Classic China Discovery with Guilin

/5 935 Latest reviews

Tour Code: ODY-CN-2589

Destination:Shanghai, Guilin, Xi'an, Beijing

Duration

12 Days

Tour Type

Private & Bespoke

Tour Style

Classic

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About This Trip

Discover some of China's most intriguing destinations on this 12-day trip. Begin your tour in Shanghai to get a taste of this metropolis city. Then fly to Guilin in southern China for a relaxing Li River Cruise and a glimpse of village life in the countryside of Yangshuo. Continue on to Xi'an to see the world-famous Terracotta Warriors. Finish your journey in Beijing, where you'll visit the Forbidden City and hike the Great Wall.

Itinerary Summary

DAY PLACE HIGHLIGHTS
1 - 3 Shanghai The Bund, Yu Garden, Shanghai Tower, Fengjing Ancient Town
4 - 6 Guilin Li River Cruise, Yangshuo Countryside, Cooking Class
7 - 9 Xi'an Terracotta Warriors, Ancient City Wall, Muslim Street
10 - 12 Beijing Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Mutianyu Great Wall
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Itinerary

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Day 1: Shanghai Arrival

Welcome to Shanghai, China! When you arrive at the airport, your private tour guide will be waiting for you outside the arrival hall with a warm smile. Then, you will be transferred to your hotel near the city downtown for check-in. On the way to the hotel, the guide will briefly introduce this metropolis and confirm the next morning's departure time with you.

Shanghai

Day 2: Shanghai City Tour

Today's journey begins at Shanghai's most iconic landmark - the Bund, where historic European facades meet futuristic skyscrapers. Continue to the peaceful Jade Buddha Temple, a spiritual oasis in the heart of the city.

Then, step into the classical beauty of Yu Garden, a serene retreat filled with pavilions, ponds, and arched bridges. Later, discover the laid-back elegance of the former French Concession. Stroll through Fuxing Park, browse the boutiques of Bugaoli, and sample snacks at a nearby market. A visit to the Shanghai Tower with an excellent bird's eye view of the city's skyline will bring your day excursion to a close.

This evening is yours to explore at leisure. Follow your nose to a hidden eatery for authentic Shanghainese cuisine, or opt for a mesmerizing night out with ERA: Intersection of Time, a world-class Chinese acrobatics performance.

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Shanghai

Day 3: Fengjing Ancient Town

Head out to Fengjing Ancient Town, approx. 1.5 hours' drive, a tranquil water town with stone bridges and traditional Ming - and Qing-style houses. Visit the Jinshan Peasant Painting Village to discover a folk-art tradition - and try your hand at creating a framed piece to take home.

After a local lunch, explore the Fengjing Distillery, where you'll witness the time-honored craft of brewing Huangjiu, a fragrant rice wine with deep cultural roots.

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Shanghai

Day 4: Shanghai - Guilin, Odynovo Headquarters Visit

Today, say goodbye to the fast-paced glamour of Shanghai and fly to Guilin, a city famed for its idyllic landscapes and karst peaks. Upon arrival, your local guide will take you to Odynovo's headquarters for a special behind-the-scenes look at how your journey was thoughtfully designed. Afterward, check in at your hotel and relax - perhaps take a peaceful walk along the nearby scenic lakes to soak in the charm of this laid-back city.

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Guilin

Day 5: Guilin - Yangshuo, Li River Cruise

Drive 50 minutes to Zhujiang Pier to get on board for your Li River cruise down to Yangshuo. The cruise usually lasts about 4 hours, depending on the water level. During the cruise, you will be amazed by the picturesque pastoral views along the river consisting of karst hills, cliffs, fascinating caverns, luscious bamboo, and rural villages. Lunch will be served on board.

Arrive in Yangshuo at about 1:30 p.m., walk through bustling West Street, and then be transferred to your hotel in Yangshuo. The rest of the day is yours to rest at the hotel or walk around.

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Yangshuo

Day 6: Cooking Class & Yangshuo Countryside Hiking Tour

At 9:00 AM, arrive at the local kitchen where a warm welcome with local tea and fresh fruit awaits. Explore the organic garden, pick seasonal vegetables, and dive into a hands-on cooking class. Prepare four local dishes, including Yangshuo beer fish and a savory omelet with minced pork, then enjoy the delicious results of your efforts.

In the afternoon, take a light guided hike through the Yangshuo countryside, with time to soak up idyllic views of rice paddies, limestone peaks, and village life.

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Yangshuo

Day 7: Yangshuo - Guilin - Xi'an

Bid farewell to the pastoral beauty of Yangshuo as you head to the airport for your flight to Xi'an, the ancient capital steeped in history. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and enjoy a comfortable transfer to your hotel for check-in and rest.

Later, head to the vibrant Great Tang All Day Mall, a lively pedestrian street glowing with lights and Tang-style architecture. Here, enjoy a fun traditional Chinese costume experience - try on elegant Hanfu or ornate Tang-style robes, and immerse yourself in the grandeur of ancient China.

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Xi'an

Day 8: Xi'an, Terracotta Warriors

The highlight of today's journey is the awe-inspiring Terracotta Warriors. Spend 2 to 2.5 hours there to marvel at the grand array of thousands of life-size clay soldiers, horses, and chariots, and see how powerful the first emperor of China - Qin Shi Huang was.

Driving back to the city area, take a stroll through the vibrant Muslim Quarter - a lively network of alleys brimming with aromas and energy. Here, sizzling grills and bubbling pots line the streets, offering local favorites like roujiamo, wide biangbiang noodles, and crisp, juicy pomegranate juice.

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Xi'an

Day 9: Xi'an - Beijing

After breakfast, transfer to the railway station and board your high-speed train to Beijing (approx. 4.5-6 hours depending on schedule). Upon arrival, your local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

In the afternoon, explore the Xicheng Hutong district, visiting the courtyard homes of famous historical figures and enjoying the tranquil charm of Dingfu Street. Experience a live demonstration of Peking Opera with a traditional tea, and visit Qin Wangfu and Furen University, once the residence of Prince Tao-an elegant blend of Chinese and Western design.

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Beijing

Day 10: Beijing, Forbidden City

Kick off your exploration of Beijing with a visit to Tiananmen Square, and then you'll step into the Forbidden City to feel its splendor. With its extensive past, you'll see many priceless structures and artifacts. Your guide will take you to explore the three main halls and palaces and introduce you to their used purposes and the stories behind them. Later, climb up to the top of Jingshan Park, where you will see a magnificent panorama of the Forbidden City.

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Beijing

Day 11: Beijing, Great Wall

This morning, you'll visit the Temple of Heaven, where ancient emperors used to worship the heavens, and now it is a leisure center for the nearby residents.

The Great Wall, which stands for 2300 years and winds over twenty thousand kilometers, is absolutely a must-see site in Beijing. Today, you will have a close encounter with it. Drive about 1.5 hours to visit the magnificent Mutianyu Great Wall, with a cable car up and down. Here you can do light hiking on the Great Wall to enjoy the majestic scenery.

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Beijing

Day 12: Beijing, Departure

Today, your guide and driver will escort you to the airport, assist with check-in, and see you off at the security gate.

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What Our Clients Say

"Great Customized Service", "Trip of A Lifetime", "Exceed All Expectations"

Richee Family Adventures

05 Aug 2025

Second Honeymoon My wife and I celebrated our 20th anniversary by spending a few weeks touring around Asia. We loved how Odynovo worked with us to craft a tour of what we wanted to see and how we wanted to see it. This was our first time traveling with a private tour guide, and it was truly amazing. they took care of all transportation, tickets, and everywhere we went we had someone who not only spoke our language, but was also very well-versed in the places we were visiting. We saw Beijing and then took a bullet train to Xi'an. In both cities we had tour guides who had done this "a thousand times," and as a result knew all the tricks on where to take the best pictures, what lines to stand in, where to eat, and what not to waste your time seeing. At one point our guide pulled out ponchos from her backpack when it started to rain, while another helped us haggle for a good price on a new suitcase. We were surprised by how much we loved China, and it is safe to say that is because of the quality of service we got from Odynovo. Oh, and the hotels were great, too! In our first hotel my wife fell in love with her breakfast soup that she had to have every morning, while in Xi'an we were right around the corner from the Muslim Night Market and were able to get to it in less than 5 minutes of walking.We are already looking to see what tours we will be doing next through Odynovo, as the service was amazing, the quality was remarkable, and the cost was very worth it for what we received.
Shannon V

05 Aug 2025

Fabulous! We had a fabulous experience with our guide and Odynovo walking the Great Wall of China, and all other sites in Beijing. We loved our Peking duck dinner. It was fabulous. Thank you, Sammie/Jing for a great experience.
domotic d

05 Aug 2025

Beijing Beauty It started off with a friendly face at the airport, with Roy, our tour guide.The week has been such a pleasure and a treat. From adventures to The Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City, to local markets, delicious Beijing food and roof top tea houses.Roy and our driver, Mr. Zhou, were prompt in picking us up and driving us around safely.The knowledge and fact about history and Beijing that Roy knows and explains is amazing and the fact he could answer my weird and inquisitive history questionsnwoth ease was a treat.He made it so easy to enjoy ourselves and absorb all that was around us, he even takes great photos too! 😊Polite, kind and thoughtful and ever patient in letting us take our time with things that interested us.I would highly recommend this tour and Roy again and again.
Zarah B

05 Aug 2025

Amazing travel experience My name is Zarah M. Babangida a Nigerian and i visited Beijing with my colleagues from the office. During our 5 day stay in Beijing, Ms. Eva Ma, was our Tour guide and from the minute we came through the Arrival Gate of the Airport, we were embraced by her alluring smile and warm welcome. She remained consistent with her warmth, a kind and intelligent professional who exuded unique passion not just for her job as a tour guide but, even more so as a proud Chinese woman. Her outstanding insight and knowledge of the sweet Chinese history and heritage left us in awe. I couldn't be more proud and thankful that she was assigned to our group and she made our stay exciting, fun-filled effortless and knowledge packed. I absolutely commend her dedication to work which she depicted throughout our stay. I recommend her to every visiting tourist because to know Eva, is to love her. If it were up to me, i will increase her bonuses or upgrade her salary as i am sure most tourists would want or revisit for her sake first and then perhaps other reasons.Thank you Eva and keep the passion up🙌.

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