Beijing, Zhangjiajie and Shanghai in 8 Days

Meet the driver at Beijing International Airport and transfer to the hotel. After check-in, keep the day free to rest and adjust after the flight. If energy and timing allow, explore a modern business district or make an independent visit to Universal Studios Beijing, arranging any optional admission and transport separately. The main guided programme begins the following morning.

Walk through the Forbidden City, the early-fifteenth-century palace used by Ming and Qing emperors. Its gates, ceremonial courtyards and throne halls reveal the structure and symbolism of imperial government. Continue to the UNESCO-listed Temple of Heaven, where rulers performed state rites connected with the harvest. In the evening, enjoy Peking duck served in the classic Beijing style, followed by free time to rest or walk independently.

Explore the UNESCO-listed Summer Palace around Kunming Lake, following pavilions, bridges and the painted Long Corridor to the Marble Boat area. Continue outside central Beijing to a scenic section of the Great Wall in the mountains. Walk along battlements and fortified passages as the structure crosses the ridges, with broad views over the surrounding terrain. A restaurant lunch near the Wall is followed by the return to the hotel.

Transfer to Beijing Airport and fly to Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province. Meet the local representative after landing, continue to the hotel and check in. The remaining time is free, with restaurant suggestions available for an independent dinner. An optional evening performance drawing on regional music, dance, costume and stories can be added at extra cost.

Begin among the quartz-sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, within the wider UNESCO-listed Wulingyuan landscape. Ride the 326-metre Bailong Elevator to the upper viewpoints; Guinness World Records recognises it as the tallest outdoor elevator. Follow trails through scenery associated with the visual inspiration for Avatar, then continue to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. Cross its 430-metre glass bridge high above the gorge before returning to the hotel.

Explore Yellow Dragon Cave, also called Huanglong Cave, moving through limestone chambers and formations before completing part of the underground route by sightseeing boat. Continue to Tianmen Mountain for cableway views, high paths and a glass walkway when conditions allow. See the natural arch of Tianmen Cave and its 999-step staircase, then transfer to the airport for the evening flight to Shanghai. Meet the local team on arrival and continue to the hotel.

Walk along the Bund, where historic waterfront façades look across the Huangpu to Pudong's modern skyline. Continue into Shanghai's old city for classical Yu Garden, then browse the surrounding teahouses and craft shops. A walk through the former French Concession reveals leafy avenues, low-rise residences and a different layer of the city's urban history. An optional ticket to the 118th-floor observatory of the 632-metre Shanghai Tower adds a sweeping view from above.

Keep free time for a final walk or shopping according to your flight schedule. At the appointed time, meet the driver for the transfer to Shanghai Airport. The eight-day journey concludes at the terminal after connecting Beijing's imperial heritage, Zhangjiajie's mountain scenery and Shanghai's waterfront energy.