From the Avatar Mountains to the Home of Giant Pandas

Guangzhou – Zhangjiajie – Chongqing – Chengdu

13 Days / 12 Nights

Discover a fascinating side of China on a journey that brings together spectacular natural landscapes, futuristic cities, ancient culture, high-speed rail travel, local experiences, and some of the country’s most iconic attractions.

The journey begins in Guangzhou before heading deep into the extraordinary landscapes of Zhangjiajie, home to soaring sandstone pillars and dramatic mountain scenery. From there, experience the dazzling vertical city of Chongqing before continuing to Chengdu, famous for its giant pandas, Sichuan culture, traditional teahouses, and relaxed way of life.

Designed at a comfortable pace, the itinerary allows several nights in the main destinations rather than constantly changing hotels, giving travelers more time to experience each place while enjoying convenient high-speed train connections between cities.

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Guangzhou | Gateway to Southern China

Our journey begins in Guangzhou, one of China’s largest and most dynamic cities and the capital of Guangdong Province.

Set along the Pearl River, Guangzhou combines a striking modern skyline with centuries of history and Cantonese culture. Today, it is one of southern China’s most important commercial and transportation hubs.

Guangzhou serves as both the starting and finishing point of our journey. At the end of the tour, we return from Chengdu by high-speed train and spend one final night in Guangzhou before the international departure the following day, allowing for a much more comfortable end to the journey.

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Zhangjiajie | Landscapes from Another World

Zhangjiajie is one of China’s most extraordinary natural destinations and one of the major highlights of this journey.

Thousands of towering sandstone pillars rise dramatically from forest-covered valleys, often surrounded by clouds and mist. The result is an almost surreal landscape unlike the traditional mountain scenery found elsewhere.

We spend several nights in Zhangjiajie, allowing enough time to explore its most spectacular areas without rushing.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Enter a world of dramatic mountains, deep valleys, forests, and unusual rock formations inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, part of the UNESCO-listed Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

One of its most famous areas is Yuanjiajie, known for its extraordinary sandstone pillars and panoramic viewpoints.

Here, visitors can also see the formation popularly known as Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, whose otherworldly surroundings have helped make Zhangjiajie internationally famous.

Another memorable experience is the Bailong Elevator, an impressive outdoor glass elevator built against the mountain cliffs, transporting visitors between different elevations of the scenic area.

Tianzi Mountain

From the heights of Tianzi Mountain, hundreds of narrow peaks stretch across the landscape.

Depending on the weather, the mountains may appear through drifting clouds and mist, creating some of Zhangjiajie’s most atmospheric views.

Golden Whip Stream

After exploring the mountain viewpoints, Golden Whip Stream reveals a completely different side of Zhangjiajie.

The peaceful route follows clear water through dense forests and beneath towering cliffs, providing a refreshing contrast to the dramatic mountain peaks above.

Ten-Mile Gallery

Surrounded by unusual rock formations, Ten-Mile Gallery is another beautiful part of the Wulingyuan landscape.

Many of its peaks have been given imaginative names inspired by the shapes and figures they appear to resemble.

Tianmen Mountain

One of Zhangjiajie’s most recognizable attractions, Tianmen Mountain offers an entirely different mountain experience.

The journey itself is part of the adventure, with spectacular mountain transportation and panoramic scenery leading toward elevated walkways and viewpoints.

For those looking for an extra thrill, the famous Glass Skywalk offers dramatic views from high above the mountain landscape.

The mountain is also home to Tianmen Cave, an enormous natural opening through the mountain that has become one of Zhangjiajie’s most iconic landmarks.

72 Strange Floors

After experiencing Zhangjiajie’s natural wonders during the day, the atmosphere changes completely in the evening.

72 Strange Floors is an eye-catching architectural and entertainment complex inspired by regional traditions. Illuminated after dark, its unusual structures create a lively setting for an evening experience in Zhangjiajie.

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Chongqing | China’s Spectacular Mountain Metropolis

If Zhangjiajie represents China’s extraordinary natural landscapes, Chongqing introduces travelers to one of the country’s most fascinating urban environments.

Built across hills and around the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, Chongqing is famous for its bridges, steep streets, elevated roads, skyscrapers, and multi-level neighborhoods.

At times, what appears to be the ground floor of a building may connect to a completely different street several levels above or below.

After sunset, Chongqing becomes even more spectacular as skyscrapers, bridges, riverfront buildings, and traditional-style structures illuminate the city.

Jiefangbei

At the heart of central Chongqing is Jiefangbei, a vibrant district surrounded by shopping streets, restaurants, malls, and modern skyscrapers.

It is one of the best places to experience the energetic, contemporary side of the city.

Hongya Cave

One of Chongqing’s most recognizable landmarks, Hongya Cave is a large hillside complex inspired by traditional architecture.

The buildings cascade down toward the river across multiple levels.

After dark, thousands of lights transform the complex, while Chongqing’s modern skyline rises behind it — creating one of the city’s most photographed night scenes.

Liziba Monorail

Chongqing’s unusual geography has produced some remarkable engineering solutions.

At Liziba Station, the city’s monorail appears to travel directly through a residential building, creating one of the most famous urban sights in China.

It is a short experience, but one that perfectly illustrates just how unconventional Chongqing can be.

Mountain City Trail & Shiba Ti

Beyond Chongqing’s futuristic skyline, the city’s older neighborhoods reveal another side of its personality.

The Mountain City Trail leads through stairways, hillside paths, historic areas, and viewpoints that demonstrate how everyday life developed around the city’s steep terrain.

At Shiba Ti – Eighteen Steps, traditional-style streets, shops, cafés, and restored architecture provide a fascinating contrast with modern Chongqing.

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Chengdu | Giant Pandas & Sichuan Culture

Our journey continues to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province and one of China’s most enjoyable cultural cities.

Known around the world as the home of the giant panda, Chengdu is also famous for Sichuan cuisine, traditional teahouses, historic neighborhoods, modern shopping districts, and a relaxed social culture.

Several nights are spent here, providing time to discover both Chengdu itself and the fascinating destinations surrounding the city.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

For many travelers, this will be one of the most anticipated experiences of the journey.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding provides an opportunity to observe giant pandas in carefully designed environments while learning more about breeding, research, and conservation efforts.

The giant panda has become one of China’s most recognizable symbols, and Chengdu is one of the world’s most famous destinations for seeing these remarkable animals.

People’s Park & Traditional Teahouse Experience

Chengdu is equally famous for its leisurely lifestyle and traditional teahouse culture.

At People’s Park, travelers can experience a more local side of the city and enjoy a traditional Chinese teahouse experience — a cultural tradition that has long played an important role in Chengdu’s social life.

Kuanzhai Alley

Also known as the Wide and Narrow Alleys, Kuanzhai is one of Chengdu’s best-known historic areas.

Traditional-style courtyards and narrow lanes are now home to cafés, restaurants, shops, and cultural spaces, creating an enjoyable blend of old Chengdu and contemporary city life.

Chunxi Road & Taikoo Li

Chengdu also has a sophisticated modern side.

Chunxi Road is one of the city’s most famous commercial districts, while nearby Taikoo Li combines luxury shopping, restaurants, cafés, contemporary architecture, and traditional elements in an attractive open-air setting.

Together, they provide plenty of opportunities for shopping, dining, photography, and simply enjoying the atmosphere of modern Chengdu.

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Dujiangyan | An Engineering Wonder More Than 2,000 Years Old

From Chengdu, the journey takes us to Dujiangyan, home to one of the most remarkable engineering achievements of ancient China.

The Dujiangyan Irrigation System was constructed more than two thousand years ago to control the waters of the Min River and support agriculture across the region.

Remarkably, the system continues to play a role in water management today.

The site forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage property and provides an impressive combination of history, engineering, mountain scenery, and Chinese heritage.

The experience also includes Guanxian Ancient Town, where traditional streets, local shops, architecture, and everyday life provide another glimpse into the culture of Sichuan before returning to Chengdu.

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Wuhou Shrine & Jinli Ancient Street

The cultural exploration of Chengdu continues at Wuhou Shrine, an important historical site closely associated with the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.

The surrounding architecture, gardens, and historic atmosphere offer a fascinating contrast to Chengdu’s modern districts.

Nearby, Jinli Ancient Street brings together traditional-style architecture, red lanterns, handicrafts, souvenir shops, snacks, and local cultural elements.

It is an atmospheric place to explore at a leisurely pace and a fitting cultural experience toward the end of the journey.

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A Journey of Contrasts

What makes this China journey special is the variety of experiences included within one trip.

From the futuristic skyline and commercial energy of Guangzhou, we travel to the extraordinary sandstone mountains of Zhangjiajie. We then experience the dramatic vertical cityscape and glowing night scenes of Chongqing, before discovering giant pandas, ancient heritage, traditional teahouses, and contemporary city life in Chengdu.

High-speed trains connect the major destinations, while private transportation is provided for the touring program, creating a comfortable way to experience several very different sides of China in one journey.

The tour includes selected hotel accommodation with breakfast, private transportation according to the itinerary, high-speed train journeys between the featured cities, an English-speaking local guide during the scheduled touring days, admission to the specified attractions, airport and railway station transfers according to the program, travel insurance, and bottled water during the tour.

International airfare is not included.

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