Imperial City & Painted Landscapes China's Classic Cultural Journey

A Nation’s Culinary Map, Bite by Bite

Trace China’s food story from northern imperial courts down to southern river towns. Wander the gilded halls of the Forbidden City, trek the winding stone ramparts of Mutianyu Great Wall, stand amid Xi’an’s silent Terracotta Army, and glide along Li River’s painterly peaks. Every iconic landmark pairs with a signature regional feast, weaving scenery and flavour into one unforgettable narrative.

Where History Meets the Dinner Table

Step into living culinary heritage. Cycle Xi’an’s ancient city walls before diving into Muslim Quarter street stalls steeped in Silk Road trade. Wander Beijing’s timeworn hutongs where generations-old eateries preserve imperial recipes. Explore Chengdu’s Sichuan Cuisine Museum to uncover centuries of spicy cooking traditions. Visit Zhuang village homesteads on Longji Terraces, where mountain ingredients fuel age-old rural recipes still passed between families today.

More Than Tasting — A Gastronomic Journey You Create

This is far more than passive sightseeing and restaurant meals. Roll up your sleeves to craft regional classics alongside local masters: carve your own mini terracotta warrior in a Qin cave dwelling, roast bamboo tube rice with Zhuang farmers, stir-fry signature Sichuan dishes in a professional cooking class, and watch veteran chefs carve whole Peking duck tableside. Browse bustling local wet markets, join village tea ceremonies, and share home-cooked family meals — connect with China through its food, not merely observe it as a tourist.

Day 1 · Arrive in Beijing

Flights: Self-arranged Meals: None (daily hotel breakfast included starting Day 2) Hotel: Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town (5*) / Penta Hotel Beijing (4*) or equivalent Transfer: Airport – Hotel, private chauffeur service Touch down in China’s imperial capital. Your dedicated English-speaking gourmet guide will greet you upon arrival, assist with luggage handling and seamless hotel check-in. Settle into your accommodation and take the remainder of the day to rest and acclimatise ahead of your culinary adventure.

Day 2 · Beijing – Imperial Heritage & Iconic Peking Duck

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional Peking Duck Banquet) Hotel: Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town (5*) / Penta Hotel Beijing (4*) or equivalent Dawn light bathes Tian’anmen Square, the heart of modern Beijing, before you step through the gates of the Forbidden City. Your specialist guide leads you off mainstream tourist trails to lesser-visited palace halls, sharing untold royal tales hidden within ancient brickwork and golden imperial rooftops. Post-tour, savour Beijing’s defining masterpiece at a century-old courtyard restaurant. Watch master chefs carve glistening roast duck tableside, separating shatteringly crisp skin from tender meat, and learn the traditional ritual of wrapping each bite with pancakes, scallion and sweet bean sauce. In the late afternoon, wander winding hutong alleyways, where old Beijing’s everyday rhythms linger — hidden family eateries and quiet courtyard homes frame a vivid contrast to the grandeur of the imperial palace.

Day 3 · Beijing – Temple of Heaven & Mutianyu Great Wall

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Mountain farmhouse local fare) Hotel: Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town (5*) / Penta Hotel Beijing (4*) or equivalent Transfer: Downtown Beijing – Mutianyu Great Wall, private vehicle Start your morning at the Temple of Heaven, an ethereal cedar-lined sanctuary once reserved for emperors’ annual harvest prayers. Join local elders practising tai chi beneath blue glazed tile pavilions, absorbing slow northern Chinese morning tranquillity. Journey north to Mutianyu, one of the most well-preserved, uncrowded stretches of the Great Wall. Ascend via cable car for sweeping panoramic views of the stone ribbon snaking across misty mountain ridges; wander weathered watchtowers at your unhurried pace. Lunch is served at a hillside farmhouse, featuring rustic northern mountain specialities crafted with fresh local produce.

Customisation Tips

Descend the Wall via cable car or thrilling mountain toboggan slide at your preference

Swap Mutianyu for rugged wild Jinshanling Great Wall hiking or illuminated Simatai night Wall upon request

Day 4 · Beijing – Xi’an via Flight / High-Speed Rail – Summer Palace

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Hotel: Wyndham Grand Xi’an South (5*) / Somerset Xindicheng Xi’an (4*) or equivalent Morning unfolds at the Summer Palace, the Qing Dynasty imperial summer retreat. Wander winding covered corridors, lotus-fringed Kunming Lake and meticulously landscaped classical gardens, letting lake breezes calm your pace before travelling west. After lunch, transfer to the airport or high-speed railway station for your journey to Xi’an, ancient cradle of the Silk Road.

Customisation Tips

Opt for high-speed rail (approx. 5 hours) over domestic flights to experience China’s high-speed rail network, with mild cost savings available

Day 5 · Xi’an – Terracotta Army, Cave Dwelling Craft & Silk Road Food Safari

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner (Muslim Quarter sunset food tour) Hotel: Wyndham Grand Xi’an South (5*) / Somerset Xindicheng Xi’an (4*) or equivalent Venture out to the world-famous Terracotta Army, the silent underground Qin Dynasty guard force buried for over 2,200 years. Your guide unveils little-known secrets of this UNESCO wonder, narrating the story of its ancient artisans. Head to a traditional cave dwelling workshop to mould your own miniature clay warrior with local craftspeople — bring ancient Qin craftsmanship to life with your own hands. Cycle atop Xi’an’s fully intact ancient city wall, a 600-year-old fortification framing the city’s symmetrical historic grid. As dusk falls, embark on a guided food safari through the Muslim Quarter, a melting pot of Silk Road flavours. Sample hand-pulled biangbiang noodles, crispy roujiamo pork burgers, lamb offal soup and grilled spice skewers, each bite carrying centuries of cross-culture trade influence.

Day 6 · Xi’an – Chengdu via High-Speed Rail – Shaanxi History Museum

Meals: Breakfast Hotel: Sofitel Chengdu Taihe (5*) / Tibet Hotel Chengdu (4*) or equivalent Spend your slow morning exploring Shaanxi History Museum, housing unparalleled relics tracing Xi’an’s millennia as imperial capital and Silk Road starting point. Board the afternoon high-speed train bound for Chengdu, laid-back hometown of giant pandas and fiery Sichuan cuisine. Upon arrival, transfer directly to your city hotel. Evening hours are free for independent exploration of local neighbourhoods.

Day 7 · Chengdu – Giant Pandas & Hands-On Sichuan Cooking Masterclass

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Hotel: Sofitel Chengdu Taihe (5*) / Tibet Hotel Chengdu (4*) or equivalent Set off early to the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, arriving before 9:30am to witness pandas at their most active feeding hour. Watch fluffy black-and-white bears munch fresh bamboo and spot playful red pandas amid lush green foliage. Following your panda encounter, visit the immersive Sichuan Cuisine Museum, where every exhibit illuminates the bold, layered flavours of Chuan cuisine — numbing peppercorn, fermented broad bean paste, fiery chilli oil and aromatic spices. Under the tutelage of a professional Sichuan head chef, attend a full cooking workshop: learn market ingredient selection, prepare three classic Sichuan signature dishes, and taste your own hand-crafted creations for dinner.

Day 8 · Chengdu – Guilin via Flight – Ancient Culture & Slow Chengdu Tea Life

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Hotel: Shangri-La Hotel Guilin (5*) / Lijiang Waterfall Hotel (4*) or equivalent Delve into Chengdu’s 3,000-year civilisation at the Jinsha Site Museum, uncovering rare gold and jade artefacts from the ancient Shu Kingdom. Roam bustling local alleyways for a self-guided street food crawl, sampling iconic Chengdu snacks. Afterwards, unwind at Heming Teahouse in People’s Park, recline on bamboo chairs, sip gaiwan tea and watch locals play mahjong — embodying the laid-back “bashi” lifestyle unique to Sichuan. Late afternoon transfer to the airport for your flight south to Guilin, where karst mountain landscapes await.

Day 9 · Guilin – Longji Rice Terraces & Zhuang Ethnic Culinary Experience

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Zhuang homestay family feast) Hotel: Shangri-La Hotel Guilin (5*) / Lijiang Waterfall Hotel (4*) or equivalent Transfer deep into the mountain highlands to Longji Rice Terraces, tiered green cascades carved into hillsides by the Zhuang ethnic minority. Hike winding terraced paths, passing villagers in vibrant traditional embroidered attire tending rice paddies. Visit a local Zhuang family homestead for an authentic farm lunch, cooked using foraged mountain herbs and fresh valley produce. Join the household matriarch for a hands-on workshop, learning to fill bamboo tubes with rice and steam them over open fire — a beloved regional mountain staple. Taste fragrant oil tea, a unique Zhuang herbal beverage passed down through generations.

Day 10 · Guilin – Yangshuo – Li River Premium Cruise & Countryside Wander

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Hotel: Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel (5*) / Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (4*) or equivalent Board a premium-class cruise along the Li River, gliding past postcard-perfect karst limestone peaks rising straight from jade-green water. Your guide points out famous painted landscape viewpoints and prime photo spots as you drift downstream to Yangshuo by midday. Once docked, explore Yangshuo’s pastoral countryside at your pace. Choose between private car, bicycle or electric moped to meander through rice fields, fruit orchards and quiet village lanes.

Day 11 · Yangshuo – Guangzhou via Flight / Rail – Yulong River Bamboo Rafting

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Hotel: The Harbour Plaza Guangzhou Hotel (5*) / The Salisbury YMCA of Guangzhou Hotel (4*) or equivalent Spend your morning drifting along the tranquil Yulong River aboard a quiet non-motorised bamboo raft. Let the gondolier steer you past untouched rural scenery, far from crowded tourist zones, soaking in unhurried southern mountain calm. In the evening, travel onward to Guangzhou, the global heart of Cantonese fine dining and a cultural melting pot blending eastern and western flavours.

Customisation Tips

Select high-speed rail to Shenzhen followed by private ground transfer to Guangzhou as a flight alternative; the journey takes roughly 6 hours with minor cost savings.

Day 12 · Guangzhou – Michelin-Recommended Cantonese Gourmet Discovery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Imperial-style dim sum feast) Hotel: The Harbour Plaza Guangzhou Hotel (5*) / The Salisbury YMCA of Guangzhou Hotel (4*) or equivalent Cantonese cuisine’s crown jewel is delicate dim sum, and you’ll begin your food tour with a lavish lunch at a specialist tea house, sampling steamed shrimp dumplings, barbecued pork buns and custard tarts — bite-sized masterpieces celebrated worldwide. Your local food guide then leads you through narrow historic lanes and vibrant old town street markets, featured in the Guangzhou Michelin Street Food Guide. Sample lesser-known local snacks, herbal cooling teas and handmade confections favoured by Cantonese residents for decades. Evening hours remain free for independent dining and city exploration.

Day 13 · Guangzhou – Departure

Meals: Breakfast Transfer: Hotel – Airport, private vehicle ~1 hour Enjoy a slow unstructured morning to wander nearby neighbourhood boutiques, tea shops or art galleries, or simply linger over breakfast in your hotel. At your scheduled departure time, your guide and driver will collect you for a seamless airport transfer, assisting with check-in formalities before bidding you farewell. Your cross-country Chinese gastronomic journey concludes, leaving lasting flavours and vivid memories to carry home.