11-Day China Golden Triangle: Beijing, Xi'an, Yangtze & Shanghai (Self-Launched)
11 days · China
Travel China Guide charges £1,760
No-markup version: ~£1,425 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Travel China Guide's 11-day Golden Triangle loop: Beijing's imperial sights and the Mutianyu Great Wall, Xi'an's Terracotta Army, a downstream Yangtze cruise through the Three Gorges, and Shanghai's Bund. Instead of 5-star hotels, private guides and private transfers, you'll use high-speed trains, the metro, a locally-booked 4-star Yangtze cruise cabin (the one splurge worth keeping), and GetYourGuide/Klook day tours where a guide genuinely adds value. Costs are rough backpacker-to-midrange estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Beijing — hutongs and first noodles
Beijing
Land at Beijing Capital or Daxing and take the Airport Express + metro to a hostel or budget hotel near Dongsi or Nanluoguxiang (dorms £10-14, private twin ~£28-35). Skip the private transfer — the metro costs about £3. Spend the evening walking the Nanluoguxiang/Yandai Xie Jie hutongs, grabbing zhajiangmian noodles or jianbing for £4-6, and getting a Chinese eSIM or local SIM (~£12 for 15GB) sorted.
🚌Airport Express ¥25 (~£3) plus metro from the airport; no private transfer needed
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse near Dongsi / Nanluoguxiang
- →Airport Express and metro into the city
- →Hutong evening walk
- →Local noodle dinner
Tiananmen, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven
Beijing
Book Forbidden City tickets yourself on the official WeChat mini-program or the Palace Museum website — they release 7 days ahead and sell out, so set an alarm. Enter via Tiananmen Square (free, passport needed, security queue). Combine with the Temple of Heaven park (£4) in the afternoon. Optional evening: Red Theatre acrobatics (~£18-25 booked via Klook/GetYourGuide) instead of the operator's included show. Dinner: Peking duck at Siji Minfu near the Forbidden City, ~£14-18pp shared.
🚌Metro day pass ~£2; everything on Line 1
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse near Dongsi / Nanluoguxiang
- →Tiananmen Square
- →Forbidden City (£8 entry, book ahead)
- →Temple of Heaven (£4)
- →Optional Red Theatre acrobatics show (~£20)
Mutianyu Great Wall + hutong rickshaw
Beijing (Mutianyu)
Take a public bus or shared shuttle to Mutianyu — the direct tourist bus from Dongzhimen (916 Express to Huairou then local minibus) costs about £6 return, or pre-book a shared day-trip minibus via Klook (~£22-28 including entry). Cable car up and toboggan down, ~£12. Hike the ramparts between towers 14 and 20 for 2-3 hours. Back in town, wander the Shichahai hutongs on foot (rickshaw tours are touristy and pricey — walk instead) and grab a cheap courtyard-family lunch of dumplings. Grab a photo stop at the Bird's Nest on Line 8 if you have energy.
🚌916 Express bus + local minibus to Mutianyu (~£6 return) or shared Klook minibus (~£25)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse near Dongsi / Nanluoguxiang
- →Mutianyu Great Wall hiking (£6 entry + £12 cable car/toboggan)
- →Shichahai hutongs walk
- →Bird's Nest photo stop
Summer Palace, then high-speed train to Xi'an
Beijing → Xi'an
Morning at the Summer Palace (£5 entry) — take metro Line 4 to Beigongmen and walk the Long Corridor and Kunming Lake. Afternoon: Beijing West to Xi'an North on a G-series high-speed train, roughly 4.5-5.5 hours, second class ¥515 (~£57). Book on Trip.com or the 12306 app a few days ahead. Arrive Xi'an and check into a hostel or budget hotel inside the City Wall near the Bell Tower (£12-16 dorm, ~£30 twin). Evening snack crawl on Muslim Quarter: roujiamo (£1.50), biangbiang noodles (£3).
🚌Beijing West → Xi'an North high-speed train, 2nd class ~£57
🛏Hostel or budget hotel inside Xi'an City Wall
- →Summer Palace
- →Muslim Quarter food crawl
Terracotta Army and Xi'an old city
Xi'an
Do the Terracotta Army independently: bus 306/游5 from Xi'an railway station east square, ¥7 each way, entry ¥120 (~£13). Arrive by 9am to beat tour groups; rent the audio guide (£4) instead of a private guide. Combine with the free-ish mini warrior workshop stalls outside if you want a souvenir. Back in town, see the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda square at dusk (free outside, pagoda entry £5) and the Tang Dynasty-style night market. Optional Tang Dynasty song-and-dance show ~£20-25 via GetYourGuide — the operator's dumpling dinner + show combo runs much higher.
🚌Public bus 306 to Terracotta Army (~£1.60 return); metro and walking in town
🛏Hostel or budget hotel inside Xi'an City Wall
- →Terracotta Army Museum (£13)
- →Giant Wild Goose Pagoda square
- →Optional Tang Dynasty show (~£22)
- →Dumpling dinner (~£8)
Xi'an to Chongqing — city of lights
Xi'an → Chongqing
Morning on the City Wall — rent a bike on top (£5.50 for 2 hours) and cycle the 14km loop, then coffee in the City Wall Park. High-speed train Xi'an North → Chongqing North, ~5 hours, 2nd class ~£45-55. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Jiefangbei (£12-16 dorm). Evening: the Liziba monorail-through-a-building photo stop (metro Line 2, free with the metro card), Kuixing Tower viewpoint over the skyline, then Hongya Cave's illuminated stilt houses. Chongqing hotpot dinner ~£10pp.
🚌Xi'an North → Chongqing North high-speed train ~£50
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Jiefangbei, Chongqing
- →City Wall cycle (£5.50)
- →Liziba light rail photo stop
- →Kuixing Tower viewpoint
- →Hongya Cave at night
- →Chongqing hotpot (£10)
Board the Yangtze cruise — Fengdu Ghost City
Chongqing → Yangtze River (Fengdu)
The Yangtze cruise is the one element worth booking as a package — standard downstream 4-night Chongqing-to-Yichang sailings on 4-star boats (Century line, Victoria line, or similar) sell from £280-360 per person in a shared twin cabin including all meals and shore excursions, booked direct or via Trip.com/CTrip. Book a 4-star rather than the operator's 5-star Century Victory to keep costs down. Board late afternoon in Chaotianmen; the ship sails overnight. Shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City or the Xiaoguanshan folk culture park is included in the cruise fare. Safety drill and welcome briefing on deck.
🚌Board at Chaotianmen Dock, Chongqing; cruise fare includes all port transfers by shuttle
🛏Standard twin cabin on a 4-star Yangtze cruise ship
- →Board Yangtze cruise
- →Fengdu Ghost City excursion (included in cruise fare)
- →Deck sunset over the river
Three Gorges: Qutang, Wu and Shennv Stream
Yangtze River — Three Gorges
Full day on the water. The ship navigates Qutang Gorge (the shortest and most dramatic) and Wu Gorge, then transfers to a small sampan for the Shennv Stream side trip — included in the cruise fare. Bring a light jacket; decks are windy. Onboard lectures and evening entertainment are free. All meals included today, so costs are minimal beyond drinks and tips.
🚌Cruise ship plus included sampan transfer on Shennv Stream
🛏Standard twin cabin on a 4-star Yangtze cruise ship
- →Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge scenic cruising
- →Shennv Stream sampan trip
- →Onboard cultural programme
Three Gorges Dam, then train to Shanghai
Yichang → Shanghai
Disembark at Yichang after the included Three Gorges Dam excursion (typically morning of day 4 — check your sailing's exact schedule as some boats do the dam on day 4 and disembark midday). Take the free port shuttle to Yichang East station and the high-speed train to Shanghai Hongqiao, ~7 hours, 2nd class ~£60-70. Alternatively fly Yichang → Shanghai (~£55-80) to save time. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near the Bund/People's Square (£14-18 dorm, ~£35 twin). Evening stroll to the Bund for the light show at 7pm.
🚌Yichang East → Shanghai Hongqiao high-speed train ~£65 (or ~£65 flight)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near the Bund / People's Square, Shanghai
- →Three Gorges Dam excursion
- →Bund night walk and light show
Shanghai: Yu Garden, museum, Huangpu cruise
Shanghai
Yu Garden (£5) early to dodge crowds, then the bazaar next door for soup dumplings at Nanxiang Mantou Dian (~£4). Shanghai Museum is free but requires a timed reservation on its WeChat account. Afternoon: 1-hour Huangpu River sightseeing cruise from the Bund, ~£15-18 booked at the pier or via Klook. Finish with a walk through the former French Concession (Wukang Road) or Tianzifang for coffee and snacks. Cheap eats: pan-fried shengjianbao ~£2.50 a portion.
🚌Metro day pass ~£2; walking
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near the Bund / People's Square, Shanghai
- →Yu Garden (£5)
- →Shanghai Museum (free, book ahead)
- →Huangpu River cruise (~£16)
- →French Concession / Tianzifang walk
Depart Shanghai
Shanghai
Breakfast at a local jianbing or congee stall (~£2), then metro Line 2 or the Maglev + metro to Pudong or Hongqiao for your flight home. If you have a late flight, leave bags at the hostel and do a final Bund or Jing'an Temple wander. The Maglev to Pudong airport is ¥50 (~£5.50) and takes 8 minutes.
🚌Metro Line 2 or Maglev to Pudong (~£5.50); metro to Hongqiao (~£1)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Final local breakfast
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping
Self-launched vs. Travel China Guide
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel China Guide | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,425 | £1,760 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £335 per person (19%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel China Guide-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,425
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 11-Day China Golden Triangle: Beijing, Xi'an, Yangtze & Shanghai (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,425 per person for 11 days in China. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Travel China Guide?+
Yes — Travel China Guide charges around £1,760 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,425 — a saving of roughly £335 (19%) per person.
How long is the China trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through China.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, foodie trip through China, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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