China Historical Culture Tour 12 Days 11 Nights
By Nomad Unlimited Adventure
includes taxes & fees
per adult
Features
- 12d
- Mobile voucher
- Instant confirmation
- Multiple languages
Overview
Most China tours hit the highlights and move on. This one goes further, west into the desert along the old Silk Road, where the Great Wall ends at a fortress in the sand and Buddhist caves hold a thousand years of painted history. You will spend a full day working alongside keepers at a giant panda base, stand before the Terracotta Warriors, walk the Great Wall at Mutianyu, and cross the country by high-speed rail and domestic flights. Twelve days, five cities, and a route most travelers never see.
Activity location
- Chengdu
- Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Meeting/Redemption Point
- Chengdu
- Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Check availability
China Historical Culture Tour 12 Days 11 Nights in Multilingual
Earn $203.82- 12d
- Opening hours: Sun 9:00am-5:00pm
- English
Pickup included
Price details
$6,794.00 x 1 Adult$6,794.00
Total
includes taxes & fees
What's included, what's not
- Private transfers throughout the tour, including airport pick-up and drop-off, plus high-speed rail between cities and domestic flights within China.
- Hotel accommodation
- All admission tickets to sites listed in the itinerary, including the Great Wall cable car, round trip.
- Professional local guides
- International airfare
- Visa fees
- Travel Insurance
- Meals not listed
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities
- Gratuities
Know before you book
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Activity itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu
- 1 stop
- Meals: Not included
- Accommodation: Tibet Hotel Chengdu or similar
Chengdu
- 1h
Arrive in Chengdu, where your guide meets you at the airport for a private transfer to your downtown hotel. The rest of the day is free to rest and settle in.
Day 2: Chengdu, Panda Volunteer Day
- 1 stop
- Meals: breakfast, lunch
- Accommodation: Overnight in Chengdu Hotel
Dujiangyan Panda Base
- 6h
- Admission ticket included
Spend a full day at the Dujiangyan Panda Base volunteer program. Work alongside the panda keepers to prepare food, clean enclosures, and attend a panda class, then return to Chengdu for the evening. Note the program starts at 8:30 am, so an early start is needed.
Day 3: Chengdu to Xi'an
- 1 stop
- Meals: breakfast, lunch
- Accommodation: Overnight in Xi'an Hotel
Guanghan Sanxingdui Museum
- 4h
- Admission ticket included
Start with a morning visit to the Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan, home to striking bronze, gold, and jade relics from the ancient Shu Kingdom. Then board a high-speed train to Xi'an and check in for the evening.
Day 4: Xi'an, Terracotta Warriors
- 1 stop
- Meals: breakfast, lunch
- Accommodation: Overnight in Xi'an Hotel
Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
- 4h
- Admission ticket included
Visit the Terracotta Warriors Museum, exploring Pits 1, 2, and 3 and the Bronze Chariots exhibition, then walk the lively Muslim Quarter. In the evening, enjoy an optional Tang Dynasty cultural show with a dumpling banquet.
Day 5: Xi'an to Jiayuguan
- 2 stops
- Meals: breakfast, lunch
- Accommodation: Overnight in Jiayuguan Hotel
Xi'an City Wall (Chengqiang)
- 2h
- Admission ticket included
Walk along the Ming-era City Wall, the most complete ancient urban fortification in China, with views over the old city from atop the battlements.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayanta)
- 1h
- Admission ticket included
Visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a Tang dynasty Buddhist tower that has stood above Xi'an for over 1,300 years. After the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, transfer to the airport for a flight to Jiayuguan (about 2 hours, economy), then check in at your hotel.
Day 6: Jiayuguan, Fort and Overhanging Great Wall
- 2 stops
- Meals: breakfast, lunch
- Accommodation: Overnight in Jiayuguan Hotel
Jiayuguan Fortress
- 3h
- Admission ticket included
Explore the great western outpost of the Ming dynasty Great Wall, starting at the Great Wall Museum for context, then walking the fort itself where the wall once met the edge of the empire.
Xuanbi Great Wall Shiguanxia Antique Scenic Area
- 2h
- Admission ticket included
Continue to the Overhanging Great Wall (Xuanbi Great Wall), about 18 km from the fort. Built into a steep cliff at a sharp angle, this section climbs the hillside and rewards the walk up with wide views over the surrounding desert and mountains.
Day 7: Jiayuguan to Dunhuang
- 1 stop
- Meals: breakfast
- Accommodation: Hotel in Dunhuang
Wei-Jin Tombs
- 2h
- Admission ticket included
Visit this underground gallery of brick tombs, where murals painted more than 1,500 years ago show scenes of daily life, farming, and feasting from the Wei and Jin dynasties. Then board a train to Dunhuang, the old Silk Road oasis town, and settle in for the evening.
Day 8: Dunhuang, Mogao Caves
- 1 stop
- Meals: breakfast, lunch
- Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Dunhuang or similar
Mogao Caves
- 4h
- Admission ticket included
Spend the day at one of the great Buddhist art sites in the world. Start at the Digital Exhibition Center for the introductory films, then visit the grottoes themselves, where murals and sculptures trace a thousand years of Silk Road history.
Day 9: Dunhuang to Beijing
- 1 stop
- Meals: breakfast
- Accommodation: Overnight in Beijing Hotel
Mingsha Shan - Echoing-Sand Mountain
- 3h
- Admission ticket included
Head out in the morning to a spring-fed oasis ringed by towering sand dunes, where the crescent-shaped lake has held its shape for centuries. Optional desert activities include camel riding and sand sliding.
After the morning at the dunes, transfer to the airport for a flight to Beijing (about 3.5 hours, economy), then check in at your downtown hotel.
Day 10: Beijing, Forbidden City and Hutongs
- 3 stops
- Meals: breakfast, lunch
- Accommodation: Overnight in Beijing Hotel
Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang)
- 45m
Begin at Tiananmen Square, the vast ceremonial heart of Beijing and one of the largest public squares in the world.
Forbidden City Walking Route
- 3h
- Admission ticket included
Step into the Forbidden City, the imperial palace complex where twenty-four emperors ruled for nearly five centuries. Its courtyards, throne halls, and golden rooftops make up the largest palace complex on earth.
Hutong Tour
- 2h
- Admission ticket included
Explore a well-preserved hutong neighborhood by rickshaw, winding through the narrow lanes and courtyard homes of old Beijing.
Day 11: Beijing, Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall
- 2 stops
- Meals: breakfast, lunch
- Accommodation: Overnight in Beijing Hotel
Temple of Heaven
- 2h
- Admission ticket included
Start the morning at the Temple of Heaven, the elegant Ming dynasty complex where emperors once performed harvest ceremonies. Its circular hall and surrounding park are among Beijing's most photographed sights.
Mutianyu Great Wall
- 4h
- Admission ticket included
Travel about two hours out of the city to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. Ride the cable car up (round trip included) and hike along restored ramparts with sweeping views across forested ridgelines.
Day 12: Beijing, Departure
- 1 stop
- Meals: breakfast
- Accommodation: N/A
Beijing
- 30m
Enjoy free time in Beijing until your private transfer to the airport for your departing flight.
Location
Activity location
- Chengdu
- Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Meeting/Redemption Point
- Chengdu
- Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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