5 ready-made plans · from 59 PLN
10 days in China – independent itineraries
10–11 days is the most popular length for a first trip to China. It's enough for the classic “golden triangle” – Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai – or for one big region at a gentler pace. Most of the itineraries below are one-way routes: you fly into one city and out of another, so no day is lost going back. They differ in character, from imperial landmarks and the tea-covered hills along the Yangtze to Tibetan monasteries and tropical beaches.
Which itinerary should you choose?
- Emperors & Hotpot (10 days): You want classic Beijing and Xi'an but would rather finish in cyberpunk Chongqing than in Shanghai. Beijing → Chongqing.
- The Road to Shangri-La (10 days): You prefer mountains, old towns and minority cultures to big cities: Dali, Lijiang and Tibetan Shangri-La. Starts and ends in Kunming.
- China's Golden Triangle+ (11 days): Your first time in China and you want the classics: the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army and the Bund. Beijing → Shanghai.
- Dim Sum & Palm Trees (11 days): You're travelling in winter or want cities plus a beach: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau and Sanya on Hainan.
- Along the Yangtze (11 days): Shanghai and less obvious eastern cities: Hangzhou and its Longjing tea, Wuxi, Nanjing and Wuhan. Shanghai → Wuhan.
Matching itineraries
10 daysEmperors & Hotpot
59 PLN
Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons10 daysThe Road to Shangri-La
59 PLN
11 daysChina's Golden Triangle+
69 PLN
Photo: Tim Wu, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons11 daysDim Sum & Palm Trees
69 PLN
11 daysAlong the Yangtze
79 PLNItineraries compared
| Itinerary | Days | Start and departure | Best time to go | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emperors & Hotpot | 10 | Beijing · Departure from Chongqing | April–May, September–October | 59 PLN |
| The Road to Shangri-La | 10 | Kunming · Departure from Kunming | March–May, October–November (Kunming is mild all year) | 59 PLN |
| China's Golden Triangle+ | 11 | Beijing · Departure from Shanghai | April–May, September–October | 69 PLN |
| Dim Sum & Palm Trees | 11 | Guangzhou · Departure from Sanya | October–April (hot with typhoons in summer) | 69 PLN |
| Along the Yangtze | 11 | Shanghai · Departure from Wuhan | March–May, September–November | 79 PLN |
Frequently asked questions
Can you see Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai in 10 days?
Yes – that's the route of China's Golden Triangle+ (11 days, with Ningbo and Tianducheng added). You travel between cities by train and fly home from Shanghai, with no need to go back to Beijing.
Which itinerary for autumn, and which for winter?
In autumn (September–October) the Beijing, Shanghai and Yunnan itineraries work well. In winter the south is the best choice: Dim Sum & Palm Trees (Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Sanya), whose best season is October–April.
Is 10 days a good length for a first trip to China?
Yes. It's enough for three or four cities without rushing. With only a week, pick one region; with two weeks, combine several very different ones (see the one-week and two-week itineraries).
Can't find your route?
We'll put together a custom plan: your cities, your dates. Write to us or build a route on the map.