9-Nights Classic China from $4,665

Trafalgar

OFFER ID 1538423

Classic China
Follow in the footsteps of the ancients – up the ornate steps of the Forbidden City, along the ramparts of the Great Wall, snaking its way across the rolling countryside, and through the winding ancient alleys of Beijing’s hutongs to learn about Chinese traditions over a home-cooked lunch.

Dining Summary

3 Dinner (D)
9 Breakfast (B)
5 Lunch (L)

Be My Guest

Beijing: Visit and have lunch with a local family in their home in one of Beijing's hutongs and gain a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into their lifestyle.

Dive into Culture

Xi'an: Give Chinese calligraphy a go in this hands-on class, learning an art form that’s been around since the Han Dynasty. With an expert to guide you, you’ll master brush techniques and create your own characters, discovering how every stroke tells a story in this timeless tradition.
Xi'an: Discover the traditions and techniques of dumpling making, indulging in an opportunity to sample them.

Iconic Experience

Beijing: Indulge in a foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Center.

Must-see Highlights

Explore Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai
Visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall of China at Juyongguan, the Sacred Way in Beijing, Hutong residences, the Great Mosque, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, the Bund waterfront and the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai
See Local people practicing Tai Chi in the morning and the Shanghai Acrobats

Stays With Stories

Shanghai: The year was 1988, The Kunlun Beijing opened as the first Chinese designed and built five-star hotel in Shanghai City, welcoming state and foreign dignitaries, and international clientele. Relax at The Kunlun Jing An, a landmark city hotel exceptionally located in one of Shanghai's most fashionable and commercial districts, only a short walk from the famous Jing An Temple and West Nanjing Road.

Whats Included

An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
All porterage and restaurant gratuities
All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
Must-see sightseeing
Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
Optional Experiences and free time
On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
Flights from Beijing to Xi'an and Xi'an to Shanghai

9 nights from $4,665 per person

Itinerary

Click here for Full Itinerary Details

Itinerary Details

Trafalgar Tours: Classic China

Day 1 - Say Ni Hao to China
Transfer to your Beijing hotel where you’ll meet your Travel Director for a drink and appetizers at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Dinner

Day 2 - Discover the Icons of Beijing
Delve into Beijing’s rich imperial heritage, beginning your encounter with the remnants of centuries-old dynasties in the world’s largest public space, Tiananmen Square. Tread in the footsteps of emperors, passing through the south gate to the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City, the imperial palace for emperors and their households for over five centuries. Immerse yourself in the ancient rituals, traditions and history of this palace complex before lunch. Continue to the tranquil Temple of Heaven, another UNESCO Heritage Site, once visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for good harvests and divine guidance. This evening, the salty, sweet flavors of succulent Peking Duck take center stage during a Regional Dinner.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 - Journey to the Great Wall
We leave the city behind, bound for the iconic Great Wall of China at Juyongguan. Standing on its ramparts, we look down on the Chinese countryside which its walls successfully defended against marauding nomadic invaders. Watch it snake thousands of miles into the distance as you imagine how these man-made fortifications were built and rebuilt from the 5th century B.C. to the 16th century. Then, walk the Sacred Way past the imposing stone statues that guard the Ming Tombs and remains of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 - Explore Beijing Connect with Locals Dive Into Culture
A leisurely start to our morning sees us embark on a rickshaw tour around the ancient narrow alleyways of the courtyard Hutong residences. Connect with the local culture as you join a family for a delicious meal of traditional Chinese cuisine at a Be My Guest lunch, followed by a visit to a tea house, where a Local Specialist prepares and serves tea, explaining the historic tea-making ritual. This afternoon, you’ll indulge in a relaxing foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Center.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 - Travel to Xi'an
We fly to Xi’an, which reveals its role as the ancient departure point of the Silk Road. Visit the Great Mosque, one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved mosques in China. According to historical records it was built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty and is a combination of Islamic art and traditional Chinese architecture.
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Uncover Xi'an's Treasures Make Travel Matter
Descend into Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s subterranean tomb to see his terracotta army for the afterlife, another UNESCO-listed site. For lunch, enjoy a traditional meal of Chinese noodles, then continue with a visit to a Jade factory, the favored stone of emperors and more precious to the Chinese people than gold.
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 - Onwards to Shanghai Dive Into Culture Stays With Stories
This morning, your choice of activities gives you an opportunity to mimic the graceful movements of a skilled T’ai Chi Local Specialist, or consider joining a cycle tour around part of the ancient City Wall of Xi'an. We Dive into Culture at a local restaurant, watching a demonstration in the art of making dumplings, with an opportunity to sample these for lunch. Savor the juicy flavors of these boiled, steamed and fried treats, transporting you back to ancient China, before transferring to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Ascend to the 88-storey Jinmao Tower for panoramic views of the skyscrapers that loom over the most populous city on earth.
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8 - Experience Shanghai Dive Into Culture
Stroll down Shanghai’s famous ‘Bund’ with a Local Specialist, admiring the neoclassical colonial buildings that have lined this city’s renowned waterfront since the early 1900s. Learn how this marshland was transformed into one of the world’s most important trading hubs. Then, continue to the winding streets and vibrant markets of Old Shanghai to discover the how the customs and traditional lifestyle of this area have remained relatively unaltered. Enjoy some free time for lunch and shopping in the Old Town before we Dive into Culture during a visit to a silk museum. This evening, indulge in a performance by the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 - Shanghai Your Way
Spend a day exploring the Paris of the East on your terms – shop for delicate Chinese ceramics, or consider joining an Optional Experience to Zhujiajiao, an ancient water town founded more than 1,700 years ago. In its heyday, Zhujiajiao was a bustling market town. Today, old historical buildings such as rice shops, banks, spice stores and even a Qing Dynasty post office can still be found as you stroll down its ancient streets and wander across the many stone bridges that crisscross its canals. This afternoon, you’ll have some free time to explore the city or simply relax before joining your travel companions for dinner.
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10 - Farewell Shanghai
Our mystical encounter with China at its end, take a transfer to Shanghai Airport for your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast

Featured Destinations

Xi'an

Shanghai

Shanghai is a teeming metropolis of 11 million, bustling with energy, towering skyscrapers, art deco buildings, honking traffic, and shopping crowds. Once here, visitors will find Eastern ways abound: Tai Chi along the Bund, the serenity of exquisite ponds and gardens, and an endless flotilla of sampans edging along the Huangpu River. Explore Shanghai old and new: the busy bazaars and alleyways of the Old Town, Yu Garden, Wuxingting Tea House, Long Hua Temple and more.

Excursions

Shanghai: Yu Garden & Old Town Tour (4 hours)

Shanghai: French Concession & The Bund (4 hours)

Shanghai: Jewish Quarter Tour (4 hours)

Shanghai: Museum Tour (4 hours)

Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour (4 hours)

Shanghai: Disposal Tour (4 hours)

Shanghai City Tour (8 hours)

Shanghai: Disposal Tour (8 hours)

Beijing

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

10/10/2025 - 10/19/2025

from $4,665 per person *

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $4,665 per person

Length

9 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Deluxe

Remarks

Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change. Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1538423

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