Highlights of China with Yangtze Cruise & Flights – 15 Days
Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu's pandas, the Three Gorges and Shanghai, with flights.
Tour overview
This 15-day tour covers China's great sights by high-speed train and river cruise, with return flights, a tour director and local guides. You stay thirteen nights in hotels and on board a Yangtze cruise ship, with a mix of included meals, many featuring local dishes.
In Beijing you visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, walk the Great Wall at Badaling and enjoy a tea ceremony at the Summer Palace. A high-speed train takes you to Xi'an for the Terracotta Army and a walk on the city wall.
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In Chengdu you meet the pandas at a research centre and sip tea in People's Park, then board a cruise down the Yangtze through the Three Gorges, with a boat trip on the Goddess Stream and a visit to the Three Gorges Dam. Suzhou's gardens and canals and Shanghai's Bund round off the trip.
The physical rating is medium. This tour suits first-time visitors who want China's highlights with everything arranged.
Trip highlights
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The Forbidden City (Day 3)
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The Great Wall (Day 4)
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The Terracotta Army (Day 6)
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Giant pandas in Chengdu (Day 8)
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The Three Gorges by cruise ship (Days 9–11)
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Shanghai's Bund (Day 14)
Your route
9 stops from Beijing to Shanghai
- Beijing Days 1–4
- Great Wall of China Day 4
- Xi'an Days 5–6
- Chengdu Days 7–8
- Chongqing Day 9
- Fengdu Day 10
- Three Gorges Dam Day 11
- Suzhou Day 12
- Shanghai Days 13–15
Why choose this tour
Flights, trains and a river cruise included. China's main sights in one trip.
Best suited to
- First-time visitors to China
- History lovers
- Travellers who prefer everything arranged
- Solo travellers
Day-by-day itinerary
15 days from Beijing, China to Shanghai, China
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Day 1 · UK Fly to China
Fly to Beijing.
- Hotel
- Overnight flight
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Day 2 · Beijing Beijing
Welcome dinner.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Dinner
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Day 3 · Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven Beijing
Imperial Beijing.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 4 · Great Wall at Badaling, Qianmen Street Beijing
The Great Wall.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 5 · Summer Palace, Xi'an Xi'an
Tea and a fast train.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 6 · Terracotta Army, Muslim Quarter Xi'an
The Terracotta Army.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 7 · Xi'an City Wall, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Chengdu Chengdu
The city wall.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 8 · Panda Research Centre, People's Park, Kuanzhai Alley Chengdu
Pandas and tea.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 9 · Wenshu Temple, Chongqing Yangtze River
Board the cruise.
- Hotel
- River cruise ship
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 10 · Mount Shuanggui, Fengdu Yangtze River
On the Yangtze.
- Hotel
- River cruise ship
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 11 · Three Gorges, Goddess Stream Yangtze River
The Three Gorges.
- Hotel
- River cruise ship
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 12 · Three Gorges Dam, Suzhou Suzhou
The dam and Suzhou.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 13 · Lingering Garden, Suzhou canals, Shanghai Shanghai
Gardens and canals.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 14 · Oriental Pearl Tower, The Bund, Nanjing Road Shanghai
Shanghai.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 15 · Shanghai Fly home
Fly home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Beijing (3 nights) Hotel
- Xi'an (2 nights) Hotel
- Chengdu (2 nights) Hotel
- Yangtze River (3 nights) River cruise ship
- Suzhou (1 night) Hotel
- Shanghai (2 nights) Hotel
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Return flights from the UK
- Accommodation 10 hotel nights and 3 nights on board
- Meals 13 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners
- Four high-speed train journeys
- Three-night Yangtze cruise with excursions
- Great Wall, Terracotta Army and panda centre
- Tour director and local guides
Not included
- Meals not included 5 lunches and 5 dinners
- Optional excursions and shows
- Drinks beyond one with included meals
- Travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You want a small group
- You want free time to wander
- You dislike early starts
- You want an active holiday
Good to know
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £3,572 per person, including flights. 47 upcoming departures.
Flights from UK airports.
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
Do I need a visa for China?
UK citizens can currently visit China visa-free for short stays; check the latest rules before travel.
Are flights included?
Yes, return flights from the UK to Beijing and from Shanghai.
How does the group travel?
By high-speed train, coach and a three-night Yangtze cruise.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast daily plus several lunches and dinners, many of them local specialities.
Can I have my own room?
A single supplement may be available; otherwise solo travellers share with someone of the same gender.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary