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Introducing China

When is the best time to visit?
September and October are the best months to visit China, when the weather is predictably sunny and mild. One exception is the first week of October, when the National Day holiday closes businesses and brings domestic tourists out in droves to popular vacation spots. Spring (April-June) also brings pleasant weather to most of the country, but keep in mind that this is the rainy season for southern China. Winter travel can also be lovely—in January and February, travelers will enjoy ice & snow sculptures in Harbin and many celebrations of the Lunar New Year all over the country. Learn more

Where should you go?
For first-timers, a comprehensive tour of China's top sites is recommended—this might include Beijing, Xian, Guilin, and Shanghai. With extra time (see below), you can observe giant pandas and try traditional Sichuan cuisine in Chengdu. The southwestern Yunnan Province is another gem, where you can discover ancient towns hidden in the region's remote corners.

Travelers wanting a deeper dive will have no shortage of options for getting off the beaten path. Consider a cultural excursion to visit the minority community of Guizhou or take a historical journey into Pingyao and the Shanxi Province of northern China. Other places of interest include Shangdong Province, where you can visit Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, and the many heritage sites of Henan Province. For instagram-worthy pictures, beeline to Yellow Mountain and Zhangjiajie, two of China's most photogenic spots.

How many days do you need?
Five days is enough for a whirlwind of China's urban highlights. You can pay quick visits to Beijing and Shanghai, China's political capital and commercial center respectively. If you're more interested in history, combine Beijing with cultural treasure trove Xian instead. A 10-day tour offers a more reasonable pace and many more options—you can easily cover Beijing, Xian, Guilin, and Shanghai (or swap Guilin for Chengdu). Even more ideal is spending 2 weeks or more, allowing for deeper dives into areas of interest and extra time for hidden gems. Add a trip to Suzhou, take a Yangtze River cruise—options are endless, and trips can be tailored to your interests.

Getting Around China
Flying is the quickest way around the country. China’s massive airports⁠ offer dozens of daily nonstop flights to cities all over the mainland and Hong Kong. That said, by the time you factor in security screening and travel time to and from each airport—the airports in both cities are outside the city center—it's often easier and more reliable to take the train. Learn more

Explore trips by duration: 5 days · 6 days · 7 days · 8 days · 9 days · 10 days · 11 days · 12 days · 13 days · 14 days · 15 days

China Tours & Itineraries

Get inspired by trips other travelers have loved
Great Wall of China under a hazy sunset
Map of China's Highlights - 10 Days
China's Highlights - 10 Days

This packed itinerary covers many of China's highlights, starting in Beijing with a tour of the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Great Wall. Then take a bullet train to Xi'an to see the famous Terracotta Army before heading to Guilin for river excursions in a paradise setting. End your trip in metropolitan Shanghai and explore its Bund waterfront, peaceful Yu Garden, and bohemian Tianzifang neighborhood.

China
Map of Explore the Yunnan Province - 7 Days
Explore the Yunnan Province - 7 Days

You'll pack an incredible week with the highlights of China's Yunnan province. After arriving in the city of Kunming, you'll transfer to Dali and visit the Stone Forest, a natural marvel of towering limestone rocks. Then you'll tour other historic towns and cities that were once fixtures on the ancient tea trading routes while also visiting incredible natural wonders like Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Black Dragon Pool.

china
Map of Best of Beijing - 5 Days
Best of Beijing - 5 Days

Spend a quick five days touring the most historic sights of China's capital, like the Forbidden City and Summer Palace. You'll arrive in Beijing and visit Tiananmen Square before heading off for a hike on the Great Wall. Then you'll tour one of the nation's holiest sites, the Temple of Heaven, and cap the trip with a boat ride on the lake at the imperial Summer Palace.

Hong Kong Skyline at Night
Hong Kong and Macau Family Trip - 5 Days

Discover the best of Hong Kong on this family trip, starting with a  bus tour of the city, a ride up the gondola to Victoria Peak, and an evening at Stanely Market. Spend two days riding roller coasters, playing games, and learning about marine life at Hong Kong's Disneyland and Ocean Park. End your trip with a day in Macau, complete with a ferry ride and a visit to the Venetian Resort.

Yuyuan Garden (Garden of Happiness) in the center of Shanghai
Map of Highlights from Shanghai to Beijing - 12 Days
Highlights from Shanghai to Beijing - 12 Days

This exciting 12-day itinerary includes some of China's best cultural and natural wonders. Kick off the trip in cosmopolitan Shanghai where you'll explore its modern waterfront, peaceful gardens, and artsy neighborhoods. Next is Zhangjiajie for a dose of dramatic mountain vistas before you continue to Xi'an to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. Finish with a bullet train to Beijing to experience the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and—on your last full day—the Great Wall of China.

Cherry blossoms in Xi'an
Map of Best of China - 13 Days
Best of China - 13 Days

This packed itinerary checks off China's top cultural and natural highlights. Visit Beijing to see the Forbidden City and hike along the Great Wall, then take the bullet train to Xi'an to discover the Terracotta Warriors. Visit Guilin to marvel at the world's tallest Buddha and enjoy Yangshuo's serene countryside. Then, tour Chengdu's panda research station before finishing your trip in metropolitan Shanghai.

China Travel Advice

Read our detailed insights to make sure you have the best trip

Our Latest China Content

Women of the  Miao ethnic minority tribe wear intricate silver headpieces for important occasions and ceremonies
Map of Culture & Trekking Trip to the Ethnic Minority Villages of Southwest China - 11 Days
Culture & Trekking Trip to the Ethnic Minority Villages of Southwest China - 11 Days

Dive deep into China on an 11-day discovery tour that will take you from Hong Kong's modern streets to rural villages home to ethnic tribespeople. Marvel at the panoramic views from Victoria Peak in Hong Kong before catching a train to the verdant countryside, where you'll hike along terraced rice paddies and explore ancient caves. Spend the remainder of the trip engaging in immersive cultural exchange as you hop between the traditional villages of China's ethnic minority communities.

Visit a village in Longji to meet the Yao people and learn about their customs
Map of Chinese Culture & Minority Villages Tour - 13 Days
Chinese Culture & Minority Villages Tour - 13 Days

Spend almost two weeks traversing China on a journey from major cities to small tribal villages. Get to know the distinct spirit of Hong Kong before heading to the Guilin countryside and its green rice paddies and tranquil rivers. Learn about the customs of the ethnic minority Yao, Dong, and Biasha people, then, travel to the ancient city of Xi'an (home to the legendary Terracotta Army), where you'll practice your calligraphy skills before capping the trip with sightseeing in Beijing and a stroll on the Great Wall.

Walk among the perfectly manicured Longji Rice Terraces and visit a local village home
Map of Authentic China: Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Yangshuo & Shanghai - 11 Days
Authentic China: Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Yangshuo & Shanghai - 11 Days

See some of China's most important cultural sites on this immersive 11-day tour. Start in the imperial capitals of Beijing and Xi'an, discovering the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the Terracotta Warriors. Step off the beaten path to cruise the Li River and visit the local market in Yangshuo, then end in the gleaming metropolis of Shanghai. Highlights along the way include learning to cook bamboo rice in an Indigenous village and crafting your own traditional fan under the tutelage of a local artisan.

China Travel Maps

Get the lay of land, and understand distances between the places you want to visit
Map 14 Days in China - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
14 Days in China - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
View article
Map 10 Days in China - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
10 Days in China - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
View article
Map China's Highlights - 10 Days
China's Highlights - 10 Days
View article

Meet our Local Travel Specialists

Experienced travel agents with a passion for China
Travel specialist Heidi Jiang
active 1 min ago

Heidi Jiang

For the past fifteen years I have accompanied many private groups to most places of China and also some other southeast Asian countries which makes me understand the first information traveler...

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Travel specialist Lisa Sun
active 32 mins ago

Lisa Sun

As a China English-speaking tour guide with 20 years of experience in the tourism industry, I have a deep passion for the travel profession and am dedicated to introducing China's rich culture and...

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Travel specialist Carol Wang
active 6 days ago

Carol Wang

My name is Carol Wang, a travel advisor from China Highlights Travel. I have worked as a travel advisor for 15 years and helped 3200+ people plan their dream vacations, whether it's a romantic...

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Travel specialist Winnie Wu
active 1 min ago

Winnie Wu

I am Winnie, with over 10 years of experience in the travel industry, I specialize in crafting personalized journeys across East Asia, especially to Japan, Korea, and China. Each of these countries...

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Trip Reviews for China

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

Our China trip
China | Apr 2 - Apr 13, 2026

Alexander
Alexander P.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Apr 14, 2026
We just got back from our China trip and wanted to say thank you to Heidi from KimKim for putting everything together so well. Traveling across multiple cities can be complicated, but the whole itinerary flowed really smoothly and made the experience easy and enjoyable. Each stop had something memorable. In Beijing, walking through the Forbidden City and visiting the Great Wall were real highlights — so much history, and you can really feel it when you’re there. Xi’an was another standout,... Read more

We just got back from our China trip and wanted to say thank you to Heidi from KimKim for putting everything together so well. Traveling across multiple cities can be complicated, but the whole itinerary flowed really smoothly and made the experience easy and enjoyable.

Each stop had something memorable. In Beijing, walking through the Forbidden City and visiting the Great Wall were real highlights — so much history, and you can really feel it when you’re there. Xi’an was another standout, especially the Terracotta Army. It’s one of those places that’s even more impressive in person than you expect.

Chengdu was a different kind of experience — visiting the pandas outside the city was a lot of fun and definitely worth it. And then Zhangjiajie… that was probably the biggest surprise for us. The scenery in the national park is just unreal. Photos don’t really do it justice.

Shanghai was a complete contrast — very modern, very energetic. The skyline and the scale of development there really stood out.

The hotel accommodations throughout the trip were great — comfortable, well-located, and made it easy to relax after long days. The logistics between cities (both trains and flights) were also very well handled. Every transfer was smooth, and what we really appreciated is that each guide stayed with us all the way through the train station or airport, right up to the security checkpoint, which made everything stress-free.

We also want to mention the guides, because they made a big difference. Candy in Beijing, Key in Xi’an, April in Chengdu, Ethan in Zhangjiajie, and Sophie in Shanghai (with help from Linda) were all excellent. Everyone was knowledgeable, helpful with translation, and always looking out for us.

On top of the planned itinerary, each guide gave great personal recommendations — places to eat and extra things to see that we wouldn’t have found on our own. Things like the Muslim Bazaar in Xi’an, the Tibetan street in Chengdu, Peking duck in Beijing, and even checking out silk-making in Shanghai added a lot to the trip.

Overall, we had a great time and really appreciated how everything was organized. Thanks again to KimKim for arranging such a memorable trip.

Hotel Reviews
Grand Central Hotel Shanghai
Shanghai

It is 5 start hotel, but by Shanghai level: in comparison to accomodations in other Chinese cities we have been to, it would be max 4: smallest room, min free amenities

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
MinShan Lhasa Grand Hotel
Chengdu

The 2nd bed for our 11 years old was more like for 5 years old with some toy story themed. More importantly the toilet and shower were right in the room with little sound and changing privacy

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hilton Garden Inn Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan
Zhangjiajie

This is the best hotel we stayed during our trip. Super modern, rooms were big, breakfast had best selection and not far away from main street

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing
Beijing
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Heidi Jiang
Heidi
Heidi Jiang
Local specialist in China | Replied on Apr 16, 2026

Thank you so much for your kind and detailed feedback—we truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.

We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the trip and that all arrangements went smoothly. Your comments mean a lot to us, and we will be sure to pass along your appreciation to all the guides—they will be very happy to hear your kind words.

It was our pleasure to assist with your journey, and we look forward to helping you plan another memorable trip in the future.

Our trip to China was truly spectacular.
China | Jan 16 - Jan 28, 2026

J
Jonathan S.
Norway | Reviewed on Feb 16, 2026
Our trip to China was truly spectacular, the Great Wall totally met our expectations and to visit it during snowfall made for a uniquely beautiful experience. Xi'an is a lovely, warm-hearted city that we really enjoyed strolling through. Our excellent Xi'an local guide Coco was very well paced and knowledgeable. She had a cheerful, welcoming personality, and was happy to answer all our questions about the old city. She shared so much of the city's interesting history with us, adding even more... Read more

Our trip to China was truly spectacular, the Great Wall totally met our expectations and to visit it during snowfall made for a uniquely beautiful experience. Xi'an is a lovely, warm-hearted city that we really enjoyed strolling through. Our excellent Xi'an local guide Coco was very well paced and knowledgeable. She had a cheerful, welcoming personality, and was happy to answer all our questions about the old city. She shared so much of the city's interesting history with us, adding even more to our feeling of awe. In the scenic area of Guilin, our local guide, Fei, was very eager to share the beauty of her home with us, ensuring we went to all the best spots. Chongqing, our last destination on the trip, totally blew us away with its futuristic cityscapes. Our local guide, Yudy, was so energetic and excited to introduce us to all the mesmerizing sights of Chongqing. Yudy spared no effort in ensuring we did all we wanted to do and made our Chongqing experience so captivating that we would love to return. Of course, our local specialist, Heidi, was such a great help every step of the way, checking in to make sure all was well and that we were making all our transfers successfully. We are so happy with how the trip turned out!

Local specialist: Heidi Jiang
Heidi
Heidi Jiang
Local specialist in China | Replied on Feb 21, 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback!

We’re truly delighted to hear that your trip to China was such a spectacular experience — and how special to see the Great Wall of China in the snowfall!

It’s fantastic to know you enjoyed Xi'an, Guilin, and Chongqing, and that Coco, Fei, and Yudy helped make each destination so memorable. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with them and with Heidi as well — they’ll be thrilled to hear this.

Thank you again for trusting us with your journey. We would be absolutely delighted to help you plan your next visit!

Exceptional tour guides in China
China | Jan 16 - Jan 28, 2026

Valerie
Valerie W.
Belize | Reviewed on Feb 15, 2026
In Beijing, Edward was professional, attentive, punctual and knowledgeable on our tour of The Forbidden City and The Great Wall. We have no complaints about him and would unhesitatingly recommend him for future tours. In Xi’an, Coco was an absolute delight. She was charming, a sweet personality and extremely knowledgeable on our tour of The Terracotta Warriors. We were sorry to have spent such a short time with her. In Luoyong, the energetic Lili joined us in our 1hour exercise at the... Read more

In Beijing, Edward was professional, attentive, punctual and knowledgeable on our tour of The Forbidden City and The Great Wall. We have no complaints about him and would unhesitatingly recommend him for future tours.

In Xi’an, Coco was an absolute delight. She was charming, a sweet personality and extremely knowledgeable on our tour of The Terracotta Warriors. We were sorry to have spent such a short time with her.

In Luoyong, the energetic Lili joined us in our 1hour exercise at the kung fu school and was knowledgeable of the tour of the Shaolin Temple and the Pagoda Forest.

In Guilin, Fei was down to earth and we quickly bonded with her. She was friendly, helpful, talkative and looked after us well.

Finally in Chongqing, the unforgettable Udy was funny, entertaining, engaging. We took great delight in touring Chongqing city with her and were sad to say goodbye.

Coordinating this trip with Heidi was seamless and she helped us to curate a wonderful and unforgettable customized experience.

Local specialist: Heidi Jiang
Heidi
Heidi Jiang
Local specialist in China | Replied on Feb 22, 2026
Hi Valerie, Thank you so much for your thoughtful and generous feedback. It truly means a lot to me and to the entire team. I’m so happy to hear that each of your guides made such a positive and memorable impression in every city. I will be sure to pass along your kind words to Edward, Coco, Lili, Fei, and Udy — they will be absolutely delighted. It was a real pleasure helping you curate this journey, and I’m so glad it turned into a wonderful and unforgettable experience for you. Wishing... Read more

Hi Valerie,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and generous feedback. It truly means a lot to me and to the entire team.

I’m so happy to hear that each of your guides made such a positive and memorable impression in every city. I will be sure to pass along your kind words to Edward, Coco, Lili, Fei, and Udy — they will be absolutely delighted.

It was a real pleasure helping you curate this journey, and I’m so glad it turned into a wonderful and unforgettable experience for you.

Wishing you many more beautiful travels ahead, and I hope we can assist you again in the future.

Warmest regards,
Heidi

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