China Tour from San Francisco

With about 12.5 hours duration time, almost 2 to 3 direct flights operate daily between San Francisco and Beijing. You can book an appropriate one based on your travel time and go to San Francisco International Airport for your flight to Beijing by yourself. 

Upon landing at Beijing capital airport, you can take a taxi to your hotel by yourself. The hotel we recommend for you has a pretty good location. It takes around one hour by taxi and costs approximately CNY120. If your flight lands at Daxing airport, it will take longer time to your hotel, around 1.5 hours and the taxi fee is around CNY160. After check into the hotel, you can spend the rest of the day simply relaxing at the hotel or taking a leisurely walk around the street nearby. 

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: Hotel Yoo Beijing

Today we suggest you start your private China tour from San Francisco with our guided Beijing Mini Group Day Tour, which is specially designed for the first-timers to Beijing at a very competitive price. You're going to visit the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, Bird’s Nest and old Hutongs.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

You can spend the day taking in the highlights of Beijing by a group of no more than six members on our One Day Beijing Mini Group Tour. You will visit the Temple of Heaven, have a Hutong rickshaw trip, visit the Lama Temple and finally enjoy the grandeur of traditional architectures and the charming natural views in the Summer Palace.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel. Please go through the check-out formalities as required by the hotel. For your convenience, we recommend you deposit the luggage at the hotel concierge. If you would like to do a self-service exploration to more places of historical interests, we suggest you start from Jingshan Park. Riding a taxi (CNY10) for 15 minutes, you will arrive at the park. It is another beautiful royal garden with a history of more than 800 years, and today it is the most favorite location for photographers taking panorama of the Forbidden City. Leaving from the West Gate of Jingshan Park and walking for about 500 meters, you will find the Beihai Park. Beautiful islands, white tower, pavilions, green trees, flowers, rocks and the Buddhist buildings make the park like a fairyland. Then exit from the North Gate of Beihai Park and pass through the Dianmen West Street, you will arrive at the famous Hutong Area - Shi Cha Hai, which is called water town in northern China for it is composed of three large lakes, including Xihai, Houhai and Qianhai. Around this area, you will meet large and small intertwining Hutongs, Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street and Silver Ingot Bridge, and truly understand the culture of original Beijing. Also there are lots of restaurants, bars, cafes in the Hutong area for your selection.

Afterwards, you may go back to the hotel by taxi at about CNY16. After picking up your luggage, you can take taxi to Beijing West Railway Station. It takes around 25 minutes at about CNY22 if there is no traffic jam. We suggest you set aside enough time for the transfer and arrive at the railway station at least an hour and a half prior to the train departure time. Train in China is different from ones in other countries, and the train travel is a great way to know our country better. Due to the limited choice of food on the train, the fast food or snacks should be prepared for dinner in advance before getting on board. Besides, please aware that the private compartment is not big and the space is limited, so we kindly invite you to read the compulsory train baggage allowance tips beforehand.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight soft sleeper train

The train arrives at Xian in the morning. Please take a taxi to your hotel Days Inn City Centre, which is not far from the railway station. As the Terracotta Army is located outside of Xi'an downtown, we suggest you take our guided Xian Mini Group Day Tour. On the day tour, you could also visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, the ancient City Wall and the Muslim Bazaar.

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: Days Inn City Centre Xi'an

This day is left for you to further explore the ancient city on your own. We first suggest you visit the City Wall Park. Get out of your hotel and turn left to walk to the South street, walk down the street, you will find the South Gate of City Wall. The park is just surrounding the City Wall. You will find many locals doing morning exercise and other entertainment activities. After that you can walk back to the city center area. The attractive Bell Tower and Drum Tower a few steps away can be your next stops. We also suggest you pay a visit to the Muslim street behind the Drum Tower. Muslim street is a residential zone of Hui people in this city. Strolling around the street, you will not only taste the delicious local flavors, but also get an insight into the religious tradition and living habits of Hui people. In the early afternoon, you may go back to your hotel to pick up your luggage, and then take the shuttle bus to the airport and fly to scenic Guilin. We will book the air ticket and offer the flight details in advance to you. The shuttle bus station is very near your hotel. Walk south to the Bell Tower Crossroad and turn right for about 100 meters along the West Street, you will find the airport shuttle buses in front of the Melody Hotel.

When your flight lands on Guilin airport, please go to your hotel by yourself. It may take about 40 minutes to the airport by taxi and cost around CNY100. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Universal

The highlight of today is a cruise excursion along the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. Please get up earlier and take a taxi to Zhujiang Wharf by yourself. It takes about 40 minutes by taxi to the wharf and the taxi fee is around CNY100. Please take your passport when you board the ship and also arrive the wharf before 09:00 to leave enough time for passport inspection. 

There is no lack of astonishing scenic wonders along both banks of this downstream section of Li River. A boat excursion would be a great way to admire the picturesque scenery here. Upon arrival at Yangshuo, it is better to have a stroll along the famous West Street. This is a vibrant place alive with cafes, pubs, restaurants and where many westerners gather. Then, you can take an electric car to travel around the villages of Yangshuo to enjoy the breathtaking countryside scenery. Today's cruise experience along with the countryside trip will be one of the most memorable parts of your journey. Late in the afternoon, please take bus back to Guilin by yourself. The shuttle bus ticket from Yangshuo to Guilin can be purchased easily at the bus station.

Tips: Unfortunately the lunch served on the cruise is simple Chinese box lunch, so we recommend you take a hearty breakfast at the hotel in the morning.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Chinese box Lunch

You will explore the major attractions in the city by yourself today. We suggest you take taxi to the sightseeing spots as it is the most convenient way. The first spot we suggested is the Reed Flute Cave. Illuminated by colored lighting, the various rock formations like Crystal Palace, Dragon Pagoda, Virgin Forest, Flower and Fruit Mountain make the cave a fairyland. Besides the amazing rock formations inside, the idyllic scene outside is also pleasing. Then, you can dine lunch at one of the restaurants close to the Seven Star Park for lunch. Being renowned for splendid natural landscape and valuable cultural relics, this park covers the Seven-Star Mountains with its beautiful mountain scenery and emerald waters. Afterwards, pay a visit to the land symbol of the city, Elephant Trunk Hill. The hill is called so because it looks like a huge elephant drinking water from the river with its long trunk. After that, you may go back to your hotel to pick up your luggage and then, take a taxi to the airport and fly to Shanghai. It is a good chance for you to discover this metropolis city by yourself. As you will arrive in Shanghai in the evening, we suggest you take a taxi to the hotel we booked for you. It takes about one and a half hours from Pudong airport to your hotel at cost of CNY170. If you land at Hongqiao airport, it may take around half an hour and cost no more than CNY60.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Golden River-view Hotel

This morning we suggest you take a taxi to Shanghai Museum. After about 20 minutes driving with the taxi fee of around CNY20, you will arrive at this huge museum. Exhibiting both ancient historical relics and modern artworks of the country, it is definitely worthy of your visit. Then you can proceed to the Yu Garden also by taxi. It only takes 10 minutes at around CNY15. Yuyuan Garden is one of the representatives of south region classic gardens. The pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters in the garden all have unique Chinese gardening characteristics. There are many restaurants in its nearby streets, so you can have your lunch there with various choices. Afterwards, it may be best for you to walk to the Bund area, which is no more than 1000 meters away. If you are interested, you can also take the Huangpu River cruise at the Bund wharf to appreciate the two representative profiles of the city along two sides of the river. It helps you understand the past, see the present and look into the future of this modern city. After that we suggest you have a stroll on the famous Nanjing Road in the neighborhood. Built in the colonial period in the 19th century, Nanjing Road has nowadays become one of the most famous shopping centers in the city as well as a popular destination. The well-known stores from home and abroad make it no less prosperous than any other famous business streets in the world. After the whole day visit, you can take a taxi back to your hotel with the taxi fee of CNY20.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Your 11 days China tour from America will conclude today. After breakfast, you can reach the airport for your homeward flight by taxi for around 1.5 hours. It would cost CNY200 or so cab fare if you take any one of the four 11-hour direct flights from Pudong Airport (PVG) to San Francisco. Bon Voyage!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast