Day 1–2
Beijing: the icons, done right
Forbidden City + Jingshan + hutongs on day one; Mutianyu Great Wall on day two with the toboggan down and Peking duck at night. Book both headline tickets with your passport days ahead.
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Itinerary Beijing · Xi’an · Guilin · Shanghai 10 days ¥7,500 + hotels Apr–May & Sep–Oct
10 Days in China: the Golden Triangle + Guilin's Karst Rivers
Everything the 7-day Golden Triangle covers, plus three days floating through Guilin's karst peaks on the Li River — the scene on the ¥20 note. History, food, skyline and landscape in one loop.
By NihaoLife Editors · Official
The classic route plus the landscape China paints on its money; timings and prices checked July 2026.
Day 3–4
Xi'an: Terracotta Army, Muslim Quarter, wall by bike
Train from Beijing (~4.5h), evening food crawl through the Muslim Quarter. Next morning the Terracotta Army at opening, then cycle the Ming city wall at golden hour. Xi'an rewards hunger more than any city on this route.
Day 5
Fly to Guilin, ease into the karst
Xi'an→Guilin is the one flight worth taking on this loop (~2h; the train is 10+). Afternoon: the Reed Flute Cave or simply the lakeside promenade downtown. Sleep early — the river deserves your morning.
Day 6
The Li River to Yangshuo
Cruise or bamboo-raft the Li River through the karst towers to Yangshuo (4–5h; the Xingping stretch is the ¥20-note view). In Yangshuo, rent an e-bike and ride the Yulong River valley until sunset — rice paddies, water buffalo, peaks in every direction. Stay overnight; day-trippers miss the best light.
Day 7
Yangshuo: countryside morning, then back to Guilin
Morning at Moon Hill or a cooking class in a village kitchen. If terraces tempt you, know the Longji Rice Terraces are a full extra day (2.5h each way) — worth it if you can stretch to 11 days. Evening back in Guilin for the night train prep or a rest.
Day 8
To Shanghai
Fly Guilin→Shanghai (~2h) by mid-morning. Land, drop bags, and take the Bund at night — after a week of dynasties and rivers, the skyline hits differently.
Day 9–10
Shanghai: old lanes, French Concession, one last splurge
Yu Garden and the old town at opening, xiaolongbao, then the French Concession's plane-tree streets. Final day: Shanghai Tower for the view, or collect the suit you ordered at the fabric market on day 8. Pudong departures: leave 3 hours.
What it costs
| Attractions, cruise & tickets (10 days) | ~¥1,400 |
| Trains Beijing→Xi'an + local transit | ~¥800 |
| Flights Xi'an→Guilin, Guilin→Shanghai | ~¥1,600 |
| Food (street-heavy, four splurges) | ~¥1,900 |
| Total | ¥7,500 + hotels |
Good to know
- Book the Li River cruise ahead in peak season; morning departures get the best light.
- Yangshuo deserves the overnight — the valley at dusk is the trip's quiet high point.
- Rain transforms the karst into ink-wash mist: don't cancel the cruise for drizzle.
- Ten days, four cities is the ceiling — add days, not stops, if you can.