Trip Planning

China Travel Itinerary Guide 2025

From 1 week to 1 month — tested itineraries with transport, budget, and insider tips.

1 Week

Classic Highlights

The must-see trio for first-time visitors. Beijing's imperial grandeur, Xi'an's ancient army, and Chengdu's pandas.

Route

Transport

    Highlights

      $800-1,200 per person(flights, hotels, food, attractions)

      💡 Insider tip: Book Great Wall tickets 3 days ahead online. Xi'an train station is 30 min from city center — allow extra time.

      2 Weeks

      Deep Dive

      Add Shanghai's skyline and Guilin's karst mountains. The perfect balance of cities and nature.

      Route

      Transport

        Highlights

          $1,500-2,200 per person(flights, hotels, food, attractions)

          💡 Insider tip: Fly Chengdu → Shanghai (don't take the 12h train). Book Li River cruise tickets on Trip.com 2 weeks ahead.

          3 Weeks

          Explorer Route

          Add Hangzhou's West Lake and Zhangjiajie's Avatar mountains. For those who want to go beyond the obvious.

          Route

          Transport

            Highlights

              $2,000-3,000 per person(flights, hotels, food, attractions)

              💡 Insider tip: Zhangjiajie needs 2 full days minimum. Book the glass bridge online — same-day tickets sell out. Hangzhou is only 1h from Shanghai by train.

              4 Weeks

              Grand Tour

              The full China experience: add Lhasa (Tibet), Lijiang's old town, and Harbin's ice festival (winter only).

              Route

              Transport

                Highlights

                  $3,000-4,500 per person(flights, hotels, food, attractions)

                  💡 Insider tip: Tibet requires a special permit — book through a licensed tour operator at least 20 days ahead. You cannot enter Tibet independently. Acclimatize in Lhasa (3,650m) for 24h before exploring.

                  Chinese Holidays to Avoid

                  China's national holidays create massive domestic travel waves. During these periods, attractions are packed, trains sell out, and hotel prices double or triple. If you can, avoid these dates:

                  Get the Full City Guides

                  Each city in these itineraries has a detailed guide with attractions, food, transport, and hotel tips.

                  Browse All Guides