12-Day Classic Luxury Tour of Southwest China
- Tour Code: LT-BXCSL-12
- Travel Route: Beijing-Xi'an-Chengdu-ShangriLa-Lijiang
- Tour Type: compact journey takes you from modern Shanghai to the
- Guide & Driver:
- Accommodation::
Arrive in Beijing and transfer to the hotel
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
None
Welcome to Beijing, as the capital city of China, this city is next sure to give you a strong cultural atmosphere and a unique travel experience.
Touch down in Beijing and be greeted by your private English-speaking guide holding a personalized company sign. Board a Mercedes-Benz V-Class for a seamless 30-minute transfer to Aman Beijing, a serene urban retreat blending Ming Dynasty architecture with modern luxury. Your Deluxe Suite (85㎡) features a wood-burning fireplace, deep-soaking marble tub, and private garden views.
Evening (Free Time):
Unwind with the hotel’s signature “Imperial Welcome” amenities: handmade silk pajamas, a pot of rare Pu’er tea, and macarons shaped like the Forbidden City’s roof beasts. Stroll through the hotel’s lotus-filled courtyards or book an in-room Tui Na massage (additional cost).
Tian'anmen Square--Forbidden City(In-depth tour)--Beijing Night Tour
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast & afternoon tea & dinner
Morning: Tian’anmen Square & Forbidden City Deep Dive
Begin at Tian’anmen Square, China’s symbolic heart, where Mao Zedong proclaimed the People’s Republic. Marvel at the 38-meter-high Monument to the People’s Heroes and the iconic red gates leading to the Forbidden City.
Step into the Forbidden City (10:30 AM), a UNESCO site and the world’s largest imperial palace complex. Your 6-hour guided tour unravels 500 years of Ming/Qing dynasty history. Highlights include:
Afternoon: Royal Tea & Cultural Souvenirs
At 1:00 PM, indulge in a Forbidden City-themed Afternoon Tea at Angelo’s Pavilion, where imperial recipes meet modern twists—think peony-shaped pastries and pu’er tea served in porcelain cups. Pair this with a seal-collection experience: Use traditional ink pads to stamp 20+ royal seals (e.g., “Imperial Document” or “Dragon Throne”) onto a custom scroll, creating a unique keepsake.
Evening: Imperial Banquet & Night Tour
From 5:00 PM, savor a royal banquet at Xu Yan Restaurant, housed in a Qing-dynasty mansion. Feast on Peking duck, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup, and lotus-seed dessert while watching a live performance of Tang Dynasty Poetry Dance and Peking Opera.
After dinner, embark on a night tour of Beijing’s illuminated landmarks. Stroll through Qianmen Hutong’s lantern-lit alleys, where courtyard homes now host craft shops and tea houses. End at Shichahai Lake to watch traditional rickshaws glide past neon-lit bars, or catch a kunqu opera snippet at Huguang Guild Hall.
Great Wall--Temple of Heaven
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast & afternoon tea & dinner
Morning: Great Wall VIP Experience
Begin your day with a private transfer to the Mutianyu Great Wall (9:00 AM), chosen for its restored watchtowers and lush mountain backdrop. Skip crowds via a VIP entrance ticket, granting direct access to lesser-known sections. For the ultimate thrill, upgrade to a helicopter tour—soar 500m above the wall, capturing panoramic views of its snaking battlements and surrounding valleys.
Post-flight, unwind with a Great Wall-theme afternoon tea at the Wall’s onsite café. Sip pu’er tea while savoring “soldier’s bread” (steamed buns shaped like ancient warriors) and honey-glazed walnuts, all served on Ming-dynasty-style porcelain.
Afternoon: Temple of Heaven
At 2:00 PM, journey to the Temple of Heaven (UNESCO site), where Ming/Qing emperors prayed for harvests. Wander the Echo Wall, a circular marble structure where whispers travel 65m across the courtyard. Explore the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a masterpiece of wooden architecture with triple-tiered blue roofs.
Evening: Imperial Roast Duck & Hutong Magic
From 6:30 PM, indulge in Peking duck at Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant, a Michelin-recommended spot. Watch chefs carve golden-skinned duck tableside, paired with plum sauce, cucumber, and pancakes.
You can choose foot massage, houhai night bars or Sanlitun bar street at night.
Summer Palace--Boating on Kunming Lake--High speed Train to Xi'an
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast&Lunch
Morning:
Begin with a private guided tour of Summer Palace, China’s largest surviving imperial garden. Glide across Kunming Lake in a traditional dragon-carved paddleboat, passing the 728-meter Long Corridor adorned with 14,000 painted ceiling panels. Your guide will unravel stories of Empress Dowager Cixi’s lavish lifestyle as you explore the marble Buddhist Incense Pavilion and the 17-Arch Bridge modeled after Beijing’s Lugou Bridge.
Midday:
Savor a Shandong-style lunch at Fangshan Restaurant, a century-old imperial cuisine institution near the palace gates. Must-try dishes include braised sea cucumber with scallions and steamed duck wrapped in lotus leaves.
Afternoon:
Board a Fuxing Hao bullet train in Beijing West Station, relaxing in leather-clad business-class seats with complimentary snacks and Wi-Fi. Arrive in Xi’an after 4.5 hours and transfer via Mercedes-Benz to your Ritz-Carlton Xi’an suite, where Tang Dynasty motifs meet modern tech (think automated curtains and Nespresso machines).
Evening (Free Time):
Unwind at the hotel’s rooftop infinity pool overlooking the ancient city walls. For dinner, savor Tang Dynasty-style imperial banquet at Xi’an Restaurant, featuring mutton soup with rose petals and crispy duck with pomegranate sauce.
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses--Ancient City Wall--“The Song of Everlasting Regret” Performance
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Morning:
Embark on a private guided tour of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, bypassing crowds with VIP access. Your historian guide will decode the life-sized army’s secrets—from intricate hairstyles distinguishing ranks to the 6,000+ unique facial expressions. Enjoy an exclusive behind-the-scenes workshop where artisans demonstrate how to restore 2,200-year-old pottery fragments.
Lunch:
Savor Shaanxi regional cuisine at De Fa Chang Restaurant, a 1898 institution. Feast on yangrou paomo (lamb stew with unleavened bread), biangbiang noodles hand-pulled at your table, and roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) stuffed with spiced pork.
Afternoon:
Explore Xi’an City Wall, the world’s largest intact medieval city defense system. Cycle along the 14-kilometer ramparts via private tandem bicycle, pausing at Jianlou (archery towers) for archery lessons with bamboo bows. Visit Shuyuanmen Cultural Street to craft your own calligraphy scroll with a master calligrapher.
Dinner:
Indulge in jiaozi banquet at Xi’an Jiaodun Restaurant, sampling 18 varieties of dumplings shaped like peonies, rabbits, and gold ingots. Pair with huangguijiu (osmanthus wine) while watching chefs perform the “dumpling spinning” art.
Evening:
Witness the Everlasting Regret outdoor spectacle, a 70-minute performance blending 3D projection, water screens, and 500 dancers. Your VIP front-row seats offer unobstructed views of the Tang Dynasty love story between Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei, set against a backdrop of real-life mountains.
Shaanxi History Museum--Giant Wild Goose Pagoda--Da Ci’en Temple--Tang Costume Photoshoot at the Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Morning:
Begin with VIP early access to the Shaanxi History Museum, bypassing crowds to examine China’s most prized Silk Road artifacts. Your curator-guide will highlight Tang Dynasty goldware and Han Dynasty jade, while sharing secrets like the museum’s earthquake-proof display cases.
Lunch:
Savor Xi’an-style crispy spiced chicken(葫芦鸡) and liangpi cold noodles at Tong Sheng Xiang Restaurant, a 1920s courtyard house with original tile carvings.
Afternoon:
Explore the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, climbing its 7-tiered structure for views of Xi’an’s modern skyline. Nearby, tour Da Ci’en Temple, where monk Xuanzang established China’s first Buddhist translation school. Participate in a calligraphy workshop copying Tang poetry onto rice paper.
Dinner:
Enjoy Shaanxi fusion cuisine at Wei’s Kitchen, featuring rose-petal cold noodles and lamb skewers with cumin crust.
Evening:
Transform into a Tang Dynasty noble at Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City. A styling team will dress you in hand-embroidered hanfu (silk robes) and apply traditional makeup. A photographer will guide you through lantern-lit alleyways, capturing shots with the Ziyun Tower and music fountain as backdrops.
High speed Train to Chengdu--Panda Base--Kuanzhai Alleys
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast & Dinner
Morning:
Board a Fuxing Hao bullet train in Xi’an North Station, relaxing in leather-clad business-class seats with complimentary gourmet snacks and Wi-Fi. Arrive in Chengdu after 4 hours and transfer via Mercedes-Benz to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, bypassing crowds with VIP early access. Join a panda keeper for a private behind-the-scenes encounter, feeding bamboo to playful cubs and learning about conservation efforts.
Afternoon:
Explore Kuanzhai Alley, Chengdu’s 300-year-old Qing Dynasty quarter. Wander cobbled lanes lined with Sichuan opera tea houses, where performers demonstrate face-changing (bianlian) artistry. Participate in a calligraphy masterclass at Shu Yuan Men, crafting couplets on rice paper with a 5th-generation ink master.
Evening:
Savor gourmet Sichuan cuisine at Chen Mapo Tofu Restaurant, a 1895 institution. Feast on mapo tofu (silken tofu in chili-bean sauce), water-boiled fish with pickled vegetables, and dan dan noodles mixed at your table. Post-dinner, unwind at your hotel’s private onsen pool with views of Chengdu’s skyline.
Hotel Stay:
Retreat to Guanyin Yiyun Tai Hotel, a 2023 Design Hotel Award winner blending Sichuanese folk art with minimalist design. Your Mountain View Suite features a terrace with bamboo groves, a soaking tub filled with organic rose petals, and a minibar stocked with rare Sichuan pepper-infused spirits.
Wenshu Monastery--People’s Park--Jinli Ancient Street
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Morning:
Begin at Wenshu Monastery, Chengdu’s largest Buddhist temple, where fragrant incense mingles with the rustle of bamboo. Join monks for a private morning chanting session in the Mahavira Hall, followed by a vegetarian lunch prepared by temple nuns. Adjacent, watch a Sichuan opera masterclass where performers demonstrate bianlian (face-changing) and fire-spitting techniques, revealing the secrets of this 300-year-old art form.
Lunch:
Savor hotpot skewer feast at Long Sen Yuan, a 20-year-old institution renowned for its beef tallow hotpot. Choose from 80+ skewers like air-flown tripe, beef aorta, and cilantro-wrapped beef. Dip in house secret sauce blending chili oil, Sichuan pepper, and peanut paste.
Afternoon:
Immerse in Chengdu’s tea culture at People’s Park, the birthplace of gaiwan cha (covered-bowl tea). Lounge in a bamboo chair at Hemin Tea House, where servers pour jasmine tea from 3-meter-long spouts. Pair your brew with glutinous rice balls(三大炮 ) and zhongzi (sticky rice dumplings) while listening to amateur opera singers rehearsing under pagoda trees.
Evening:
Stroll Jinli Ancient Street at dusk, when red lanterns illuminate Qing Dynasty-style eaves. Sample street food like spicy hotpot skewers and dan dan noodles from century-old stalls. Visit Shu Brocade Workshop to watch artisans weave silk using Tang Dynasty looms, and customize a shoupa (silk scarf) with your initials.
Dinner:
Indulge in haute Sichuan cuisine at Yu’s Family Kitchen, a Michelin-starred restaurant. Feast on mala-braised wagyu beef, chili-oil wontons with gold leaf, and sweet-and-sour mandarin fish.
Fly to Shangri-La--Songzanlin Temple--Dukezong Ancient Town--Visit to a Tibetan Family
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast & Dinner
Morning:
Board a business-class flight from Chengdu to Shangri-La, soaring over snow-capped Himalayan peaks and emerald Yangtze River valleys. Upon arrival, your private Tibetan guide will greet you with tsampa (roasted barley flour) and butter tea, then whisk you away in a Mercedes-Benz G-Class for a 45-minute drive to Dukezong Ancient Town.
Midday:
Wander Dukezong’s cobblestone lanes, the best-preserved Tibetan town in Yunnan. Marvel at Jian Tang (Golden Wheel) architecture, with white walls, wooden lattices, and prayer flags fluttering above. Climb Guishan Hill to spin the Giant Prayer Wheel, a 20-meter bronze cylinder requiring 20+ people to turn. Legend says each rotation blesses the world with peace.
Afternoon:
Visit a Tibetan nomad family in their stone-and-wood home, learning to churn butter tea, bake tsampa cookies, and weave colorful khata scarves. Participate in a lama blessing ceremony at a nearby monastery, where monks chant Om Mani Padme Hum while offering juniper incense.
Evening:
Savor Tibetan royal cuisine at Gyalthang Dzong Restaurant, housed in a 300-year-old fortress. Feast on yak meat hotpot, blood sausage, and droma (wild yam) soup while watching Guozhuang circle dances performed by local herders. Post-dinner, stroll the town’s illuminated prayer halls, where flickering butter lamps cast shadows on golden Buddha statues.
Hotel Stay:
Retreat to Songtsam Shangri-La Hotel, a 2024 Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice winner. Your Deluxe Lake View Suite features a private balcony overlooking Napa Lake, a yak-skin rug, and a bathtub filled with Himalayan mineral salts.
High speed Train to Lijiang--Shuhe Ancient Town--Baisha Ancient Town
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Morning:
Board a Fuxing Hao bullet train in Shangri-La Station, relaxing in business-class seats with panoramic mountain views and gourmet snacks. Arrive in Lijiang after 2.5 hours and transfer via Mercedes-Benz V-Class to Shuhe Ancient Town, the "Old Village of the Spring." Your private Naxi guide will lead you through cobblestone lanes lined with wooden "one-sky, one-ground" houses, explaining how the town’s water system mirrors ancient irrigation wisdom.
Lunch:
Savor Naxi royal cuisine at Shuhe Yude Tang, a 17th-century courtyard restaurant. Feast on jiduofen (chicken-wrapped rice noodles), dongba sausage, and suantangji (sour soup chicken) while watching Naxi musicians perform the Baisha Fine Music, a 1,300-year-old court melody.
Afternoon:
Explore Baisha Ancient Town, the birthplace of Naxi Dongba culture. Visit the Baisha Frescoes Hall to study 600-year-old murals blending Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Participate in a private fresco workshop with a master painter, using mineral pigments and deer glue to recreate a section of the "White Sand Samsara" mural.
Evening:
Stroll Shuhe’s night market, sampling Naxi street food like babao porridge (eight-treasure rice) and roasted cheese. Post-dinner, unwind at your hotel’s heated courtyard pool with views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, or book an in-room Naxi tea ceremony with organic pu’er leaves.
Hotel Stay:
Retreat to Banyan Tree Lijiang, a luxury resort blending Naxi architecture with modern luxury. Your Pool Villa features a private plunge pool, a fireplace, and a bathtub carved from a single block of Yunnan marble.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain--Spruce Meadow--Blue Moon Valley--Impression Lijiang
5+ Star Luxury Hotel
Breakfast & Dinner
Morning:
Embark on a private Mercedes-Benz V-Class journey to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, passing through terraced fields and Naxi villages. Upon arrival, bypass queues with VIP access to the Ice Museum, where interactive exhibits explain the mountain’s glacial formation and alpine flora. Board a cable car to Glacier Park (4,506m), breathing oxygen from complimentary canisters while marveling at the 13-peak range named after a mythical jade dragon.
Midday:
Explore Spruce Meadow, a serene plateau dotted with ancient spruce trees and yak herds. Your Naxi guide will share legends of Shanzi God, the mountain’s protector deity, and demonstrate how to play the Dongba lute. Capture photos in traditional Bai minority attire against the backdrop of Baishui River’s turquoise waters.
Afternoon:
Descend to Blue Moon Valley, where mineral-rich waters shift from emerald to sapphire. Stroll wooden walkways past waterfalls and Tibetan prayer flags, pausing to taste snow mountain honey from local beekeepers. Visit the Dongba Paper Workshop to craft your own Dongba script prayer scroll using mulberry bark paper.
Evening:
Witness Impression Lijiang, Zhang Yimou’s open-air spectacle performed on a 360-degree stage at 3,050m. Your VIP front-row seats offer unobstructed views of 500 dancers recounting Naxi migration stories against the snow-capped peaks. Post-show, savor Yunnan royal cuisine at Fenghuanglou Restaurant, feasting on crossing-the-bridge noodles and wild mushroom hotpot.
Lijiang Departure
Breakfast
Savor a leisurely breakfast at your luxury resort, sipping pu’er tea while overlooking Jade Dragon Snow Mountain’s peaks. Your private guide will assist with last-minute souvenir shopping—recommendations include Dongba script scrolls and rose-petal jam from Baisha Village (optional). Then board a Mercedes-Benz S-Class for your transfer to Lijiang Sanyi Airport, passing through terraced fields and Naxi villages. Your guide will present a handmade khata scarf as a parting gift, symbolizing purity and goodwill.
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