china highlights travel

The best of China: 14 places you won’t want to miss

Feb 21, 2024 • 5 min read

From vibrant cities to jaw-dropping natural wonders like Zhangjiajie, here are the places in China you won’t want to miss © siraphat / Shutterstock

In  China , antiquity and heritage meet 21st-century innovation and lighting-fast development.

This is a country packed with highlights – so many that it might be hard to craft a manageable itinerary. Start by immersing yourself in one of China's gigantic, sprawling cities – which contain plenty of frantic energy, but hidden pockets of serenity, too. Take a break from the crush by soaking up China's natural scenery – think jagged peaks and pine forests draped in a sea of mist that look like they've been lifted straight from one of the country's masterpiece scroll paintings. As one of the world's most ancient civilizations, China also offers wonderful opportunities to explore astounding relics from its millennia of history. 

Don't know where to start? Whether you dream of gilded temples, boisterous urban environments, fabulous food or the wonders of the Great Wall, here are our picks of the best places to visit in China.

One of the world's greatest cities and China's absolute can't-miss destination, Beijing is home to many of China's big-ticket attractions: the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square , the Summer Palace and more. But its appeal goes well beyond blockbuster sights. Get lost among its labyrinth of traditional hutongs (alleyways), marvel at its cutting-edge modern architecture, feast on Peking duck and a million other dishes from across the country, check out the local indie music scene, admire Ming-dynasty ceramics, drop by a traditional teahouse or enjoy a boisterous evening sampling the local baijiu  (sorghum wine).

2. Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang

Along the ancient Silk Road, the atmospheric frontier town of Dunhuang is home to one of the world's most important collections of Buddhist art. Among more than 490 Buddhist caves in the area, the mural and statue-filled Mogao Grottoes represent perhaps the zenith of Buddhist artistry in China.

3. Tiger Leaping Gorge, Yunnan

One of China's most famous treks, this 22km (14-mile)  hiking trail winds through a World Heritage-listed gorge in Yunnan that is one of Asia's most striking landscapes. Framed by spectacular snow-capped mountains and the scenic Jinshajiang River, the natural monument plunges to depths of 3900m (12,795ft), making it one of the deepest gorges in the world.

4. Le Shan, Sichuan

Standing at the confluence of two rivers, the monumental 1200-year old Buddha image  at Le Shan is carved directly into the rock face. World Heritage–listed, the extraordinary monument stands 71m (233ft) tall and 28m (92ft) wide, making it the largest ancient Buddha in the world. Whether you're spiritually included or not, coming face to face with this sculpture is quite a moving experience.

5. Shanghai

Glitzy, elegant, historic and cosmopolitan: everything you've heard about Shanghai is true. Just take a stroll through the French Concession or along the Bund , and you'll see for yourself. From the grand display of 1920s architecture to the city's sophisticated restaurants and rooftop bars to the sci-fi neon-lit skyscrapers across the bay, Shanghai is the past and future China brought to vivid life.

6. The Great Wall

Snaking through China's majestic mountainous terrain, the spectacular  Great Wall is the nation's most iconic landmark. Built over two millennia, this awe-inspiring, 21,196km-long (13,170-mile-long) fortification is a true marvel of human accomplishment. In fact, it's not one wall but many, stretching from the east coast all the way to the far western desert. The most easily accessible stretches can be reached by car from Beijing.

With its charming teahouses, lively nightlife and fiery Sichuan food, Chengdu is one of China's most popular cities for travelers. But most folk visit here for one reason: pandas. And while you'd be very lucky to spot one in the wild, sightings are guaranteed at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base . Other draws of this inland regional capital include temples, pavilions and museums devoted to the culture of the ancient Shu kingdom.

8. Karst peaks, Guilin

Spanning the distance from Guilin to Yangshou , the picture-perfect karst-limestone peaks offer an extraordinary backdrop to the scenic Li River and rice paddies. Grab a bicycle or board a raft to tour this beautiful countryside, passing farmers and water buffalo along the way.

9. Guangzhou

This vibrant and dynamic  megacity is one of China's most fascinating hubs. You'll find an intriguing mix of old and new in a city where skyscrapers nudge the clouds, and monks shuffle around 1500-year-old Buddhist temples. But it's the Cantonese cuisine that lures in many, with some of the finest dim sum in all of China.

10. Longji Rice Terraces, Guangxi

You'll find rice paddies all over China – but few are as spectacular as the ones in Longji , built against a backdrop of lush mountains. Walks here lead to viewpoints overlooking sculpted, iridescent green terraces with swirling patterns resembling the contours of a giant thumbprint.

11. Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an

Unearthed in Xi'an by unsuspecting rural workers in 1974, this enigmatic army of life-sized statues remains of the world's most remarkable archaeological finds. Dating back 2200 years, they were built to protect the underground tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Needless to say, meeting the warriors face to face is an experience you'll never forget.

12. Xi'an

In a country where cities seemingly spring up overnight, this is one of the oldest and grandest. Known to most for its extraordinary Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an is also remarkable in its own right – notably as the beginning of the Silk Road, a trade route with a legacy that remains intact within its atmospheric Muslim Quarter .

13. Zhangjiajie

Rising dramatically from the subtropical forests of northwest Hunan , the pinnacle rock formations of  Zhangjiajie inspired the scenery in the film Avatar (2009). Take it all in as you walk over a vertiginous glass-bottom suspension bridge floating 300m (984ft) above ground. If that's not daring enough, you can bungee jump off it, too.

14. Forbidden City, Beijing

Among China's imperial sights, none can compare in size, grandeur or mystique to Beijing's Forbidden City . Built between 1406 and 1420, this sprawling palace was off-limits for 500 years until the overthrow of the last Qing emperor in 1911. Today, it's very much open to the public, attracting nearly 20 million visitors each year. Despite the crowds, its massive scale remains humbling.

This article was first published Oct 20, 2021 and updated Feb 21, 2024.

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well organised trip

We had a great trip in Sichuan (Chengdu, Emei, Leshan and Juizhaiguo). Leon from China Highlights organised a private tour for 6 of us (one 83 and the other 88 years old). He was very responsive and patient in developing our itinerary. Our adventure was smooth. Both our guides were excellent in caring for my 88 year old mum. Seow Yak (Evan) was very attentive, personable, polite with a can do attitude. Similarly Helen in Chengdu aimed to please and was flexible. I would use china highlights again for future tours.

Date of experience : June 10, 2024

Fantastic tour guide and driver

We had very good experience with our tour guide, Brenda and the driver in Suzhou and Wuxi. Brenda is extremely helpful, patient and attentive to our needs which we do really appreciate a lot. She’s good in recommending good food for us and she even went the extra miles to assist me to solve the problems in using Alipay & WeChat pay. Furthermore, she also helped me talking to the customer service from China Mobile. Our driver is very professional as well. We truly enjoy the trip with Brenda and the driver. Thumbs up for their great services!

Date of experience : May 26, 2024

5 star service from China Highlights and Leah

Great experience using China Highlights for our Beijing and Great Wall tour! Leah at China Highlights was amazing to work with when planning and preparing for our trip. She was extremely responsive and gave great recommendations based upon my group's interests. We loved the hotel she picked for us and had a lovely time on our tour. I would absolutely travel with China Highlights again and request Leah to plan my trip, hopefully one day soon!

Date of experience : March 28, 2024

Great rainy trip in Huangshan with Alvin

We were very unlucky with bad weather preventing us to see the yellow mountains. However, our tour guide Alvin organised fun and interesting things for us to do. Learning and tasting local teas, making our own incense & climbing a smaller mountain which was still open.

Date of experience : June 24, 2024

潘雷 fiona was an extremely enthusiastic tour guide that brought us around hangzhou. since it was our first time going to hangzhou, we weren’t sure as to which places to go, and what locals would usually do there. however, she was always there to guide us through, patiently introducing us to new places we’ve never heard before, explaining the history and culture of the places. this made our trip very interesting as we got to learn new things. not only that, she was bubbly, helpful and attentive throughout the trip which made our trip more adventurous and fun. she was very gentle and attentive towards the elders and kids in my family, and always tried her best to fulfill all our requests. she would be the tour guide i would recommend to others, as in my point of view, she was the best tour guide we could’ve asked for.

Date of experience : May 30, 2024

Shanghai - Beijing trip

We had a great trip in Shanghai and Beijing. China Highlights was very responsive when we were inquiring and flexible in developing the eventual itinerary. We booked a one day trip in Shanghai and a 3day trip to Beijing. Overall, we were very pleased with the arrangements - travel was smooth and without any hitch. Shanghai guides and coordinators Johnny and Rong were terrific. Tom, our tour guide in Beijing was a delight to work with. He is very personable, excellent communicator and a pleasure to be with. Tom’s knowledge of the history and culture was a great background for us during our visit. We also benefited from Tom’s insider knowledge of local eating spots and sampled different cuisines. Overall, a wonderful experience !

My party and I had a WONDERFUL time with our guide, Peter. He was professional, personable, and helped to make our experience in China unforgettable! Thank you Peter....you deserve praise for your good work!

Date of experience : May 24, 2024

China Highlight -Xian Tour

Hi, we booked a 4 day 3 night trip to Xian through China Highlight. It was a great experience with the tour company. It started with very detailed and responsive action from the headoffice via email and WhatsApp/wechat with all the details Our guide Susan was efficient, punctual and very knowledgeable. Her repertoire of China history (including hour long session in the vehicle) was extremely insightful and meant a lot to us (who are keen to know more about our history). The chauffeur was very careful in his driving and always on time. It was a good programme with good 5 star hotel in a great location and covers all essential tourist site of Xian I will strongly recommend China Highlights

Date of experience : June 18, 2024

Our China Highlights Guide for Huang Shan: Alvin

Our China Highlights guide, Alvin, was a wonderful companion during our stay in Tunxi and Huang Shan. He was personable, knowledgeable, and able to adjust our itinerary when unusually rainy weather complicated our plans. Alvin was patient, positive, and always willing to help. Our driver, Mr. Ying, was also excellent, both a wonderful driver and a gentleman. We will remember them both with fondness and gratitude.

Date of experience : June 23, 2024

We had a 10 day tour of china…

We had a 10 day tour of china highlights to visit Beijing Xian and Shanghai from June 2 to June 10.The tour was finalised from India and we were delighted to have the opportunity to see beautiful places in China with friendly and cooperative tour guides.We enjoyed tasty authentic local food and the tour was basically safe and enjoyable. Very informative and trust worthy, we had no problem in communication to the company at any point of time of our specific needs and they were fulfilled immediately. No hassles right from first day Airport pickup till the last day Airport drop we were so relaxed and tension free we felt at home though there was a language problem.we shall surely recommend our friends and family for contacting china highlights for any tour requirements in future We both being senior citizens felt encouraged to visit all places and walk down all the places because of the guides Thanks China highlights 👍👍👍👍👍

Date of experience : June 09, 2024

Exceptional Tour Experience

Our trip to China was absolutely fantastic, and we owe it all to China Highlights. The tour was impeccably organized, providing a perfect blend of sightseeing, cultural experiences, and free time for independent exploration. The accommodations were outstanding, offering comfort and luxury throughout our journey. We visited Shanghai, Guilin, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, and Beijing. Each destination was made even more special by our exceptional guides, who took great care of us from start to finish. Every detail of our trip was meticulously handled by the China Highlights team, including thoughtful touches like managing our luggage on the train. I highly recommend China Highlights for an unforgettable travel experience. We will definitely be booking with them again!

Date of experience : June 04, 2024

4.5 day tour of Beijing with wonderful guide Ethan

We went on a 4.5 day tour of Beijing including the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square, Summer Palace, Winter Palace, Temple of Heaven, Capital Museum and 798 District. We did not feel rushed at any stage and Ethan was incredibly patient waiting while we explored 5km of the Great Wall... Ethan was very helpful negotiating dietary constraints and with catching our first Didi once we'd left him for the day. Ethan was flexible with the schedule and added things he thought might be of interest like an additional boat trip on the lake at the Summer Palace. We also back-tracked to visit Jingshan Park - something we missed on our trip to the Forbidden city because it was just too hot that afternoon! Ethan also arranged tickets to two shows - the acrobat show and the water show - both of these were fantastic and entertained me and my 12 year old son. We really appreciate that Ethan was able to change the schedule as we went along. Ethan and our driver Mr Gao were both fantastic, and both had a great sense of humour. We definitely appreciated all the bottles of water!

Date of experience : June 11, 2024

We spent a couple of memorable days in Dali, with our guide Frank. He was a very pleasant and chatty person, with great historical and general knowledge. We visited the Erhai lake, had lunch with a Dongba, went for a stroll in the nearby mountains, visited a Catholic Church as well as various interesting places. He also took a number of photos that he sent to me on WeChat, very thoughtful of him.

Date of experience : May 23, 2024

Excellent service in Bejing with Hailin

Our family of 4 had a wonderful time with Hailin in Bejing with the itinerary arranged by China Highlights (Kimi). Hailin took excellent care of us the entire time, taking us to all the attractions and securing tix & transportation in a very efficient manner. She really brought the history & cultural significance of what we saw to light, and was able to quickly adapt to changing conditions & mass of people. We felt very confident & relaxed with Hailin taking care of every detail and her easy going personality made her a pleasant travel guide. She went out of her way to engage my teenage daughters in the Chinese language and took us to a lot of delicious meals at great restaurants. We had been to Beijing before without a guide and having Hailin & China Highlights plan made it SO much better.

Date of experience : June 19, 2024

She’s was an amazing tour guide

She’s was an amazing tour guide. She did an amazing job at explaining every thing and staying efficient. She planned a birthday for my brother and did an amazing job. Highly recommend Alice!

Date of experience : June 22, 2024

Family Trip - China Highlights

Liu Yuan helped create an amazing experience in Beijing! She was always on time, added additional activities based off my family's preferences and had lots of knowledge about the city. She became a quick friend of the family! Mervin was a wonderful host in Xi'an! She was extremely knowledgeable about the culture and history of the region. She helped the family get things at the store which was not in our scheduled itenerary, but needed. Helen was very energetic and a great guide for us to get to know more about the Chengdu culture. She also knew the best times to avoid crowds so that we could experience the pandas up close. We were only there for a short while, but Helen gave great suggestions on where/what we can do on the next trip, as we will come back!

Date of experience : June 16, 2024

Wonderful experience in China

My wife and I spent 21 days in China. This was our first visit to China and we hired China Highlights to be our guide throughout the trip. We were surprised by the level of care that we were given since the moment we landed until time of departure. The guides were kind, friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. They were sensitive to our needs and did above and beyond. Molan in Shanghai, Alice in Lijiang, Jennifer in Xi’an and Li in Beijing. Thank you all for your kind hospitality and see you again next year for another visit to such a beautiful country China!!

Date of experience : June 01, 2024

Helen of Chengdu

We visited the Pandas breeding centre as well as Sansingdui museum in chengdu. Our tour guide, Helen of Chengdu, was very passionate and organized. She showed us the best in both places. I would not hesitate to recommend her next time when you visit Chengdu. Bravo

Date of experience : June 12, 2024

I went to Jiuzhaigou with a group of 6…

I went to Jiuzhaigou with a group of 6 and our guide, Evan was very helpful and attentive. Would highly recommend Evan for anyone going to Jiuzhaigou and Chengdu.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️SERVICE EVAN & HELEN - CHENGDU

I am writing to express my heartfelt appreciation for the exceptional service and assistance provided by both our guide Evan & Helen during our recent trip to Jiuzai Valley National Park & Chengdu with our friends & family members. The level of professionalism, efficiency, and customer care demonstrated by Evan & Helen truly made a positive impact for our trip. They both were incredibly knowledgeable in their history & culture. Both Evan & Helen went above and beyond in caring & addressing our needs especially to my 89-year-old mother-in-law. If you’re planning to visit Chengdu, I would not hesitate to recommend both Evan & Helen for their excellent service. Thumbs up!

China Highlights

8 days | discover the highlights of china, from the neon lights of shanghai to the great wall wonder.

Get a taste of historical China on this culture-stuffed adventure. Travel from Shanghai to Beijing, taking in iconic attractions such as the Great Wall of China (one of the Seven Wonders of the World!) and the Terracotta Warriors along the way. In between the well-known sights, you'll delve beneath the surface, visit the ancient town and traditional garden in Wuxi City, snack through the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an and watch the sun setting on the Great Wall. In just eight days, you’ll have the perfect introduction to the highlights of China.

Trip overview

• Take on one of the most popular trips in China, packed full of experiences that will give you a great insight into China in just a short time.
• Be dazzled by Shanghai’s neon lights and the stunning night skyline. Then, get a peek into what life was like in ancient times with a visit to the incredibly scenic Huishan Ancient Town and one of the finest examples of traditional Chinese gardens – Jichang Garden.
• Spend the night in a charming, family-run guesthouse near the Great Wall of China – a great opportunity to experience local life – and take the chance for a short sunset hike over one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
• Explore Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in Beijing with a local leader who knows all the history, tips and tricks for this fascinating and historic area.
• Witness the incredible sight of the Terracotta Army – buried for over 2000 years, this fantastic historical wonder is an excellent example of the genius and artistic prowess of man.
• By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries.
• Be prepared for some long travel days as you’ll need to cover over 2000km to see China's main highlights in this 8-day adventure, without a flight.
• This trip packs a lot in over a short amount of time, so it’s highly recommended you spend some extra time in Shanghai and Beijing before or after your trip to experience more of what these great cities have to offer.
• As a short, city-based trip, there isn't a lot of time to experience China's beautiful natural landscapes or get further off the beaten track. If you have more time to explore, consider China Experience (CBSE), or Beijing to Hong Kong Adventure (CBSJ)

Ni Hao! Welcome to China. Your adventure begins in Shanghai with a welcome meeting at 4 pm. If you arrive early, there is much to see and do in this frenetic city. Blending 21st-century architecture with old-world character, Shanghai pulses with the beat of new China. After your meeting this afternoon, you’ll head out for a leader-led walking tour on the bund – the perfect spot to see the nighttime skyline light up when the sun descends. Tonight, why not get a taste of Shanghai’s eclectic food scene, grab your group and ask your leader for the best recommendations for dinner.

• Hotel (1 night)

There are no meals included on this day.

• Shanghai - Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre (entrance fee) - CNY25
• Shanghai - Yuyuan Garden (entrance fee) - CNY40
• Shanghai - Shanghai Museum (entrance fee) - Free

It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Get ready for your first bullet train experience this morning. A half-hour train ride will take you to Wuxi – once a prominent water town and now a booming city. Follow your leader on a walking tour through the Huishan Ancient Town Scenic Area and explore the cultural relics, historic sites and Xihui scenic area full of gorgeous gardens. Wander through the Huishan historic and cultural streets almost like travelling back in time. Take some epic snaps, learn about the traditional life here and then visit the Jichang Garden – one of the finest examples of traditional Chinese gardens, listed as a protected national heritage site in 1998. Head back to Shanghai in the afternoon. The evening is yours to enjoy at your own pace – why not grab a drink in one of the rooftop bars in Shanghai and look out over the bund.

• Wuxi - Huishan Ancient Town
• Wuxi - Jichang Garden

Hop on the bullet train to Xi’an this morning – the capital of Shaanxi Province and the largest city in northwest China. Once the imperial centre and start of the Silk Road, Xi'an is now a vibrant, modern city dotted with many historical sites and a great place to explore. When you arrive, join your leader on a walking tour, passing the iconic Bell and Drum Towers – according to legend, the Bell Tower was built to restrain the pesky dragons that were causing devastating earthquakes. See the Muslim Quarter and wander past the shops, markets, and the Great Mosque. Sample some street snacks from local carts and see why this area is known for its food! For dinner tonight, maybe try some tantalising local specialties such as pao mo (lamb broth with flat bread), hand-pulled noodles and meat skewers.

• Xi'an - Muslim Quarter Walking Tour and Snack Sampling
• Xi'an - Great Mosque (entrance fee) - CNY25
• Xi'an - Bell & Drum Towers (entrance fee) - CNY50
• Xi'an - City Wall bike hire - CNY45

Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours.

Today, you’ll journey outside Xi’an and visit what is undoubtedly one of the man-made wonders of the world – the Terracotta Warriors. Learn about this incredible archaeological find, discovered after being buried for 2000 years, and take your time getting to know the 1000 warriors (each individually sculpted, with a different costume, height and facial expression). These clay statues depicting soldiers, horses and chariots were commissioned by the emperor Qin Shi Huangdi as part of his mausoleum after he ascended to the throne in 264 BC. Later, return to Xi’an and enjoy a free evening at leisure. Why not head to the Tang Paradise walking street near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda – this is an eclectic part of the city, full of light and sound and perfect for some local nightlife.

• Xi'an - Terracotta Warriors Tour
• Xi'an - Tang Dynasty Show - CNY290
• Xi'an - Big Goose Pagoda (entrance fee) - CNY80
• Xi'an - Little Wild Goose Pagoda - CNY50

Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours each way.

Today is a big day of travelling, so grab some snacks and a good book for the journey. You’ll transfer to the railway station, then board the high-speed train to Beijing. Watch the landscape change from farmland and villages to industrialised cities and take the opportunity to get to know your fellow travellers along the way. When you arrive in Beijing, board a private vehicle and drive into the countryside, where you’ll spend the night in a family-run guesthouse right inside the scenic area near the Great Wall of China! Tonight it’s highly recommended that you go for a short hike to the Wall for an unforgettable sunset. You’ve made it to one of the Seven Wonders of the World!

• Guest house (1 night)
• Great Wall - Sunset

Your travel time today will be approximately 9 hours including the high-speed train to Beijing and the private transfer to Great Wall guesthouse.

Your guesthouse tonight is relatively basic compared to the hotels you’ll stay in on this trip, though all rooms have private facilities and Wi-Fi is available. In winter, (November to February) accommodation may be in an alternate guesthouse with better heating. In this case, you may not be able to see the sunset on the Great Wall.

Today is an exciting day as you’ll visit a section of the Great Wall of China – an ancient wonder of the world and this country’s iconic site. Spend some time exploring, take plenty of photos and learn the history of this mighty landmark. An incredible piece of engineering, the wall stretches 6000 km west of Beijing. It was initially constructed to protect Chinese empires from invaders from the north. Even though it failed, it's still one of the country's most remarkable achievements and an iconic destination. Hike along the top of the Wall for about 2 hours, along a section less visited by tourists and one of the most original section of the Wall - don't be surprised if you even feel you are the only ones on the Wall. Take in the scenery of the structure snaking through the hills almost endlessly into the distance. After, say goodbye to the epic site and head for Beijing – the capital and last stop of your trip.

• Great Wall - Jinshanling section

Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

There are many steps and slopes on the Wall, so you'll need to concentrate hard to keep your footing. For this activity, you'll need reasonable fitness and walking shoes with good support and grip.

Make your way to the centre of Beijing this morning and explore Tiananmen Square – supposedly the largest downtown square in the world and the symbolic centre of Chinese power. Framed by the Gate of Heavenly Peace, Mao's Mausoleum and the Great Hall of the People, it's a place of pilgrimage for Chinese tourists who consider it to be the heart of their nation. It's from here that you'll enter the enormous Forbidden City, which was built more than 500 years ago and has been off-limits to commoners for almost all that time. You’ll explore the halls and courtyards and witness the grandeur of the Imperial Chinese court during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the afternoon, enjoy some free time to explore on your own. Maybe check out the Temple of Heaven before getting together with your fellow travellers for a farewell dinner. There's no better way to celebrate the end of your journey than with a meal of Beijing duck (and maybe a drink or two).

• Beijing - Forbidden City
• Beijing - Tiananmen Square
• Beijing - Temple of Heaven (entrance fee) - CNY40
• Beijing - Hutong family visit - CNY150
• Beijing - Lama Temple (entrance fee) - CNY25
• Beijing - Acrobat show (ticket) - CNY290

The maximum capacity for the Forbidden City has been reduced from 80,000 visitors a day to 30,000 a day after the pandemic. This now has a big impact on the availability of Forbidden City tickets to both tour groups and individual visitors, especially during high domestic travel season from March to October. The local team will try their best to secure the entrance tickets to the Forbidden City, however, in the odd cases where the visit becomes impossible, you'll visit Temple of Heaven instead which is another exemplary ancient architecture complex that’s a must see in Beijing.

Tiananmen Square can occasionally close without notice due to local events and ceremonies, especially in March when the National Congress Conference is held.

As there are no activities planned today, your China adventure comes to an end. There's so much to see and do in Beijing, so if you’d like to stay an extra few days, just speak to your booking agent.

3 breakfasts

Private Vehicle, Public Bus, High Speed Train, Subway

Hotel (6 nights), Guesthouse (1 night)

Dates and availability

Important notes.

1. Your trip starts at 4pm on Day 1. 2. A single supplement is bookable for this trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information. 3. A scanned copy of the personal details page of your passport needs to be sent to your booking agent no later than 40 days before departure in order for us to purchase our train tickets. 4. Please note while traveling through mainland China you will not be able to access some popular internet websites.

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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• 11-Day Private Tour to Beijing, Xian, Guilin and Shanghai

China Classic Wonders

This 11-day China top cities tour covers the most popular four destinations and five World Heritage sites in China. It makes an ideal tour for first-time visitors.

The itinerary below is only one possibility. Tips to tailor-make your trip are offered as inspiration. Tell us your preferences and our travel experts will customize this trip to suit your interests, tastes, and budget.

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Tour Highlights

Itinerary details.

This 11-day suggested itinerary lets you understand China quickly, covering China's history, culture, nature, and modernization. This itinerary is just for your reference — your travel advisor can help you adjust it based on your requirements, interests, and budget.

Welcome to the capital of China — Beijing! A private driver and an English-speaking guide will be waiting to collect you in the airport lobby, holding a sign with your name and the China Highlights logo on it. Your local guide will help you to check in to your hotel and confirm the next day's collection time. The rest of the day is for you to spend as you wish. You can adjust to the jet lag at your hotel or go for a walk near your hotel.

Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

In the morning, your local guide will pick you up from your hotel lobby at the appointed time. The first stop is to visit the Temple of Heaven so that you will not miss seeing the local people doing their morning activities there, such as singing, tai chi, and so on. The temple was built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty and is a complex of Taoist buildings where emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties went for annual ceremonies to pray for good harvests. Taking pictures of this ancient building complex adds more fun to the day.

Next, you will enjoy some lunch. We have chosen local authentic restaurants throughout your tour and your guide will help you to order the food you like. After lunch, you will have a walk in Tian'anmen Square so you can digest your meal and learn about the square's history from your guide. At the end of Tian'anmen Square, you'll see the Forbidden City. You will have a totally different experience there from other tour groups. Your tour guide will help you to explore 12 carefully-selected places there, while other tour groups often visit only six to eight spots briefly. This is the best way to avoid the crowds.

If you are interested in Chinese history, you can stay there for longer and discuss things with your local guide.

One of the highlights and a must-see attraction in Beijing is the Great Wall. We have chosen the Simatai section for you, which is 120 kilometers northeast of Beijing. It takes about 2½ hours to get to Simatai from central Beijing by car. It is not only less crowded but is also the only section that stays open for visitors at night. You can take a cable car ride up to the top of the Great Wall, switch your camera on, and learn about the wall's history from your guide as you walk along it.

The newly built Gubei Water Town is at the foot of the Great Wall. It is recommended to spend some time there in the afternoon. You also can experience hot springs there if you want to.

In the late afternoon, you will go up to the Simatai section of the Great Wall again with your local guide by cable car. Enjoy the romantic night views of the Great Wall and hope that your camera works well at that time as it will be an unforgettable experience.

On your last day in Beijing, you will visit the Summer Palace in the morning, which is the largest and best-preserved royal park in China. The Summer Palace has greatly influenced Chinese horticulture and landscapes with its famous natural views and cultural interests, and has long been recognized as 'the Museum of Royal Gardens'. After lunch, you will say goodbye to Beijing as your guide and driver transfer you to the train station and help you catch the train to Xi'an.

Your local Xi'an guide and driver will pick you up at the train station and transfer you to your hotel.

Xi'an is a historical city and was an ancient capital of China. The first attraction of the day is a top Xi'an highlight, the Terracotta Army, which was discovered accidentally in 1974. This incredible army of over 7,000 soldiers, archers, horses, and chariots in full battle array has guarded Emperor Qin's tomb since 210 BC. You can take some pictures with the army if you like.

After enjoying the wonders in the museum, you will have a chance to experience how to make small terracotta warriors with a local craftsman, which would make meaningful presents for your friends. Then, visit the local craftsman's cave dwelling and chat with him.

After lunch, your guide will accompany you to visit the ancient city wall, which was built in the 13th century on the foundations of the original Tang Forbidden City and surrounds the city center. You can walk or pay a fee to rent a bike (40 CNY per person) or an electric cart (80 CNY per person) to travel around the full 14-kilometer circuit, with great views of the city on either side.

In the morning, your guide will meet you in your hotel lobby and take you to visit Shaanxi History Museum, which is quite simply one of the nation's best. There are four major galleries in large, Tang-style buildings, which house a vast and impressive collection that's beautifully displayed.

Then, you will have a look at Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which was built in the 7th century to house the Buddhist materials that Xuanzang (Tripitaka) brought back from his epic journey to India. The temple complex has several large halls with some great Buddhist statues and murals.

The last stop is Muslim Quarter. You will find thousands of Xi'an local snacks there and can enjoy some Muslim cuisine with your guide. In the late afternoon, your driver and guide will see you off at the airport in Xi'an to catch your flight to Guilin. Your new driver and guide will meet you at the airport in Guilin.

In the morning, you will begin your day at the Longji Rice Terraces, which are located 2 hours' drive from the city.

The terraced fields are like chains or ribbons spreading from the foot of the hill to the top. The small ones look like spiral shells and some big ones are like towers. The fields are arranged tier by tier, looking both grand and beautiful.

Another impressive aspect of Longsheng is that many minority people live there. The Yao minority is the most popular one. You will have the chance to visit one of the minority people's homes and experience how to make bamboo-stuffed rice with them. You can also taste some oil tea if you want to.

Can you imagine cruising along the Li River? After enjoying breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to the port to catch the cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, which takes about 4 hours. During the cruise, you will not only see the view that's shown on the back of a 20 RMB note but will also enjoy the scenery of large karst mountains. You may see fishermen gliding along on their narrow bamboo rafts and, if you're very lucky, you might see one of the famous fishing cormorants.

After lunch, you will visit an ancient town, Fuli, which is known as the "the hometown of painted paper fans". There, you will experience how to paint a traditional landscape on a paper fan, which is another highlight of the day.

Stay overnight in a boutique hotel in Yangshuo.

To understand the villagers' real lifestyle, you will visit a village family first, experiencing farming work with water buffalo. Then, you will take a local's special car, which has three wheels, to a local wet market and you can see how local people bargain there.

You will be transferred to Guilin Liangjiang International Airport to catch your flight to the modern city of Shanghai after lunch.

Having left a countryside city, will you be excited to explore a modern Chinese city. Shanghai is the economic center of China. You still can dig up its history and traditional culture even though it's filled with many skyscrapers.

You will participate in our In-Depth Bund Culture Discovery Tour. Wander around the Bund and, during this 2-hour tour, you will be transported back to the 1920s. It will be different from other group tours as you will walk a route with your knowledgeable guide that tourists seldom find by themselves. See the original bricks and hear some interesting stories that you'll never find in history books.

After enjoying the views and stories in the Bund, you will visit Yu Garden, which is a private garden that was built in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty. It features typical classic Chinese architecture and style.

It is surrounded by a busy market place, including Shanghai Old Street and City God Temple Food Street, where visitors can find everything from popular local snacks, handicrafts, antiques, and souvenirs to some famous time-honored restaurants.

The final attraction is Shanghai Tower. As the world's second-tallest building, with 128 stories and a height of 632 meters (2,073 feet), it is a premier Shanghai highlight. You can enjoy a panoramic view of Shanghai there.

Your 11-day China classic wonders tour has come to an end. You will say goodbye to your lovely guide and driver at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. We hope you have a safe trip back home.

Price Includes

Price from: $2,819 (Tour code: gh-cht-63)

1.About the Travel Date

There will be two date options for the Chiang Mai CAD Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival 2020 including October 31st and November 1st, we will make sure you are there on the day you choose.

You can decide to create a krathong and have your riverside dinner on October 31 and then experience the Yi Peng mass lantern release on the 1st of November or vice versa.

2.About the Yi Peng Festival Celebration

There are three different kinds of seats available at the Chiang Mai CAD Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival including: Premium, VIP, and Standard.

This itinerary includes tickets for the VIP seats. Please let us know if you would like to upgrade to the Premium seats.

Guests who choose Premium or VIP seats will be much closer to the grand pagoda and have a better view of the religious ceremony. The Premium seats are located just next to the central stage and are the best place to take in the sky lantern release. The VIP seats are behind the Premium seats but are still much closer to the stage than the Standard seats.

Guests who choose Premium or VIP seats will have dinner at the premium or VIP area with a different menu than that of standard ticket holders.

3. About Accommodation

This itinerary tentatively does not include your hotel. However, we are happy to make a hotel reservation for you if you need it.

Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.

How would you travel?

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10-17 yrs old

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• 8-Day Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai Tour
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Address: Building 6, Chuangyi Business Park, 70 Qilidian Road, Guilin, Guangxi, 541004, China

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It was a memorable experience for me as all the guides went out of their way to make sure my experience was enjoyable and comfortable. Tom in Beijing made sure I s...

Nur zu empfehlen!- Wir haben schon drei China- und…

Wir haben schon drei China- und Tibetreisen über Chinahighlights gebucht- und waren jedes Mal mehr als zufrieden. Obwohl unsere spezielle Art zu reisen große Herausf...

matthew bedford

A fantastic experience from start to…

A fantastic experience from start to finish for my wife and I. We did 24 days with about about 9full days of a private tour guide with free days for us to explore so...

Once in a Lifetime Trip to China

Our family of 10, with 3 generations, just completed what can only be described as a once in a lifetime trip to China. Leeky created the perfect itinerary for our ...

有名な陶磁器の産地である景徳鎮ですが、今回御社の手配したプライベートツアーに参加し、とても楽しく充実した旅行を満喫することが出来ました。 プライベートツアーということで、現地での移動手段や見物したい所を自由に組むことが出来て、こちらの要望に応じてもらったり、宿泊のホテルも閑静で自然環境が素晴らしかったです。 私達のガイドをしてく...

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Editoral Review of China Highlights

Since 1959, China Highlights has been creating unique experiences for travelers to fit their needs and budgets. 

What Makes Them Stand Out?

All China tours are tailor-made for the individual traveler, and offer the flexibility to choose every aspect of the trip with a personal guide. 

Who Travels With Them?

China Highlights is suitable for families, solo travelers, groups, and couples. 

Where Do They Operate?

China Highlights operates throughout China, including Tibet, and a Yangtze cruise. 

Why Travel with Them?  

China highlights offers several themes for travelers to design their perfect trip, including hiking, photography, festivals, adoption heritage, pandas, top 10s, and many others.

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About the company.

China Highlights is the online travel service platform operated by the team of professional travel consultants at CITS Guilin. Started in early 1998, it was one of the earliest "China Travel" web sites. The brand name "China Highlights" has come to mean a reliable company. We have provided thousands of customers their unforgettable "China Experience".

With this dream, China Highlights was established in 1998: one man, one computer. With years of development, we now have English, Japanese, German, Spanish, French, Italian, and Russian language teams. Each year 100+ colleagues in Guilin's head office help 10,000+ visitors discover China.

We provide Private Tour packages to all parts of China, and specialize in customizing and tailor-making tours for individuals, families and groups to specific requirements at great value for money. Hotels and restaurants are carefully selected to provide comfort and the best local food. Our English speaking guides are knowledgeable and experienced. We take you to the best attractions and sights in comfortable cars with safe drivers.

" Discovery Your Way !" means China Highlights specialize in 'discovery', that is finding out new and exciting things about China, and "customizing:, which means tailoring a tour to "your way". It has been our slogan since 2006 and it sums up key areas of our service: providing a genuine China experience with unbeatable flexibility.

Why Choose Us

Our company has been operating as a full service travel agency in China since 1959, and we've been online for over a decade. That’s a long time in Internet terms. Here are several reasons why more than 10,000 clients per year put their faith in us, as their China tour provider.

Freedom and flexibility:

"Discovery your way" is our motto and it is something that we are passionate about. We express this passion by giving our clients the tools to discover China in the way that best suits them.

-- Small private groups : See China in the luxury in your own private vehicle with your own guide and driver.

-- Tailor-made and customized tours : We specialize in tailor-made and customized travel.

Unique and Authentic China Experience:

We put together an itinerary based on your needs ensuring that you see the real China, eat authentic local food, and feel like you have been a participant not just an observer.

--Authentic food and dining experiences

--Great China destinations

--We try to use local guides that belong to a local ethnic group in areas like Tibet and the Silk Road.

Quality, Integrity and Honesty:

In our business, attention to detail is the key to quality. Every tour that we book is meticulously planned to try to ensure that it runs seamlessly.

--Relaxed and fair cancellation policy

--Real value for money

--No hidden costs

--Full disclosure of information including detailed flight information on the itinerary

--Fairness and equity to customers, staff and suppliers.

Money Back Guarantee:

We believe in ourselves, so that’s why we offer our unique money back Value and Service Guarantee. We keep our promises. Just ask our past customers. If something does go wrong, we fix it.

China Highlights Trips & Specials

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well organised trip

We had a great trip in Sichuan (Chengdu, Emei, Leshan and Juizhaiguo). Leon from China Highlights organised a private tour for 6 of us (one 83 and the other 88 years old). He was very responsive and patient in developing our itinerary. Our adventure was smooth. Both our guides were excellent in caring for my 88 year old mum. Seow Yak (Evan) was very attentive, personable, polite with a can do attitude. Similarly Helen in Chengdu aimed to please and was flexible. I would use china highlights again for future tours.

Date of experience : 10 June 2024

Fantastic tour guide and driver

We had very good experience with our tour guide, Brenda and the driver in Suzhou and Wuxi. Brenda is extremely helpful, patient and attentive to our needs which we do really appreciate a lot. She’s good in recommending good food for us and she even went the extra miles to assist me to solve the problems in using Alipay & WeChat pay. Furthermore, she also helped me talking to the customer service from China Mobile. Our driver is very professional as well. We truly enjoy the trip with Brenda and the driver. Thumbs up for their great services!

Date of experience : 26 May 2024

5 star service from China Highlights and Leah

Great experience using China Highlights for our Beijing and Great Wall tour! Leah at China Highlights was amazing to work with when planning and preparing for our trip. She was extremely responsive and gave great recommendations based upon my group's interests. We loved the hotel she picked for us and had a lovely time on our tour. I would absolutely travel with China Highlights again and request Leah to plan my trip, hopefully one day soon!

Date of experience : 28 March 2024

Great rainy trip in Huangshan with Alvin

We were very unlucky with bad weather preventing us to see the yellow mountains. However, our tour guide Alvin organised fun and interesting things for us to do. Learning and tasting local teas, making our own incense & climbing a smaller mountain which was still open.

Date of experience : 24 June 2024

潘雷 fiona was an extremely enthusiastic tour guide that brought us around hangzhou. since it was our first time going to hangzhou, we weren’t sure as to which places to go, and what locals would usually do there. however, she was always there to guide us through, patiently introducing us to new places we’ve never heard before, explaining the history and culture of the places. this made our trip very interesting as we got to learn new things. not only that, she was bubbly, helpful and attentive throughout the trip which made our trip more adventurous and fun. she was very gentle and attentive towards the elders and kids in my family, and always tried her best to fulfill all our requests. she would be the tour guide i would recommend to others, as in my point of view, she was the best tour guide we could’ve asked for.

Date of experience : 30 May 2024

Shanghai - Beijing trip

We had a great trip in Shanghai and Beijing. China Highlights was very responsive when we were inquiring and flexible in developing the eventual itinerary. We booked a one day trip in Shanghai and a 3day trip to Beijing. Overall, we were very pleased with the arrangements - travel was smooth and without any hitch. Shanghai guides and coordinators Johnny and Rong were terrific. Tom, our tour guide in Beijing was a delight to work with. He is very personable, excellent communicator and a pleasure to be with. Tom’s knowledge of the history and culture was a great background for us during our visit. We also benefited from Tom’s insider knowledge of local eating spots and sampled different cuisines. Overall, a wonderful experience !

My party and I had a WONDERFUL time with our guide, Peter. He was professional, personable, and helped to make our experience in China unforgettable! Thank you Peter....you deserve praise for your good work!

Date of experience : 24 May 2024

China Highlight -Xian Tour

Hi, we booked a 4 day 3 night trip to Xian through China Highlight. It was a great experience with the tour company. It started with very detailed and responsive action from the headoffice via email and WhatsApp/wechat with all the details Our guide Susan was efficient, punctual and very knowledgeable. Her repertoire of China history (including hour long session in the vehicle) was extremely insightful and meant a lot to us (who are keen to know more about our history). The chauffeur was very careful in his driving and always on time. It was a good programme with good 5 star hotel in a great location and covers all essential tourist site of Xian I will strongly recommend China Highlights

Date of experience : 18 June 2024

Our China Highlights Guide for Huang Shan: Alvin

Our China Highlights guide, Alvin, was a wonderful companion during our stay in Tunxi and Huang Shan. He was personable, knowledgeable, and able to adjust our itinerary when unusually rainy weather complicated our plans. Alvin was patient, positive, and always willing to help. Our driver, Mr. Ying, was also excellent, both a wonderful driver and a gentleman. We will remember them both with fondness and gratitude.

Date of experience : 23 June 2024

We had a 10 day tour of china…

We had a 10 day tour of china highlights to visit Beijing Xian and Shanghai from June 2 to June 10.The tour was finalised from India and we were delighted to have the opportunity to see beautiful places in China with friendly and cooperative tour guides.We enjoyed tasty authentic local food and the tour was basically safe and enjoyable. Very informative and trust worthy, we had no problem in communication to the company at any point of time of our specific needs and they were fulfilled immediately. No hassles right from first day Airport pickup till the last day Airport drop we were so relaxed and tension free we felt at home though there was a language problem.we shall surely recommend our friends and family for contacting china highlights for any tour requirements in future We both being senior citizens felt encouraged to visit all places and walk down all the places because of the guides Thanks China highlights 👍👍👍👍👍

Date of experience : 09 June 2024

Exceptional Tour Experience

Our trip to China was absolutely fantastic, and we owe it all to China Highlights. The tour was impeccably organized, providing a perfect blend of sightseeing, cultural experiences, and free time for independent exploration. The accommodations were outstanding, offering comfort and luxury throughout our journey. We visited Shanghai, Guilin, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, and Beijing. Each destination was made even more special by our exceptional guides, who took great care of us from start to finish. Every detail of our trip was meticulously handled by the China Highlights team, including thoughtful touches like managing our luggage on the train. I highly recommend China Highlights for an unforgettable travel experience. We will definitely be booking with them again!

Date of experience : 04 June 2024

4.5 day tour of Beijing with wonderful guide Ethan

We went on a 4.5 day tour of Beijing including the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square, Summer Palace, Winter Palace, Temple of Heaven, Capital Museum and 798 District. We did not feel rushed at any stage and Ethan was incredibly patient waiting while we explored 5km of the Great Wall... Ethan was very helpful negotiating dietary constraints and with catching our first Didi once we'd left him for the day. Ethan was flexible with the schedule and added things he thought might be of interest like an additional boat trip on the lake at the Summer Palace. We also back-tracked to visit Jingshan Park - something we missed on our trip to the Forbidden city because it was just too hot that afternoon! Ethan also arranged tickets to two shows - the acrobat show and the water show - both of these were fantastic and entertained me and my 12 year old son. We really appreciate that Ethan was able to change the schedule as we went along. Ethan and our driver Mr Gao were both fantastic, and both had a great sense of humour. We definitely appreciated all the bottles of water!

Date of experience : 11 June 2024

We spent a couple of memorable days in Dali, with our guide Frank. He was a very pleasant and chatty person, with great historical and general knowledge. We visited the Erhai lake, had lunch with a Dongba, went for a stroll in the nearby mountains, visited a Catholic Church as well as various interesting places. He also took a number of photos that he sent to me on WeChat, very thoughtful of him.

Date of experience : 23 May 2024

Excellent service in Bejing with Hailin

Our family of 4 had a wonderful time with Hailin in Bejing with the itinerary arranged by China Highlights (Kimi). Hailin took excellent care of us the entire time, taking us to all the attractions and securing tix & transportation in a very efficient manner. She really brought the history & cultural significance of what we saw to light, and was able to quickly adapt to changing conditions & mass of people. We felt very confident & relaxed with Hailin taking care of every detail and her easy going personality made her a pleasant travel guide. She went out of her way to engage my teenage daughters in the Chinese language and took us to a lot of delicious meals at great restaurants. We had been to Beijing before without a guide and having Hailin & China Highlights plan made it SO much better.

Date of experience : 19 June 2024

She’s was an amazing tour guide

She’s was an amazing tour guide. She did an amazing job at explaining every thing and staying efficient. She planned a birthday for my brother and did an amazing job. Highly recommend Alice!

Date of experience : 22 June 2024

Family Trip - China Highlights

Liu Yuan helped create an amazing experience in Beijing! She was always on time, added additional activities based off my family's preferences and had lots of knowledge about the city. She became a quick friend of the family! Mervin was a wonderful host in Xi'an! She was extremely knowledgeable about the culture and history of the region. She helped the family get things at the store which was not in our scheduled itenerary, but needed. Helen was very energetic and a great guide for us to get to know more about the Chengdu culture. She also knew the best times to avoid crowds so that we could experience the pandas up close. We were only there for a short while, but Helen gave great suggestions on where/what we can do on the next trip, as we will come back!

Date of experience : 16 June 2024

Wonderful experience in China

My wife and I spent 21 days in China. This was our first visit to China and we hired China Highlights to be our guide throughout the trip. We were surprised by the level of care that we were given since the moment we landed until time of departure. The guides were kind, friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. They were sensitive to our needs and did above and beyond. Molan in Shanghai, Alice in Lijiang, Jennifer in Xi’an and Li in Beijing. Thank you all for your kind hospitality and see you again next year for another visit to such a beautiful country China!!

Date of experience : 01 June 2024

Helen of Chengdu

We visited the Pandas breeding centre as well as Sansingdui museum in chengdu. Our tour guide, Helen of Chengdu, was very passionate and organized. She showed us the best in both places. I would not hesitate to recommend her next time when you visit Chengdu. Bravo

Date of experience : 12 June 2024

I went to Jiuzhaigou with a group of 6…

I went to Jiuzhaigou with a group of 6 and our guide, Evan was very helpful and attentive. Would highly recommend Evan for anyone going to Jiuzhaigou and Chengdu.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️SERVICE EVAN & HELEN - CHENGDU

I am writing to express my heartfelt appreciation for the exceptional service and assistance provided by both our guide Evan & Helen during our recent trip to Jiuzai Valley National Park & Chengdu with our friends & family members. The level of professionalism, efficiency, and customer care demonstrated by Evan & Helen truly made a positive impact for our trip. They both were incredibly knowledgeable in their history & culture. Both Evan & Helen went above and beyond in caring & addressing our needs especially to my 89-year-old mother-in-law. If you’re planning to visit Chengdu, I would not hesitate to recommend both Evan & Helen for their excellent service. Thumbs up!

Boeing CEO faces heat in Senate hearing: 5 takeaways from his testimony

• Boeing CEO David Calhoun appeared before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Tuesday.
• Calhoun apologized to the families of victims who died in two Boeing 737 Max crashes abroad more than five years ago.
• Calhoun said he hasn't spoken directly with any of the whistleblowers who have alleged the company has taken shortcuts that jeopardize safety on its production lines.

Boeing CEO David Calhoun appeared before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Tuesday, answering questions about the company’s performance and how it’s responding to safety concerns amid ongoing scrutiny from regulators and investigations by authorities. 

Boeing has been under scrutiny for years , and the pressure seems only to be increasing after a series of high-profile safety incidents beginning with two crashes of 737 Max jets that left 346 people dead. Those wrecks were ultimately attributed to poorly designed, undisclosed flight control software. The global Max fleet was grounded for nearly two years after the second crash, and the software was redesigned.

Manufacturing quality has been at the center of the current wave of attention. In January, an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 lost a section of its fuselage shortly after takeoff. No serious injuries were reported, but more than 100 planes were again grounded, and regulatory scrutiny of Boeing ramped up.

Here are five key moments from Calhoun's testimony:

1. Boeing CEO addresses the families of victims

Several family members of victims who died in two Boeing 737 Max crashes abroad more than five years ago appeared with photos of their deceased relatives in the hearing room. During his introduction, Calhoun turned around and spoke to them directly.

“I would like to speak directly to those who lost loved ones on Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. I want to personally apologize, on behalf of everyone at Boeing. We are deeply sorry for your losses. Nothing is more important than the safety of the people who step on board our airplanes. Every day we seek to honor the memory of those lost through a steadfast commitment to safety and quality,” a transcript of his prepared remarks said.

2. Calhoun hasn't spoken directly with whistleblowers

Much of the recent scrutiny on Boeing results from whistleblower complaints alleging the company has taken shortcuts that jeopardize safety on its production lines. Calhoun said he’s aware of the complaints and that the company has a strict no-retaliation policy, but he acknowledged he has not met with any of the whistleblowers personally.

"I have not spoken directly to any of the whistleblowers," Calhoun responded to Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.

"Do you think that would be a good idea?" Johnson asked, and Calhoun agreed. "I'd recommend it."

3. How much does Boeing's CEO Dave Calhoun make?

Calhoun's salary: $32.8 million.

In response to questioning from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Calhoun refused to say the number aloud, though the senator entered it into the record.

“It’s a big number,” Calhoun said.

“It’s working out great for you," Hawley added. "For the American people, they’re in danger. For your workers, they’re in peril. For your whistleblowers, they literally fear for their lives. But you’re getting compensated like never before.”

Calhoun is set to step down as CEO of Boeing later this year.

4. Some of Boeing’s problems stem from a lack of institutional knowledge

There’s been much reporting on the brain drain at Boeing, which accelerated during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic with early retirements. Calhoun said the loss of intergenerational knowledge on the production lines has affected the safety culture of the company.

“This relates so much to an untrained workforce,” Calhoun said.

5. The whole aviation industry works together on safety

Calhoun said throughout his testimony that not all incidents involving a Boeing plane can be traced to Boeing production specifically, but he emphasized that Boeing and all industry stakeholders work together when something goes wrong to figure out what happened and ensure it can't happen again.

“Every issue that occurs out in the field with an airplane, our industry doesn’t actually point fingers at each other; we all rally around what happened, and if the manufacturer can contribute to fixing that, we will," Calhoun said.

In addition, Boeing's chief engineer Howard McKenzie said that airlines follow Boeing's maintenance guidelines for Boeing aircraft throughout their service lives.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

The B-21 Raider's Biggest Enemy Isn't Russia or China

Summary and Key Points: The cost of the U.S. Air Force's B-21 Raider long-range strategic bombers has increased, as Northrop Grumman, the prime contractor, renegotiated a higher cost ceiling for the next batch of 19 aircraft. Originally agreed to take a loss on the first lots, Northrop Grumman now highlights a not-to-exceed pricing for subsequent lots above the initial average unit price.

-The rising costs pose a dilemma for the Air Force, which needs to buy more bombers to lower the per-unit cost but may struggle with budget constraints.

-The Air Force aims for 100 B-21 Raiders, but funding decisions will ultimately rest with lawmakers.

The B-21 Raider's New Enemy: Cost 

Everything is costing more, and it isn't just groceries, and the burritos at Chipotle. The United States Air Force is going to have to shell out a few more bucks to pay for its fleet of B-21 Raider long-range strategic bombers to Northrop Grumman, the prime contractor of the next-generation aircraft.

The aerospace firm had previously agreed to take a "loss" on the first lots of the B-21 , following negotiations with the contractor early this year, but as Defense One first reported on Monday , Northrop Grumman has been able to subsequently re-negotiate "a higher cost ceiling" for the next batch of 19 aircraft.

"B-21 remains on track to meet its key performance parameter for Average Procurement Unit Cost (APUC) of $550 million in Base Year 2010 dollars," Northrop Grumman stated in a June 18 press release , which highlighted key factoids about the future backbone of the U.S. Air Force's bomber fleet.

"The government has fixed price production options for the first 21 aircraft. Final terms, quantity, and pricing beyond the first 21 aircraft are subject to negotiation. The government and Northrop Grumman have established not to exceed pricing for an additional 19 aircraft. The average not to exceed value for the subsequent lots is above the average unit price of the five LRIP lots," the aerospace firm added. 

Inflation Woes – Just Part of the Problem for B-21

The B-21 Raider, which is set to replace the aging B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit in the coming decade, has been touted as being the most advanced bomber aircraft ever built. It is also on track to be the most expensive, potentially exceeding the B-2 if enough Raiders aren't built.

Current estimates put the price tag for the bomber as high as $600 million per aircraft, but only if the Air Force can buy the aircraft in volume to spread out the R&D costs. Yet, due to the rising costs , there had been concerns that the United States Air Force would be hard-pressed to buy enough of the B-21 Raider bombers in the coming years. In other words, the air service is facing a dilemma – it needs to buy more of the bombers to lower the per unit cost, but the price could still go up anyway, reducing the number that it can reasonably afford to buy!

The Raider entered its Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) in January, and the first five production lots of the B-21 will total just 21 airplanes. However, that is entirely by design and was meant to ensure the costs are managed accordingly. That may not work out as planned.

The Air Force hasn't provided an updated unit cost, while the service has also scaled back how much it requested to go towards the program for fiscal year 2025 (FY25), down to $2.7 billion from $4 billion projected last year.

As previously reported , the U.S. Air Force anticipates a need for about 100 B-21 Raiders, while Northrop Grumman, which as the prime contractor has a vested interest in producing more aircraft, recommended a program of at least 200 bombers.

The total number of the B-21 Raiders will come down to what lawmakers are likely willing to fund.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs . You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu . You can email the author: [email protected] .

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump presented with plan to end war if elected - as trial of US journalist to begin

Donald Trump has been presented with a plan to end the war in Ukraine if he is elected to the White House in November, Reuters has been told. Meanwhile, Evan Gershkovich has been seen before the start of his behind-closed-doors trial in Russia.

Wednesday 26 June 2024 07:50, UK

• Trump presented with plan to end Ukraine war if elected
• US journalist seen ahead of trial in Russia
• North Korea missile explodes mid-air after launch
• Your questions answered : Has Western media been honest about Ukrainian military failures?
• Big picture : What you need to know this week
• Listen to the Daily above and tap here to follow wherever you get your podcasts
• Live reporting by Bhvishya Patel 

Ask a question or make a comment

Donald Trump has been presented with a plan to end the war in Ukraine if he is elected to the White House in November.

The Reuters news agency reports that two key advisers for the presumptive Republican nominee have put forward the plan, which involves telling Kyiv it will only get more US military aid if it enters peace talks.

At the same time, the US would warn Moscow that refusal to negotiate would result in increased support from Washington for Ukraine, according to retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg.

Lt Kellogg and Fred Fleitzl, who were both chiefs of staff in Trump's National Security Council while he was president and who came up with the plan, said a ceasefire would be based on prevailing battle lines during peace talks.

Mr Fleitzl said Trump showed a positive attitude towards the plan.

"I'm not claiming he agreed with it or agreed with every word of it, but we were pleased to get the feedback we did," he said.

The Kremlin has said any peace plan from a future Trump administration would need to reflect the battlefield "reality" - but that Vladimir Putin was open to talks.

"The value of any plan lies in the nuances and in taking into account the real state of affairs on the ground," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

From the Ukrainian side, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said freezing the war at prevailing front lines would be "strange".

"Ukraine has an absolutely clear understanding and it is spelled out in the peace formula proposed by President Zelenskyy, it is clearly stated there - peace can only be fair and peace can only be based on international law," he said.

Ukrainian shelling destroyed a radiation control post in Velyka Znamyanka in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russia's management of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine reports.

"Specialists carried out a number of compensatory measures to control the radiation situation in the area," the management said.

Radiation levels, the management added, do not exceed safe levels.

For context :  Russian troops seized the Zaporizhzhia plant in the early days of Moscow's invasion on Ukraine in 2022.

Moscow and Kyiv have since routinely accused each other of endangering safety around it.

Evan Gershkovich has been seen before the start of his behind-closed-doors trial in Russia.

Reporters were allowed to briefly film the US journalist today before the start of his trial in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on charges of espionage that he denies.

Mr Gershkovich was seen standing in a glass box, with a shaved head.

The Wall Street Journal reporter was first arrested on espionage charges in March 2023 after Russia claimed he had been "gathering secret information" on orders from the CIA.

Mr Gershkovich faces 20 years in prison if convicted and he has spent over a year in Moscow's Lefortovo prison.

A Russian missile attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa has struck civilian infrastructure this morning, regional governor Oleh Kiper reports.

The attack damaged an administrative building in the industrial sector. 

Mr Kiper said there were no casualties in the attack.

Earlier this week, a Russian missile strike damaged a storage facility in the city, injuring three people.

Odesa has been a frequent target of Russian forces in the invasion, with many attacks aimed at the city's port facilities.

Russia denies targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure.

A suspected hypersonic missile launched by North Korea exploded in flight today, South Korea's military has said.

The missile was launched from near the capital, Pyongyang, South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said. 

Japan's defence ministry said the missile flew to an altitude of about 62 miles and range of more than 200km.

Senior officials of South Korea, the US and Japan have held a phone call and condemned the launch as a violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and a serious threat to the peace and stability of the region and beyond.

US Indo-Pacific command also issued a condemnation and called on Pyongyang to refrain from further unlawful and destabilising acts.

"While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we continue to monitor the situation," it said in a statement.

North Korea's last missile launch was on 30 May.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin held a summit and signed a mutual defence pact. 

Seoul, Washington and Tokyo criticised the two countries' deepening military cooperation, with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol calling the pact "anachronistic". 

Welcome back to our live coverage of the Ukraine war.

Yesterday the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two top Russian military figures - former defence minister Sergei Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov - for allegedly directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects in Ukraine.

It brought the total number of warrants against senior Russian suspects to eight since the start of the war - with Vladimir Putin among them.

Kyiv welcomed the move, but Moscow dismissed it as legally meaningless.

Before we get to our live updates, here's a brief rundown of the other main developments from the past day:

• Russia and Ukraine each returned 90 prisoners of war in the latest swap between the two countries;
• The EU officially launched membership talks with Ukraine in what Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a "historic day" for Kyiv;
• Russia's deputy foreign minister warned of "tragic and fatal" consequences for the West if it underestimated Russia's resolve;
• The European Court of Human Rights found Russia guilty of committing multiple human rights violations in Crimea since it annexed the peninsula a decade ago;
• The Reuters news agency reported that Trump has been handed a plan to end the Ukraine war if he becomes president in November - including telling Kyiv it would only get more US military aid if it entered peace talks.

The map below shows the latest territorial picture in Ukraine...

That brings an end to our live updates on the Ukraine war for this evening.

We'll bring you any major updates overnight. In the meantime, you can scroll through the blog below to catch up on the day's developments.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a direct message to the two Russian top generals who are the subject of fresh arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court.

The court has accused Sergei Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov of war crimes and the crime against humanity of inhumane acts.

In his nightly video address, Mr Zelenskyy said: "Shoigu, Gerasimov – your path to The Hague is open."

The Ukrainian president also said the official start of Ukraine's ascension into the EU today was a "historic result", adding: "We will definitely implement everything necessary to advance through each chapter of our relations with the EU and to create a treaty – a treaty of Ukraine's accession."

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and Russian defence minister Andrei Belousov spoke over the phone today, in what marked the first call between Mr Austin and his Russian counterpart since March 2023.

The two men discussed the importance of open lines of communication, the Pentagon said.

Spokesperson Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said Mr Austin had initiated the conversation. 

Mr Belousov was appointed to the role of defence minister last month after the shock dismissal of longtime minister Sergei Shoigu by Vladimir Putin.

Some of the returned Ukrainian soldiers were prisoners taken from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the head of the Ukrainian president's office has said.

Andriy Yermak said of the 90 fighters returned by Russia today, 52 were from a large group of Ukrainians captured while trying to defend the Azovstal steelworks in southern Ukraine while others had been held as prisoners after the capture of Chernobyl.

Both sites were seized by Russia early in the war.

Mr Yermak described the latest prisoner swap as an "important exchange".

"Thanks to our team for their work. Grateful to the UAE for facilitating the exchange. We will return everyone," he said.

Russia and Ukraine have each returned 90 prisoners of war in the latest swap between the two countries, the Russian defence ministry has said.

In a statement on Telegram, the ministry said Russian prisoners were returned with the United Arab Emirates acting as an intermediary.

The prisoners were being flown to Moscow for medical checks, it added.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed in a post to social media that 90 Ukrainian soldiers were returned by Russia.

"We remember all our people in Russian captivity. We continue our work for the release of everyone. We seek the truth about everyone who may be held by the enemy," he said, as he thanked the Ukrainian exchange team. 

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Beijing – Ulaanbaatar Train Schedules

• K3 Beijing – Ulaanbaatar – Moscow, depart from Beijing on every Wednesday.
• K4 Moscow – Ulaanbaatar – Beijing

Train station with a "*" means immigration inspection needed.

K3: Beijing - Ulaanbaatar - Moscow

(Updated on January 7th, 2020)

K4: Moscow - Ulaanbaatar - Beijing

• K23 Beijing – Ulaanbaatar
• K24 Ulaanbaatar – Beijing

K23: Beijing - Ulaanbaatar

K24: ulaanbaatar - beijing, details on the trains, how to book the ticket.

International tickets can be booked up to 30 days before departure. You can buy the ticket at designated ticket offices, or at travel agencies like China Highlights. Ticket offices only accept cash (RMB) and don't have English speaking personnel. So it would be more convenient to buy an international train ticket with China Highlights. We provide detailed and helpful English guidance and a 24/7 service. A ticket delivery service is also available.

All the passengers' passports and photocopies of passports and visas are required when you make the booking.

Children's tickets:

• A child under 4 years old and accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket is ticket- free if they don't occupy individual berths. A child-ticket needs to be bought if you want to get a berth for the child.
• Children between 4 and 12 years old need to buy child tickets.
• Children over 12 years old need to buy adult tickets at full fare.

Please note: There are no open tickets for this train. If you want to hop on and off along the way, you need to buy separate tickets.

Search for train schedules and book a ticket now !

How to Apply For Visas

Documents you need for applying for visas:

1. A passport valid for at least 6 months.

2. Itineraries for Chinese and Mongolian tours.

3. International train or flight confirmation letters.

4. Application forms.

5. Visa support letters. You can get visa support letter or invitation letter from local travel agencies.

Can I Enjoy 144-hour visa exemption?

Travelers who take the international train from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing do not qualify for 144-hour visa-free transit, because the valid ports of entry in Beijing are Beijing Capital Airport and Beijing West Railway Station(北京西站) . International trains between Ulaanbaatar - Beijing arrive in / depart from Beijing Railway Station(北京火车站) , which is not the port for the 144-hour visa-free policy.

How to Board the Train

Valid certificate is required when buying a ticket AND boarding a train:

• Foreign passengers: Passport or Travel Permit
• Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan passengers: Mainland Travel Permit

In China, boarding an international train is basically the same as boarding a domestic train. Arrive at the train station at least 1 hour in advance - go through security – find your waiting room – find the platform – board the train.

There are only Chinese signs at train stations. If you have difficulties in finding the right waiting room or platform, ask a member of staff for help. Here is a phrase that might be helpful.

Luggage Policy

Free baggage allowance.

• Adult: 36 kg (79 lb) per ticket
• Child: 15 kg (33 lb)

Baggage Size

The total of the three dimensions cannot exceed 200 cm (79 in).

Prohibited Items Brought on the Train

Dangerous items including all kinds of guns and knives, explosive items and toxics are not allowed to be brought onto the international train. Apart from that, bicycles (include foldable bicycles) cannot be taken onboard either. If you have a bicycle with you, you can consign it before departure.

Consignment

Take your ticket, passport to the luggage department at the train station to consign your luggage. It is recommended that you check in your luggage one day before departure. Because the luggage department for international trains works only in the morning from 09:00 to 11:30 from Monday to Friday.

Consignment fee is 14-18 CNY (US$2-3) per kilogram.

Good to Know

• A Chinese dining car is attached to the international train when traveling in China, offering Chinese meals. A Mongolian dining car is attached to the train when traveling in Mongolia, offering Mongolian food.
• A Chinese-style lunch and a dinner on the first day are provided for free. Other meals at the dining car are at your own cost.
• It is recommended that you bring some snacks and drinks on your own.  You can also buy local food as supplement at the platforms when the train stop at a station.
• There are power sockets in each coach but you need to take a converter to be able to recharge your phone and camera. Voltage is sometimes too low and it may not be able to charge your laptop.
• Free toilet paper is available but always runs out. So bring your toilet paper just in case.
• There is free boiling water in each coach. You can take a cup with you and make a cup of coffee or tea.
• US dollars are acceptable on international trains. When you are in China, you can use Chinese Yuan; when you are in Mongolia, you can use the Tugrik. Remember that only cash is accepted.
• At Erlian Station, the train will stop for about 3 hours to change the wheels for a different railway line because the railway widths are different between China and Mongolia. You can either stay on the train or get off to have a walk around.

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