Scenic China | 16 days

China Scenic Horizons

A supplier-confirmed 16-day route from Shanghai to Beijing via Chongqing, Wulong, Zhangjiajie, Guilin and Yangshuo, built for travellers who want dramatic landscapes without losing city comfort.

Book This Journey

TOUR OVERVIEW

A scenic cross-China route with real breathing room.

This journey now follows the supplier-confirmed route through Wulong before Zhangjiajie, then softens into Guilin and Yangshuo before finishing in Beijing. It is designed for travellers who want China’s mountain, river and karst landscapes with private transfers and guided city context.

From A$9,995 per person

twin share · party of 3–6 · land only
Private party of 2 — A$13,995 pp

Duration: 16 days
Route: Shanghai, Chongqing, Wulong, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Yangshuo, Beijing
Style: Fixed scenic journey with guided touring
Pace: Moderate to fuller
Hotels: Supplier-confirmed 4-5 star or similar
Best for: Natural scenery and city contrast

Chongqing Hongya Cave and bridge at night

What’s Included

Clear inclusions before quote confirmation

Included in the tour

Premium 4-5 star hotels or carefully selected equivalent stays, with breakfast.
Most lunches and dinners, as set out in the confirmed itinerary.
Private airport/rail transfers and guided touring according to the confirmed itinerary.
English-speaking local guides during scheduled sightseeing days.
Domestic transport planning between cities, with final train/flight choices confirmed before payment.
Core attraction tickets listed in the confirmed itinerary.
JadeDays pre-departure support for apps, payments, timing and local travel notes.

Not included

International flights to and from Australia.
China visa fees or passport-related charges where applicable.
Personal expenses unless specifically confirmed.
Optional activities, upgrades or route changes requested after confirmation.
Travel insurance.

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

Supplier-confirmed day-by-day route

Day 1Arrival, Bund and Lujiazui skylineShanghai

Morning: Arrive in Shanghai, meet your private transfer and check in. The first hours are kept gentle for recovery.

Afternoon: Walk the Bund and Lujiazui riverside for the classic old-and-new Shanghai contrast.

Evening: Huangpu River night cruise.

City: Shanghai
Intensity: Light

Day 2Yu Garden and Oriental PearlShanghai

Morning: Visit Yu Garden and the City God Temple area for Jiangnan garden design and local old-city atmosphere.

Afternoon: Continue to the Oriental Pearl Tower for skyline views and city-history exhibits if useful.

Evening: North Bund riverside dinner.

City: Shanghai
Intensity: Moderate

Day 3Into the mountain cityShanghai to Chongqing

Morning: Fly from Shanghai to Chongqing, then transfer privately to the hotel for rest.

Afternoon: Explore Jiefangbei, Kuixinglou or Shibati on a short mountain-city route.

Evening: Qiansimen Bridge and Hongya Cave night views.

City: Shanghai to Chongqing
Intensity: Moderate

Day 4Light rail, cableway and two riversChongqing

Morning: See Liziba light rail passing through the building, then continue to Eling No.2 Factory for an easy creative-district walk.

Afternoon: Ride the Yangtze Cableway and view the river-city layers from the south bank.

Evening: Danzishi Old Street and two-river night scenery.

City: Chongqing
Intensity: Moderate

Day 5Three Natural BridgesChongqing to Wulong

Morning: Travel to Wulong by private car or rail, with lunch and a short rest on arrival.

Afternoon: Visit Wulong Three Natural Bridges, a dramatic karst landscape of sinkholes, gorges and natural stone arches.

Evening: Rest in Xiannvshan Town with a lighter mountain dinner.

City: Chongqing to Wulong
Intensity: Moderate

Day 6Fairy Mountain and onward transferWulong to Zhangjiajie

Morning: Visit Fairy Mountain National Forest Park as a lighter nature stop before the longer transfer day.

Afternoon: Continue to Zhangjiajie and check in, using the afternoon mainly as a travel and recovery block.

Evening: Easy walk around Xibu Old Street and a Xiangxi-style dinner.

City: Wulong to Zhangjiajie
Intensity: Moderate

Day 7Yuanjiajie and Golden Whip StreamZhangjiajie

Morning: Explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, focusing on Yuanjiajie and the Qiankunzhu/Avatar-style sandstone pillars.

Afternoon: Walk Golden Whip Stream and Ten-mile Gallery, using shuttle, cableway or small train options to reduce heavy hiking.

Evening: Hotel rest.

City: Zhangjiajie
Intensity: Moderate

Day 8Tianmen MountainZhangjiajie

Morning: Take the Tianmen Mountain cableway and visit Tianmen Cave, mountain-top walkways and optional glass walkway sections.

Afternoon: Continue the Tianmen Mountain essence route with escalators, cableways and scenic paths to manage effort.

Evening: Optional Charming Xiangxi show or free rest.

City: Zhangjiajie
Intensity: Moderate

Day 9Rail to Guilin and lake eveningZhangjiajie to Guilin

Morning: Take the high-speed rail to Guilin, with the morning and midday reserved for travel.

Afternoon: Arrive and take a gentle walk around the Two Rivers and Four Lakes area.

Evening: Two Rivers and Four Lakes night cruise.

City: Zhangjiajie to Guilin
Intensity: Light

Day 10Li River cruiseGuilin to Yangshuo

Morning: Cruise the Li River past Nine Horse Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Reflection and classic karst scenery.

Afternoon: Arrive in Yangshuo and stroll West Street, keeping it short and relaxed.

Evening: Free evening or riverside dinner in Yangshuo.

City: Guilin to Yangshuo
Intensity: Easy

Day 11Yulong River and countrysideYangshuo to Guilin

Morning: Take a bamboo raft on the Yulong River, weather and age restrictions permitting.

Afternoon: Choose between Shangri-La scenic area for families or countryside cycling for light outdoor travellers.

Evening: Return to Guilin for a light oil-tea or rice-noodle cultural experience.

City: Yangshuo to Guilin
Intensity: Moderate

Day 12Northern arrivalGuilin to Beijing

Morning: Fly from Guilin to Beijing and transfer to the hotel.

Afternoon: Take a light first look at Qianmen, Wangfujing or Nanluoguxiang hutongs rather than adding a major sight.

Evening: Peking duck dinner.

City: Guilin to Beijing
Intensity: Light

Day 13Mutianyu Great WallBeijing

Morning: Visit Mutianyu Great Wall, usually a more comfortable and less crowded option for international travellers.

Afternoon: Continue the Wall visit and return to the city, using cable car or ropeway options to control the walking load.

Evening: Exterior visit to Olympic Park, Bird’s Nest and Water Cube.

City: Beijing
Intensity: Moderate

Day 14Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and cloisonneBeijing

Morning: Visit the Forbidden City as its own major morning, with bilingual guiding around palace layout and imperial life.

Afternoon: Continue to the Temple of Heaven, then add a cloisonne culture visit or light hands-on experience.

Evening: Easy Wangfujing walk.

City: Beijing
Intensity: Moderate

Day 15Summer Palace and old Beijing performanceBeijing

Morning: Visit the Summer Palace at a slower pace, focusing on Kunming Lake, the Long Corridor and key garden views.

Afternoon: Join a Longfu Temple intangible-heritage craft session around traditional Fanlihua paper mechanisms.

Evening: Lao She Teahouse evening with tea, music, acrobatics and Peking opera excerpts.

City: Beijing
Intensity: Easy

Day 16Departure bufferBeijing

Morning: Breakfast and free time at the hotel, with no formal sightseeing added to protect the departure day.

Afternoon: Private transfer to Capital or Daxing International Airport.

Evening: Return journey and end of tour.

City: Beijing
Intensity: Light

Route Map

Route, transport and overnight flow

A map-style view of how the journey moves across China. Transport labels show the planned connection between each city.

Fixed Journey

Flight / rail / private car connectionsOvernight city

Travel flow

01Shanghai → ChongqingFlight

02Chongqing → WulongPrivate car or rail

03Wulong → ZhangjiajiePrivate car / rail connection

04Zhangjiajie → GuilinHigh-speed rail

05Guilin → Yangshuo → GuilinCruise / private car

06Guilin → BeijingFlight

Overnights

Shanghai2NBund, Yu Garden and skyline
Chongqing2NMountain city, cableway and river views
Wulong1NThree Natural Bridges and Fairy Mountain
Zhangjiajie3NAvatar peaks and Tianmen Mountain
Guilin/Yangshuo3NLi River, Yulong River and countryside
Beijing4NGreat Wall and imperial landmarks

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation

Every Jade Days journey is matched to a curated selection of refined hotels — from internationally branded five-star properties in major cities to character-rich retreats in smaller destinations. The hotels below are representative examples of where you may stay on this journey. Your final accommodation will be drawn from these or others of equivalent quality, selected to suit your dates, group and preferences.

Nights 2

The Westin Bund Center Shanghai

Shanghai

Nights 1

Hyatt Regency Chongqing

Chongqing

Nights 1

Fairy Mountain Huapont Hotel

Wulong

Nights 2

Howard Johnson Neodalle Resort Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie

Nights 1

Banyan Tree Yangshuo

Yangshuo

Nights 2

Four Points by Sheraton Guilin

Guilin

Nights 4

Beijing Hotel NUO

Beijing

Hotels are subject to availability and may be substituted for properties of equivalent standard.

DATES & AVAILABILITY

Your journey, on your dates

Every JadeDays departure is private — hosted for your own party of two to six, never merged with strangers. So there is no fixed departure list to fit around: this journey can begin in any month of the year, on the date that suits you.

Tell us when you would like to depart, and we will shape everything else around it — confirming hotels, guides and internal travel personally before your dates are locked in.

When would you like to depart?

Choose a departure date to see your return day.

The earliest selectable departure is 14 days from today.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Before booking

What are the signature landscapes on this journey?

Three of China's great landscape regions in a single journey: the karst country of Wulong outside Chongqing, the sandstone pillar forests of Zhangjiajie, and the Li River scenery between Guilin and Yangshuo — with Shanghai and Beijing as your urban bookends. It's the route we'd recommend to anyone whose China begins with the word "scenery".

How physically demanding are the scenic areas?

Less than the scenery suggests. These are viewing landscapes rather than trekking ones: cable cars and lifts handle the serious altitude at the major parks, paths and boardwalks are well-built, and the pace is always yours. There is more time on your feet here than on our city-focused journeys — comfortable shoes matter — but nothing approaching a hike is required, and gentler alternatives exist wherever anyone wants them.

When is the best season for these landscapes?

April to October is when the karst country and the Li River are at their greenest, with spring mist adding atmosphere and early autumn bringing the clearest air of the year. Summer is dramatic but humid. Winter is the quietest season — barer, softer landscapes and very few visitors. There's no bad time, only different moods; tell us which one appeals.

How do we travel between these far-apart regions?

By a planned mix of internal flights and high-speed rail for the long legs, with a private car and driver in every region. One leg is a highlight in its own right: between Guilin and Yangshuo we arrange a Li River cruise, so the journey through the karst peaks becomes part of the sightseeing. The regions are far apart — that's precisely why they stay unspoiled.

How is this different from China Highlights in Style?

They're siblings with different souls. Highlights in Style is the classic first-visit arc — imperial capitals, ancient history, big cities — with scenery as a highlight. Scenic Horizons inverts that: it's built around landscape — karst, pillars, rivers — and treats the cities as gateways. Similar length, similar comfort, different heartbeat. If you can't choose, tell us what you want to feel at the end of it and we'll choose with you.

Questions about travelling in China?

Visas, payments, safety, food and how our private journeys work — answered in one place. Read the full FAQ →

From itinerary to booking

Choose a departure, then confirm the place with JadeDays.

This is one of the four fixed JadeDays journeys. Select a preferred date, then JadeDays confirms seats, hotel allocation, guide availability and the final quote before any deposit is paid.

Book This Journey

01Choose a departureSelect a departure date on this checkout page, then confirm traveller details with JadeDays.
02Confirm the final quoteA JadeDays expert checks the live hotels, guides, transport and any seasonal adjustments.
03Secure with depositPayment happens through a hosted Stripe-style checkout after the confirmed quote is clear.

Talk to us

Have a question about this journey?

Send JadeDays a note and we will help you understand dates, pacing, rooming and whether this route is the right fit.