Is this route right for you?
A first taste of China This route is a starting point for travelers who want a manageable mix of sightseeing and time to explore. Tell us if food, hiking, museums or family time should lead the plan.
Your journey, day by day
Days 1–3 · Beijing and the Great Wall
Allow an arrival day, one day around imperial sights and one day at the Great Wall. Hutong walks can fit into an easier evening; do not put the Great Wall immediately before an intercity departure.
Day 4 · travel to Shanghai
Choose your train or flight after comparing hotel-to-hotel time. Keep this as a travel day, with only an optional riverside walk once settled in Shanghai.
Days 5–6 · Shanghai neighborhoods and skyline
Spend one day around the Bund and old city, then one day exploring quieter streets, a museum or a garden. This short route is better served by a focused city visit than multiple day trips.
Day 7 · departure
Confirm the correct departure airport and terminal. Keep any final shopping or sightseeing close to your hotel so the departure stays relaxed.
How the route fits together
The proposed order is Beijing → Shanghai. Compare rail and air options by door-to-door travel time, not just time on board. Avoid a demanding activity immediately after a long international flight.
Help you can add
You book hotels and most tickets yourself, and your personal travel concierge is on WhatsApp for questions along the way. If some days feel harder than others, have us arrange help just there:
- Arrival in Beijing: airport transfer, so you are met at arrivals instead of working out taxis and apps after a long flight.
- Forbidden City: attraction tickets, because entry needs a passport-based reservation that often sells out.
- Great Wall day: private driver, to reach Mutianyu or Jinshanling on your own schedule, without a tour bus.
- Beijing to Shanghai: train tickets, if you would rather not book through a Chinese app.
- Shanghai: local guide for a day, for the old city, gardens and food, if you want the stories behind them.
- The whole trip: personal travel concierge, $9 a day: a real person to message when an app, a menu or a plan stops working.
Each add-on is quoted and booked on its own. Nothing here is a package.
Make it yours
Add rest days, shorten walks, change hotel style or focus on a special interest. Your concierge can adapt the route to your dates and pace with you.
Planning to follow this route? Get a free quick check of your version, or travel it with a personal concierge on WhatsApp for $9 a day.