Overview

China travel map - China Great Wall Panorama Tour

There’s a Chairman Mao saying, “He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.” If you're dreaming to witness the complete Great Wall in person, Beijing is not the only place to see the snaking Great wall; on this Panorama Tour of Great Wall, you will have opportunity to see other wild, original and unrepaired Great wall sections in Beijing, Jiayuguan & Yinchuan of Gansu province, Zhongwei of Ningxia region, Datong, Shanxi province as well as other historical relics along the way, such as Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Tengger Deser, Yungang Grottoes, etc. This will definitely be a meaningful and once-in-a-life-time trip.

Duration: 16 days & 15 nights

Destinations: Beijing - Jiayuguan - Zhongwei - Yinchuan - Datong - Beijing

Customize Your Tour:
☑  Travel Dates  ☑ Your Interests  ☑ Your Travel Style

Day
Welcome to China! Landing at Beijing Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. As capital of China, Beijing boasts a lot of sights and museums to glimpse into China’s history and cultural civilization. There’re also skyscrapers and modern landmarks that you can find the city’s vibrancy and surprising contemporary development. Spend the rest of the day exploring Beijing on your own pace.

After breakfast, go to the Temple of Heaven, which is one of Beijing's most impressive sites in terms of architecture, color and significance and was used by Emperor to communicate directly with Heaven. After visiting it, visit the Forbidden City, nominated as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1987, is the largest ancient palatial structure in the world and the best-preserved imperial palace in China. Later, go to Jingshan Park, covers an area of more than 230,000 m², Jingshan is immediately north of the Forbidden City on the central axis of Beijing, and offers a magnificent full view of Forbidden City.

Meal: B, L

Forbidden City

Departure Beijing temporarily (will come back again for the Great Wall in/nearby Beijing before leaving China), flying to Jiayuguan (need to transfer in Lanzhou or Xian). Reputed as "The Greatest Pass on Earth", Jiayuguan Fort is the west end of the Great Wall. Be met after arrival and transferred to the hotel.

Meal: B

Today is a full day tour of the Great Wall in JIayuguan. Visit the Jiayuguan Fort, 5km west of the city, built in 1372, the western terminus of the Great Wall of Ming Dynasty. Historically it was a traffic fort on the Silk Road. As long as 60km, Jiayuguan Fort consists of inner city, outer city, city wall, barbican entrance, moat and north and south parts grand Wall winding through Gobi Desert. Here you can have a general idea of different parts and functions of the Great Wall, and how it works as a military defense system in ancient times. Then proceed to visit the Hanging Great Wall and Great Wall Museum -- built in the ancient castle style, it covers an area of 12,300 square meters. The seven exhibition halls present relics covering virtually every aspect of the ancient site.

Meal: B, L

Jiayuguan Fort

This morning, catch your train to Zhongwei (9hr to 9hr 40mins, departing every other day), where you will see another section of the Great Wall and explore vast desert. Be met and transferred to the hotel.

Meal: B, L

After breakfast, visit the Great Wall of Han Dynasty at Sifangdun, a huge square structure of earth and stone,14 meters high, 32 meters in length and width. According to archaeological research, it is a ruined site of a beacon tower built in West Han Dynasty (202BC – 8AD). Right next is a site of one of China’s earliest military camp. Then proceed to Shapotou Tourism Area, a desert amusement park by one of the most beautiful desert in China – Tengger Desert. If you like, ride on a camel through part of the desert to discover, oasis and lakes which are gems on the vast and bare desert.

Meal: B, L

This morning, we visit a temple in Zhongwei to understand local religion and people’s religious life. Visit Gaomiao Bao'an Temple, built in early 15th Centurey on a high platform connected to the Great Wall. Surprisingly, it is a temple of three religions: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The architecture is majestic and beautiful. Then drive to Yinchuan, and visit 108 Pagodas near Qingtong Gorge on the way. The pagodas sit in tiers on the mountain slope forming an equilateral triangle. Later, visit Nanguan Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Ningxia with a history of hundreds of years. Overnight at Yinchuan.

Meal: B, L

Gaomiao Bao'an Temple

Transfer to visit the Sanguankou Great Wall of Ming Dynasty, located at the south of Helan Mountain (40 km west of Yinchuan). According to historical records, the government of Ming Dynasty paid great attention to the defense of Sanguankou Great Wall, and sent 4000 soldiers and farmers to renovate the pass every time. Historically, many wars and battles happen here, including once Genghis Khan attacking the Western Xia for the third time. So later we come to the Western Xia Imperial Tombs, where includes nice tombs of Western Xia Kings and 250-plus companion tombs buried with the remains of the major imperial family members and aristocrats. After that, transfer to visit Haibao Pagoda at the city downtown. 

Meal: B, L

Western Xia Imperial Tombs

Today spend most the time moving from one place to another. Transfer to the airport and fly to Taiyuan, the provincial capital of Shanxi. Be met by local guide and transferred to take an express bus or conventional train to Datong, where you can further explore the Great Wall, as well as some historical ruins and Buddhist sights. Overnight at Datong.

Meal: B, L

Go to Yanmenguan Pass to see the Great Wall--situated on Yanmen Mountain, the east side and the west side of the mountain faces each other, and hence the whole mountain looks like a huge door. At Yanmenguan Pass you can still see the garrison barracks site of Ming and Qing Dynasty, the training yard, and a temple to worship Li Mu, a famous general of the Warring States Period (475-221BC). The Great Wall here was built 1605, 5033m long, with a watch tower every 120m. It is also a masterpiece of Ming Dynasty Great Wall.

Meal: B, L

After breakfast, pay a visit to the famous Yungang Grottoes. The 53 grottoes in Yungang include some 1,000 niches with about 51,000 statues, a treasure trove of grotto art that combines traditional Chinese art forms with foreign influence, particularly Greek and Indian. Then go to Huayan Monastery, which is the largest and best preserved monastery of the Liao Dynasty in existence in China. Later, appreciate Nine Dragon Screen, nine huge coiling dragons on each side of the screen and big or small dragons in different postures decorating the two ends and the eaves, making a surprising total of 635 dragons. Dragon in China has always been the symbol of imperial power.

Meal: B, L

Yungang Grottoes

Get up early and take a morning train back to Beijing (around 6 hours). Here in Beijing there are still some famous sections of the Great wall that you should never miss. Upon arrival, be met and transferred to the hotel. In the afternoon, enjoy Hutong (Beijing's traditional alleyways) tour by 3-wheel-richshaw to see local people's life in old, walled courtyard homes. It is the hutong that actually showcases old Beijing's timeless best to you.

Meal: B

Drive for 2.5 hours through the suburb of Beijing to Jinshanling Great Wall to the see the Great Wall in the wildness. Built in 1368, Jinshanling Great Wall lies on a branch of Yanshan Mountain at the junction of Chengde and Beijing, west of Simatai Great Wall and east of the Gubeikou Great Wall. Along this 10.5km wall, there are 5 passes, 67 watch towers and 3 beacon towers soaring into the sky, especially beautiful and majestic when shrouded in the seas of clouds. You can walk a bit further to the ruined sections with stunning views.

Meal: B, L

Jinshanling Great Wall

Capture your morning bullet train, traveling from Beijing to Qinhuangdao (2hrs). After lunch, visit the Old Dragon's Head, east-end of the Great Wall, stretching into the sea, hence known as “the Great Wall on the Sea”. It is the only land and sea military defense system among all the Great Wall sections, with a history of around 600 years. It worked effectively when the famous general Qi Jiguang fought against the invasion of Japanese pirates. Then proceed to Shanghai Pass, one of top three passes of the Great Wall (the other two are Jiayuanguan and Zhenbeitai), a military pass in Northeast China. Shanghai Pass is also the end of your Great Wall adventure. You’ve seen the essence of the 21,196-km-long (13,171 mi) Great Wall of China!

Meal: B, L

Take train back to Beijing, free time at the rest of day. You may rest at hotel, or explore Beijing on your own.

Meal: B

Be picked up by your guide and driver at an appropriate time and transfer to the airport. Wave goodbye and fly back home. Welcome to China again!

Meal: B

End of service.

What's included

  • 1-on-1 Travel Consultant

    Your China based expert listens to your wishes carefully, provides professional advice, ensures unlimited itinerary revisions before done and 24/7 helpline service while traveling.

  • Private Local Guide and Driver

    Your guides are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, and your drivers are professional, polite and patient. They are very flexible to accommodate your personal needs and happy to show you the local attractions, history, culture, foods and real life. 
    Private transfers from hotel to attractions, airport or train station are also included.

  • Accommodation to Suite Your Preference

    In each place, we hand pick hotels ranging from luxury 5 star, superior 4 star to comfortable 3 star. Luxury or cozy boutique hotels and budget guesthouses are also among your choices. You could decide where to stay to meet your taste and budget.

  • Gourmet Meals

    Most of the hotels we select offer both Western and Chinese buffet breakfast. Lunch and dinner included are arranged in selected restaurants to taste authentic Chinese cuisine and local specialties. Thus you may also have a unique food tour.
    Meals specified in itinerary as B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner.

  • Attractions and Activities Listed on the Itinerary

    Our China tour packages have included the (first/main) entry to all attractions and the expenses of activities on the itinerary (except the optional activities).

  • Internal Transportation

    Based on your needs, we could make bookings of internal transportation, including domestic flights, inter-city trains, long-distance bus, etc.

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