Feedback on a 15-day China itinerary

Hi everyone,

I’ve traveled a lot outside Europe before Covid, usually organizing my trips myself. In recent years, I’ve focused on Europe, which I’d neglected before. Now, I’d like to get back to long-haul trips and fill in some gaps on my world map.

At the moment, I’m considering a route in China—I’ve only been to Hong Kong (which isn’t really China)—for late April/early May 2026. Here’s a first draft:

D1: Departure D2: Arrive in Beijing in the morning – hutongs – night in Beijing D3: Forbidden City – Temple of Heaven – night in Beijing D4: Great Wall – night in Beijing D5: Summer Palace – (Ming Tombs?) – night in Beijing D6: Train to Datong – Yungang Grottoes – night in Datong D7: Train to Pingyao – visit – night in Pingyao D8: Train to Xi’an – Wild Goose Pagoda – night in Xi’an D9: Terracotta Army – Xi’an city walls – night in Xi’an D10: Flight to Zhangjiajie (or the night before) – Tianzi Mountain – night in Wulingyuan D11: National park – night in Wulingyuan D12: National park – night in Wulingyuan D13: Train to Chongqing – night in Chongqing D14: Explore Chongqing – night in Chongqing D15: Return flight

I know it’s tight, but what do you think? For the Great Wall section, what do you recommend? Jinshanling seems like the best option, or Simatai, but it’s far. For the budget, I’m planning on 2,500 € per person. Thanks for your feedback! Phil

Hello

For the Beijing and Xi'an portions we visited as a family, I think the itinerary is well-suited. About the Great Wall of China, I made this comparison of the sections on my blog Chrissandvoyage. You can see which sections work best for you based on the hike duration and the scenery. Avoid going on a weekend—it’s always a bit more crowded than during the week. For Xi'an, I shared our experience visiting the Terracotta Army. There are sometimes fake police officers at Xi'an train station where the buses to the site wait. These people misdirect you to get you onto tourist buses and take you through tourist markets to make purchases before you reach the Terracotta Army.

I wouldn’t go to Chongqing for safety reasons. Near Zhangjiajie, you’ve got Furong and Fenghuang, which might be worth checking out.

In Beijing, I’d skip the Ming Tombs, but you’ll have plenty to keep you busy for 3 days (Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, etc.) plus a day trip to the Great Wall of China. In 2015, I went to Mutianyu (not sure about the spelling) with my hostel, and I’d recommend that section.

I took two overnight trains in a row: Beijing–Datong, then Datong–Pingyao. Around Pingyao, there are some really interesting things to see. I can’t remember the name, but I shared a car with a Chinese family. I also visited a garden (Jinci, if I remember right) on my own—it was my off-the-beaten-path stop, even though I ran into a group of French tourists on a package tour.

Hi Phil.

I’m Miiki, from near Wavre. I’m interested in your itinerary—I’d like to do something similar around October 26th. Hopefully, I’ll get to read your thoughts when you’re back, and if not, let’s stay in touch via PM, email, or WhatsApp. Looking forward to it. Best ... and have a great trip! Miiki

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, this project is postponed. My available dates fall during the May 1st period, which means several days of holidays for the Chinese. As a result, there’s overcrowding for transportation and site visits...

Have a great day,

Philippe