RoutesItinerary

China Delights: 11-Day Beijing → Xi'an → Guilin → Shanghai

schedule25 min readcalendar_todayMarch 23, 2026personChinaTravelFix Team

Add Guilin's stunning karst landscapes and Li River cruise to the classic Golden Triangle route

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This 11-day route adds Guilin & Yangshuo to the classic Beijing-Xi'an-Shanghai triangle. The Li River cruise is consistently rated one of China's top experiences.

Route Overview

Beijing (3 nights) → Xi'an (2 nights) → Guilin & Yangshuo (3 nights) → Shanghai (2 nights)

This is the most popular extended China itinerary, combining imperial history, ancient warriors, breathtaking natural scenery, and modern metropolis vibes.

Days 1-3: Beijing

Beijing Highlights

Forbidden City from Wanchun Pavilion — the classic panoramic view

Badaling Great Wall — most iconic section over the mountains

Temple of Heaven — the sacred Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

Summer Palace — imperial garden paradise on Kunming Lake

Meridian Gate (Wumen) — the grand entrance to the Forbidden City

Yonghe Lama Temple — Beijing's most magnificent Tibetan temple

Forbidden City panoramic view — 600 years of imperial grandeur

Temple of Heaven — ceremonial architecture under blue skies

Same as the 8-day itinerary: Forbidden City, Great Wall (Mutianyu), Temple of Heaven, Hutong tour, Summer Palace. See our Perfect 3-Day Beijing Itinerary for detailed timing.

Days 4-5: Xi'an

Xi'an Highlights

Terracotta Warriors — Pit 1 formation, the 8th wonder

Terracotta Warriors — each soldier with unique features

Xi'an Muslim Quarter — centuries of culture in every alley

Terracotta Warriors — 2,200 years guarding Emperor Qin

Xi'an Bell Tower at night — luminous city center

Xi'an street life — ancient capital, modern energy

Xi'an drum tower — Tang Dynasty grandeur after dark

Terracotta Warriors, Ancient City Wall cycling, Muslim Quarter food tour, Shaanxi History Museum, and the Tang Dynasty dance show. See our Xi'an guide for details.

Days 6-8: Guilin & Yangshuo

Guilin Highlights

Li River cruise — karst peaks from emerald waters

Yangshuo — limestone mountains framing the countryside

Li River bamboo raft — China's most painted landscape

Yangshuo countryside — rice paddies beneath karst peaks

Li River at dawn — misty mountains in still waters

Yangshuo West Street — vibrant heart of the riverside town

Yangshuo panoramic viewpoint — endless karst peaks

Yangshuo "Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" show

Guilin & Yangshuo Highlights

Day 6

Xi'an → Guilin by Flight

Arrive in Guilin. Visit Reed Flute Cave (stunning limestone formations lit in colors) and Elephant Trunk Hill, Guilin's iconic landmark.

Day 7

Li River Cruise to Yangshuo

Full-day cruise down the Li River — 4 hours of jaw-dropping karst mountain scenery. Arrive in Yangshuo, explore West Street for dinner and nightlife.

Day 8

Yangshuo Free Day

Rent a bike and ride through the countryside rice paddies. Visit Moon Hill. Take a bamboo raft on Yulong River. Evening: watch the Impression Liu Sanjie show.

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The Li River cruise runs ~4 hours and is best during spring (March-May) when the misty mountains look like a Chinese ink painting.