China on a Shoestring, Self-Launched: Hong Kong to Beijing

Land at HKIA and take the A21 or A22 citybus into Kowloon (~HK$35, about £3.50) or the Airport Express if you want speed (~HK$115). Check into a hostel in Tsim Sha Tsui or Mong Kok, then spend the evening wandering the harbourfront, the Temple Street night market and the Avenue of Stars. Get an Octopus card on arrival — it covers the MTR, buses, ferries and convenience stores.

🚌Airport bus A21/A22 ~£3.50

🛏Hostel dorm in Tsim Sha Tsui or Mong Kok (£15–25)

• →Temple Street Night Market
• →Avenue of Stars / Victoria Harbour waterfront
• →Buy Octopus card

Cross at Lok Ma Chau/Futian to Shenzhen on the East Rail line plus a short walk across the border, then take a high-speed train Shenzhen North → Guilin North (about 3.5 hrs, roughly ¥250–320 / £28–36). From Guilin North catch the direct bus or train to Yangshuo (~1 hr, ¥25–30). Book both segments on Trip.com or the 12306 app 1–2 weeks ahead — morning trains sell out. Base yourself on West Street or in a riverside guesthouse in Yangshuo town.

🚌MTR East Rail to border + HSR Shenzhen North–Guilin North ~£30 + local bus to Yangshuo ~£3

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Yangshuo (£10–15)

• →Walk the Yulong River paths at sunset

Rent a bike from any shop on West Street (~¥30–50 a day) and do the classic Yulong River loop: rice paddies, farmers, water buffalo, Moon Hill. Alternatively book a shared bamboo raft on the Yulong through Klook (~£18–25) — much cheaper and quieter than the big Li River cruises. In the evening, a market-to-table Chinese cooking class is bookable locally or via GetYourGuide (~£25–35), or just eat beer fish and stuffed snails at a street-side restaurant.

🚌Bicycle hire ~£4

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Yangshuo (£10–15)

• →Bike the Yulong River loop
• →Yulong River bamboo raft
• →Chinese cooking class (optional)
• →Moon Hill climb

Slow morning: a tai chi or calligraphy session (~¥80–150) or the Xianggong Hill viewpoint for the postcard karst panorama (~¥60 entry). Afternoon on the Li River by public ferry Xingping–Yangdi section, or hike the Xingping riverside trail free. If you fancy the Impression Liu Sanjie night show, book on Klook (~¥298) — but the free riverside is just as atmospheric.

🚌Local bus/tuk-tuk to Xingping ~£3

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Yangshuo (£10–15)

• →Xianggong Hill viewpoint
• →Xingping riverside hike
• →Impression Liu Sanjie show (optional)

Free morning in Yangshuo, then bus back to Guilin North in the afternoon. Take an evening hard-sleeper train Guilin → Wuchang (roughly 11–13 hrs, ¥300–380 for a lower berth, about £35–42). Book a hard sleeper berth on Trip.com; bedding is supplied and berths are padded, but bring earplugs and a lock for your bag. Eating noodles bought at the station before boarding is a fixture of this route.

🚌Bus to Guilin North ~£4 + overnight train Guilin–Wuchang ~£38

🛏Hard-sleeper train berth (included in transport cost)

• →Free morning in Yangshuo
• →Board overnight hard-sleeper train

Arrive in Wuchang in the morning, stash your bag, and either squeeze in the Hubei Provincial Museum (free, and the chime-bell collection is superb) or just walk the Yellow Crane Tower riverside park. Early afternoon train Wuchang → Yichang East (~2 hrs HSR, ¥130–160). Yichang is a functional Yangtze port town — check in near the docks and eat grilled fish by the river.

🚌Train Wuchang–Yichang East ~£16

🛏Budget hotel near Yichang docks (£12–18)

• →Hubei Provincial Museum (free)
• →Yellow Crane Tower park area
• →Riverside evening in Yichang

Book a Yangtze Three Gorges day boat direct at the Yichang dock or through a local agent the day before (~¥200–350 / £22–38 including dam entry). The full-day Chinese-style boat runs downriver through Xiling Gorge to the Three Gorges Dam site, where you walk the observation decks and the ship lock viewpoint. Not the multi-day luxury cruise — this is the local day version at a fraction of the price. Pack your own lunch and water.

🚌Boat trip included in activity cost

🛏Budget hotel in Yichang (£12–18)

• →Full-day Yangtze River boat trip
• →Three Gorges Dam visit and Xiling Gorge

Free morning to explore Yichang — the riverside promenade and Binjiang Park are easy walking, or take a cable car up to the dam viewpoint if you skipped it. In the evening, board an overnight train Yichang East → Xi'an (roughly 10–12 hrs, ¥250–330 hard sleeper). Confirm your arrival station (Xi'an or Xi'an North) so you know which metro line to take in the morning.

🚌Overnight train Yichang–Xi'an ~£30

🛏Hard-sleeper train berth

• →Yichang riverside morning
• →Board overnight hard-sleeper train

Check in near the Bell Tower inside the city walls — the whole old town is walkable. Rent a bike on top of the Ming-era city wall and cycle the full 14 km loop (~¥45, about £5) — one of the best-value hours in China. In the afternoon, walk the Muslim Quarter for yangrou paomo and roujiamo, then visit the Great Mosque (~¥25). Evening: the Bell Tower is floodlit, and the Xi'an food markets are at their best after dark.

🚌Metro and walking ~£2

🛏Hostel or budget hotel near the Bell Tower (£12–20)

• →Cycle the Xi'an city walls (~£5)
• →The Great Mosque
• →Muslim Quarter street-food crawl
• →Bell Tower at night

Get to Xi'an North station early and take tourist bus 306/游5 (or the HSR to Lintong plus a local bus) out to the Terracotta Warriors (~¥120 ticket, ~£13, plus £2 transport each way). Buy your ticket at the gate or on the official WeChat mini-programme — you do not need a guide. Allow 3–4 hours across the three pits and the bronze chariots hall, then head back to the city for a relaxed evening.

🚌Bus 306 to Lintong ~£4 return

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Xi'an (£12–20)

• →Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum
• →Evening in the Bell Tower / South Gate area

Last morning for a wander along the South Gate and Shuyuanmen's calligraphy stalls, or a return visit to the wall at sunrise. Catch a late hard-sleeper train Xi'an → Shanghai (roughly 12–15 hrs, ¥320–400 lower berth). The Z/K series trains drop you at the main Shanghai station, right on metro lines 3 and 4, which is more convenient than Shanghai Hongqiao.

🚌Overnight train Xi'an–Shanghai ~£38

🛏Hard-sleeper train berth

• →Shuyuanmen calligraphy street
• →Board overnight train to Shanghai

Arrive in the morning and check into a hostel in the former French Concession (Jing'an or Xuhui). Walk the Bund from Yan'an Road north, take a cheap ¥2 ferry across to Pudong for the skyline views, and visit the Shanghai Museum (free, good English labelling) if you have energy left. In the evening, a Chinese acrobatics show at the Shanghai Circus World or Majestic Theatre is bookable on Klook or Trip.com (~£20–30).

🚌Metro and ferry ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm in Jing'an/Xuhui (£15–25)

• →Walk the Bund
• →Huangpu River public ferry
• →Shanghai Museum
• →Acrobatics show (optional, ~£25)

A full free day here: Yuyuan Garden (~¥40) and the old town lanes, Tianzifang's alley shops, or the West Bund art museums. If you want a break from city noise, take metro line 17 to Zhujiajiao water town (~¥80 transport + free entry). Book tonight's onward train — Shanghai → Beijing HSR is 4.5 hrs (~¥555) and much better value than flying once luggage is counted.

🚌Metro ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm in Shanghai (£15–25)

• →Yuyuan Garden
• →Tianzifang lanes
• →West Bund galleries
• →Zhujiajiao water town (optional)

Take a morning or midday HSR from Shanghai Hongqiao to Beijing South (4.5–5 hrs, ~¥555 / £60). Book 2–3 weeks ahead on Trip.com — this is the busiest rail corridor in China. Arrive and settle into a hostel in Dongcheng, ideally walkable to the Forbidden City and the hutongs of Nanluoguxiang. Evening: mutton hotpot or jianbing in a hutong courtyard.

🚌HSR Shanghai–Beijing ~£60

🛏Hostel dorm or courtyard guesthouse in Dongcheng (£15–25)

• →HSR to Beijing
• →Hutong evening walk

Book your Forbidden City ticket online in advance (¥60, released 7 days ahead — it sells out, and you must bring the passport you booked with). Arrive for opening, walk Tiananmen Square on the way in, and spend 3–4 hours through the palace before exiting north into Jingshan Park for the view back over the rooftops (~¥2). Afternoon in the hutongs and a lazy afternoon tea. Evening option: Beijing opera or a kung fu show (~¥120–180), bookable on Klook.

🚌Metro ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm or courtyard guesthouse in Beijing (£15–25)

• →Forbidden City (~£7)
• →Tiananmen Square
• →Jingshan Park viewpoint
• →Beijing opera or kung fu show (optional)

Early morning at the Temple of Heaven park (~¥35) is the real Beijing: tai chi, dancers, card players under the cypresses before the tour buses turn up. Then take metro line 14 to the 798 Art Zone for galleries and coffee. Alternatively, day-trip by HSR to the Great Wall at Badaling, though Mutianyu tomorrow is the better-preserved and quieter section. Book your Mutianyu transport this evening.

🚌Metro ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm or courtyard guesthouse in Beijing (£15–25)

• →Temple of Heaven park
• →798 Art Zone galleries
• →Hutong food crawl

Two options: the direct tourist bus from Dongzhimen (867路, ¥30 each way, ~1.5 hrs) or a shared minivan booked via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£20–30 return including wall entry). Mutianyu entry is ¥40, and the cable car up plus toboggan down is ¥100–120 if the 22 towers and 2-hour ridge walk haven't already wiped you out. Go early for empty ramparts and mountain haze. Back in Beijing by late afternoon for a final hotpot dinner.

🚌Tourist bus or shared minivan to Mutianyu ~£15

🛏Hostel dorm or courtyard guesthouse in Beijing (£15–25)

• →Mutianyu Great Wall hike (~£5 entry)
• →Cable car / toboggan down (optional)
• →Farewell dinner in Beijing

Departure day. Take the Airport Express from Dongzhimen to Capital Airport (~¥25) or metro line 10 to Daxing if you fly from there. If your flight is late, a last hutong breakfast and a wander through the Qianmen lanes is a good send-off.

🚌Airport Express ~£3

🛏—

• →Airport transfer
• →Optional hutong breakfast