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Which China trip fits?

Start from how many days you have. Each option below is a full route with the trains, the nights and what to book first, not a list of cities.

34routes to choose fromUpdatedSeptember 2026

Five days is two cities. Seven days is the classic triangle: Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai. Ten days is where Chengdu fits, or where you drop the east and do Yunnan instead.

Fourteen days is the shortest trip that covers both halves of the country. Twenty-one adds either Yunnan or Zhangjiajie on top. The two sit in different corners of the south, and no route honestly does both.

Every link goes straight to the day-by-day plan. If you already know the region, skip down and start there.

By how many days you have

5 days4
5-Day China Itinerary (2026): The Classic First TripBeijing and Xian only. Three cities in five days does not work. 5-Day China Family Itinerary (2026)Same two cities, with the walking cut down for children. 5-Day China on a Budget (2026)Where the money actually goes, and what to skip. 5-Day China Food Itinerary (2026)Two cities chosen for what you eat, not what you photograph.
7 days4
A 7-Day China Itinerary: Beijing, Xi'an and ShanghaiThe first-trip default: Beijing, Xian, Shanghai. 7-Day China High-Speed Rail Loop (2026)The same triangle, planned around the trains instead of the sights. 7-Day China Itinerary: Going Deeper Than the Highlights (2026)Fewer cities, more time in each. For a second visit. 7-Day China Food Itinerary (2026)A week organised around markets and regional cooking.
10 days4
A 10-Day China Itinerary: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and ShanghaiAdds Chengdu. The pandas fit here, not in a 7-day trip. 10-Day Yunnan Itinerary (2026)Skip the east entirely: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La. 10-Day Silk Road Itinerary (2026)Xian west to Dunhuang. Long train days, book them first. 10-Day China Family Itinerary (2026)Ten days with rest days built in, not bolted on.
14 days2
14 Days in China: Five Cities, One RouteBeijing, Xian, Chengdu, Guilin, Shanghai. Both halves of the country. 14-Day China In-Depth Itinerary (2026)Drops a city to spend real time in the ones you keep.
21 days1
21 Days in China: The Route That Adds the SouthThe 14-day route plus either Yunnan or Zhangjiajie. Not both.

By where you want to go

North and east3
A 7-Day China Itinerary: Beijing, Xi'an and ShanghaiBeijing, Xian and Shanghai in a week. Shaanxi Travel Guide (2026): Xi'an, Yan'an and HuashanXian plus Huashan, if the Terracotta Army is the point. Shandong Travel Guide (2026): Qingdao, Mount Tai and ConfuciusQingdao and Mount Tai, off the standard route.
South-west4
10-Day Yunnan Itinerary (2026)The four-stop Yunnan corridor, northbound. Sichuan Travel Guide (2026): Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou and BeyondChengdu plus Jiuzhaigou. The second half is a flight, not a day trip. Guangxi Travel Guide (2026): Guilin, Yangshuo and the SouthGuilin and Yangshuo, and how to split the nights. Planning a Yunnan Trip: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-LaKunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La as one route.
Mountains and the west4
10-Day Silk Road Itinerary (2026)Xian to Dunhuang. Tibet Travel Guide (2026): Permits, Routes and What to ExpectLhasa only works with the permit sorted before you fly. Xinjiang Travel Guide (2026): Routes, Permits and PracticalitiesUrumqi as a base, and what needs extra permission. 21 Days in China: The Route That Adds the SouthZhangjiajie as a one-week branch, not a stopover.
Coast and the south4
Zhejiang Travel Guide (2026): Hangzhou, Water Towns and IslandsHangzhou, the water towns and the islands. Fujian Travel Guide (2026): Xiamen, Tulou and WuyiXiamen, the tulou and Wuyi. Jiangsu Travel Guide (2026): Nanjing, Suzhou and the Canal CitiesNanjing and Suzhou off a Shanghai base. Hunan Travel Guide (2026): Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang and ChangshaZhangjiajie and Fenghuang, and how many days each takes.

By who is travelling

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