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Wendy Wu Tours · Classic Group Tour

Discover China by Rail

21-day rail journey from Shanghai to Beijing through China's mountains and villages

Illustration of Discover China by Rail

Wendy Wu Tours' Discover China by Rail is a 21-day escorted group tour that travels by high-speed bullet train, coach, and river cruise from Shanghai to Beijing. The journey links ten destinations across the country, moving steadily inland and northward to reveal China's landscapes and cultural landmarks. On Day 3, you board a bullet train to Huangshan City and ascend Mount Huang by cable car for a mountain-summit overnight; the next dawn brings a sunrise over granite peaks. The itinerary balances major sights (the Terracotta Army in Xian, the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Great Wall) with less-touristed villages: the Dong minority settlement of Zhaoxing and the UNESCO-listed Hongcun, where you take a dumpling-making class. River travel, karst scenery near Guilin, and stops to visit giant pandas and jade factories round out the experience. English-speaking guides, all entrance fees, and accommodation in three- and four-star hotels are included, as are meals noted in the day-by-day itinerary. This tour suits repeat rail travellers who want guided comfort, history enthusiasts, and those interested in Chinese culture and food.

What to know before you look closer

  • International flights are not included; the USD 6,650 price is land only.
  • Chinese visa is not included and will need to be arranged separately.
  • Group size reaches up to 28 people, so this is not an intimate experience.
  • The itinerary includes only three named hotels (Guilin, Xian, Beijing); accommodation in other cities is not specified.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Shanghai

    Fly overnight to Shanghai

    Fly overnight to Shanghai, also known as the 'Paris of the East'. Depending on time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Shanghai

    Explore Shanghai

    Explore the Yu Garden, a silk mill, and the old town before admiring the colonial architecture along the Bund. Board the super-fast Maglev train. This evening, a panoramic cruise on the Huangpu River.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Mount Huang

    Yellow Mountain

    Board the bullet train to Huangshan City, then a cable car to the summit of Mount Huang (Yellow Mountain) for an overnight stay at the mountain top.

  4. Day 4overnight: Huangshan City

    Mount Huang Sunrise

    Wake before dawn for sunrise over Mount Huang's landscapes. Head back down by cable car and visit the town of Tunxi.

  5. Day 5overnight: Huangshan City

    Hongcun Village & Dumpling Making

    Travel to Hongcun, a 900-year-old UNESCO-listed village, and take a cooking class making pouch dumplings.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Changsha

    Bullet Train to Changsha

    Board a bullet train to Changsha. This evening, stroll the bustling night markets.

  7. Day 7overnight: Zhangjiajie

    Explore Changsha

    Visit the Yuelu Academy, then travel by road to Zhangjiajie National Park.

  8. Day 8overnight: Zhangjiajie

    Discover Zhangjiajie

    Explore Yuanjiajie's towering pillars and misty valleys, ride the Bailong glass elevator, and see the 'First Bridge under the Sun' and Hallelujah Mountain.

  9. Day 9overnight: Zhangjiajie

    Tianmen Mountain

    Cable car up Tianmen Mountain to Tianmen Cave ('Heaven's Door'); optional glass skywalk ('Walk of Faith').

  10. Day 10railovernight: Guilin

    Bullet Train to Guilin

    Board a bullet train to Guilin.

  11. Day 11overnight: Yangshuo

    Li River Cruise

    Cruise the Li River to Yangshuo; wander the cobbled streets and markets, then a Chinese reflexology massage.

  12. Day 12overnight: Yangshuo

    Yangshuo Countryside

    Explore the karst landscapes around Yangshuo; afternoon at leisure.

  13. Day 13railovernight: Zhaoxing

    Zhaoxing Village

    Return to Guilin by road and board a bullet train to Zhaoxing, a well-preserved Dong minority village; welcomed with a special ceremony.

  14. Day 14overnight: Zhaoxing

    Rice Terraces & Batik Making

    Walk through the stepped rice terraces near Zhaoxing, then a batik workshop.

  15. Day 15railovernight: Chengdu

    Train to Chengdu

    Board a bullet train to Chengdu.

  16. Day 16railovernight: Xian

    Giant pandas

    Visit Chengdu's Panda Conservation Base, then bullet train to Xian.

  17. Day 17overnight: Xian

    Terracotta Army

    View the Terracotta Warriors and visit a workshop; stroll Xian's city walls with a beer tasting; dumpling dinner and Tang Dynasty show.

  18. Day 18railovernight: Beijing

    Train to Beijing

    Board a train to Beijing.

  19. Day 19overnight: Beijing

    Imperial Beijing

    Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Beijing's hutongs, and Peking duck for dinner.

  20. Day 20overnight: Beijing

    The Great Wall

    Walk the Great Wall of China, visit a jade factory, and wander the Summer Palace gardens.

  21. Day 21

    Depart Beijing

    Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Board the bullet train to Huangshan City, then cable car to Mount Huang for an overnight stay at the summit.
  • Day 8In Zhangjiajie, ride the Bailong glass elevator through Yuanjiajie's towering granite pillars and see the 'First Bridge under the Sun' and Hallelujah Mountain.
  • Day 11Cruise the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo, viewing the karst landscape and winding through the river's famous bends.
  • Day 16Visit Chengdu's Panda Conservation Base, then board the bullet train to Xian the same day.
  • Day 20Walk the Great Wall of China, visit the Summer Palace gardens, and explore Beijing's jade factory.

Included

  • Meals as stated (refer to itinerary)
  • Domestic transportation
  • Touring with English-speaking guides & entrance fees
  • All accommodation

Not included

  • International flights (land only price)
  • Visa
  • Early check-in and late check-out (available at additional cost)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?
Yes. Wendy Wu Tours includes all domestic transportation, which comprises the Shanghai Maglev train, six bullet train segments, one standard train from Xian to Beijing, coach travel, and the Li River cruise.
Is this tour escorted or independent?
Escorted. English-speaking guides accompany the group throughout, and entrance fees are included.
Which trains are used?
The Shanghai Maglev train (a Pudong return trip), China high-speed rail bullet trains connecting Shanghai to Huangshan City, Huangshan City to Changsha, Zhangjiajie to Guilin, Guilin to Zhaoxing, Zhaoxing to Chengdu, and Chengdu to Xian, plus a standard train from Xian to Beijing.
What meals are included?
Meals are included as stated in the day-by-day itinerary, which mentions a dumpling-making class, a Chinese reflexology massage, a batik workshop, a Peking duck dinner, and a Tang Dynasty show in Xian.
How much walking is involved?
Physical Rating 2: expect walking, some steps, and extended time on your feet. A reasonable level of fitness is required.
What is not included?
International flights, Chinese visas, and early check-in or late check-out (available at additional cost) are not included.

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