An Authentic Taste of China
This amazing gourmet journey aims to give you a taste of China. In the land of abundance, you will gain an insider's view into the history and culture of Chinese cuisine by traveling around different sites relating to delicacies.
Days
13
Price
from US$3,289 p/p
Best For
First-timers
Best Time
Apr.May.Sep.Oct.
Tour Highlights





China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.


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Our trip to Li Jiang and Shaxi Yunnan
We arrived at Lijiang on 9/8. We enjoyed the time in Lijiang a lot with good hotel selection and a well planned program. We went onto Shaxi for the local singing festival of the local minority groups. It was a fantastic experience. What makes the trip most memorable is our guide Alice. She took excellent care of us, anticipating our every need. She was personable, warm and very knowledgeable. We shared many laughters and traded stories. She brought smiles to us during the entire trip. We will specifically ask for her again when we come back to Yunnan. Five star service. More
Consumer,
Sep 2023
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Great trip around Shanghai
This was our first time ever visiting Shanghai so we wanted to see good places to go to and good food to eat in Shanghai. That's why we booked with China Highlights. They're very responsive and quick to arrange our 3 day trip. Our guide name is Qi and she is a very sweet and helpful person. She knew we wanted to explore many local foods, so she brought us some local breakfast foods when she picked us up from our hotel, just so we can try everything! She was knowledgeable as well about the culture and history of the places we went to. Will definitely recommend this tour and use China Highlights again for our next trip to China! More
Sherry,
Sep 2023
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Great way to see the city
Private tour with China highlights made seeing Xi'an super easy. We saved a lot of time with a private driver, and our guide Jenny took really good care of us, sending instructions for where to meet once getting off the train and made everything feel really safe and easy. She also accommodated a number of last minute changes to our itinerary without batting an eye. She was very patient, knowledgeable and friendly. It was great having a guide who grew up locally in the area to show us around (which is not always the case, from my previous experiences elsewhere). Would definitely recommend! More
Stephanie N,
Sep 2023
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One Day Beijing Trip (Great Wall, Summer Palace) With Jennifer
My tour guide Jennifer made this quick one day trip to Beijing great! The day started out a bit overcast and rainy when I landed, but Jennifer’s positive attitude and kind communication (along with her being able to keep up/put up with my jokes) made it fine.Despite this, Jennifer and our driver Chen were able to swing an extra photo shoot stop at the Olympic Stadium. I guess it gives me an excuse to come back to visit again, and when I do - I will use China Highlights and this great fantastic team. More
Alan Landau,
Sep 2023
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Mervyn is what we call a perfect tour guide!
Mervyn is what we call a perfect tour guide! She is extremely informative all the way through. She knows hers stuff and she is also enthusiastic, knowledgeable, personable and very willing to help. The whole day was perfect. A great amount of walking and a lots of physical activity ( hiking) and she was all smiling, accommodating and keeping us informative. She was absolutely the best tour guide we've ever encountered in China. Her English is perfect! Everything was so well organized. Her knowledge of the local culture and history is impressive. Fantastic More
pdaroundthewrorld,
Sep 2023
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Best Great Wall experience
Used China Highlights for a private all-day tour of Jinshanling portion of the Great Wall. One of the best days of my life! Tour guide Alan and a driver met me at my hotel and the ride was very comfortable. Alan was extremely knowledgable and friendly, I really enjoyed talking with him. The scenery was astoundingly beautiful; this is a less touristy portion of the Wall. The hiking was fun, Alan brought plenty of water, and showed me things I would not have noticed by myself. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a local restaurant for lunch that Alan had arranged - delicious! Once in a lifetime experience. More
LZviajera,
Sep 2023
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Wonderful experience!
Our tour guide was Mervyn, and she was amazing! She had great knowledge of Xi'an and the silk road, and we learned so many things we didn't know before. The Muslim quarter is a must-see, with so many streets of food. Terracotta warriors were breathtaking. We did a Hanfu experience and enjoyed walking the city at night in our tang Dynasty outfits. We wish we spent more than 2 days here as there's so much to do. Definitely recommend this tour and will be visiting again! More
Laura A,
Sep 2023
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Unforgettable trip to Guilin
We enjoyed an incredible two day trip in Guilin, taking a brief half-day boat cruise on the Li River and cycling around Yangshuo in the afternoon with our guide Gary. Gary met us at the airport and made us feel very welcome, providing us with five-star service. He gave us a lot of insight about Guilin and the Guangxi region and even gave us a tai chi lesson on the boat. He provided us excellent dining suggestions for the evening as well as suggestions of things to do. Thank you Gary for making our trip to Guilin so memorable! More
Regis B,
Sep 2023
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars
We were paired with great guides on every city, very knowleadgeble and hardworking people that made our trip fabulous. Jack in Beijing was brilliant and very resourceful making sure we enjoyed the city even when he wasn't with us. In Xi'An we were paired with Crystal that was incredibly smart and made sure we felt we had not only a guide but a friend to rely on in Xi'An, we loved how she made sure we tried the best food and fruit available and helped us from arrival to departure from Xi'An. Finally, kudos to Gary (Wei Li) that worked with us in Guiling and Yangshuo. Gary is a local to Guiling and truly proud of his city and origins. We learned a lot from him and he trully went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time in Guiling adjusting the itinerary to our liking and taking time to explain everything. On our flight out of Guiling we had a bit of an issue with our tickets (booked by ourselves) and Gary promptly lent a hand to help us sort it out with the airport staff, trully a champion. If you are heading to Guiling with Chinahighlights, make sure to have Gary as your guide. More
Moises,
Sep 2023
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Amazing tour!
Our guide, Linda, was by far the best person to have for our tours of The Forbidden City, Tianamen Square, and Mutianyu Great Wall. She was an encyclopedia with great knowledge of Chinese History and was able to explain every detail of what we were seeing. She picked us up with a very nice car and driver from our hotel both days, at the time most convenient to us, and dropped us back off wherever we wanted at the end of our tours. Both the Forbidden City and the Great Wall are marvels of human and Chinese achievements and are a must to see in Beijing. Visiting them both with a tour guide that feels more like a friend was certainly helping enjoying it even more. More
Robin Z,
Sep 2023
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Stunning Yellow Mountain and beautiful Ancient Villages
We had the most fantastic experience with our tour guide, Jack Fan, who is very knowledgeable about the Yellow Mountain and was able to get us quickly to the most stunning highlights. He was our "photographer" anytime we wanted a photo and that was very often. We made the most of our time having him guiding us. He was truly the mountain man as he is a local there. He is very passionate about what he does. He loves history, nature, and travel, which is a must for a guide. He provided historical facts about the stunning Ancient villages at Hong Cun and Xidi. He answered any questions we had about history, nature, and current things we had. I felt like he was a professor, and we were his students in a very good way. He was NEVER late, and neither was our driver. They never bought us anywhere to "sell" us things. He took us to buy tea only when we asked to buy a specific tea, staying much later than he should have! I wanted to check out lotus and rice fields, which was not on the itinerary, but he squeezed it in for us. We were very well taken care of. I highly recommend Jack for a tour guide who speaks English. More
annemompt,
Sep 2023
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An Unforgettable Tibetan Adventure - Qinghai Train Ride Y971
I recently embarked on an unforgettable journey to Tibet, a land steeped in mysticism and rich cultural heritage. My train trip on the famous scenic Qinghai route on train Y971 Lhasa played a significant role in making this trip an extraordinary experience.Upon my arrival in Lhasa via an overnight train, I was warmly welcomed by the guide assigned Tenzin Lhatse. He had waited for more than 3 hours as he was not informed there was a change in the train schedule. Nontheless, it did not dampen his warm attitude and the seamless transferfrom the train station to the hotel set a positive tone for my stay.The highlight of my stay was undoubtedly the visit to the iconic Potala Palace. The sheer grandeur and architectural brilliance of this historic site left me in awe. The guidance of my knowledgeable tour guide, who revealed the stories behind each shrine, enriched my experience. However, the strict visitor limits and rules underscored the importance of preserving this ancient marvel. The Old Barkhor Street Walking Tour was a journey through time. From Jokhang Temple to the bustling local market, each stop offered insights into Tibetan daily life and folk customs. The Pandatsang Compound's history and the cup of Tibetan sweet tea at Ani Tsangkhung Nunnery added unique flavors to the tour.Overall, my journey through Tibet was an incredible odyssey into a world of spirituality, culture, and natural beauty. I'm glad to have taken this step with my wife to challenge the train ride which was totally worthy of this lifetime. More
GOH-family-tours,
Sep 2023
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Wonderful trip to the Chinese Silk Road
Special shout out to our guide for the Gansu leg, Helen, who was the most caring guide we have come across in all of our travels. Make sure you ask for her! More
ED,
Sep 2023
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Fantastic first trip in Shanghai
My partner and I were visiting China for the first time. Our tour guide was Martin, who was friendly and very knowledgeable. He adjusted the tour to our needs and gave us an extensive tour of Shanghai as well as many fascinating insights on China. He also went above and beyond and offered us plenty of recommendations on what to do in the evenings, how to get there, and even made bookings for us. Martin, thanks again! More
Regis,
Sep 2023
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Yangshuo is magical from the misty…
The guide Lily has a great knowledge in hidden gems and the history about the places. Very memorable experience that i have thanks to them. More
Dony Yugo,
Sep 2023
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Beijing is AMAZING
Linda Wang our amazing tour guide helped us to have an unforgettable trip to all the best of Beijing. From organizing the driver (also excellent) to drop us/pick us up exactly when we were leaving busy tourist sites, excellent food recommendations, fascinating knowledge relevant to us and our children (13yo and 11yo) making The Forbidden City, Tiannamen Square, Great Wall, Beijing Zoo and The Hutongs thoroughly enjoyable. Handling all the entrance/exit passport and ticket requirements, interpreting, answering any questions we had about local culture, we were so comfortable and happy, never rushed, everything you could want and more. More
Michelle A,
Sep 2023
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Incredible 2 day tour of Jiuzhaiguo
Our tour guide Mary spoke perfect English, was so nice to us and took us to all the best sights in Jiuzhaiguo. It was an unforgettable tour with incredible views! More
Declan O,
Sep 2023
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Helen is the best Panda tour guide going around!
I had a fantastic Panda tour with Helen in Chengdu City. From the moment she picked me up, my energy was low from a heap of travelling, but Helen quickly brought me up a notch with her breathtaking passion for Pandas. Not only did she provide a fantastic experience accommodating my every need, but she was also a genuinely kind and joyful company to tour the city with. I can't recommend Helen enough - you won't regret it! More
Isaac C,
Sep 2023
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Two days in Xi’an
What an amazing few days in Xi’an! Our guide Jenny was first class - very knowledgeable and very helpful, she went out of her way to make sure we had the best experience like ordering us coffees & food and booking dinners for us. The highlight was of course visiting the Terracotta Warriors, but we also really enjoyed visiting a local family to make dumplings. Can’t recommend this trip and Jenny enough! More
Marvin K,
Sep 2023
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Fantastic experiences in Guilin and the beautiful surroundings together with Vincent.
Lib230524097 More
Go44854472794,
Sep 2023
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Itinerary Details
Don't hesitate to let us know if you'd like to make any modifications to this itinerary as anything can be customized according to your preferences.
Welcome to China! Your private guide will be waiting for you at the airport upon your arrival. Your driver will be ready to transfer you to your hotel where you can relax.
After breakfast, your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby. Your tour will warm up with a short visit to the largest city plaza in the world — Tian'anmen Square. Within walking distance, you will reach the time-honored landmark in Beijing — the Forbidden City. Admire the unmissable collection of imperial architectural structures, witness the history of royal ancient China, and absorb interesting background stories.
Sit down for a break at noon and enjoy the national dish of Beijing roast duck for lunch. Let all of your senses come alive.
In the afternoon, wander through traditional hutong courtyard houses to get a glimpse of the locals' lives.
In the morning, you will visit the Temple of Heaven where the emperors of the past would go to pray for a better harvest. Nowadays, it's famous for its incredible architecture and as a gathering place for locals to do exercises, such as tai chi and square dancing.
"Complete your trip to China with an unforgettable visit to the Great Wall at Mutianyu." Recommended by the Lonely Planet, the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall offers a magnificent landscape of well-preserved walls and towers as well as splendid surroundings. It's about 1½ to 2 hours' drive from central Beijing and the hike is of medium difficulty.
After a leisurely breakfast, you will stroll through the Summer Palace, a serene space where you can see the imperial garden and all its glory. Enjoy the natural beauty coupled with some great cultural relics of the past and escape the bustle of Beijing life. It is worth every step!
After lunch, your tour guide will see you off at the airport in Beijing for your flight to Xi'an (about 2 hours). You will be picked up by your tour guide at the airport in Xi'an and will be escorted to your hotel.
Freshen up in the morning and start your day at the site of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, which was the burial place of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. You will also have the opportunity to visit a traditional cave dwelling nearby, a type of dwelling which disappeared elsewhere in the process of modernization. You can try to make your own clay warriors and take them away as souvenirs at no extra cost.
Enjoy an authentic lunch and witness the most undamaged ancient Chinese city wall in existence. Renting a bicycle to ride on the wall is a good way to spend some free time.
Take an informative trip to Shaanxi History Museum, which has more than 370,000 cultural relics, and head to Muslim Quarter to hunt for some local snacks.
Dumplings are representative of Chinese cuisine and both their shapes and fillings have cultural meanings. You will be treated to a dumpling banquet in a superior brand restaurant for lunch. The well-presented dumplings have vivid shapes, fragrant flavors, and diverse fillings.
Later in the afternoon, your guide and driver will transfer you to the train station to catch a high-speed train to Asia's first gastronomy city — Chengdu (about 4 hours). Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by your local tour guide in Chengdu.
You will be driven for half an hour from downtown Chengdu to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to have a date with some cute pandas, which are China's treasure. Enjoy a leisurely walk through the green bamboo framed paths and closely observe giant pandas and red pandas of different ages while they are eating, playing, tumbling, and climbing. You can also go to the kindergarten to see baby pandas.
Please note: The best time to visit is during the feeding time between 8:30am and 10am. After that, the pandas will likely be indulging in their favorite pastime: sleeping!
Enjoy lunch at a popular local restaurant. Have a rest during the private 1-hour drive to Sichuan Cuisine Museum. This is the only 'eatable museum' in China with a dynamic way to experience the Sichuan cuisine culture. Visit the collection hall to learn about the evolution of the Sichuan cuisine culture. Gain firsthand experience of Sichuan cuisine cutting skills. Enjoy the features of Sichuan food via the senses of sight, smell, taste, and touch. Be awarded with the "Rookie Master Chef" certificate signed by the chef and take home the "secret" recipes of the dishes you have cooked.
Enjoy a free morning. We will arrange a private transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Guilin (about 1½ hours).
After breakfast, start exploring Longsheng. Walk among the photogenic Longji Rice Terraces to enjoy the scenery from the best viewing spots. Visit a traditional wooden house in an ethnic village and interact with the household to hear their stories that have been passed from generation to generation. Another highlight of this trip is to join the local family in making a delicious specialty – bamboo-tube rice – and then taste the fruits of your labor.
Do Guilin's premier tour program — cruise along the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo admiring the scenery that looks like an ink painting. The jaw-dropping views of the karst peaks include the notable scenery that appears on China's 20 RMB banknote. We will book a 4-star cruise (the highest level with better facilities and a buffet lunch including Chinese and Western choices) so that you can have a better experience than on a 3-star cruise (a basic level with simple facilities and a set Chinese lunch).
You will disembark in Yangshuo and check in to your hotel. Take a short break and have a pleasant time exploring the countryside. Throw yourself into the gentle embrace of the lovely verdant utopian scene. Choose your preferred way to enjoy the fun and beauty: biking, on a moped, or by private car.
Please note: Depending on the season and water level, this 83-kilometer cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo takes about 4 to 5 hours.
Bamboo rafting on the Yulong River is a much quieter and more rustic experience compared with Li River rafting. While rafting, you won't miss the idyllic scenes of simple rural life as a few small villages with old buildings are set among the hillside greenery on both sides of the river.
In the afternoon, we will arrange a private transfer (about 1 to 1½ hours) back to Guilin to catch your flight to Hong Kong (about 1½ hours).
During this half-day city tour, you will visit three symbolic markets (Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, Goldfish Street, and Ladies' Market) to get close to the bustling coastal city that's full of impressive high-rises and a fusion of Eastern and Western cultures. Get energy tasting Michelin recommended snacks and drinks — you can always find something that caters to your tastes.
It's the end of your amazing journey. Your guide and driver will transfer you to the airport and bid you a fond farewell.
Price Includes
Price from: $3,289 (Tour code: gh-cht-fd-01)








Trip Notes
Every element of the tour above can be tailored. Feel free to tell us your ideas and we will be happy to make adjustments for you.
1. Extend the Tour
- Chengdu: Add a day for the Panda Keeper Program in Dujiangyan Panda Base.
- Guilin: Add a day to take a farming experience in Yangshuo, or see the Guilin city highlights and Daxu Ancient Town.
- Shanghai: Add 2 days to visit the Bund, Yu Garden, and Shanghai Tower.
- Suzhou and/or Hangzhou: Add 1–4 days to visit the water towns, gardens, the Grand Canal, and West Lake.
2. Accommodation
Various types of accommodation are available, including famous 5-star hotel chains, 4-star hotels in the best locations, good value 3-star hotels, or boutique hotels that reflect the style of the region. Whatever your accommodation preferences are, our travel experts will seek out and find the perfect one for you.
Most hotels in China allow at most three people in one room. If there are more than three people in your group, we will check if there is family room available or do our best to arrange interconnecting rooms or adjoin rooms.
3. Transportation
China is a huge country, so to make your travel experience more efficient, we usually arrange flights to connect your destinations.
China's high-speed rail network is a fast-paced way to travel. We recommend taking high-speed trains for journeys of less than 6 hours to interested customers — please tell us if you are one of them.
4. Meals
Lunches at popular local restaurants are included for you so you can taste authentic Chinese food. Your guide will assist you with ordering the dishes.
We have left the evening meals for you to make your own arrangements, as having dinner is part of the cuisine discovery and you may want to explore all the options yourself. Our tour guides are happy to make recommendations based on your taste preferences. If you want us to arrange a hassle-free dinner for you, let us know.
Vegetarian, halal, kosher, Indian, or gluten-free — all your dietary requirements can be taken care of by our experienced private guides. Let us know if you have any of these dietary requirements when you make your booking.
Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day. Over 50% of our clients complete their bookings within 10 days of submitting their inquiry.
Why Travel with Global Highlights (98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+)
- Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
- Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
- Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.
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