Beijing-Xi‘an

9-Day 8-Night Beijing & Xi'an Ancient Capitals In-Depth Private Tour

Private Small Group · No Shopping Stops · 5-Star Luxury Hotels · All Meals Included · Dedicated English-Speaking Guide

Tour Highlights

• Two Great Ancient Capitals, Dual Civilizations Journey through China’s two greatest ancient capitals, where Ming & Qing imperial civilization meets the golden-age civilization of the Qin and Han dynasties. All major UNESCO World Heritage Sites are covered on this thoughtfully paced itinerary with in-depth English commentary.
• Top-Tier 5-Star Luxury Accommodation Stay at world-class luxury hotels throughout the trip. Central Beijing properties include The Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing and The Ritz-Carlton Beijing. Xi’an accommodations feature The Ritz-Carlton Xi’an and Wyndham Grand Xi’an South in the premium Qujiang district.
• All-Inclusive Pricing, No Hidden Costs One transparent price covers everything: 24-hour hotel stays, three daily meals, all scenic entrance tickets, scenic shuttles and cable cars, private luxury vehicles, first-class high-speed rail between Beijing and Xi’an, and a full-time local guide plus dedicated English interpreter.
• Exclusive Private Tour Experience Customized small-group itinerary with zero mandatory shopping stops. The relaxed pace allows for deep cultural immersion and flexible free time at each landmark, ideal for travelers seeking depth over rushed sightseeing.

Selected 5-Star Accommodation

• Beijing (Day 1–4): The Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing / The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing (city-center luxury 5-star)
• Xi'an (Day 5–8): The Ritz-Carlton, Xi'an / Wyndham Grand Xi'an South (Qujiang / Great Tang All Day Mall area, 5-star)

All-Inclusive Package Inclusions

• 24-hour 5-star hotel accommodation
• 3 daily meals featuring premium local and imperial cuisine
• All scenic area entrance tickets
• Scenic shuttle buses, cable car and toboggan rides
• Private luxury vehicle transfers throughout the trip
• First-class seats on Beijing West → Xi'an North high-speed rail
• Full-time local guide plus dedicated English interpreter
• No mandatory shopping stops

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 | Arrival in Beijing — First Glimpse of the Imperial Capital

• Airport pickup: Meet and greet at Beijing Capital International Airport or Daxing Airport. Your driver, guide and English interpreter will welcome you and transfer you to the hotel via private luxury vehicle.
• Afternoon: Rest at the hotel to recover from jet lag. Then visit Shichahai and the historic hutong alleyways. Take a traditional rickshaw ride through old Beijing lanes, while your guide explains traditional residential culture.
• Dinner: Upscale Beijing cuisine feast featuring Peking Duck and Beijing-style dim sum.
• Evening: Stroll along Qianmen Street and experience the commercial culture of old Beijing.
• Overnight at 5-star hotel in Beijing.

Day 2 | Tiananmen Square + Palace Museum (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

• Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
• Morning: Visit Tiananmen Square, then enter the Palace Museum (Forbidden City) — the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Enjoy in-depth English commentary on imperial history and architectural symbolism. Explore the Three Great Halls and the Imperial Garden.
• Lunch: Upscale private kitchen restaurant near the Forbidden City.
• Afternoon: Visit Jingshan Park. Climb to the summit for a panoramic overhead view of the entire Forbidden City complex.
• Dinner: Signature Beijing cuisine.
• Overnight at 5-star hotel in Beijing.

Day 3 | Mutianyu Great Wall (Preferred Section for International Visitors)

• Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
• Full-day private transfer to the Mutianyu Great Wall, the most popular section for international travelers with fewer crowds and superior views. Cable car and toboggan ride are included. Listen to commentary on the Great Wall’s military defense system and the famous saying, “He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.”
• Lunch: Specialty meal at the foot of the Great Wall.
• Afternoon: Free time to stroll and take photos along the wall. Return to downtown Beijing afterward.
• Dinner: Refined imperial palace cuisine.
• Overnight at 5-star hotel in Beijing.

Day 4 | Temple of Heaven + Summer Palace (Dual UNESCO World Heritage Sites)

• Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
• Morning: Visit the Temple of Heaven, the sacred site where Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests. Marvel at the blue-glazed Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Echo Wall, and learn about ancient Chinese ritual culture.
• Lunch: Assortment of Beijing specialty snacks.
• Afternoon: Explore the Summer Palace, the Qing Dynasty’s imperial garden. Take a boat ride on Kunming Lake, walk along the Long Corridor, visit the Tower of Buddhist Incense, and discover the art of Chinese imperial garden design.
• Dinner: Huaiyang-style fusion cuisine.
• Overnight at 5-star hotel in Beijing.

Day 5 | Beijing → Xi'an by High-Speed Rail — Welcome to Ancient Chang'an

• Breakfast: Hotel buffet. Check out from hotel.
• Private transfer to Beijing West Railway Station. Board the first-class high-speed train to Xi’an North Station.
• Upon arrival in Xi’an: Private vehicle meets you at the station. Check in to your 5-star hotel in the Qujiang district.
• Lunch: Authentic Shaanxi cuisine.
• Afternoon: Visit the Xi’an Ancient City Wall, the most complete ancient city wall in China. Optional bicycle ride on the wall, overlooking the old city and moat.
• Late afternoon: Explore Bell Tower and Drum Tower Square. Visit the landmark Bell Tower and Drum Tower.
• Dinner: Dumpling Banquet — a classic Xi’an specialty feast.
• Evening: Night tour of Great Tang All Day Mall — an immersive Tang Dynasty nighttime experience with live Tang-style street performances.
• Overnight at 5-star hotel in Xi’an.

Day 6 | Terracotta Warriors Museum + Huaqing Pool (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

• Breakfast: Hotel buffet. Private transfer to Lintong District.
• Morning: Explore the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (Terracotta Warriors). Thousands of life-sized, uniquely-faced clay soldiers stand in formation. Enjoy commentary on Qin Dynasty history and the archaeology of Emperor Qinshihuang’s tomb. Consistently rated as the favorite attraction among American visitors.
• Lunch: Lintong specialty meal.
• Afternoon: Visit Huaqing Pool, the Tang Dynasty imperial hot spring resort at the foot of Mount Li. Learn the legendary love story of Emperor Xuanzong and Consort Yang Guifei. Return to Xi’an city afterward.
• Dinner: Shaanxi-style banquet dinner.
• Overnight at 5-star hotel in Xi’an.

Day 7 | Shaanxi History Museum + Giant Wild Goose Pagoda & Da Ci'en Temple

• Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
• Morning: Visit the Shaanxi History Museum, China’s treasure house of cultural relics. See precious artifacts from the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties, with in-depth English commentary on over a thousand years of Chang’an history.
• Lunch: Local specialty meal.
• Afternoon: Explore the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Da Ci’en Temple, built to house the Buddhist scriptures brought back by the legendary monk Xuanzang from his pilgrimage to India. Learn about the ancient Silk Road and the spread of Buddhism into China.
• Late afternoon: A peaceful stroll through Qujiang Pool Ruins Park.
• Dinner: Silk Road-themed specialty dinner celebrating the cultural exchange that once flowed through Xi’an.
• Overnight at 5-star hotel in Xi’an.

Day 8 | Forest of Stone Steles Museum + Yongxing Fang · Optional "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" Show

• Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
• Morning: Visit the Forest of Stone Steles Museum, China’s largest collection of ancient stone inscriptions and calligraphy. Your guide traces the evolution of Chinese written characters through the ages.
• Lunch: Upscale Shaanxi snack feast at Yongxing Fang, a curated food street showcasing the best of Shaanxi culinary tradition.
• Afternoon: Free time to relax at the hotel, or enjoy a traditional shadow puppet performance — a living intangible cultural heritage art form.
• Evening (Optional): Attend the spectacular Song of Everlasting Sorrow — a breathtaking open-air performance set against the real landscape of Huaqing Pool, dramatizing the epic Tang Dynasty love story. Admission included.
• Dinner: Elegant in-hotel dinner.
• Overnight at 5-star hotel in Xi’an.

Day 9 | Xi'an Farewell · Departure

• Breakfast: Hotel buffet. Check out from hotel.
• Morning: Relaxed, flexible morning. Visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Xi’an Museum, or simply enjoy leisure time at the hotel.
• Farewell Lunch: A premium Shaanxi farewell banquet.
• Afternoon: Private transfer to Xi’an Xianyang International Airport.
• Your journey ends here — but the memories will last a lifetime.