14-Day Gastronomic Tour of China

When you arrive at the airport or train station in Beijing, your guide will greet you and drive you to the hotel. If you have an idea to explore the surrounding sights or food, feel free to ask your guide for some suggestions.

Meals: N/A
Accommodation: Beijing

Begin your China food tour with a classical Beijing breakfast like locals. From soybean milk, fried dough sticks, pickle to tanghuoshao (sweet baked wheaten cake), and yellow pea cake, you have a variety of options. Challenge yourself to drink douzhi (fermented mungbean juice) with fried dough ring.

Today, your tour guide will first bring you to Tiananmen Square, the political center in Beijing. The next attraction is the Forbidden City where you can appreciate fabulous palace architecture, sculptures, and paintings. For lunch, you can head to Siji Mingfu Roasted Duck Restaurant and taste Peking Duck, the most representative specialty food in Beijing. Peking Duck meat is usually eaten with pancakes, sweet bean sauce, and spring onion.

In the afternoon, travel to Jingshan Park, a beautiful imperial park. Enjoy sweeping views of the Forbidden City from the top of Jingshan Mountain. After dinner, relax at Liyuan Theatre and experience the charm of Peking Opera. You can try Beijing snacks and Chinese tea brewed in a covered bowl.

Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Beijing

In the morning, you will take a two-hour drive to the Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the seven wonders of the world. Rise up to the Great Wall by cable car and marvel at natural wonders along the way. When hiking on the Great Wall, you can experience the magnificence of the Mutianyu Great Wall winding among the mountains. Take a fun and exciting toboggan ride down the Great Wall.

After the Great Wall tour, you will enjoy home-cooked meals as lunch at a nearby farmhouse restaurant. Continue to the Summer Palace and enjoy the serenity of touring in a captivating royal garden. You can go boating on Kunming Lake.

End your day with a delicious dinner — Beijing copper hot pot. Pick up fresh sliced mutton, boil it in the pot for a few seconds, and taste it.

Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Beijing

Begin your morning with exercise activities at the Temple of Heaven, an altar for emperors to pray for grain in ancient times. Now, you can see many locals doing Tai Chi, dancing, or flying kites here. Take a rickshaw to travel through narrow lanes of Beijing's ancient Hutong which witnesses the precious history of Beijing. Discover time-honored brand restaurants and authentic Beijing foods. Savor Zha Jiang Mian (fried sauce noodles) for lunch.

In the afternoon, your guide will take you to the high-speed rail station for your 5-hour high-speed train ride to Xi'an. Enjoy a seamless transfer to your hotel in Xi'an.

Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Xi'an

After enjoying an authentic breakfast, you will head to the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum where you can visit the 3 pits of the Terracotta Army. It is an astounding archaeological discovery with about 8,000 life-like clay figurines.

In the afternoon, travel to Xi'an City Wall. You can stroll or ride a bike on the ancient City Wall. In the evening, satisfy your appetite at the Muslim Quarter. As a famous food culture neighborhood in Xi'an, Muslim Quarter boasts most Xi'an snacks, such as roujiamo (meat in a bun), cold skin noodles, crumbled flatbread in mutton soup, soup dumplings, hot pepper soup, etc. Your guide can recommend the best restaurants for Muslim dishes and local Xi'an specialties.

Meals: B, L
Accommodation: Xi'an

This morning, you will visit the Shaanxi History Museum and Small Wild Goose Pagoda where you can delve into the historical and cultural heritage of Xi'an. Visit a local family, learn about the local food, and learn how to make Chinese dumplings.

In the afternoon, you will take the high-speed train to Chengdu, regarded as "the City of Gastronomy". After a 4-hour high-speed rail journey, your local tour guide and driver will greet you at the station and take you to the hotel to rest.

Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Chengdu

Spend a morning to encounter cute pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. You can learn how experts protect and save this endangered species. Watch a dozen lovely pandas eating and playing in their enclosure!

Lunch at a nearby Sichuan restaurant for authentic Sichuan cuisine. Travel to Wenshu Yuan Monastery where you can experience Buddhist culture and seek spiritual tranquility. Slow down to sip traditional Chinese tea at a teahouse.

In the evening, you can enjoy a dinner of spicy Sichuan hot pot, one of the representatives of Sichuan cuisine. The rich soups and spices tempt you to taste it. Choose your favorite food, such as beef, lamb, fish fillets, vegetables, tofu, etc., and add them to the pot to cook!

Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Chengdu

Today, you will embark on a Sichuan cuisine tour to learn about Sichuan cuisine culture and cooking. First head to a spice wholesale market where you can buy various Sichuan peppercorns, chili, herbs, spices, and more. Visit Sichuan Cuisine Museum which displays historic cooking utensils over 3,000 years. Learn about the history of Sichuan cuisine and Sichuan cuisine culture. Witness first-hand the traditional method of making black bean sauce. Familiarize yourself with a variety of cooking tools, ingredients, and cooking skills. Try to cook a classical Sichuan food, such as Kung Pao chicken dish or mapo tofu.

After a rest at the hotel, you can explore Kuanzhai Alley or Jinli Ancient Street. Shuttle through ancient streets to search for hidden local specialty snacks and delicacies.

Meals: B, L
Accommodation: Chengdu

In the morning, you will visit Qingyang Palace and immerse yourself in Chinese Taoist culture. You can pray for a fortune stick and get the answer from a Taoist priest. Head to a teahouse for a cup of traditional Chinese tea and experience the slow-paced life of Chengdu. Go to the restaurant to taste vegetarian food at noon.

In the afternoon, you will transfer to Guilin by plane. After arrival, your private tour guide and driver will meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel for check-in.

Meals: B, L
Accommodation: Guilin

Enjoy a filling breakfast of Guilin rice noodles and then drive to Zhujiang Pier. Board the five-star Li River cruise ship and sail to Yangshuo. Take in the scenic landscapes along the way. The karst mountains on both sides of the river undulate like an ink painting. You will enjoy a simple lunch on the ship.

In the afternoon, make your way through West Street and get to your hotel in Yangshuo. After settling into the hotel, you can spend your time at West Street. Stuffed snails, oil tea, Lipu taro looped meat, mugwort cake…Enjoy your dinner at West Street on your own.

Meals: B, L
Accommodation: Yangshuo

Begin your day in picture-perfect Yangshuo villages. You will enjoy a bike ride for 10 to 15 kilometers. Country roads are lined with rice paddies and green vegetable fields. Escape from the world in idyllic villages or get a flavor of local life at the bustling local market. For lunch, you can taste beer fish. Fresh carp or grass carp cooked with beer make the fish absorb the flavor of the beer.

After lunch, you will experience bamboo rafting and the thrill of the raft passing over little dams. Appreciate the breathtaking natural beauty on both sides of the Yulong River. In the evening, you can choose to continue the tour on West Street or watch Impression Liu Sanjie for self-paying. This music and dance show combines the folk culture of the Zhuang ethnic group with the natural scenery of the Li River.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Yangshuo

This morning, you will visit Reed Flute Cave on your way back to downtown Guilin. Appreciate stalactites, stalagmites, and pillars in various forms. Wander through the cave and imagine yourself in a magical underground palace. For lunch, you can taste Three-Cup Chicken, stewed with soy sauce, rice wine, and spices.

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the modern city of Shanghai. After arriving, you will be met by your private guide who will take you to the hotel and help you check-in.

Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Shanghai

In the morning, you will enjoy a local breakfast of pan-fried pork bun, beancurd jelly, pan-fried dumplings, egg pancake…

After breakfast, head to Shanghai Museum where you can get a glimpse of the rich collection and modern architecture. Travel to Yu Garden which is famous for its exquisite garden layout and classical architectural style.

Standing on the 55-meter-long transparent glass-walled walkway of Shanghai World Financial Center, you can overlook the stunning views of the Huangpu River, Oriental Pearl Tower, and more Shanghai landmarks. Stroll to the Bund and appreciate vintage architecture complexes with diverse styles, such as the Asia Building, the Peace Hotel, Broadway Mansions Hotel, etc.

After dinner, you will take a night ferry to tour the Huangpu River. The historical buildings in the Bund and the towering skyscrapers in Lujiazui appear unparalleled dazzling and bustling under the decoration of lights.

Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Shanghai

Today, you will say goodbye to your 14-day food tour in China. Your private driver and guide will take you to the airport or train station and help you go on board.

Meals: B
Accommodation: N/A