tailor made

China: Beyond the Megacities

Big icons. Small places. Very fast trains.

Fourteen days across China, from Shanghai to Beijing via border-town Chadong, the surreal landscapes of Zhangjiajie, Chengdu, Xi’an and walled Pingyao.

Start planning See the route ↓

14 days13 nights

The 20-second answer

The useful details.

What the journey feels like before you commit to it.

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PACE & FREE TIMEActiveMost days have a clear plan, with selected pauses and free periods built in.

BASES & TRANSFERSSeveral bases7 bases, with frequent moves from Shanghai to Beijing.

COMFORTComfort, with special nightsVaried stays, with special nights in a jungle resort or sleeper carriage.

PHYSICAL EFFORTActiveHours on the move and consecutive active days require good fitness.

LUGGAGEPack lightBring a bag you can handle yourself through stations and independent transfers.

ARRIVAL & DEPARTUREArrive here. Leave from there.Shanghai in, Beijing out. Arrival transfer included; departure on your own.

The visual route

The journey,
place by place.

SHANGHAICHADONG + ZHANGJIAJIECHENGDU + XI’ANPINGYAOBEIJING

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1-3

SHANGHAI

START BIG
Land in one of China’s great megacities and take your time with it. A welcome dinner gets things started; a completely free day lets you decide what Shanghai should look like for you.
2 nights

3-6

CHADONG + ZHANGJIAJIE

FROM SMALL TOWN TO GIANT LANDSCAPES
Fly into Hunan, then leave the big-city version of China behind. Chadong brings local ferries and wooden stilt houses; Zhangjiajie answers with Tianmen Mountain and some seriously oversized scenery.
3 nights · flight + road

6-9

CHENGDU + XI’AN

High-speed rail takes over. Chengdu gives you room to choose — pandas included, if you want them — before Xi’an brings the structure back with the Terracotta Warriors.
3 nights · high-speed rail

9-11

PINGYAO

GET OFF THE TRAIN. STAY A WHILE.
A smaller city and, deliberately, a slower chapter. Two nights mean Pingyao becomes somewhere you actually experience rather than somewhere you technically slept.
2 nights · free day

11-14

BEIJING

SAVE THE BIG ONES FOR LAST
The final chapter doesn’t exactly fade out: the Great Wall at Mutianyu, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and the hutongs, with enough time to experience Beijing beyond a single monument.
3 nights

Clear from the start

What is included.

Know what’s covered and what to budget for.

✓ Included

Accommodation, except Day 14
Airport transfer on Day 1
Dinner on Day 1 and Day 13
Daily breakfast, except Day 1
Internal flight on Day 3
Private transfer on Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 8 and Day 12
Ferry on Day 4
Local guide on Day 4, Day 5, Day 8, Day 12 and Day 13
Tianmen Mountain entry fee on Day 4
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park entry fee on Day 5
Bailong Elevator ticket on Day 5
Train: Zhangjiajie West → Chengdu East on Day 6
Terracotta Warriors entry ticket on Day 8
Train: Xi’an → Pingyao · second class on Day 9
Train: Pingyaogucheng → Beijing Qinghe on Day 11
Visits: Summer Palace · Mutianyu Great Wall · Olympic Village on Day 12
Visits: Temple of Heaven · Tiananmen Square · Forbidden City · hutongs on Day 13
Stay Pepper assistance

€ Paid locally

Public transport on Day 1, Day 2, Day 7 and Day 13
Entrance fees & tickets on Day 2, Day 3, Day 7, Day 9 and Day 10
Transfer: hotel → Shanghai airport on Day 3
Tips on Day 5 and Day 12
Station transfer on Day 6, Day 9 and Day 11
Transfer: hotel → Chengdu East on Day 8

× Not included

Meals & beverages
International flights on Day 1 and Day 14
Airport transfer on Day 14
Travel insurance
Personal expenses

Want every detail?

Day by day.

Open the plan +Close the plan −

Shanghai

Land somewhere enormous

Welcome to China.
On arrival in Shanghai, a private transfer takes you from the airport to your hotel. Today is deliberately uncomplicated: check in, recover from the flight and start getting your bearings.
In the evening, a welcome dinner is included — a first taste of China before you start crossing it.
There will be plenty to see tomorrow. Jet lag gets tonight.

In practice
Transfer: Shanghai Airport → hotel
Overnight: Shanghai
Meals: welcome dinner

Several bases and meaningful transfers are part of seeing the destination properly.
7 bases · frequent moves
Shanghai · Chadong · Zhangjiajie · Chengdu · Xi’an · Pingyao · Beijing.

Keep it manageable
You’ll move through several railway stations and some transfers are independent. Bring something you can comfortably handle yourself.

Shanghai in · Beijing out
Arrival airport transfer is included in Shanghai. Departure transfer in Beijing is independent.

✓ Included: Accommodation · Airport transfer · Dinner
€ Paid locally: Public transport
× Not included: Meals & beverages · International flights

Shanghai

Shanghai. Your way.

Your first full day in China belongs entirely to you.
There’s no organised programme today. Explore the city at your own pace, choose the neighbourhoods and places that interest you, stop when something catches your attention and take as long over lunch as you like.
For couples, it means not negotiating your day with twelve other people. For families, it means being able to change plans when energy levels — young or otherwise — have different ideas.
Tomorrow, the journey across China begins.

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast
€ Paid locally: Entrance fees & tickets · Public transport
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Shanghai → Zhangjiajie → Chadong

From megacity to border town

Today China changes scale.
You make your own way to Shanghai airport and fly to Zhangjiajie. The current proposal uses a flight at approximately 10:00–12:10, although the final schedule will depend on your travel dates.

On arrival, your local guide and driver will be waiting. From here, continue by road to Chadong, a much smaller place and a rather dramatic contrast to the Shanghai you left behind that morning.
Tonight you stay in a local guesthouse.
Same country. Very different postcode.

In practice
Transfer: hotel → Shanghai airport · independent
Flight: Shanghai → Zhangjiajie · economy
Transfer: Zhangjiajie Airport → Chadong · private vehicle
Overnight: Chadong · guesthouse

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast · Internal flight · Private transfer
€ Paid locally: Entrance fees & tickets · Transfer: hotel → Shanghai airport
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Chadong → Zhangjiajie

Small town first. Very big mountain after.

The morning begins locally.
Take the ferry and spend some time walking alongside Chadong's wooden stilt houses, before meeting your driver and continuing towards Zhangjiajie.
In the afternoon, head up to Tianmen Mountain with your local guide.
It's a day built around contrast: traditional riverside architecture in the morning, vast mountain scenery in the afternoon.
Later, transfer to your hotel in Zhangjiajie and call it a day.

In practice
Morning: Chadong · local ferry + walking
Transfer: Chadong → Zhangjiajie
Afternoon: Tianmen Mountain
Overnight: Zhangjiajie

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast · Ferry · Private transfer · Local guide · Tianmen Mountain entry fee
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Zhangjiajie

Yes, those mountains.

Today is for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.
With your guide, explore Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain, surrounded by the extraordinary vertical landscapes for which the park is famous. The programme also includes the Bailong Elevator, which takes care of some of the climbing for you.
This is a full sightseeing day rather than a quick scenic stop, so comfortable shoes are considerably more useful than elegant ones.

In practice
Experience: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Areas: Yuanjiajie · Tianzi Mountain
Bailong Elevator: included
Overnight: Zhangjiajie

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast · Zhangjiajie National Forest Park entry fee · Bailong Elevator ticket · Private transfer · Local guide
€ Paid locally: Tips
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Zhangjiajie → Chengdu

Let the train do the work

Today you swap mountains for one of China's high-speed trains.
The current itinerary proposes a service from Zhangjiajie West to Chengdu East at approximately 11:50–16:48. Settle in and let several hundred kilometres of China come to you for a change.
On arrival in Chengdu, make your own way to the hotel and keep the evening free.

In practice
Train: Zhangjiajie West → Chengdu East · second class
Journey: approx. 5 hrs on the currently proposed service
Arrival transfer: independent
Overnight: Chengdu

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast · Train: Zhangjiajie West → Chengdu East
€ Paid locally: Station transfer
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Chengdu

Pandas are optional. Really.

Today is free.
Explore Chengdu independently or add a guided day combining the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Kuanzhai Alley and Renmin Park.
If you're travelling with children, we suspect the pandas may win the family vote. We remain officially neutral.

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast
€ Paid locally: Entrance fees & tickets · Public transport
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Chengdu → Xi’an

Early train. Very old army.

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast · Private transfer · Local guide · Terracotta Warriors entry ticket
€ Paid locally: Transfer: hotel → Chengdu East
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Xi’an → Pingyao

Take the morning. The train can wait.

There’s no need to leave Xi’an at dawn.
Your train isn't scheduled until the afternoon, so the morning stays free for whatever you didn't get to the day before.
Later, make your own way to Xi’an North station. The current proposal uses a 15:15–17:40 high-speed service to Pingyao Ancient City station.
On arrival, make your way to your guesthouse and settle in.
And unpack properly. For once, you're not leaving tomorrow morning.

In practice
Morning: free in Xi’an
Train: Xi’an → Pingyao · second class
Station transfers: independent
Overnight: Pingyao · guesthouse

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast · Train: Xi’an → Pingyao · second class
€ Paid locally: Entrance fees & tickets · Station transfers
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Pingyao

No train today. That's the point.

Pingyao gets a full day.
No guide is currently built into this example and there’s no train to catch. Explore the ancient city at your own pace: walk, stop, eat, double back and allow a much smaller place to interrupt the rhythm of China's megacities.
For families, it's also a useful reset after several substantial travel days. For couples, it's the kind of day where not having an itinerary can become the itinerary.

In practice
Day: free in Pingyao
Overnight: Pingyao · guesthouse

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast
€ Paid locally: Entrance fees & tickets
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Pingyao → Beijing

One last long train

After breakfast, it’s time to leave Pingyao and continue north to Beijing.
Make your own way to Pingyaogucheng Station and board the high-speed train to Beijing Qinghe, currently scheduled to depart at around 09:29 and arrive at 14:27.
It’s another substantial rail journey, but by now you should know the routine: find your seat, settle in and let the train take care of the distance.
Once in Beijing, make your own way from the station to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon and evening are free.
Tomorrow, the final chapter begins — and Beijing has saved some fairly big things for it.

In practice
Train: Pingyaogucheng → Beijing Qinghe · approx. 09:29–14:27
Class: second class
Station transfers: independent
Overnight: Beijing

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast · Train: Pingyaogucheng → Beijing Qinghe
€ Paid locally: Station transfers
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Beijing

The Wall deserves a day.

Today comes with a guide, driver and a fairly serious list.
Start with the Summer Palace, then head out to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. The programme includes entrance and cable car/chairlift, before returning towards Beijing and the Olympic Village.
It's a full sightseeing day, but the Great Wall isn't really somewhere you want to squeeze between breakfast and lunch.

In practice
Visits: Summer Palace · Mutianyu Great Wall · Olympic Village
Transport: private vehicle
Overnight: Beijing

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast · Private transfer · Local guide · Visits: Summer Palace · Mutianyu Great Wall · Olympic Village
€ Paid locally: Tips
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Beijing

China doesn't do small finales.

Your last full day brings together some of Beijing's biggest historical sights.
With your guide, visit the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City, before moving into the hutongs for a different scale of city life.
In the evening, a farewell dinner is included.
If this day falls on a Monday, the Forbidden City will be closed, so Days 12 and 13 will be switched. Same experiences, different order.

✓ Included: Accommodation · Breakfast · Visits: Temple of Heaven · Tiananmen Square · Forbidden City · hutongs · Local guide · Dinner
€ Paid locally: Public transport
× Not included: Meals & beverages

Beijing

Check out. China can wait for next time.

Breakfast, check-out and the end of this version of the journey.
There are no scheduled activities today. The airport transfer isn't included in the example itinerary, so you can arrange your departure around your actual flight time — or we can add a private transfer if you'd rather finish door-to-door.
Fourteen days won't explain China completely.
That's probably a good reason to come back.

✓ Included: Breakfast
× Not included: Meals & beverages · International flights · Airport transfer

Accommodation and rooms

Twin or triple room

Private bathroom. Single room may be available with a supplement.

Hotels we may use

A look at the standard.

Hotels shown are examples. The final accommodation may change according to availability, but we will always use a property of a comparable standard and room arrangement.

Comfortable where it matters. Character where it counts.
Across the journey, accommodation changes with the places you visit — because a hotel in Shanghai shouldn’t feel like a guesthouse inside ancient Pingyao.
4-star city hotels
In Shanghai, Zhangjiajie, Chengdu, Xi’an and Beijing, expect comfortable, well-located 4-star properties or similar, with private bathrooms and all the essentials for a proper reset after long sightseeing and travel days. Think reliable comfort rather than anonymous luxury: good beds, practical facilities and an easy base for exploring the city. Selected departures may offer an upgraded 5-star option in Shanghai.

Local guesthouses
In Chadong and Pingyao, we deliberately change style. Here, smaller guesthouse accommodation brings you closer to the scale and character of the place. Expect something more intimate and locally rooted than a standard city hotel — less polished perhaps, but considerably more memorable.

One journey, different ways to stay
We don’t believe consistency means making every night look the same. The aim is to keep the journey comfortable while choosing accommodation that makes sense for where you are: city hotels when you need convenience, smaller stays when the destination itself calls for more character.
The standard stays comfortable. The personality changes.

Book with confidence

Private by designyour dates and your people

Flexible routereshaped around your priorities

Clear proposalbefore any commitment

Questions?Talk to Stay Pepper

Good questions

Before you say yes.

Is this itinerary fixed, or can I change it?

Not at all. This is a tailor-made journey, so the itinerary is a starting point, not a package you have to follow exactly. Stay longer in Shanghai, add more guided days, slow the pace down or change the balance between cities and smaller places. We design the final route around the way you want to travel.

Is travelling independently in China difficult?

Some parts require a little more confidence than others, which is why this itinerary mixes independence with support. Guides, private vehicles and pre-booked entrances are included where they make a real difference, while some station and airport transfers are left independent. Prefer door-to-door assistance? We can add it.

Are the train journeys included?

Yes. Second-class high-speed train tickets are included for the main rail journeys from Zhangjiajie through Chengdu, Xi’an and Pingyao to Beijing. The Shanghai–Zhangjiajie domestic flight is also included. Exact train and flight schedules are confirmed according to your travel dates.

Is this trip suitable for families?

It can be. The route combines interactive highlights such as Zhangjiajie, the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors with free days and train journeys, but there are also frequent changes of base and some long sightseeing days. Tell us the ages of your children and we can adjust the pace, transfers and amount of guided sightseeing accordingly.

What kind of accommodation should I expect?

Mostly comfortable 4-star city hotels, with a different style in smaller destinations. In Chadong and Pingyao, we deliberately use guesthouse-style accommodation to better match the character of the place. Shanghai can also be upgraded to a 5-star option. Final properties depend on availability and the level of accommodation you choose for your trip.

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