Clara Johansson
April 19, 2026
Customized China Tours Tailored Just for You
This 10-day private custom Essential China tour is crafted to showcase the very best of China’s diverse charms, taking you across five iconic destinations: history-packed Beijing and Xi’an, giant panda home Chengdu, scenic Kunming, and dynamic modern Shanghai. Curated as a perfectly condensed introduction to China, this tour stands out for its thoughtfully curated itinerary, unbeatable value for money, and secure, trusted payment processes that let you fully relax and enjoy your personalized, one-of-a-kind Chinese adventure.
This 10-day custom private journey starts in northern China’s ancient imperial capital Beijing, where you dive into hundreds of years of royal history before traveling by high-speed rail to Xi’an, the capital of China’s first unified empire and home of the world-famous Terracotta Warriors. From Xi’an you head southwest to lush Sichuan’s Chengdu, the global home of giant pandas, passing through scenic Kunming, before flying east to Shanghai, China’s vibrant modern global financial hub. The route perfectly weaves together ancient culture, rare wildlife encounters, and modern city energy to give you the ultimate core China experience.
Today is your arrival day in China’s buzzing capital. After meeting your private representative at the airport, you’ll be transferred to your accommodation to settle in. Take the rest of the day to shake off travel fatigue and explore the surrounding neighborhood at your leisure. 🏨 Stay at Beijing Novotel Peace Hotel or a similar 4-star property.
Kick off your first full day of sightseeing with a private tour of expansive Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public city square steeped in modern Chinese history. Next, step inside the legendary Forbidden City, the exclusive imperial palace complex that housed Chinese emperors for over 500 years, where you’ll wander through golden palaces and learn about court life. In the afternoon, explore the beautiful Temple of Heaven, where ancient emperors once prayed for bountiful harvests. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included. 🏨 Stay at Beijing Novotel Peace Hotel or a similar 4-star property.
Today you’ll venture outside Beijing to the stunning, less crowded Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. A private transfer takes you directly to the site, and a round-trip cable car whisks you up to the wall for a leisurely hike along the ancient battlements, with sweeping views of the structure winding through forested mountains. On your return to Beijing, you’ll stop to explore the tree-lined Sacred Road and the Ming Imperial Tombs, the peaceful final resting place of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included. 🏨 Stay at Beijing Novotel Peace Hotel or a similar 4-star property.
Start your day at the lush Summer Palace, the stunning royal retreat where Qing Dynasty emperors escaped Beijing’s summer heat. Enjoy a peaceful boat ride across scenic Kunming Lake, weather permitting. After your exploration, you’ll board a high-speed train bound for Xi’an, the ancient capital of 13 Chinese dynasties. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included. 🏨 Check in to Eastern House Boutique Hotel or a similar 4-star property.
Today is dedicated to one of the world’s greatest archaeological wonders: the Terracotta Warriors. Your private guide will walk you through the three massive excavation pits, where thousands of life-sized clay warriors have stood guard over Emperor Qin Shi Huang for more than 2,000 years. In the afternoon, visit the historic Great Mosque of Xi’an, a unique blend of Chinese and Islamic architecture, then wander the food-filled, bustling Muslim Quarter to soak up local street culture. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included. 🏨 Stay at Eastern House Boutique Hotel or a similar 4-star property.
Kick off the day with a half-day tour of Xi’an’s perfectly preserved ancient City Wall, where you can take in views of the city from the top of the 14-kilometer fortification. Next, head to the graceful Small Wild Goose Pagoda for a hands-on traditional Chinese calligraphy class, where you’ll learn the art of brush writing from a local instructor. After your cultural experience, board a high-speed train to Chengdu, the laid-back capital of Sichuan province. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included. 🏨 Check in to Dorsett Chengdu or a similar comparable property.
Wake up early today to beat the crowds and arrive at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding before 8:30 a.m. — the best time to see giant pandas munching bamboo and playing, before they settle in for their daily nap. After your panda encounter, explore the serene Wenshu Temple, a 1,000-year-old Buddhist temple full of cultural history. Next, enjoy a classic Chengdu experience: a leisurely afternoon at a traditional local tea house, sipping tea and soaking up the slow pace of life. End the day wandering the lantern-lit alleys of historic Jinli Old Street, full of local crafts and street snacks. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included. 🏨 Stay at Dorsett Chengdu or a similar comparable property.
After breakfast this morning, you’ll board your flight from Chengdu east to Shanghai, China’s most dynamic modern global city. After arriving and checking into your central hotel, you can spend the evening stretching your legs and catching your first glimpse of the famous Bund skyline. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included. 🏨 Stay at Sunrise on the Bund or a similar comparable property.
Spend today exploring Shanghai’s perfect mix of old and new. Start at the world-class Shanghai Museum, home to one of the largest collections of ancient Chinese art and artifacts in the country. Next, wander the classical Yu Garden, a stunning traditional Chinese garden full of pavilions, rock formations and koi ponds, tucked in the heart of bustling Old Town. In the afternoon, take a walking tour through the tree-lined Former French Concession, full of charming colonial-era villas and trendy boutiques, before ending the day at the iconic Bund, where you can admire Pudong’s glittering skyline across the Huangpu River. 🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included. 🏨 Stay at Sunrise on the Bund or a similar comparable property.
Today is your departure day to wrap up your China adventure. After enjoying an included breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your onward flight. 🍽️ Breakfast included.
Min 2 · Max 20 people per group
Traveler reviews
April 19, 2026
My partner and I booked this tour for our 10 year anniversary trip, and it exceeded every single expectation we had. The custom itinerary let us swap a couple of standard tourist stops for a late-night local food tour in Shanghai and a traditional tea tasting in Kunming, which we absolutely loved. Each local guide shared so many hidden stories about the sites that we never would have learned if we were traveling on our own. We ate incredible local food at every stop, never waited in long lines because of the advance planning, and moved between each city at a perfectly relaxed pace. We will absolutely recommend this tour to every friend of ours who wants to visit China.
March 5, 2026
I was nervous about planning my first trip to China because of language barriers and the size of the country, but this tour took all that worry away. The private custom aspect meant everything was adjusted to my interests, which leaned heavily into ancient Chinese history, so we got extra time at the Forbidden City and Terracotta Warriors that I really appreciated. Chengdu's pandas were just as cute as advertised, and Kunming's mild spring weather and beautiful scenery were a lovely surprise break between the busier historic cities. I can't imagine a better first trip to China, and I'll definitely be booking another custom tour when I come back to explore more of the country.
February 14, 2026
I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to China's incredible culture, history and natural beauty on this tour.
November 30, 2025
As someone who loves both history and nature, this tour checked every single box for me. I got to explore the Terracotta Warriors, the Forbidden City, Shanghai's Bund, and the stunning Stone Forest outside Kunming all in 10 amazing days. The private tour format meant I could spend as much time as I wanted at each spot I loved.
September 22, 2025
Ethan from HelloChinaTrip customized this 10-day itinerary perfectly for our family of four, adjusting timings so our kids never felt rushed. We loved hopping between the modern skyline of Shanghai, the ancient history of Beijing and Xi'an, the lush landscapes around Kunming, and of course getting to see giant pandas up close in Chengdu. Every private transfer was on time, every local guide was knowledgeable and friendly, and we never felt stressed once. This is hands down the best organized international trip we've ever taken.
August 17, 2025
This private tour was so much better than a group tour would have been, with all the flexibility to go at our own pace. We got to experience the very best of every city on the itinerary, from Shanghai's bustling waterfront to Xi'an's ancient city walls, and everything in between.
May 1, 2025
This was a fantastic tour with amazing guides and a perfectly planned itinerary across all five iconic cities. We only give 4 stars because we traveled during Chinese national holiday week and all the major sites were far more wonderful than we expected, which is just a timing issue on our end, not the tour operator's fault. Everything else was seamless and we loved every stop on the route.
March 12, 2025
This private custom tour of China was absolutely everything we hoped for and more.
December 28, 2024
Seeing the Great Wall and giant pandas in one trip was a dream come true, thank you for the perfectly organized tour.
December 18, 2024
Our guide took us to all the iconic spots across Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Kunming without any of the hassle of planning a trip ourselves. We got to see giant pandas up close in Chengdu and walk the Great Wall, it was perfect.
