum and Big Wild Goose Pagoda fountain show.
Attractions: terracotta-army
Day 7 · chengdu
Fly to Chengdu, Wuhou Shrine
Short domestic flight Xi'an → Chengdu (1 hour, ¥600–¥1,000). Afternoon at Wuhou Shrine and the adjacent Jinli Street food-and-craft pedestrian area. Chengdu evening means hot pot — the Sichuan format (numbing-spicy, with a dozen component plates) is the local default.
Attractions: wuhou-shrine
Domestic flight, ~1h.
Day 8 · chengdu
Panda Base, Leshan
Pre-7am departure for the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base — the pandas are active from 7–10am before their mid-morning sleep. Return by noon. Afternoon HSR to Leshan (1 hour) for the Giant Buddha (Dafo) — a 71m Tang-dynasty Buddha carved into the cliff face at the confluence of three rivers. The Buddha has been viewed from the water (by boat) and from the cliff staircase; the boat view shows the full scale better.
Attractions: panda-base-chengdu, leshan-giant-buddha
Day 9 · kunming
Fly to Kunming, Stone Forest
Domestic flight Chengdu → Kunming (1 hour, ¥500–¥900). Arrive Kunming and take a taxi or bus 90 km to the Stone Forest (Shilin) — 270 million-year-old limestone pinnacles, some 30m tall. Return to Kunming by evening. Green Lake Park area for dinner.
Attractions: stone-forest
Domestic flight, ~1h.
Day 10 · dali
HSR to Dali, Erhai Lake
High-speed rail Kunming South → Dali (2 hours, ¥90–¥150). Dali Old Town (Dayan Ancient City) and the Bai architecture. Afternoon on the Erhai Lake shore or cycling the lakeside road north to Xizhou. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, 3 km north of the old town gate, are the defining skyline image of Dali.
Attractions: dali-three-pagodas
Day 11 · lijiang
HSR to Lijiang, Old Town
Rail Dali → Lijiang (1 hour, ¥60–¥80). Lijiang Dayan Old Town (UNESCO) is the most visited Naxi settlement — cobblestone lanes, running-water channels, traditional wooden shopfronts, and the Black Dragon Pool park. Check in inside or adjacent to the old town. Evening walk through the market square area.
Attractions: lijiang-old-town
Day 12 · lijiang
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
The Glacier Park cable car reaches 4,506m above sea level on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Book through the hotel or tourism office in advance — tickets are limited and sell out [VERIFY: current booking method — May 2026]. The altitude is genuinely challenging; walk slowly and don't stay more than 1–2 hours at the top. The mountain's ice-spire peaks and the cloud-sea view from the glacier park are the visual culmination of the Yunnan section.
Attractions: jade-dragon-snow-mountain
Day 13 · lhasa
Fly to Lhasa, rest day
Domestic flight from Lijiang or Kunming to Lhasa (LXA). The Tibet Travel Permit and a licensed agency arrange this flight connection. Arrive Lhasa mid-afternoon. Check in to hotel in the Old Town near the Barkhor — this location is mandatory for the days that follow. Rest completely today; the altitude (3,656m) requires it. Drink water, avoid alcohol, take altitude medication if prescribed.
Stay in: Old Town near the Barkhor
Domestic flight; permit and licensed agency required.
Day 14 · lhasa
Jokhang and Barkhor
Walk the Barkhor pilgrim circuit — the kora around the Jokhang Temple that is continuously walked by Tibetan pilgrims prostrating and spinning prayer wheels. Visit the Jokhang Temple interior (the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple, containing the Jowo Rinpoche statue). Afternoon rest is advisable — altitude adjustment continues through day 2.
Attractions: jokhang-temple
Day 15 · lhasa
Potala Palace
Timed permit entry to the Potala Palace — arranged through the agency in advance. The palace's Red Palace contains the funerary stupas of past Dalai Lamas; the White Palace contains the administrative and residential quarters. The 118-step climb from the courtyard is slow at altitude; the interior is dim and crowded but the scale of the chapel spaces is extraordinary.
Attractions: potala-palace
Day 16 · lhasa
Drepung Monastery and free time
Drepung Monastery west of Lhasa was once the world's largest monastery. Afternoon free — Norbulingka (summer palace) garden, or the traditional medicine hospital and market in the Barkhor area. Evening at a Tibetan restaurant near the old town.
Attractions: drepung-monastery
Day 17 · shanghai
Fly to Shanghai
Early morning flight from Lhasa Gonggar to Shanghai. The flight typically routes via Chengdu or Xi'an; allow a connection buffer of 2 hours. Arrive Shanghai afternoon; transfer to hotel in the French Concession or near the Bund. Evening walk along the Bund waterfront.
Domestic flight, typically via Chengdu. ~5h total travel.
Day 18 · shanghai
Bund, French Concession
Morning Bund walk (the historic waterfront colonnade on the Huangpu River's west bank; the Pudong towers across the river provide the 21st-century counterpoint). Afternoon in the French Concession — Wukang Mansion at the junction of 10 streets, Fuxing Park, the former Sun Yat-sen residence. Evening dinner on Xintiandi.
Attractions: the-bund, french-concession
Day 19 · shanghai
Pudong
Cross the Huangpu River to Pudong by the pedestrian sightseeing tunnel or ferry from the Bund. Shanghai Tower observation deck at 546m (indoor) is the second tallest building in China [VERIFY: current ranking — May 2026]. The Shanghai Museum's second branch, the Shanghai Museum East (东馆), opened on People's Square in 2023 and houses the ship-model collection and trade history galleries [VERIFY: current openings — May 2026].
Attractions: shanghai-tower, shanghai-museum
Day 20 · shanghai
Day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou
HSR from Shanghai Hongqiao to Suzhou (25 minutes, ¥30) for the classical gardens — the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Lingering Garden, or the Master of Nets Garden; pick two and go deep rather than rushing through all. Or HSR to Hangzhou (45 minutes, ¥80) for West Lake and the China National Tea Museum. Return to Shanghai by evening.
Attractions: humble-administrators-garden
Day 21 · shanghai
Departure
Transfer to Pudong International Airport (PVG). Allow 3 hours before international departure time; check visa exit requirements before arrival at the airport if this is a multi-entry visa trip.

Budget guide (CNY per day)

Backpacker	¥1000
Mid-range	¥2200
Comfortable	¥5000

Per day per person average across 21 days. Tibet 4-day agency package ¥3,500–¥6,000 per person additional. Domestic flights Xi'an→Chengdu, Chengdu→Kunming, Lijiang→Lhasa, Lhasa→Shanghai add ¥3,000–¥5,000 total.

Cities covered

Attractions covered

Other itineraries visiting Beijing

Verified May 2026

Day by day

Day 1 · beijing

Arrival

Arrive at PEK or PKX. Check in near Tiananmen — the Qianmen or Wangfujing areas are most convenient for the first two days. Brief evening walk to Tiananmen Square (free, open until 10pm) for orientation.

Attractions: tiananmen-square

Day 2 · beijing

Forbidden City

Book Forbidden City tickets online at least 3 days in advance — they sell out frequently. Enter via Tiananmen Gate in the morning; exit north into Jingshan Park for the aerial view. Afternoon in Beihai Park or the Nanluoguxiang hutong area. Evening Peking duck dinner.

Attractions: forbidden-city

Day 3 · beijing

Great Wall

Hired car to Mutianyu (90 minutes each way, ¥600–¥900 round trip). Cable car up, toboggan down — the toboggan run alongside the wall is the most memorable exit. Return to Beijing by 4pm. Evening in the 798 Art District if energy allows.

Attractions: great-wall-mutianyu

Day 4 · beijing

Temple of Heaven, 798, hutongs

Morning at the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan Park) — the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the defining Beijing image after the Forbidden City; the Circular Mound Altar is geometrically significant. Afternoon at the 798 Art District in Dashanzi — a former East German-designed factory complex now containing dozens of commercial galleries and the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. Evening hutong walk around Shichahai.

Attractions: temple-of-heaven, 798-art-district

Day 5 · xian

HSR to Xi'an

Morning HSR from Beijing West to Xi'an North (4.5 hours, ¥515). Arrive mid-afternoon. The City Wall bicycle circuit takes 1.5 hours — the best way to appreciate the wall's scale. Evening Muslim Quarter food street: roujiamo, paomo soup, persimmon cakes, cumin lamb skewers.

Attractions: xian-city-wall

HSR Beijing West → Xi'an North, 4.5h, ¥515.

Day 6 · xian

Terracotta Army

Full morning at the Terracotta Army — Pit 1 (6,000+ soldiers, the main hall), Pit 2 (cavalry and archers), Pit 3 (the command structure), and the Bronze Chariots Museum. Afternoon at the Shaanxi History Museum and Big Wild Goose Pagoda fountain show.

Attractions: terracotta-army

Day 7 · chengdu

Fly to Chengdu, Wuhou Shrine

Short domestic flight Xi'an → Chengdu (1 hour, ¥600–¥1,000). Afternoon at Wuhou Shrine and the adjacent Jinli Street food-and-craft pedestrian area. Chengdu evening means hot pot — the Sichuan format (numbing-spicy, with a dozen component plates) is the local default.

Attractions: wuhou-shrine

Domestic flight, ~1h.

Day 8 · chengdu

Panda Base, Leshan

Pre-7am departure for the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base — the pandas are active from 7–10am before their mid-morning sleep. Return by noon. Afternoon HSR to Leshan (1 hour) for the Giant Buddha (Dafo) — a 71m Tang-dynasty Buddha carved into the cliff face at the confluence of three rivers. The Buddha has been viewed from the water (by boat) and from the cliff staircase; the boat view shows the full scale better.

Attractions: panda-base-chengdu, leshan-giant-buddha

Day 9 · kunming

Fly to Kunming, Stone Forest

Domestic flight Chengdu → Kunming (1 hour, ¥500–¥900). Arrive Kunming and take a taxi or bus 90 km to the Stone Forest (Shilin) — 270 million-year-old limestone pinnacles, some 30m tall. Return to Kunming by evening. Green Lake Park area for dinner.

Attractions: stone-forest

Domestic flight, ~1h.

Day 10 · dali

HSR to Dali, Erhai Lake

High-speed rail Kunming South → Dali (2 hours, ¥90–¥150). Dali Old Town (Dayan Ancient City) and the Bai architecture. Afternoon on the Erhai Lake shore or cycling the lakeside road north to Xizhou. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, 3 km north of the old town gate, are the defining skyline image of Dali.

Attractions: dali-three-pagodas

Day 11 · lijiang

HSR to Lijiang, Old Town

Rail Dali → Lijiang (1 hour, ¥60–¥80). Lijiang Dayan Old Town (UNESCO) is the most visited Naxi settlement — cobblestone lanes, running-water channels, traditional wooden shopfronts, and the Black Dragon Pool park. Check in inside or adjacent to the old town. Evening walk through the market square area.

Attractions: lijiang-old-town

Day 12 · lijiang

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

The Glacier Park cable car reaches 4,506m above sea level on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Book through the hotel or tourism office in advance — tickets are limited and sell out [VERIFY: current booking method — May 2026]. The altitude is genuinely challenging; walk slowly and don't stay more than 1–2 hours at the top. The mountain's ice-spire peaks and the cloud-sea view from the glacier park are the visual culmination of the Yunnan section.

Attractions: jade-dragon-snow-mountain

Day 13 · lhasa

Fly to Lhasa, rest day

Domestic flight from Lijiang or Kunming to Lhasa (LXA). The Tibet Travel Permit and a licensed agency arrange this flight connection. Arrive Lhasa mid-afternoon. Check in to hotel in the Old Town near the Barkhor — this location is mandatory for the days that follow. Rest completely today; the altitude (3,656m) requires it. Drink water, avoid alcohol, take altitude medication if prescribed.

Stay in: Old Town near the Barkhor

Domestic flight; permit and licensed agency required.

Day 14 · lhasa

Jokhang and Barkhor

Walk the Barkhor pilgrim circuit — the kora around the Jokhang Temple that is continuously walked by Tibetan pilgrims prostrating and spinning prayer wheels. Visit the Jokhang Temple interior (the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple, containing the Jowo Rinpoche statue). Afternoon rest is advisable — altitude adjustment continues through day 2.

Attractions: jokhang-temple

Day 15 · lhasa

Potala Palace

Timed permit entry to the Potala Palace — arranged through the agency in advance. The palace's Red Palace contains the funerary stupas of past Dalai Lamas; the White Palace contains the administrative and residential quarters. The 118-step climb from the courtyard is slow at altitude; the interior is dim and crowded but the scale of the chapel spaces is extraordinary.

Attractions: potala-palace

Day 16 · lhasa

Drepung Monastery and free time

Drepung Monastery west of Lhasa was once the world's largest monastery. Afternoon free — Norbulingka (summer palace) garden, or the traditional medicine hospital and market in the Barkhor area. Evening at a Tibetan restaurant near the old town.

Attractions: drepung-monastery

Day 17 · shanghai

Fly to Shanghai

Early morning flight from Lhasa Gonggar to Shanghai. The flight typically routes via Chengdu or Xi'an; allow a connection buffer of 2 hours. Arrive Shanghai afternoon; transfer to hotel in the French Concession or near the Bund. Evening walk along the Bund waterfront.

Domestic flight, typically via Chengdu. ~5h total travel.

Day 18 · shanghai

Bund, French Concession

Morning Bund walk (the historic waterfront colonnade on the Huangpu River's west bank; the Pudong towers across the river provide the 21st-century counterpoint). Afternoon in the French Concession — Wukang Mansion at the junction of 10 streets, Fuxing Park, the former Sun Yat-sen residence. Evening dinner on Xintiandi.

Attractions: the-bund, french-concession

Day 19 · shanghai

Pudong

Cross the Huangpu River to Pudong by the pedestrian sightseeing tunnel or ferry from the Bund. Shanghai Tower observation deck at 546m (indoor) is the second tallest building in China [VERIFY: current ranking — May 2026]. The Shanghai Museum's second branch, the Shanghai Museum East (东馆), opened on People's Square in 2023 and houses the ship-model collection and trade history galleries [VERIFY: current openings — May 2026].

Attractions: shanghai-tower, shanghai-museum

Day 20 · shanghai

Day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou

HSR from Shanghai Hongqiao to Suzhou (25 minutes, ¥30) for the classical gardens — the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Lingering Garden, or the Master of Nets Garden; pick two and go deep rather than rushing through all. Or HSR to Hangzhou (45 minutes, ¥80) for West Lake and the China National Tea Museum. Return to Shanghai by evening.

Attractions: humble-administrators-garden

Day 21 · shanghai

Departure

Transfer to Pudong International Airport (PVG). Allow 3 hours before international departure time; check visa exit requirements before arrival at the airport if this is a multi-entry visa trip.