Days 1–3
Beijing
Give the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven separate visits, leaving time for the city around them.
Read the wonder guide →14 days · rail with local excursions
China: walls, warriors and stone
Beijing and the Great Wall establish the imperial scale; Xi’an’s terracotta army and Leshan’s Buddha offer very different monumental responses to power and belief.
Choose your window
April to May or September to October. Check national-holiday dates and book popular attractions using their current official procedures.
The important detail
Plan attraction entry as carefully as the long-distance trains. Passport details and booking channels may differ between sites.
Days 4–5
A Great Wall excursion
Choose a permitted section that fits your mobility and transport arrangements. Keep a full day for the return excursion and some weather flexibility.
Read the wonder guide →
Days 6–9
Xi’an
Allocate a travel day for rail from Beijing and local transfers. Visit the warriors outside the city, with another day for Xi’an itself.
Read the wonder guide →
Days 10–14
Chengdu and Leshan
Continue to Sichuan, allowing a substantial rail transfer day. Reserve a full day for Leshan from a suitable base and check current paths and river-view options.
Read the wonder guide →Make this route your own.
These are suggested planning allowances, not guaranteed departures or a packaged itinerary. Confirm transport, entry requirements and attraction access for your dates. Add international travel days where needed.
China Railway official booking information ↗Read the route on a map
Dotted lines show the sequence between orientation points, not a driving route or transport service. Zoom or select a pin to open its guide.
Make the route practical
The connections
between the wonders.
These are gateway-based planning notes and time allowances, not live timetables. Check the linked operators and your exact dates before booking.
Local excursion by the permitted route. Allow a full day for the outing and return.
Choose the Wall section first. This is generally an excursion from a Beijing base, not a requirement to change hotels.
Editorial route review: September 2026. Beijing tourism ↗Intercity rail and separate local transport. Reserve a substantial travel day, with the warriors visit on another day.
The Great Wall section is not an intercity rail station. Return to the appropriate Beijing gateway before travelling onward.
Editorial route review: September 2026. China Railway ↗Intercity rail and local connections. Reserve a transfer day and a separate Leshan visit day.
Choose a practical Sichuan base and confirm the station-to-site transfer. A train arrival at Leshan does not place you at the monument.
Editorial route review: September 2026. China Railway ↗