China in 5 days: 2 Recommended 5-Day Itineraries to China
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- From Philippines
- Alirene
- From Philippines
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- From Singapore
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- From Malaysia
China 5-Day Itinerary Options
Looking to tick the Great Wall or Terracotta Warriors off your bucket list? Want to take a cute selfie with an adorable panda cub? Are you a foodie in search of spicy and exotic street food? If these prospects appeal to you, here’s our recommendations for spending 5 days in China.
Itinerary #1: History of Beijing and Xi’an
| Overview | Activity | Overnight | |
| Day 1 | Arrive in Xi’an and sample street food in the Muslim Quarter | Arrival | Xi’an |
| Day 2 | Visit the legendary Terracotta Warriors | History | Xi’an |
| Day 3 | Explore more of Xi’an before taking the Bullet Train to Beijing | Culture & transfer | Beijing |
| Day 4 | Visit the Great Wall and the stunning Summer Palace | History & culture | Beijing |
| Day 5 | Visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City before your tour finishes at the end of the day | Departure |
Split your five days between two of China’s most fascinating cities: Xi’an and Beijing. Xi’an is famously home to the 8,000 life-size statues of soldiers and cavalry who have been guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang since 209 B.C. — truly one of the world’s great historical and archeological sites. You’ll also want to visit Xi’an’s impressive ancient city walls and dip into the Muslim Quarter for the city’s best street food. Head to Beijing on the Bullet Train and spend two days exploring the highlights of the Chinese capital. Visit a nearby section of The Great Wall and stroll through the beautiful gardens of the Summer Palace. Pay your respects at Tiananmen Square before visiting The Forbidden City — the world’s largest palace with a staggering 9,999 rooms. See all tours to China.
Itinerary #2: Pandas in Chengdu
| Overview | Activity | Overnight | |
| Day 1 | Arrive and visit a teahouse in the People’s Park | Arrival | Chengdu |
| Day 2 | Travel to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding | Wildlife | Chengdu |
| Day 3 | Visit the 1,200 year old Leshan Giant Buddha | Culture & transfer | Emei Shan |
| Day 4 | Enjoy the views from the summit of Mount E-mei and return to Chengdu | Hike | Chengdu |
| Day 5 | Your journey ends after breakfast | Departure |
In this 5-day China itinerary, you will base yourself in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. From there you can indulge in world famous spicy cuisine such as dan dan noodles, Sichuan hot pot and mapo tofu to name a few. Witness the flamboyant spectacle that is Sichuan Opera. What excites visitors most is the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where you’ll have the opportunity to watch these amazing creatures. You’ll also have time for an overnight trip to the UNESCO -listed Mount Emei Scenic Area, and visit the Leshan Giant Buddha. At over 71 meters tall and over 1,200 years old, it is an impressive sight indeed. You can also visit the summit of Mount Emei, known as the ‘Golden Summit’ where you can enjoy the views and marvel at the nearly 48 meters golden statue of Puxian that graces the mountaintop. Describe your ideal 5-day holiday for a customized trip to China.
Planning a 5-day itinerary to China?
Ready for a 5-day China adventure? We can help you with route planning, booking trains and internal flights and offer top advice on special rules for foreigners and random security measures. Speak to one of our experts to plan a seamless adventure so you can spend your time seeing the sights. Check out our guide on how many days to spend in China for more itinerary options.
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