China itinerary templates
Compare 17 routes in China before choosing your base plan. A shorter route covers a few highlights; a longer one leaves room for more neighbourhoods and breaks. Check the actual stops rather than choosing on day count alone, and remember to add travel time between cities if you combine routes.
| Route | City | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing: a 2-day starter | Beijing | 2 |
| Chengdu: a 2-day starter | Chengdu | 2 |
| Guilin: a 2-day starter | Guilin | 2 |
| Hong Kong: a 2-day starter | Hong Kong | 2 |
| Shanghai: a 2-day starter | Shanghai | 2 |
| Xi'an: a 2-day starter | Xi'an | 2 |
| Lijiang in 5 days | Lijiang | 5 |
| Luoyang in 5 days | Luoyang | 5 |
| Chongqing in 9 days | Chongqing | 9 |
| Guangzhou in 9 days | Guangzhou | 9 |
| Hangzhou in 9 days | Hangzhou | 9 |
| Kunming in 9 days | Kunming | 9 |
| Nanjing in 9 days | Nanjing | 9 |
| Qingdao in 9 days | Qingdao | 9 |
| Shenzhen in 9 days | Shenzhen | 9 |
| Suzhou in 9 days | Suzhou | 9 |
| Xiamen in 9 days | Xiamen | 9 |
Beijing: a 2-day starter
A light introduction to Beijing, from Forbidden City to Summer Palace. Four highlights with room to add your own discoveries.
Highlights: Forbidden City · Jingshan Park · Temple of Heaven · Summer Palace
Edit this 2-day routeChengdu: a 2-day starter
A light introduction to Chengdu, from Chengdu Panda Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to People's Park. Four highlights with room to add your own discoveries.
Highlights: Chengdu Panda Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding · Wenshu Temple · Jinli Ancient Street · People's Park
Edit this 2-day routeGuilin: a 2-day starter
A light introduction to Guilin, from Elephant Trunk Hill to Sun and Moon Pagodas. Four highlights with room to add your own discoveries.
Highlights: Elephant Trunk Hill · Reed Flute Cave · Seven Star Park · Sun and Moon Pagodas
Edit this 2-day routeHong Kong: a 2-day starter
A light introduction to Hong Kong, from Victoria Peak to Star Ferry. Four highlights with room to add your own discoveries.
Highlights: Victoria Peak · Man Mo Temple · Tian Tan Buddha · Star Ferry
Edit this 2-day routeShanghai: a 2-day starter
A light introduction to Shanghai, from The Bund to French Concession. Four highlights with room to add your own discoveries.
Highlights: The Bund · Yu Garden · Shanghai Museum · French Concession
Edit this 2-day routeXi'an: a 2-day starter
A light introduction to Xi'an, from Army of Terracotta Warriors and Horses to Hui Muslim Quarter. Four highlights with room to add your own discoveries.
Highlights: Army of Terracotta Warriors and Horses · Xi'an City Wall · Big (Wild) Goose Pagoda · Hui Muslim Quarter
Edit this 2-day routeLijiang in 5 days
An unhurried 5-day stay, pairing Mu Palace and other Lijiang highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: Mu Palace · Dongba Cultural Museum · Old Tea Horse Road Museum · Shuhe Old Town
Edit this 5-day routeLuoyang in 5 days
An unhurried 5-day stay, pairing Baima Temple and other Luoyang highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: Baima Temple · White Horse Temple · Duke of Zhou Temple Museum · Eighth Route Army Luoyang Office Museum
Edit this 5-day routeChongqing in 9 days
An unhurried 9-day stay, pairing Three Gorges Museum and other Chongqing highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: Three Gorges Museum · Great Hall of the People · Hongyadong · Chongqing Art Museum
Edit this 9-day routeGuangzhou in 9 days
An unhurried 9-day stay, pairing Yuexiu Park and other Guangzhou highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: Yuexiu Park · Sanyuan Temple · Chen Clan Ancestral Hall · Liurong Temple
Edit this 9-day routeHangzhou in 9 days
An unhurried 9-day stay, pairing West Lake Museum and other Hangzhou highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: West Lake Museum · Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow · West Lake · Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon
Edit this 9-day routeKunming in 9 days
An unhurried 9-day stay, pairing Tanhua Temple and other Kunming highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: Tanhua Temple · Zhenqing Temple · Baohai Park · Kunming City Museum
Edit this 9-day routeNanjing in 9 days
An unhurried 9-day stay, pairing Nanjing Museum and other Nanjing highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: Nanjing Museum · Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum · Nanjing Museum of Paleontology · Jiming Temple
Edit this 9-day routeQingdao in 9 days
An unhurried 9-day stay, pairing Luxun Park and other Qingdao highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: Luxun Park · Qingdao Underwater World/Qingdao Aquarium · Baihuayuan Gardens · Qingdaoshan Park
Edit this 9-day routeShenzhen in 9 days
An unhurried 9-day stay, pairing Shenzhen Museum and other Shenzhen highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: Shenzhen Museum · Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art & Urban Planning (MOCAUP) · Hong Fa Buddhist Temple · Shenzhen Paleontological Museum
Edit this 9-day routeSuzhou in 9 days
An unhurried 9-day stay, pairing The Lingering Garden and other Suzhou highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: The Lingering Garden · Xiyuan Temple · The Humble Administrator's Garden · Suzhou Museum
Edit this 9-day routeXiamen in 9 days
An unhurried 9-day stay, pairing Nanputuo Temple and other Xiamen highlights into nearby daily groups.
Highlights: Nanputuo Temple · Hulishan Fortress · Shuzhuang Garden · Gulangyu Piano Museum
Edit this 9-day routeFit the route to your trip
For a partial arrival day, move a booked attraction to a full day. With children or a slower walking pace, keep one main visit per half-day and leave meals flexible.
How to build a realistic itinerary