Grand China Odyssey

• Six regions in fifteen days, from the Great Wall to the karst of Guangxi
• A three-night Yangtze cruise and a four-hour Li River cruise both included
• Pandas at feeding time, the Terracotta Army and the Mutianyu Great Wall in the first week
• Two nights in Yangshuo to slow down before the flight home
• Every internal flight and train booked for you; nothing to arrange on the ground

Day by day

1. Day 1 · Beijing Arrival in Beijing

   Private transfer to a four-star hotel near Wangfujing, with a briefing on the two weeks ahead. Most direct flights from LHR land in the late morning. An easy evening walk through the hutong lanes around Shichahai.

2. Day 2 · Beijing Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

   Walk through Tiananmen Square and spend three hours among the 980 buildings of the Forbidden City. Climb Jingshan Park for the view back over the golden roofs, then walk the Nanluoguxiang lanes. About 7 km (4.3 miles) on foot.

3. Day 3 · Beijing Mutianyu Great Wall

   A 70 km (43 miles) drive to the Mutianyu section, the quietest of the restored wall near Beijing. Cable car up, 2.4 km (1.5 miles) of wall on foot, toboggan down. Peking duck for dinner, ordered in advance.

4. Day 4 · Beijing to Xi'an Temple of Heaven, then rail to Xi'an

   A 07:00 visit to the Temple of Heaven, where locals gather for taiji, dance and cards. Then the 4h30 high-speed train to Xi'an North at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). Dinner in the Muslim Quarter food street on arrival.

5. Day 5 · Xi'an The Terracotta Army and the city wall

   Reach the Terracotta Army before the 10:00 coaches and see Pit 1 with its 6,000 figures. After the Shaanxi History Museum, cycle the 13.7 km (8.5 miles) Ming city wall in about 90 minutes before dinner in the old town.

6. Day 6 · Chengdu Rail to Chengdu and the Jinli lanes

   The 4h rail line to Chengdu cuts through the Qinling mountains, mostly in tunnel. Settle in, then walk the Jinli old street in the evening for a first taste of Sichuan cooking. Early night ahead of the pandas.

7. Day 7 · Chengdu Pandas and a Sichuan cooking class

   Reach the Chengdu Research Base at opening, about 07:30, for feeding time before the coaches arrive. In the afternoon, shop a market and cook two Sichuan dishes in a working kitchen, then eat them. About three hours, hands-on.

8. Day 8 · Chongqing To Chongqing and board the Yangtze cruise

   Fly or take the train to Chongqing and board the cruise ship in the late afternoon. Sail overnight down the Jialing and into the Yangtze. Three nights on the river lie ahead, with a shore stop most days.

9. Day 9 · Yangtze cruise Fengdu and Shibaozhai

   A shore stop at Fengdu's 'Ghost City' temples or the 12-storey pagoda at Shibaozhai, leaning against its cliff. Meals and evening entertainment are on board. The river begins to narrow as you climb upstream.

10. Day 10 · Yangtze cruise The gorges and Shennong Stream

    Pass through Qutang Gorge, 8 km (5 miles) long and the steepest of the three, then Wu Gorge and its Twelve Peaks. A sampan takes you up the Shennong Stream to the hanging coffins. Sailed upstream, so there is more time in the gorges.

11. Day 11 · Guilin Three Gorges Dam, then fly to Guilin

    A morning at the Three Gorges Dam at Sandouping, the world's largest power station at 2,335 m (7,660 ft) long, then disembark at Yichang. Fly on to Guilin and check in beside the Li River; the karst hills begin at the edge of the city.

12. Day 12 · Yangshuo The Li River cruise

    Board the Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, a four-hour run past the karst peaks on the back of the 20-yuan banknote. Pass Nine Horses Hill and the cormorant fishermen before docking in Yangshuo. The evening is free in the town.

13. Day 13 · Yangshuo Cycling and the Yulong River

    Cycle the lanes and rice fields to the Yulong River, a quieter tributary of the Li, with bamboo rafts and stone bridges. Watch a cormorant fisherman work at dusk, or take a cooking class. The pace here is deliberately slow after two weeks of cities.

14. Day 14 · Shanghai Fly to Shanghai; the Bund

    Fly from Guilin to Shanghai, about 2h30, and check in near the Bund. Spend the evening on the 1.5 km (0.9 miles) riverside promenade, at its best about 30 minutes after sunset when the Pudong towers light up. A last Shanghainese dinner.

15. Day 15 · Shanghai Departure

    A free morning for the Yu Garden or last shopping on Nanjing Road, then transfer to Pudong or Hongqiao. Direct services to LHR and MAN leave in the afternoon, arriving home the same evening.

What stands out

Practical

Regions covered	Beijing, Shaanxi, Sichuan, the Yangtze, Guangxi, Shanghai
Best months	April–May and September–October
Internal flights	Three: to Chongqing, Yichang–Guilin, Guilin–Shanghai
Longest rail leg	Beijing–Xi'an 4h30 at up to 300 km/h (186 mph)
Cruise length	3 nights, Chongqing to Yichang
Walking per day	6–10 km (4–6 miles) on city days, less in Yangshuo
Group size	2–12 travellers
Trip length	15 days / 14 nights

Common questions

Is fifteen days too long for a single trip?

It is the longest of our eight itineraries and covers six regions, so each stop is two to three days rather than a rushed half-day. The two nights in Yangshuo near the end give the trip a slower finish.

How many internal flights are there?

Three: to Chongqing to join the cruise, from Yichang to Guilin, and from Guilin to Shanghai. All are booked and included; the rest of the route runs by high-speed rail.

Does the trip work inside UK annual leave?

It needs about fifteen days away. Most UK travellers add a week of annual leave around a bank holiday or take it as a two-week leave block plus travel days, since the direct flights are overnight.

Can the Yangtze cruise be swapped for more time in Guilin?

Yes. The cruise can be shortened or dropped and the days added to Chengdu or Yangshuo, which is a common adjustment for travellers who prefer land to water.

Where to next

• Guilin and Guangxi
• Guangxi province guide
• Yangtze River Cruise: 12 days
• Silk Road Odyssey: 14 days
• Build the big trip