Day 1 Beijing Arrival
You will be met by your local tour guide at the arrival hall of your arrival airport or train station, then be escorted to check in to your hotel in downtown by a private comfortable vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to relax. If you want to explore nearby, feel free to get some practical suggestions from your tour guide.
Arrival Ideas: There are many international and domestic flights to Beijing. Besides, you can take a high speed train to this capital city from Shanghai , Xian,Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hong Kong, etc.
Day 2 Beijing City Tour
Private escorted Beijing city tour to the largest city square in the world – Tian’anmen Square. Then walk through the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tian’anmen Gate) to the Forbidden City, which is the largest imperial palace in China for 24 emperor’s reign during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is protected by high walls and consists of 980 magnificent wooden buildings with 8,886 rooms. Learn from your guide about the stories of some important women, such as Empress Dowager Cixi, who used to live in Forbidden City.
Afternoon you will go ahead to explore Hutong alleyways, it is the best way to witness local Beijinger’s lifestyle and traditional culture. You will visit a local family in Hutong and take a fun-filled Chinese paper-cutting class. (Painting Peking Opera Mask, Making Chinese knot, Learning Chinese calligraphy are also available)
Taste Peking roast duck for dinner at one of the best local restaurants. Used to be a royal court dish with a history of around 1500 years, it is the most famous Beijing dish and a must for your Beijing food tour.
Day 3 Great Wall Tour
The Great Wall is a must-visit sight when visiting Beijing. Today our Beijing tour will take you to visit the Great Wall at Simatai. Unlike the Badaling and Mutianyu sections of the Great Wall, Simatai section is more authentic, which can be said as the most unique one. It has not been renovated or restored since it was built 500 years ago. Date on which they were made and the code numbers of the armies that made them can still be seen on the bricks of Simatai Great Wall. There is a famous story happened on the Great Wall about a woman named Lady Meng Jiang that you may learn from your guide what it is about if you’re interested.
After leisure hiking tour on the Great Wall, we will go ahead to see Gubei Water Town which is located at the foot of Simatai Great Wall. The renovation of this 1000-year-old town has been beautiful done. If time permits, it is suggested to stay one night to enjoy the night view of the town.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
If it is winter season, enjoy yourself hot spring bath – a perfect treatment after a walking day,
Visit Simatai Great Wall at night. Simatai is the only section of the wall which is lit up and open to tourists at night, the trip will last about 1 hour.
Tips for visiting Simatai Great Wall:
Opened section on Simatai is between No. 1 and No. 10 of East Towers. East Tower 2 is the walking entrance, and upper station of cable car is at East Tower 5.
Opened section for night visit is Tower 5 and Tower 6 only.
It is generally downhill from Tower 10 to Tower 1. It will be a challenge to walk from Tower 1 to Tower 10!
For senior visitors and people with walking difficulties, it is suggested to take cable car to Tower 5 and visit the highlights of Simatai Great Wall from Tower 5 and Tower 6.
Day 4 Beijing – Zhang jia jie
After breakfast, drive to Temple of Heaven, a historic site once used by emperors for sacrificial ceremonies. As you explore this grand complex of buildings and gardens, you’ll discover the rituals and beliefs of the Ming and Qing emperors, who sought divine blessings for good harvests through intricate ceremonies. Beyond its historical importance, you’ll observe vibrant local life, with residents practicing Tai Chi, dancing, and engaging in various exercises among the lush pine woods.
Then get back to the central city to hop on a rickshaw to experience the Beijing Hutongs – narrow alleys lined with historic quadrangle dwellings. This journey will immerse you in the traditional Beijing lifestyle, where you can explore charming antique shops, boutique stores, and witness the city’s historical evolution. You’ll also visit a local family’s home in the Hutongs, offering a glimpse into everyday life.
After today’s sightseeing, your tour guide and driver will escort you to the airport to catch your flight to Zhangjiajie. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by our tour guide and be transferred to check in your hotel in Zhangjiajie.
Day 5 Zhang jia jie National Forest Park
Kick off your day with an early breakfast, then head to the UNESCO World Heritage site – Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. You will visit Ten-mile Gallery, Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain which are the Core Scenic Areas of the national park. (Please be advised that the order of visits to the attractions listed below may be adjusted in response to real-time weather conditions and visitor traffic levels.)
Begin your adventure at the Ten-mile Gallery, where sightseeing trams glide past stunning formations like The God of Longevity Welcoming Guests, the Old Herb Picker, and the Three Sisters Peaks. This leisurely journey leads you through a captivating valley filled with storytelling landscapes. To enrich your experience and save time, you’ll take a tram in and back out, soaking in the beauty along the way.
Your next destination is Yuanjiajie. Begin your exploration on the Bailong Elevator, the world’s fastest and tallest outdoor lift, which ascends from the valley floor to the peak in just 1.5 minutes, providing a stunning bird’s-eye view of the remarkable landscape. Once you arrive at Yuanjiajie, immerse yourself in the area’s natural beauty, renowned for its towering sandstone columns. Hike through this enchanting terrain, often shrouded in mist, and discover the inspiration behind the floating Hallelujah Mountains from the film Avatar. At the Ecstasy Terrace, soak in breathtaking vistas of hundreds of distinctive stone peaks. Finally, explore the natural wonder of The First Bridge, a striking stone bridge connecting two peaks with a 5-meter platform, showcasing a rare geological marvel.
After exploring Yuanjiajie, hop on a sightseeing bus to Tianzi Mountain. At Helong Park, you’ll discover one of the area’s finest viewing decks, providing close-up views of the majestic and unique Yubi Peak, and find the romantic Fairy Flowers among the hundreds of bizarre sandstone peaks. If you have the energy, you can venture a bit deeper to the Warrior Training Horse where dozens of unusual peaks stand tall, among which one peak resembles a proud steed with its mane held high, while next to it, a rock looks like a warrior holding the reins of a horse. End your visit at Tianzi Mountain with an exhilarating ride on the Cable Car, descending through a landscape of sandstone pillars that seem to rush past your window.
Following this thrilling tour, your guide and driver will take you to Zhangjiajie’s downtown area for hotel check-in.
Today’s Optional Attraction – Kongzhong Tianyuan, also known as The Field in the Sky (around 1~2 hours):
Kongzhong Tianyuan is a scenic spot that is less frequented by tour groups but features breathtaking views, making it especially suitable for photography. Typically, visitors need to take a sightseeing bus to reach the area. Here, you can see dozens of terraced fields layered amidst hundreds of towering stone peaks, and you can also gaze at the Bailong Elevator rising like a giant dragon into the sky. It’s important to note that to get a close-up view of the Avatar peaks from the lower observation platforms, you’ll need to walk about half an hour. Be extra cautious while walking during rainy days and in winter.
Optional Evening Show: Enjoy your night to watch the popular Tianmen Fox Fairy Show at the foot of Tianmen Mountain, which is an excellent large-scaled musical drama performance with real landscape being the background and stage telling the touching story. Performance time: 20:15-21:50.
Day 6 Tianmen Mountain National Park
After breakfast, your guide and driver will collect you from your hotel to embark on an exhilarating journey to Tianmen Mountain, a must-see attraction in Zhangjiajie, renowned for its record-breaking single-track circular alpine cableway and the awe-inspiring natural phenomenon, Tianmen Cave.
You’ll begin by taking the Tianmen Mountain Cableway, which ascends from downtown Zhangjiajie to the top of the mountain, over 1,400 meters above sea level. This approximately 7,455-meter-long cableway is currently the longest of its kind globally, offering a breathtaking view of the meandering Tongtian Avenue (Avenue toward Heaven) as seen from the transparent carriage.
The first part of your journey will be along the West Line Visiting Route (Looking for a Wonderland), which leads you through the mountain’s peak area. En route, you’ll be surrounded by natural marvels and thrilling experiences. The Guigu Cliffside Path awaits your adventurous spirit. At the end of the West Line, you’ll find the Tianmen Mountain Temple, which dates back to the Tang Dynasty and is situated atop the mountain.
After visiting the temple, you have the option to continue exploring the East Line (Jasper Terrace in The Green Field), hiking towards Yuhu Peak, and passing through South Overlooking Tianmen Cave, Immortal Source, Yu Hu Peak and Happy Grove, etc. Alternatively, you can take a refreshing forest sightseeing cable car (requires an extra fee of 25/pp for a single run) up to the Yunmeng Fairy Summit, the best vantage point on Tianmen Mountain, then walk down to the Turbulent Water at Tianmen (Upper Station of Transmountain Escalator).
Next, you’ll take the Transmountain Escalator from the peak down to Tianmen Cave to witness the colossal natural opening in the mountain. This cave, formed by natural compression and collapse, measures 131.5 meters in height, 57 meters in width, and 60 meters in depth, making it an extraordinary geological wonder. Afterwards, you’ll walk down the extremely steep 999 steps (Stairway to Heaven), with an incline of up to 45°. Finally, you will take the Tianmen Mountain Express Cableway down to the mountain gate parking lot, then transfer to a shuttle bus back to the Tianmen Mountain Tourist Center, where your tour guide and driver will be waiting for you.
Tianmen Mountain Travel Tips:
- At Tianmen Mountain, there are three glass skywalks: one to the east and two to the west.
- If you have trouble moving around or want to save energy, you can take the escalator down to Tianmen Cave square. It costs an extra 32 per person per ride.
- The tour of Tianmen Mountain offers great flexibility in operation. The guide arranges the specific order of sightseeing according to the flow of visitors in the scenic area on the day. If you have specific places you’re keen on exploring, please share this with your guide.
After the tour, your guide and driver will escort you the airport to catch your flight to Shanghai (about 2 hours). Upon arriving at Shanghai airport, you will be met by local tour guide, and escorted to check in to your hotel in Shanghai downtown.
Day 7 Zhangjiajie
Morning
Zhang jiajie Charming Xiangxi Show
Opening Hours: Open from 7:00pm-8:05pm
Length of Stay: 1.5-1.5 Hours
Location: Xiangxi Square,Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
In the Xiangxi Grand Theater, an old and long-established theater in the Wulingyuan Scenic Spot in Zhangjiajie, performances of Zhangjiajie’s “Charming Xiangxi” occur. The “Charming Xiangxi” evening party is an authentic cultural event as is divided into indoor and outdoor performances. The indoor section of the performance contains six chapters mainly focused on folk lore, while the outdoor section of the performance focuses on the major arts of Western Hunan, such as the More Enthusiastic Bloom of the Fire and Dance Song and In the Burning is Busy in the Bonfire. When you attend you’ll get a taste of the splendid culture that has developed over thousands of years in Xiangxi.
Afternoon
Having the chance to enjoy the charming Zhangjiajie Charming Xiangxi Show, Tianzishan Cableway next to it is another great place that you will never want to miss!
Tianzishan Cableway
Opening Hours: 7:30-18:30
Length of Stay: 0.5-2.0 Hours
Location: Tianzi Mountain, Wulingyuan Scenic Spot, Zhangjiajie City
The Tianzishan cableway is a single-line circular detachable cable passenger ropeway. All equipment is imported from the Austrian company Doppelmayr. The completion of the Tianzishan cableway has greatly improved the tourist traffic environment of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, and made up for the regret that the tourists spent half a day working on the Tianzi Mountain to see only one look. Take the Tianzishan cableway, which is comfortable and safe, and you can enjoy the beautiful scenery along the route. It is amazing. Especially when the clouds are lingering, tourists can experience the dynamic and exciting flying of the fairy flying on the ropeway.
Day 8 Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism culture
Morning
Huangshizhai Cableway
Opening Hours: 7:00-18:00
Length of Stay: 5-10 Minutes
Location: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City (near the Forest Park Ticket Station)
Huangshizhai Cableway is a two-way cableway between Baishajing and Huangshizhai in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The cableway is mainly engaged in transporting passengers in Zhangjiajie Huangshizhai. Its main mechanical and electrical equipment was imported from the POMA Company in France. Combining sightseeing and traveling, the cableway can save you the hardship of climbing and provide the pleasure of immersing yourself in the “painting.”
Afternoon
Now we come to another great highlight in the city: Zhangjiajie Puguang Temple.
Opening Hours: Open from 8:00am-6:00pm
Length of Stay: 1-1 Hours
Location: Jiefang Road, Yongding District
Puguang Temple is an ancient temple with a long history and far-ranging reputation. It was built in the eleventh year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty (1413 AD), seven years earlier than the Forbidden City in Beijing, four years earlier than the Golden Temple of Wudang Mountain in Hubei, and Xianfeng Temple in Mount Emei in Sichuan. Yubaoguo Temple was built more than 100 years ago, with a large number of worshippers, and it is known as the “Famous Temple in the South of the Yangtze River”. Legend has it that more than 600 years ago, the forest was lush and ancient trees towering to the sky. Yongjian, the commander stationed in Yongding in the Ming Dynasty, chased a group of white sheep on the hillside to no avail. The white sheep got into the ground. Yongjian was surprised. A pile of gold, so he used the money to build this temple. Yongjian reported it to Zhu Di, the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty, and Zhu Di gave it the name “Puguang Temple”, and because of the white sheep, the temple was also called “The Ancient Temple of Aries”. Later, Confucian Temple, Wu Temple, Chenghuang Temple, Songliang Academy, etc. were built around Puguang Temple, and now only Puguang Temple, Wu Temple and Wenchang Temple remain. The whole building of Puguang Temple adopts traditional bucket arch and caisson structure, which is exquisitely designed and magnificent. When visiting Puguang Temple, the first sight is Dashanmen and Ershanmen. They form a huge building complex with the Bell and Drum Tower, Luohan Hall, Wu Temple, etc. Today, the temple is dedicated to Sakyamuni, Guanyin, Jade Emperor, Manjusri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Four Heavenly Kings, Eighteen Arhats, “Sanqing” (ie Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, Taishang Laojun) and Guan Gong and many other statues. The special features of Puguang Temple can be seen from the couplet of “temple, view, pavilion, ancestral hall and workshop, Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, literature and martial arts combined together”.
Halal meals can be arranged for all itineraries.
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