6 Days Classic Chongqing Xi'an Tour with Sidetrip to Dazu

Day 1 Chongqing Arrival

Chongqing Airport or Train Station Pick-up

Welcome to Chongqing, the Mountain City of China! Upon your arrival, our local tour guide will meet you with a sign which says your name at the arrival hall at the airport or train station. Then, our guide and driver will transfer you directly to your hotel in Chongqing downtown by our comfortable private car (non-smoking), and the guide will help you check in. The rest of today is on your own to explore this fabulous city in China.

Arrival Ideas: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport, about 20 kilometers from the city downtown, serves flights between major domestic cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Huangshan, Guangzhou, Guiyang, Kunming, Lhasa, etc., and some international cities like New York, Singapore, London, Sydney, etc. Besides, you can also take a normal train to the 4 railway stations in Chongqing from many destinations, like Chengdu (1-2 hours), Xian (5.5 hours around), Guiyang (2 hours around), Guilin (4-5 hours), Shanghai (11.5 hours around), Beijing (12 hours around), Guangzhou (7.5 hours around), and so on.

Chongqing Nightlife | Places to Visit & Travel Inspirations: 1. Nanbin Road: Take an evening walk along Nanbin Road to see Chongqing's cityscape lit up. This scenic route offers great views of the river and the city's vibrant nightlife. 2. Night Cruise: Experience Chongqing's beauty from the water on a night cruise. Sail past famous landmarks, enjoy live performances, and soak in the city's sparkling nightscape.

• Hongya Cave Night View
• Chongqing Night Cruise
• Nanbin Road, Chongqing Night

Day 2 Chongqing City Tour - Wulong (B, L)

Three Gorges Museum - People‘s Assembly Hall - Liziba Metro Station - E’ling Park - Drive to Wulong

After breakfast, your local guide and driver will meet you at your hotel. On this day, you’ll have the chance to fully experience the uniqueness of the Mountain City and the culture of the Yangtze River. First, be escorted to the Three Gorges Museum in the city downtown. The vast collection of more than 280 thousand pieces of precious historical relics will let you have an amazing understanding of the great Yangtze River and the formation of the magnificent Three Gorges, and tell you the gradual thriving of Chongqing from 3,000 years ago, to its war defense in 20s century, and developmental path to be one of the 4 prosperous municipalities in China. Stepping out from the museum, have a nice look at the People’s Assembly Hall that is popular with fancy classical exterior design and was listed into the History of Architecture compiled in London in 1987.

Later, be transferred to take Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2 from Huanghuayuan Metro Station to Liziba Metro Station to look at the city’s prototype from a different angle. Then, get off to have the never-seen magic of the train going through an 11-storey block of flats, existing only in the fantastically structured Chongqing built against mountains. After that, travel up to E’ling Park and embrace the impressive panorama of Chongqing City, which has been highly praised as “Little Hong Kong” with its well-arranged row upon row of modern skyscrapers and two winding rivers surrounding.

After the tour, be transferred to your hotel in Xiannv Town, Wulong (about 3 hours). Have a nice sleep!

• Beautiful Appearance of People's Assembly Hall
• Chongqing Light Rail Going Through a Building at Liziba Metro Station
• Chongqing City Panorama from E'ling Park

Day 3 Wulong Karst Geology Park - Chongqing (B, L)

Three Natural Bridges - Longshuixia Gap - Drive to Chongqing - Hongya Cave

Today, you will explore Wulong Karst National Geological Park. Wulong Karst is well known for its giant dolines (sinkholes), natural bridges and caves, which were inscribed as a part of South China Karst UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. Besides, it is the shooting location of the globally famous movie “Transformers IV”.

After arrival at Wulong Tourist Center, hop on a sightseeing bus to the largest natural bridge cluster in Asia - Three Natural Bridges , where you can appreciate exceptionally high natural bridges with long stretches of deep unroofed caves. Take the sightseeing elevator down to the valley bottom to marvel at the magnificent Karst Mountains, miraculous caves, and beautiful waterfalls. Enjoy your hiking by passing Tianlong Bridge, Tianfu Post House (shooting location of Zhang Yimou’s movie “The City of Golden Armor”), Qinglong Bridge and Heilong Bridge.

Then, take a sightseeing bus to Longshuixia Gap, a gap-style gorge and the important part of Wulong Karst. In this natural oxygen bar, enjoy 2 kilometers of fun walking by One Line Sky, Dragon Pool Minoring the Moon, etc. and witness the cliffs on both sides, verdant original forests in the valley and mysterious waterfalls.

After the visit, your guide and driver will escort you back to Chongqing city. Then, go down to Hongya Cave to catch the symbolic view of Chongqing. The featured Ba & Shu regional wooden structures are tiered up to 11 floors on a hillside, creating a stunning sight with neon lights at night. Enjoy your leisure walk there and take some beautiful photos!

After the tour, be transferred to your hotel. Have a nice sleep! (You can decide whether to enjoy dinner and nightview at Hongya Cave or be escorted directly to your hotel. Please discuss with your tour guide.)

• Wilson from Singapore visited Wulong Longshuixia Gap in September 2023.
• Josh's Family from USA visited Wulong Three Natural Bridges in July 2024.
• Hongya Cave Night View

Day 4 Chongqing - Xi'an (B)

Transfer from Chongqing to Xi'an via High-Speed Train

After breakfast, be driven to take a high speed train from Chongqing to Xi'an (about 5.5 hours). Be picked up by your local tour guide, then drive to your hotel in a private vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to explore this ancient capital of China.

Note: If you want to have some activities arranged for the rest time, please let us know in advance. There are many options available (with extra costs), including: 1) visit a local family and learn to cook Chinese dishes or making dumplings; 2) have an interesting class of Chinese calligraphy or painting in Tangbo Art Museum; 3) explore the bustling Zhonggulou Square where the beautiful Bell Towers and Drum Towers are located at.

• Bell Tower

Day 5 Terracotta Warriors Visit & Xi'an City Tour (B, L)

Terracotta Warriors - Giant Wild Goose Pagoda - Hanfu Experience - Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City

After breakfast, drive about 40 km to discover one of the greatest man-made wonders in the world - the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, built by the first emperor of China Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. Over 8,000 life-size warriors, horses and chariots, buried in 3 pits for more than 2,000 years until uncovered by a local farmer in 1974, form an ancient military army with complete battle units of infantry, cavalry, etc. Standing in front of these figures, one can’t help being amazed not only by the ambition of Emperor Qin Shihuang but also by the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans.

After lunch, return to Xian to visit Da Cien Temple, a famous Buddhist sutra translation site during the Tang Dynasty. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is the most famous building in the temple. The pagoda, rising to a height of 64.5 meters, was built by the famous Buddhist master Xuanzang to preserve classic scriptures he bought back from India during the early Tang Dynasty. Xuanzang was the prototype character for Tang Seng in the famous Chinese novel “Journey to the West”. (Note: It costs an extra 30 RMB if you want to climb up the Big Wild Goose Pagoda). You will be provided an interesting experience of trying on the Hanfu which is the solemn costume of the emperors and their families, the ministers and the noble in the ancient dynasties of China. Seize this rare opportunity to take some photos to record this unique memory!

This evening you will be offered an interesting visit to Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City which is a great place to walk, enjoy amazing nightscape and recall the prosperity and glory of the mighty Tang Dynasty most importantly. Seeing this area at night is totally different than during the day as the lighting is marvelous yet tastefully done.

Optional activities: 1) take the rare opportunity to make a miniature Terracotta Warrior on your own under the instruction of a local potter; 2) enjoy a wonderful Tang Palace Dance Show (usually from 8pm to 9pm).

• Our customers visited Terracotta Warriors in Xian
• Visit beautiful Muslim Quarter
• Dazzling Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City lovely night views
• Wilfred from Nederlandse visited Big wild goose pagoda in 2018

Day 6 Xian Half Day Sightseeing & Departure (B, L)

Ancient City Wall - Xian Museum

After breakfast, start today's tour with an educational visit to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Xian Museum to learn a lot about the history and culture about the ancient city of Xian. They are together located in a clean and beautiful park. The Small Wild Goose Pagoda is rather smaller and 55 years younger than its “sister” - the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. Built during 707 to 709 AD, the pagoda is 43.4 meters tall with 13 tiers (originally 15 tiers), looking like a very tall rectangular pyramid. An interesting fact about the Small Wild Goose Pagoda is that the pagoda has survived nearly 70 earthquakes, and now still standing firm and sturdy. You can walk around to appreciate the beautiful design and take photos of the pagoda. Then you will go to visit Xian Museum which is only several minutes’ walking from the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. This museum has more than 130,000 pieces of jade relics, seals, paintings, porcelains, Buddhist statues, stone carvings and many other precious relics.

Later, go to spend a leisure time on the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. Just like the merchants and envoys on the Silk Road thousands of years ago, you will enter the interior of the city walls through the Hanguang Gate. There you will visit a mini museum to see the real Tang Dynasty city wall ruins from over 1400 years ago, including gateways, cross-sections of the wall, and the remains of water channels. After the museum visit, get up to the city wall to enjoy a leisure stroll and pleasant panoramic views of modern Xian. Rent a bike (extra cost: 45RMB) to enjoy a relaxing cycling on the Wall is strongly recommended. The cycling routes and duration are flexible. Feel free to discuss with your tour guide. Leave the City Wall, then go to wander leisurely around the bustling and lively Muslim Quarter, a place where you can try different local snacks and explore Muslim culture.

The rest of the day is free for you until be escorted to catch the flight/train to leave Xian. Tour ends.

• Our guests enjoyed riding on the Ancient City Wall, Xian
• Xian Museum and Small Wild Goose Pagoda