China tours from Beijing
Most people who search this are already in Beijing — for work, or at the end of a first week — and want to know what is worth adding with the days they have left.
The three continuations that work
| Add | How | Days needed | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xi’an | High-speed rail, 4.5 h | 2–3 | Terracotta Army and the Ming wall; the natural next step |
| Shanghai | High-speed rail, 4.5 h | 2–3 | The other end of the classic line |
| Chengdu | Flight, 2.5 h | 3 | Pandas, teahouses, Sichuan food |
| Guilin | Flight, 3 h | 3 | Karst scenery and the Li River |
If you have three days left, go to Xi’an. If you have five, Xi’an plus Shanghai. Anything that needs a flight costs you half a day of airport, which is why Chengdu and Guilin only make sense with three days or more.
What to do with two days in Beijing itself
- Day one: Tiananmen, the Forbidden City, Jingshan Hill at closing time.
- Day two: Mutianyu Great Wall early, back by 16:00, hutongs in the evening.
- Skip: the Ming Tombs (an hour each way for 40 minutes of walking).
If you have not booked the wall yet, read which section to choose first — the difference between Badaling and Mutianyu is the difference between a coach park and a wall.
The one thing to book before you land
High-speed rail seats for Beijing–Xi’an. They open roughly two weeks ahead and the morning departures go first. If you are travelling in spring or autumn, this is the constraint that decides your itinerary, not the hotels.
How this becomes a full trip
Beijing plus Xi’an is our 7-day Imperial Capitals route. Add Shanghai and it becomes the 10-day version. Add Guilin and you are on the 12-day route.
We have three days left in Beijing — Xi’an or Chengdu?
Xi’an, unless pandas are the reason you came. Xi’an is a 4.5-hour train rather than a flight plus two airport transfers.
Can you arrange only the Xi’an part?
Yes. Partial trips are normal: a guide and driver in Xi’an, no Beijing component.
Is a day trip to the wall enough?
Yes — Mutianyu, early start, back by late afternoon. Two days on the wall only makes sense for hikers.
What if we only have one free day?
Mutianyu, and nothing else. One day is a wall day.
Do you pick up from Beijing hotels?
Yes, door to door, including the early wall departures.
Send your dates, get a written plan
Within 24 hours: a day-by-day outline and a line-by-line price. Nothing is charged until you approve it.