Begin your discovery of Beijing with a guided visit to Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square and the symbolic heart of modern China. Surrounded by landmarks such as the Great Hall of the People and the Monument to the People’s Heroes, it’s a powerful introduction to the nation’s past and present.
From here, step into the awe-inspiring Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed complex that once housed 24 emperors across the Ming and Qing dynasties. Wander through palatial halls and serene courtyards as your guide reveals the rich symbolism behind its ancient treasures.
This afternoon, choose to delve deeper into local life with an optional tour of Beijing’s hutongs — narrow alleyways where traditional courtyard homes reveal centuries of community culture (surcharges apply). Conclude your day with a quintessential dining experience: a Peking duck banquet at a local restaurant, savouring the city’s most famous dish.
Leave the city life behind as you strike out for the utterly breathtaking Great Wall of China. Travel to Juyong Pass, carving an imposing line through the valley of the Changping District. Surrounded by mountains on either side, this is one of the most historically significant and impenetrable segments of the Great Wall. Admire the vast mountain scenery as you walk along this architectural wonder, then continue to a local jade factory for the opportunity to witness a traditional trade and maybe purchase a handcrafted souvenir.
This evening, you might like to watch an acrobatic kung fu performance (surcharges apply).
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours
Great Wall of China visit
After breakfast, meet in the lobby and transfer to the station for your train bound for Xi’an. Board your high-speed G-train in Second Class seats.
On arrival in Xi’an, you’ll be met and transferred to your Shangri-La hotel for check-in. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure before the option to join a night tour to experience the city’s evening atmosphere (surcharges apply).
Travel time: Train – approx. five hours
High-speed G train trip (bullet train)
Wake to breakfast and the promise of an adventurous day in Xi’an, where China’s dynastic legacy is built into the 14th-century city walls.
Start your day at a Terracotta Warriors workshop, where artisans craft detailed replicas of the famous army. Then, continue to Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum to admire the real thing. One of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th-century, this vault of terracotta-sculpted warriors is credited to the rule of unified China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Since its unexpected discovery, archaeologists have pored over the individual faces and assembled masses of these solemn statues in search of historic insights.
Savour lunch at a local restaurant before you’re transferred to Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) for your flight to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). On arrival, you’ll be transferred to your luxury Shangri-La accommodation in Pudong, set in the heart of this dynamic city.
Travel time: Flight – approx. 2.5 hours
Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum visit
Spend the day in the heart of Shanghai, beginning with a stroll through Yuyuan Bazaar, where cobbled streets are lined with shops selling herbal medicines, handicrafts, Chinese tea and local snacks. Step into the Yu Gardens, a serene example of classical Chinese landscaping, featuring jade rock formations, goldfish ponds and elegant pavilions, built by Ming-era governor Pan Yunduan as a retirement gift for his father.
Next, visit the Bund, where Shanghai’s colonial history unfolds along the waterfront. Admire buildings from 1850s trade houses to 1920s Art Deco landmarks, including banks, hotels and the iconic customs house. Explore a local silk mill to see the production of luxurious silk from silkworm to finished fabric.
For a different perspective, consider an optional Huangpu River cruise (surcharges apply).
Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner with the group to say goodbye to this fabulous China trip.
After breakfast at your hotel, it’s time to say goodbye to your fellow travellers as you transfer to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) for your included flight to Shenzhen.
Upon landing at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (SZX), make your own way to Futian Shangri-La, where three nights of utmost comfort and hospitality await. Check-in and head to the Horizon Club Lounge for two hours of cocktails and canapés from 6pm–8pm. Then, take your pick of several onsite dining options before sleeping in your Horizon Club room.
Travel time: Driving – approx. one hour
Your Futian Shangri-La inclusions:
- Daily buffet breakfast at Café Zen or Horizon Club Lounge
- Daily Horizon Club Lounge access with all-day refreshments
- Daily afternoon tea at Horizon Club Lounge
- Nightly drinks and canapés at Horizon Club Lounge from 6pm–8pm
- Welcome cocktail per adult
- CNY300 food and drink credit per package to use at Café Zen or Shang Garden
- CNY200 spa credit per package to use at Chi, The Spa
- Guaranteed 2pm late checkout
Three-night stay at Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen
Spend your first full day in Shenzhen exploring the city at your own pace. Start in Futian, the city’s modern heart, where the Civic Centre, the Shenzhen Museum and open green spaces of Lianhuashan Park offer a broad introduction. From the hilltop, look across the central business district and towards the skyline of neighbouring Hong Kong.
Later, consider heading to OCT Loft, a former industrial precinct reimagined as a creative district of galleries, cafes, independent shops and converted warehouses. Alternatively, linger closer to the hotel and make use of your food and drink credit at Café Zen or Shang Garden.
Don’t forget your included afternoon tea in the hotel’s Horizon Club Lounge, followed by evening drinks and canapés. You may also wish to use your spa credit at Chi, The Spa after a day on your feet.
Your Futian Shangri-La inclusions:
- Daily buffet breakfast at Café Zen or Horizon Club Lounge
- Daily Horizon Club Lounge access with all-day refreshments
- Daily afternoon tea at Horizon Club Lounge
- Nightly drinks and canapés at Horizon Club Lounge from 6pm–8pm
- Welcome cocktail per adult
- CNY300 food and drink credit per package to use at Café Zen or Shang Garden
- CNY200 spa credit per package to use at Chi, The Spa
- Guaranteed 2pm late checkout
Your final full day in China awaits, with a buffet breakfast at Café Zen or Horizon Club Lounge. The rest of the day is yours to discover a different side of Shenzhen.
Choose to explore Nanshan and Shekou, where former fishing villages have given way to waterfront promenades, galleries and a growing dining scene. Stroll around Sea World, browse the cafes and design stores, or visit the nearby Shenzhen Talent Park for bayside views across the city.
For a more traditional perspective, consider visiting Dafen Oil Painting Village, where artists work in studios throughout a lively maze of lanes.
As evening arrives, toast to your tour with one more night of cocktails, canapés and a view of the city below.
Your Futian Shangri-La inclusions:
- Daily buffet breakfast at Café Zen or Horizon Club Lounge
- Daily Horizon Club Lounge access with all-day refreshments
- Daily afternoon tea at Horizon Club Lounge
- Nightly drinks and canapés at Horizon Club Lounge from 6pm–8pm
- Welcome cocktail per adult
- CNY300 food and drink credit per package to use at Café Zen or Shang Garden
- CNY200 spa credit per package to use at Chi, The Spa
- Guaranteed 2pm late checkout
Your China tour comes to a close this morning with one final buffet breakfast at the hotel. Then, it’s time to make your own way back to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (SZX) for your onward journey.