Classic China Tour
See China's three essential cities in one efficient journey—from the Great Wall and imperial Beijing to the Terracotta Warriors and Shanghai's modern skyline.
China Tours: Private & Custom China Tour Packages
Explore China at your own pace with a private tour designed around you. Start with one of our most popular itineraries, or let our local travel experts customize the destinations, hotels, activities, transportation, and pace to match your interests and travel style.
- Private & Customizable
- No Forced Shopping
- China Experts Since 1998
- 24/7 Local Support
Planning a China trip in 2027? Explore recommended itineraries and year-specific travel planning for China Tours 2027. Explore China Tours 2027.
Find the Right China Tour for You
Not sure where to start? Choose by travel style, trip length, destination, or starting city to narrow down the options.
Popular Private China Tours
These four itineraries are great starting points for a first trip to China. Each can be fully customized to match your travel dates, interests, pace, hotel preferences, and budget.
MOST RECOMMENDED
Cultural and Natural Wonders of China
Combine China's iconic historical sights with Zhangjiajie's soaring sandstone peaks—an easy way to add spectacular nature to a classic first trip.
Glories of China
Add Guilin's Li River and countryside scenery to the classic Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai route for a more relaxed balance of history, landscapes, and city life.
China Adventure Journey
Experience China's classic highlights at a more comfortable pace, with Chengdu's giant pandas and Sichuan culture plus Guilin's famous karst landscapes.
Looking for more options?
Explore our Top 10 China Tours, browse tours by trip length below, or ask a travel advisor to create a route around your interests.
Make Any China Tour Your Own
The itineraries above are starting points, not fixed packages. Tell us what matters to you, and your travel advisor will adjust the route around your dates, interests, pace, and budget.
- Step 1
Tell Us About Your Trip
Share your travel dates, group size, interests, preferred pace, hotel style, and budget.
- Step 2
Get a Personalized Itinerary
Your travel advisor will create a proposal covering your route, hotels, transportation, guides, activities, and other arrangements.
- Step 3
Adjust It Until It Fits
Change the cities, hotels, activities, transportation, or pace until the itinerary feels right for you.
- Step 4
Travel with Local Support
Once your trip begins, travel with your arranged guides, transfers, and 24/7 local support.
Already have a rough idea for your trip? Tell us what you have in mind.
Why Plan Your China Tour with China Travel?
We have been helping international travelers explore China since 1998, with more than 300,000 travelers served across our network. Our focus is on flexible private travel, local expertise, and support before and during your trip.
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Experience Your Way
Travel at your own pace with a tailor-made itinerary designed around your dates, interests, preferred hotels, and travel style.
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No Forced Shopping
Your tour time is for sightseeing and experiences—not compulsory shopping stops. Our private tours do not include forced shopping visits.
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Local Guides & China Expertise
Explore with local guides who can add context to China's history, culture, food, and everyday life—not just take you from one attraction to the next.
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1-to-1 Trip Planning
Work directly with a travel advisor who can refine your itinerary around your needs and respond to questions as you plan.
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24/7 Local Support
If something changes while you are traveling, our local team is available around the clock to help with your arrangements.
Choose a China Tour by Travel Style
Different travelers want different things from a China trip. Whether you're traveling as a couple, with family, or for China's landscapes and nature, these ideas can help you find a route that fits the way you like to travel.
China Tours for Couples
Looking for a trip with more time to enjoy the scenery, local culture, and each other? These routes combine memorable landscapes with a more relaxed travel rhythm.
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Elegant Water Town and Yellow Mountains Tour
Slow down among Jiangnan’s canals, classical gardens, and Huangshan—an atmospheric journey that balances culture, scenery, and time to enjoy each place.
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Jiangnan Tour from Shanghai
A relaxed eastern China escape combining Shanghai’s energy with West Lake, tea villages, Wuzhen’s canals, and the storybook scenery of Wangxian Valley.
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Chongqing, Zhangjiajie and Yangtze River Tour
For people who prefer a more dramatic journey: cruise the Three Gorges, explore lively Chongqing, and finish among Zhangjiajie’s spectacular mountain landscapes.
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China Tours for Families
Family trips work best when sightseeing, travel time, and hands-on experiences are balanced. These routes give families different ways to explore China without trying to fit everything into one trip.
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China Family Tour to Beijing and Shanghai
A fun first family trip combining the Great Wall and imperial Beijing with Shanghai’s modern side, a water town, high-speed rail, and Disneyland.
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Yunnan Family Tour
Explore Yunnan at an easier rhythm through ancient towns, Erhai Lake, ethnic villages, hands-on local experiences, and the dramatic scenery of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
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Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou and Chongqing
Mix family favorites—giant pandas, colorful lakes and waterfalls, Sichuan food, local teahouses, and Chongqing’s unusual city sights—in one varied journey.
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China Tours for Nature Lovers
China's landscapes range from karst mountains and river valleys to alpine scenery and dramatic sandstone peaks. These routes are good starting points if nature is a major reason for your trip.
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Guilin and Zhangjiajie Tour
Experience two of China’s signature landscapes in one trip: cruise through Guilin’s karst scenery, explore Yangshuo countryside, and walk among Zhangjiajie’s towering sandstone peaks.
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Authentic Yunnan Discovery
Travel from karst formations and alpine peaks to Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La, with Yunnan’s ancient towns and ethnic cultures adding depth along the way.
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Sichuan Discovery Tour
Discover Sichuan beyond Chengdu, from Mount Emei and the Leshan Giant Buddha to Jiuzhaigou’s lakes, waterfalls, and highland scenery.
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Looking for something more specific? Explore more China tour themes.
China Tours by Trip Length
How much time you have will shape what makes sense to include. A shorter trip is best focused on a few essential destinations, while two or three weeks gives you room to add scenic regions and travel at a more comfortable pace.
China Tours for 7–9 Days
Best for: Travelers with limited time who prefer a focused route
With about a week, focus on a few well-connected destinations or one region rather than trying to cover too much of China.
China Tours for 10–14 Days
Best for: The best balance for many first-time travelers
Around 10–14 days is the range we most often recommend for first-time visitors who want both classic cities and one scenic destination.
China Tours for 15–21 Days
Best for: A deeper China journey
Two to three weeks let you slow the pace, travel farther between regions, and include destinations that are difficult to fit into a standard first-time itinerary.
Need help deciding how many days you need? Ask a China travel advisor.
Explore China Tours by Destination
Already know where you want to go? Explore destination-specific tours and itinerary ideas for China's most popular cities and regions.
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Beijing Tours
Great Wall · Forbidden City · Imperial history
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Xi'an Tours
Terracotta Warriors · Ancient city · Silk Road history
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Shanghai Tours
Modern skyline · Historic neighborhoods · Nearby water towns
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Guilin Tours
Li River · Yangshuo Countryside · Karst scenery
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Zhangjiajie Tours
Sandstone peaks · Glass bridges · Mountain scenery
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Chengdu Tours
Giant pandas · Sichuan food · Local culture
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Yunnan Tours
Ancient towns · Mountains · Ethnic cultures
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Tibet Tours
High-altitude landscapes · Tibetan culture · Himalayan scenery
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Hangzhou Tours
West Lake · Tea culture · Jiangnan scenery
Explore More China Destinations.
Start Your China Tour from a Major Gateway City
Many international trips begin in Beijing, Shanghai, or Hong Kong. If your arrival city is already fixed, these starting points can make it easier to plan the rest of your route.
China Tours from Beijing
Best for: First-time visitors starting in northern China
Beijing is a natural starting point for classic routes through Xi'an and on to Shanghai, Guilin, Chengdu, or other parts of China.
- Classic China Tour: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai
- Ancient Marvels Meet Future Tech: Beijing → Xi'an → Beijing
China Tours from Shanghai
Best for: Travelers entering China through the east coast
Start with Shanghai and nearby Jiangnan, or continue west to China's historic and scenic regions.
- Jiangnan Tour from Shanghai: Shanghai → Hangzhou → Wuzhen → Wangxian Valley → Shanghai
- China Heritage and Natural Wonders: Shanghai → Suzhou → Huangshan → Hangzhou → Guilin → Zhangjiajie → Xi'an → Beijing
China Tours from Hong Kong
Best for: Travelers combining Hong Kong with the Mainland of China
Hong Kong can be paired naturally with southern China before continuing north to Guilin, Shanghai, Xi'an, or Beijing.
- Classic China Tour from Hong Kong: Hong Kong → Shanghai → Xi'an → Beijing
- Landscape and Culture of China: Hong Kong → Guilin → Shanghai → Xi'an → Beijing
Explore more China tours from Hong Kong!
Explore China Tour Themes
Already have a particular experience in mind? Explore tours built around some of China's most distinctive travel themes.
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Visa-Free China Tours
Explore itinerary ideas designed around current visa-free transit and entry options.
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Panda Tours
Visit giant panda bases in Chengdu and explore more of Sichuan.
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Yangtze River Cruises
Combine China's longest river with cities, gorges, and inland destinations.
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Silk Road Tours
Follow ancient trading routes through western China, desert landscapes, and historic cities.
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Great Wall Tours
Discover different sections of the Great Wall while exploring Beijing and the surrounding historic landscapes.
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Water Town Tours
Explore picturesque water towns near Shanghai, with ancient canals, stone bridges, and traditional riverside life.
More Ways to Find Your China Tour
Top 10 China Tours
Not sure which route to choose? Start with our most popular and representative itineraries.
See the Top 10 China Tours
China Tours 2027
Planning ahead? Explore year-specific tour ideas, seasonal recommendations, and travel planning for 2027.
Explore China Tours 2027
China Tours for Singapore Travelers
Planning a China trip from Singapore? Explore itinerary ideas and travel information designed for Singapore travelers.
China Tours for Singapore Travelers
What Travelers Say About Their China Trips
Every China trip is different. Here are a few experiences shared by travelers who planned private journeys with our team.
China Tour FAQs
Q1. Are your China tours private and customizable?
Yes. Most of our China tours are private and can be customized around your travel dates, destinations, interests, preferred pace, hotel style, and budget. The sample itineraries on this page are starting points rather than fixed packages.
Q2. How much does a private China tour cost?
The cost depends on your route, hotel level, travel season, group size, and included services. As a general reference, a private guided China tour for two travelers is often around USD 200–250 per person per day. Your travel advisor can provide a detailed quote based on your itinerary.
Q3. What is included in a China tour package?
A customized tour can include hotels, private guides, transfers, attraction tickets, train tickets, domestic flights, and selected meals or activities. What's included depends on the itinerary you choose, and your proposal will show the details clearly before booking.
Q4. Do your China tours include shopping stops?
Our private tours do not include forced shopping stops. Your sightseeing time is planned around the places and experiences you actually want to visit.
Q5. How many days do I need for a first trip to China?
About 8–14 days works well for many first-time visitors. Eight days is enough for a focused Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai journey, while 10–14 days gives you room to add destinations such as Guilin, Zhangjiajie, or Chengdu without making the trip too rushed.
Q6. What are the best places to visit on a first China tour?
Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai form the classic first-time route. If you have more time, Guilin is a good choice for relaxed countryside and river scenery, Zhangjiajie for dramatic mountain landscapes, and Chengdu for giant pandas, Sichuan food, and local culture.
Q7. When is the best time to tour China?
Spring and autumn are popular because temperatures are comfortable in many parts of the country, but China can be visited year-round. The best time depends heavily on your destinations; for example, Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan, and northern China can have very different seasonal conditions.
Q8. Do I need a visa to travel to China?
Visa requirements depend on your nationality, route, length of stay, and current Chinese entry policies. Some travelers may qualify for visa-free entry or transit, while others still need a visa. Check the latest requirements before booking international flights.
Not Sure Which China Tour Is Right for You?
Tell us your travel dates, group size, interests, and the places you'd most like to see. A China travel advisor can help turn your ideas into a personalized itinerary.
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- No Forced Shopping
- 1-to-1 trip planning
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