Self-Launched China: Great Wall & Terracotta Warriors

Arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport and take the Airport Express train into the city (~£3.50, 30 mins) to Dongzhimen, then a short metro ride or taxi to your hutong guesthouse near Houhai Lake. The Blossom House area around Houhai is ideal — look for courtyard guesthouses like Leo Hostel or Peking Yard for budget-boutique options (£18–28/night). Spend the evening strolling the hutong alleyways, grab Peking duck from a local restaurant on Wangfujing or Nanluoguxiang, and soak in the neighbourhood atmosphere. No expensive welcome dinner needed — street food and local noodle joints abound for under £5.

🚌Airport Express train from Terminal 2/3 to Dongzhimen (~£3.50), then metro Line 2 or taxi (~£5) to Houhai area

🛏Budget boutique courtyard guesthouse or hostel near Houhai/Nanluoguxiang (e.g. Peking Yard, Leo Hostel Beijing) — approx £18–28/night

• →Airport Express train from Capital Airport to city centre (~£3.50)
• →Check in to a hutong courtyard guesthouse near Houhai Lake
• →Evening stroll through Nanluoguxiang hutong alleyways
• →Dinner at a local Peking duck restaurant or street food stalls (~£8–12)

Be at the Forbidden City gates early (they open at 8:30am) — book tickets online in advance via the official Palace Museum website (£10, timed entry essential). The Eastern Route and Qianlong Garden are accessible on the standard ticket with a small supplement for the garden section (£3–5 extra). After the Forbidden City, walk south to Tiananmen Square — entry is free. In the afternoon, take a shared shuttle or public bus to the Jinshanling Great Wall area (~3 hrs from Beijing). Book through a hostel notice board or direct with Jinshanling Scenic Area — some guesthouses near the wall arrange transfers. Check into a simple guesthouse at the foot of the wall. Dinner: local family restaurant at the base of Jinshanling.

🚌Metro within Beijing (~£0.50–1 per journey); shared minibus or public bus from Dongzhimen bus station to Jinshanling (~£10–15, ~3 hrs)

🛏Guesthouse near Jinshanling Great Wall base (e.g. Jinshanling Great Wall Guesthouse or similar local family-run option) — approx £18–25/night

• →Forbidden City self-guided visit — book timed entry tickets online in advance (~£10)
• →Explore the restored Qianlong Garden (supplement ~£3–5)
• →Tiananmen Square walk (free)
• →Afternoon transfer to Jinshanling Great Wall area by shared shuttle or bus (~£10–15)

Buy your Jinshanling entrance ticket at the gate (~£8) and set off from the East Gate along the ridgeline trail. This is one of the most authentic and scenic Great Wall sections — watchtowers, crumbling parapets, sweeping valley views. Aim for Xiliang Brick Tower, where local farmers sell simple lunches (rice, vegetables, local dishes) for around £3–5 — a genuine highlight that doesn't require a tour group. Walk at your own pace for 2–4 hrs. In the afternoon, rest at your guesthouse or attempt the optional Gubeikou extension if energy allows (free to walk, ~2km from Jinshanling). Dinner at Mr Zhou's or equivalent family guesthouse at the base.

🚌On foot — no additional transport needed today

🛏Guesthouse near Jinshanling (same as Day 2) — approx £18–25/night

• →Jinshanling Great Wall hike from East Gate along ridgeline (~3–5 hrs, entrance ~£8)
• →Farmers' lunch at Xiliang Brick Tower (~£4)
• →Optional afternoon walk toward Gubeikou wild wall section (free)
• →Home-cooked dinner at a local family guesthouse (~£6–8)

Take a local taxi or arranged transfer to Simatai (~£8–12 one way, or arrange a shared ride from your guesthouse). Simatai entry includes a cable car (~£12 total). Walk between watchtowers at a relaxed pace — the section is dramatic and retains original Ming-era character. Descend and have lunch at a local restaurant near the entrance (~£6–8). In the afternoon, return to Jinshanling for an optional Tai Chi session — look for local instructors who offer sessions near the base area or arrange one through your guesthouse for ~£8–10/person. Evening cooking class/demo can be booked via GetYourGuide in Beijing area, or ask your guesthouse to arrange a local cooking experience.

🚌Local taxi or shared ride to Simatai and back (~£16–24 return)

🛏Guesthouse near Jinshanling (same as previous nights) — approx £18–25/night

• →Simatai Great Wall visit including cable car ascent (~£12 entrance + cable car)
• →Walk between watchtowers along the Ming Dynasty original section
• →Lunch at local Simatai restaurant (~£7)
• →Tai Chi session with a local instructor near Jinshanling (~£8–10)
• →Evening local cooking demonstration at guesthouse (~£8–12)

Head toward Mutianyu / Beigou area by local bus or taxi (~£15). Visit Beigou village and the Brickyard heritage hotel for lunch — the Brickyard is open to non-staying guests for their set lunch (~£12–18), served family-style. This is a genuinely atmospheric spot in a restored tile factory. After lunch, head back to Beijing's Qinghe or Beijing West station to catch the high-speed train to Pingyao (Pingyao Ancient City station). Trains run regularly; book in advance on Trip.com or China Railway's website (~£20–28, ~2.5–3 hrs). On arrival, take the electric shuttle into the walled old town (~£1) and check into a traditional courtyard hotel (mingsu). Arrive late evening.

🚌Taxi/bus to Mutianyu area (~£15); high-speed train Beijing → Pingyao (~£20–28); electric shuttle in old town (~£1)

🛏Traditional courtyard mingsu guesthouse inside Pingyao Old Town (e.g. Harmony Guesthouse or Yide Hotel) — approx £20–30/night

• →Visit Beigou village near Mutianyu — walk freely through the historic settlement
• →Lunch at the Brickyard heritage hotel (~£14)
• →High-speed train Beijing → Pingyao Ancient City (~£20–28, ~2.5–3 hrs, book via Trip.com)
• →Electric shuttle into Pingyao Old Town (~£1)

Pingyao's UNESCO walled city is entirely self-explorable — buy a combined ticket at the gate (~£12) covering the old town, Rishengchang Exchange Shop (birthplace of Chinese banking), the County Yamen government hall, and several temples. Spend the morning wandering stone-paved lanes, merchant houses and ornate courtyards. For a Liang Village excursion, hire a local taxi (~£15 return, 30 mins away) — entry to the fortified manor village is ~£5. To find lacquerware master Geng Baoguo, ask at your guesthouse — local courtyard workshops are easily visited independently. In the afternoon, join a dough-sculpture (Mian Su) workshop — bookable locally or via guesthouse recommendations (~£8–12). Evening tea ceremony experience (~£5–8) and dinner of Pingyao's famous sliced noodles at a local restaurant (~£5).

🚌Walking within old town; optional taxi to Liang Village (~£15 return)

🛏Same courtyard mingsu guesthouse as Day 5 — approx £20–30/night

• →Pingyao Ancient City combined entrance ticket (~£12) — Rishengchang Exchange Shop, County Yamen, temples
• →Shuanglin Temple clay sculptures (~included in combined ticket or small supplement)
• →Optional taxi to Liang Village fortified manors (~£15 return + ~£5 entry)
• →Mian Su dough-sculpture workshop with local artisan (~£10)
• →Traditional tea ceremony experience (~£6)
• →Dinner: Pingyao sliced noodles at a local restaurant (~£5)

Take the high-speed train from Pingyao Ancient City station to Xi'an North (~£18–25, ~1.5–2 hrs, book via Trip.com or at the station). After checking into your Xi'an hotel, rent a bike on top of the Ming Dynasty city wall — the 14km circuit is one of China's great urban experiences (entry ~£6, bike hire ~£3). Descend into the Muslim Quarter (Huimin Jie) — a maze of food stalls, street snacks, and the Great Mosque (entry ~£4, book timed slot online). This is a self-sufficient evening of exploration. Dinner from the Muslim Quarter street food stalls is outstanding and cheap (~£8–12 for a feast of lamb skewers, roujiamo, biangbiang noodles).

🚌High-speed train Pingyao → Xi'an North (~£18–25); metro or taxi from Xi'an North to city centre (~£3–5)

🛏Mid-range guesthouse or boutique hotel near the Muslim Quarter or Bell Tower area (e.g. Han Tang Inn, Luomen International Youth Hostel) — approx £18–28/night

• →High-speed train Pingyao → Xi'an North (~£18–25, ~1.5–2 hrs)
• →Xi'an City Wall entry and bike hire (~£9 total)
• →Walk or cycle the full 14km Ming-era city wall circuit
• →Great Mosque visit in the Muslim Quarter (~£4)
• →Street food dinner in the Muslim Quarter (~£10)

Take bus 306 or tourist bus from Xi'an railway station directly to the Terracotta Army Museum (~£1.50 each way, ~1 hr). Entrance is ~£18. For an enhanced experience matching the original tour's archaeologist-guided visit, book a private or small-group expert tour via GetYourGuide (search 'Terracotta Army expert guide Xi'an', ~£25–40 including transport and guide). Wander Pits 1, 2, and 3 at your own pace — the scale is staggering even without a private guide. Have lunch at a family-run restaurant near the museum site (~£6–8). Return to Xi'an by mid-afternoon. For a farewell dinner, head to a Shaanxi cuisine restaurant near the Bell Tower — try Yang's Dumplings or a local biang biang noodle restaurant (~£10–15). Enjoy a final evening stroll along the illuminated city wall.

🚌Tourist bus 306 to Terracotta Army and back (~£3 return)

🛏Same guesthouse/hotel as Day 7 — approx £18–28/night

• →Bus 306 from Xi'an station to Terracotta Army Museum (~£1.50 each way)
• →Terracotta Army Museum entrance (~£18)
• →Optional expert guide via GetYourGuide (~£25–40 inc. transport)
• →Lunch at family restaurant near museum (~£7)
• →Farewell Shaanxi cuisine dinner near Bell Tower (~£12)

After breakfast at your guesthouse or a local café (~£3–5), take a final stroll through Xi'an's historic streets if time allows — the South Gate area and Shuyuanmen Culture Street make for a peaceful morning wander. Head to Xi'an Xianyang International Airport by airport bus (~£5, ~1 hr) or metro (~£4). Allow plenty of time for check-in. This marks the end of a brilliant self-launched journey through imperial China.

🚌Airport bus or metro to Xi'an Xianyang Airport (~£4–5, ~1 hr)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Final breakfast at guesthouse or local café (~£4)
• →Optional morning stroll: South Gate or Shuyuanmen Culture Street
• →Airport bus or metro to Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (~£4–5)