Hong Kong to Beijing on a Shoestring — Self-Launched
13 days · China & Hong Kong
G Adventures charges £1,300
No-markup version: ~£670 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of G Adventures' 13-day "Hong Kong to Beijing on a Shoestring": Hong Kong's neon harbour, Yangshuo's karst peaks and rice paddies, Chengdu's pandas and hotpot, Luoyang's Longmen Grottoes, the Shaolin Temple on Song Shan, and Beijing's Great Wall and Forbidden City — all on high-speed rail and public buses rather than a group tour. Costs assume hostel dorms/guesthouses, street food and local transport, and are rough estimates; the China visa/LOI and international flights are extra.
Day-by-day
Land in Hong Kong — Victoria Harbour light show
Hong Kong
Arrive at HKIA and take the A21 city bus (HK$33, ~1hr) to Tsim Sha Tsui, or the Airport Express if you're splashing out. Check into a TST or Mong Kok hostel. In the evening walk the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade for the 8pm Symphony of Lights across Victoria Harbour, then eat dim sum or roast goose in a cheap Kowloon dai pai dong. Get a rechargeable Octopus card at any 7-Eleven for MTR and buses.
🚌Airport bus A21 from HKIA to TST (~HK$33 / £3.30)
🛏Hostel dorm in Tsim Sha Tsui or Mong Kok (~£20-28)
- →Victoria Harbour & Symphony of Lights (free)
- →TST Promenade & Avenue of Stars
- →Dim sum dinner in Kowloon
Cross the border and ride the rails to Yangshuo
Yangshuo
Take the MTR East Rail from Hung Hom to Lo Wu (~HK$40), walk across the border at Luohu into Shenzhen and clear Chinese immigration. From Shenzhen North take a high-speed train to Guilin West or Yangshuo Station (roughly 3-4hrs, ¥250-320 / £28-36 — book on Trip.com or 12306 a few days ahead). Local bus or taxi (~¥20-30) into Yangshuo town. Book a guesthouse on West Street's quieter back lanes rather than the main strip.
🚌MTR to Lo Wu, walk border, Shenzhen North→Yangshuo high-speed rail (~£30-36 total)
🛏Yangshuo guesthouse, twin/double (~£12-18)
- →Border crossing at Luohu
- →High-speed rail through Guangxi
- →Evening wander of West Street
Karst cycling and riverside villages
Yangshuo
Rent a bike from any West Street shop (~¥30-50/day) and ride the Yulong River loop past rice paddies, water buffalo and the Moon Hill area — hike up Moon Hill if you want the view (¥15 entry). In the afternoon take a bamboo raft on the Yulong River (~¥150-200, book direct at the jetty). Evening: the Impression Liu Sanjie light show on the river (~¥298) or just beers by the river.
🚌Bicycle hire (~£4-6); walking
🛏Yangshuo guesthouse (~£12-18)
- →Yulong River cycling loop
- →Moon Hill hike (¥15)
- →Bamboo raft on the Yulong River
- →Impression Liu Sanjie show (optional)
Cooking class, tai chi and a women-run community lunch
Yangshuo
Book a half-day Chinese cooking class via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£20-30) — usually includes a market tour and making beer fish and dumplings. Or take a morning tai chi or kung fu lesson in the park (~¥80-150). If you can arrange it, eat at the Jia Community Restaurant in Liandaowan Village, run by the Rural Women's Development Foundation — ask your guesthouse to help book a table and a driver (a few pounds each way).
🚌Local taxi/bike (~£5)
🛏Yangshuo guesthouse (~£12-18)
- →Chinese cooking class with market tour
- →Tai chi or kung fu lesson
- →Jia Community Restaurant lunch
- →Riverside cafés and West Street
High-speed rail to Chengdu
Chengdu
Train from Yangshuo (or Guilin) to Chengdu, roughly 6-7hrs by high-speed rail (¥400-500 / £45-56). Arrive late afternoon, check into a hostel in the Jinjiang or Kuanzhai Alley area, then head out for Chengdu hotpot — the local ritual is a bubbling chilli-oil pot with a cold beer.
🚌High-speed train Yangshuo→Chengdu (~£45-56)
🛏Chengdu hostel dorm or private room (~£14-22)
- →Rail journey through Guizhou and Sichuan
- →Kuanzhai Alley evening stroll
- →Sichuan hotpot dinner
Pandas at the breeding base
Chengdu
Get up early — pandas are most active before 10am. Take metro Line 3 to Chengdu Zoo then bus 87, or a DiDi (~¥30), out to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (¥58 entry, book online via the official WeChat mini-program or Klook). Afternoon: Wenshu Monastery (¥5) and the teahouses of People's Park with a ¥20 bottomless jasmine tea.
🚌Metro + bus or DiDi (~£4)
🛏Chengdu hostel (~£14-22)
- →Giant Panda Breeding Base (¥58)
- →Wenshu Monastery
- →People's Park teahouse
- →Sichuan opera face-changing show (optional)
Street food crawl and free day in Chengdu
Chengdu
Eat your way through Jinli Street and the back alleys of the old town: mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, rabbit heads if you're brave, and cold noodles for pennies. Optional evening tuk-tuk/e-bike food tour booked on Klook (~£25). Or just relax — Chengdu's pace is famously slow and that's the point.
🚌Metro/walking (~£3)
🛏Chengdu hostel (~£14-22)
- →Jinli Street food crawl
- →Chengdu old town alleys
- →Optional e-bike food tour
- →Sichuan cooking class (optional)
Train to Luoyang
Luoyang
Take a morning high-speed train from Chengdu East to Luoyang Longmen (roughly 5-6hrs, ¥350-450 / £40-50). Check into a guesthouse near the old town. Evening walk along the Luo River and try Luoyang's famous water banquet soup dishes.
🚌High-speed train Chengdu→Luoyang Longmen (~£40-50)
🛏Luoyang guesthouse or hostel (~£12-18)
- →Old town Luoyang evening walk
- →Luoyang water banquet dinner
Longmen Grottoes
Luoyang
Spend the morning at the Longmen Grottoes (¥120 entry, bus 53 or 71 from the station, ~30 mins). Thousands of Buddhist carvings cut into the cliffs over the Yi River — the 17m Vairocana Buddha is the showstopper. Afternoon: White Horse Temple (¥35) if you want China's first Buddhist temple, then chill in the old town.
🚌Local bus (~£2)
🛏Luoyang guesthouse (~£12-18)
- →Longmen Grottoes (¥120)
- →White Horse Temple (optional)
- →Old town Luoyang
Public bus to Song Shan and the Shaolin valley
Song Shan (Dengfeng)
Take a public bus from Luoyang to Dengfeng (~1.5-2hrs, ¥20-30) and check into a guesthouse at the foot of Song Shan. Hike the surrounding valleys and ridges of Mount Song — trails are free or a few yuan, and you can walk between the various temples. Sleep early for a big day tomorrow.
🚌Public bus Luoyang→Dengfeng (~£3)
🛏Guesthouse at Song Shan / Dengfeng (~£12-18)
- →Mount Song valley hiking
- →Temple walk
- →Local village dinner
Shaolin Temple, then the bullet train to Beijing
Beijing
Visit the Shaolin Temple (¥80 entry) — the birthplace of kung fu — and catch a kung fu demonstration by the warrior monks (check show times). Take a local bus back to Dengfeng or Luoyang, then board an evening or afternoon high-speed train to Beijing West (4-4.5hrs, ¥350-450 / £40-50). Check into a hostel in the Dongcheng or Qianmen area.
🚌Local bus + high-speed train Luoyang→Beijing (~£45-52)
🛏Beijing hostel dorm (~£16-24)
- →Shaolin Temple & kung fu show (¥80)
- →Pagoda forest
- →Train to Beijing
The Great Wall at Mutianyu and Tiananmen Square
Beijing
Get to Mutianyu by public transport: bus 916 Express from Dongzhimen to Huairou (¥12), then a local minibus or taxi to the wall (¥20-40). Entry ¥60 plus optional cable car (~¥100). It's the best-restored, least-crowded section within day-trip distance of Beijing. Back in the city, walk Tiananmen Square (free, bring your passport for security checks) and see the Forbidden City from outside if you're out of time — book the ¥60 ticket online in advance via the official site if you want in.
🚌Public bus 916 Express + local minibus (~£12 round trip)
🛏Beijing hostel (~£16-24)
- →Mutianyu Great Wall (¥60)
- →Cable car up (optional)
- →Tiananmen Square
- →Hutong walk in the evening
Forbidden City and last bites, then home
Beijing
If you haven't yet, book the Forbidden City (¥60, online only, sell out fast) for opening time, then wander the 798 Art District or the hutongs around Nanluoguxiang. Grab jianbing for breakfast and Peking duck for a last blowout lunch before the airport express (¥25) or DiDi to PEK or Daxing.
🚌Airport Express to PEK (~£3) or DiDi to Daxing Airport (~£15-20)
🛏None (departure day) — or one more hostel night if flying out late
- →Forbidden City (¥60)
- →798 Art District or hutongs
- →Peking duck lunch
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£670 | £1,300 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £630 per person (48%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£670
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 Hong Kong to Beijing on a Shoestring — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £670 per person for 13 days in China & Hong Kong. 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,300 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £670 — a saving of roughly £630 (48%) per person.
How long is the China & Hong Kong trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through China & Hong Kong.
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 adventure, culture, budget trip through China & Hong Kong, 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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