A guide to China routings

  • Travelife
  • ABTOT
  • ATOL

From vibrant staircases of emerald rice paddies to bamboo boats and limestone mountains, there’s so much to see and do in China. We know that planning a holiday to China can be a little overwhelming, so we’ve put together this handy guide to China routings to help you plan an itinerary that is just right for you.

First time in China?

2.5 Week China Travel Itinerary

So, you’ve not been to China but have heard about the top attractions and fancy seeing some of the lesser known highlights too. We suggest an itinerary that takes you to busy cities, the Great Wall, Chengdu’s Pandas and along the scenic Yulong River. Short on time? You can always shave off 2 or 3 days in one or two of the cities.

Tourist looking along the Great Wall of China
Terracotta Army in China

Are you short on time?

8 Day China Travel Itinerary

If you’ve not got the time to do the full two weeks away and you simply want to get a good taste for the Chinese culture, you could choose to explore northern and eastern China. This fast-paced itinerary gets you to the fascinating cities of Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai in a little over a week. You’d get to visit the legendary Forbidden City, see the Terracotta Army warriors, explore Xi’an’s bustling Muslim quarter and wander along the boulevards of Shanghai’s French quarter.

Looking for comfort?

2 Week China Travel Itinerary

If you’re looking for a little extra comfort, then this is the perfect itinerary for you. It includes all the highlights of Beijing, Xi’an and Hong Kong, but you’ll travel at a slower pace, staying in comfortable accommodation along the way and travelling large distances by plane instead of road, with all transfers taken care of.

Woman in sunglasses overlooking Hong Kong skyline
Emerald lakes of Jiuzhaigou national park

Want to escape the tourist trail?

3 Week China Travel Itinerary

This adventurous itinerary takes you off the main tourist trail. You’ll still visit the highlights (which is good if you’re travelling with friends on their first trip) but you’ll also see Tibetan-influenced provinces, visiting the Labrang monastery, vast Ganjia Grasslands and the terraced pools of Huanglong and emerald lakes of Jiuzhaigou. A lot of these areas have very basic facilities and can get extremely cold in the winter so we’d recommend doing this trip from May to September.

Speak to our China specialist, David

With bags of knowledge and first-hand destination experience, our team are here to help plan your perfect holiday. Just give us a call or send us a message to get started.
Dave travel specialist next to China flag at the Great Wall