21 days, 9 cities, 20 nights: Beijing (3) → Xi'an (2) → Chengdu (3) → Chongqing (2) → Zhangjiajie (2) → Guilin (3) → Hangzhou (2) → Suzhou (1) → Shanghai (2), linked by high-speed trains and three domestic flights. Private guide, 4-star hotels, tickets and transport included, from $6,499 per person for two or more travelers.
Three Weeks,
Every Side of China
Most China trips show one side of the country. This one shows four: the imperial north of Beijing and Xi'an; the spice, pandas and vertical cities of Sichuan and Chongqing; the otherworldly landscapes of Zhangjiajie and Guilin; and the water towns, tea hills and skyline of the Yangtze Delta. Most stops get two or three nights, so the pace stays comfortable for three weeks.
| City | Days | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| 🏯 Beijing | Days 1–3 | 3 |
| ⚔️ Xi'an | Days 4–5 | 2 |
| 🐼 Chengdu | Days 6–8 | 3 |
| 🌃 Chongqing | Days 9–10 | 2 |
| ⛰️ Zhangjiajie | Days 11–12 | 2 |
| 🛶 Guilin | Days 13–15 | 3 |
| 🍵 Hangzhou | Days 16–17 | 2 |
| 🏡 Suzhou | Days 18 | 1 |
| 🌆 Shanghai | Days 19–21 | 2 |
Twenty-One Days,
Fully Mapped Out
Times are guides, not schedules — your guide adjusts the pace to your energy and interests, and we can swap days around weather or closures.
Everything in the Package —
Nothing Hidden
The only extra costs are international flights, a visa if your passport needs one, travel insurance, personal spending and optional add-ons.
Clear Pricing —
No Surprises
From $6,499 per person for two or more travelers sharing a room, with 4-star hotels. Solo travelers and 5-star versions are quoted individually, because single-room supplements and luxury hotel rates change by season. Groups of 11 or more: see group travel. Payment via Stripe: 30% deposit to confirm, balance 30 days before travel, full refund if cancelled 45+ days before departure.
Good to Know for
Three Weeks in China
Best time: April–May and September–October. Summer is hot and wet in the south; winter is cold in the north and can close some mountain paths.
Visas: a three-week trip is longer than the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit allows, so US citizens and others without 30-day visa-free entry will need a Chinese visa. See our China visa guide.
Fitness: expect stairs at the Great Wall, Tianmen Mountain, Wulingyuan and the rice terraces. Cable cars and shuttle buses cover the steepest parts.
Before you fly: set up Alipay or WeChat Pay, and book international flights into Beijing and out of Shanghai.
Questions About
21 Days in China
Included: 20 nights in 4-star hotels with breakfast, a private English-speaking guide in every city, all entrance tickets on the itinerary, three domestic flights, high-speed trains between the other cities, all private airport and station transfers, key food experiences and pre-trip eSIM, VPN and payment setup guidance. Not included: international flights, a Chinese visa if your passport requires one, travel insurance and personal spending.
Three weeks is enough to see China's big regions at a comfortable pace: the imperial north (Beijing, Xi'an), Sichuan and Chongqing, the karst landscapes of Zhangjiajie and Guilin, and the Yangtze Delta (Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai). Most cities get two or three nights, so you are not packing and moving every day.
The floating mountains in Avatar are widely credited to Zhangjiajie's sandstone pillars in the Wulingyuan area, where one pillar was renamed Avatar Hallelujah Mountain. Guilin and Yangshuo have a different, equally dramatic landscape of rounded limestone karst hills along the Li River. This itinerary includes both: Zhangjiajie on Days 11–12 and Guilin on Days 13–15.
By high-speed train where the network is fastest (Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Hangzhou–Suzhou–Shanghai) and by domestic flight for the longer hops through Zhangjiajie and Guilin. All tickets and transfers are booked for you.
April–May and September–October offer the best balance of weather across all nine cities. Summer brings heat and rain in the south; winter is cold in the north and can close some mountain paths in Zhangjiajie. Avoid Golden Week (October 1–7) and Chinese New Year.
This private tour starts at $6,499 per person for two or more travelers sharing a room, with 4-star hotels. Solo travelers and 5-star versions are quoted individually because single-room supplements and luxury hotel rates vary by season.
Yes. We can drop or swap cities, add Hong Kong or Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), change the hotel tier or slow the pace. Send your dates and interests and we'll build a custom version within 24 hours.
Ready to Plan
Your Three Weeks in China?
Tell us your dates, group size and preferred hotel tier. We'll send a custom version of this itinerary within 24 hours — free, with no commitment until you approve every detail.