Do I need a visa for China?

Most visitors need a visa in advance. Some passports qualify for the 240-hour (10-day) transit exemption with an onward ticket. Check the latest rules before booking.

Itinerary

21-Day China Itinerary (2026): The Grand Tour

Here’s our full guide to a 21-day China itinerary. Three weeks is enough to sweep from Beijing in the north, through Xi’an and Chengdu, down to Guilin and Shanghai on the coast — without rushing any of them.

Week 1 · Days 1–7

Beijing: history, hutong, and the Great Wall

Day	What you do	Sleep
1	Arrive, recover from the flight. Evening: Wangfujing street snack walk — keep it gentle.	Beijing
2	Tiananmen Square + Forbidden City (book tickets days ahead). Afternoon: Jingshan Park view.	Beijing
3	Great Wall — Mutianyu, less crowded than Badaling. Cable car up, walk the restored section.	Beijing
4	Temple of Heaven at sunrise with the tai chi crowd. Afternoon: hutong walk near Shichahai.	Beijing
5	Summer Palace morning. Late afternoon high-speed train to Xi’an (4.5h).	Xi’an
6	Terracotta Army (go early, get a guide at the gate). Evening: Muslim Quarter street food.	Xi’an
7	City Wall bike ride (half day). Slow afternoon — you have a long train tomorrow.	Xi’an

Week 2 · Days 8–14

Chengdu: pandas, tea, and the fastest food scene

Day	What you do	Sleep
8	Morning train Xi’an → Chengdu (3.5h). Settle in, evening hotpot — it’s the ritual.	Chengdu
9	Panda Base at opening time (they’re active in the morning). Afternoon: rest — Sichuan heat is real.	Chengdu
10	People’s Park tea house — the classic Chengdu afternoon. Watch elders play cards, drink jasmine tea.	Chengdu
11	Option A: Leshan Giant Buddha day trip (1h train). Option B: relaxed market day in Chengdu.	Chengdu
12	Fly Chengdu → Guilin (1.5h). Check into Yangshuo — the countryside is the point, not the city.	Yangshuo
13	Li River cruise or bamboo raft from Yulong River. Afternoon: cycle the rice paddies.	Yangshuo
14	Morning hike to Moon Hill. Low-key evening — save energy for Shanghai.	Yangshuo

Week 3 · Days 15–21

Shanghai, Hangzhou, and a proper finish

Day	What you do	Sleep
15	Train Yangshuo → Guilin → fly to Shanghai. Evening: the Bund at night — don’t skip it.	Shanghai
16	Yu Garden + Old Town morning. Afternoon: Nanjing Road and the French Concession walk.	Shanghai
17	Shanghai Museum (free, world-class bronzes) or Shanghai Tower view deck — pick one.	Shanghai
18	Day trip Hangzhou: West Lake loop + Longjing tea village. Train back same evening (1h).	Shanghai
19	Buffer day — revisit a favorite, shop, or take a slow river cruise. Itineraries need slack.	Shanghai
20	Suzhou day trip (30 min train): classical gardens — Humble Administrator’s Garden.	Shanghai
21	Last-minute shopping, pack, fly home. You earned the lie-flat seat.	—

Logistics

The legs between cities

Beijing → Xi’an: high-speed rail, 4.5h, second class ≈ ¥515.
Xi’an → Chengdu: high-speed rail, 3.5h, ≈ ¥263.
Chengdu → Guilin: fly (1.5h, often under ¥400) — the train is 8h.
Guilin → Shanghai: fly via Guilin, 2h20m.

Book trains through official channels only — see the high-speed rail guide for the exact apps and how to collect tickets with a passport.

Budget

What 21 days actually costs

Budget (hostels + street food + buses): ¥200–300/day → ¥4,200–6,300 total.
Mid-range (3★ hotels + restaurants + some flights): ¥650–1,000/day → ¥13,650–21,000. (Tier-1 cities — Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen — and peak-season scenic areas run higher than this national average.)
Comfort (boutique hotels + all flights): ¥1,200+/day.

The four inter-city legs above are the biggest variable — book early. Full daily-cost breakdown: the budget guide.

Less time?

Trim the grand tour to fit

7 days

Keep Beijing + Xi’an only. Skip everything else.

See the 7-day plan →

10 days

Beijing → Xi’an → Shanghai. The classic first-timer route.

See the 10-day plan →

14 days

Add Chengdu and Guilin, keep the pace humane.

See the 14-day plan →

Good to know

Before you lock in the route

Before you lock in the route, get your bag sorted — our recommended gear for China walks through every device, adapter, and SIM you’ll actually use on a 21-day trip.

Is 21 days enough for a first trip?

Yes. It covers the headline cities — Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin and Shanghai — at a humane pace, with buffer days built in. If this is your one China trip, 21 days is the sweet spot.

When’s the best weather on this route?

April–May and September–October are best across all five cities. Avoid the Spring Festival period (late Jan–Feb) and National Day week (Oct 1–7), when trains and hotels spike in both price and crowds.

Do I need a visa?

Most visitors need a visa in advance. Some passports qualify for the 240-hour (10-day) transit exemption if you hold an onward ticket. Check the latest rules before you book — see the first-timer guide.