13 Days China Tour Package Philippines: Designed for Filipino Travelers

Today, make your own way to Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) for your flight to Beijing, China’s historic capital. Upon arrival, your local guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy a well-deserved rest after your flight.

Tips: There are direct flights from Manila (MNL) to Beijing (PEK). These flights are operated by several airlines, including Air China, Philippine Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines. The flight duration is approximately 4 hours and 35 minutes. Recommended Arrival: Beijing Capital International Airport - closer to the city center.

Today you will spend the whole day exploring the ancient citadel of Beijing through China's famous landmarks, imperial grandeur, and royal gardens.

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up at your hotel and head to Tiananmen Square, the world's largest public square and symbol of China. It has witnessed many major events in China's history over the past decades, and from here you can take great photos of Tiananmen Gate, seen daily on CCTV News.

Walking across the square, you will visit the mighty and splendid Forbidden City, the world's largest palace complex and former home of 24 Chinese emperors. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Forbidden City has about 500 years of history, serving as the political and ritual center of China during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. With over 8,700 rooms, it is not only China's largest and best-preserved collection of ancient buildings, but also a city within a city, like the Vatican in Rome. Enter through the Meridian Gate and visit along the central axis to ensure you see all the highlights. Admire the brilliant architecture and numerous ancient treasures while listening to your guide share stories of the emperors who once lived here. Later, take a 15-minute walk up to Jingshan Park, where you can enjoy magnificent panoramic views over modern Beijing and the Forbidden City's russet roofs. (Note: It requires some walking, so please wear comfortable footwear. You can decide whether or not to climb to the top based on your physical condition.)

In this afternoon, enjoy the relaxing time exploring the ordinary local life through the old Hutongs. Take a rickshaw tour to travel through the narrow alleys with many featured shops standing on both sides.

In this morning, you will head northwest of Beijing (about 1.5-2 hours’ drive, 73km) to the Great Wall at Mutianyu. The Great Wall boasts a history over 2,000 years and stretches more than 3,000 miles across several provinces of northern China, making it one of the most impressive ancient masterpieces on the planet. Mutianyu Great Wall is connected with the Jiankou Great Wall in the west and the Gubeikou Great Wall in the east. Mutianyu is the longest and best fully-restored Great Wall with fewer tourists and is also famed for its 23 Ming-era watchtowers and stunning views. Take the cable car up to the 14th watchtower and then enjoy the memorable hiking time on the wall while visiting its western route. With the green pines and cypresses covering the surrounding area, and the winding wall standing majestically on the vast land, you will capture the most stunning natural scenery in this section. Challenge yourselves while climbing up to the 20th watchtower where you could fulfill your Great Wall dream. Cherish the chance and take photos as many as you like!

After the once-in-lifetime experience, head back to downtown Beijing and have the chance to take photos with the exterior of the Bird's Nest (Beijing National Stadium) and Water Cube (Beijing National Aquatics Center). They were both designed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and used for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

After that, transfer back to your hotel and have a good rest tonight.

After breakfast, drive to the “Museum of Royal Garden” - Summer Palace, which used to be the resort for royal families to flee summer heat. The grounds, temples, gardens, pavilions, lakes, bridges, gate-towers, and corridors are a marvel of landscaping. Enjoy the leisure walk and take your time to appreciate the imperial architectures, hilltop views, and beautiful lakes, which offer a pastoral escape into the landscapes of traditional Chinese painting.

After the tour, you will be escorted to the train station for a high-speed train to Xian (about 4.5-5.5 hours). Welcome to Xian, the capital of 13 ancient China dynasties! Upon your arrival at the train station, the tour guide and driver will greet you at the exit, and then escort you to the hotel in Xian.

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel. Drive about 40km (about 1 hour) to uncover one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the world - the Terracotta Army Museum, which was built by the first emperor of China - Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. There are about 8,000 vivid life-size Terracotta Warriors found so far. First, pay a visit to the largest and most imposing pit which is believed to contain over 6,000 terracotta figures of soldiers and horses. You will be amazed by the subterranean life-size army of thousands silently standing and guarding the emperor and also be awed by the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans. Next, move to another pit where you can feast your eyes with around 1300 warriors and horses. You can get to examine the ancient army array by visiting the kneeling and standing archers, the chariot war array and numerous troopers holding weapons, etc. (Note: If you are interested, you can learn how to make a mini terracotta warrior.)

After lunch, drive back to downtown to visit the Ancient City Wall (also known as the Fortification of Xian). The city wall is a kind of defensive structure in Ancient Times and represents one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved Chinese city walls. Spend some time leisurely walking on the wall and enjoy its inner and outer walls, watchtowers, and moat, and have panoramic views of modern Xian. (Optional biking experience: If you want to cycle on the ancient city wall, please tell your ideas to your travel expert.)

Late in the afternoon, go to explore the vivid local life when you go to wander happily around the bustling and lively Muslim Quarter. It is a paradise mixed with different local snacks and Muslim culture.

After breakfast, you will visit Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, one of Xi’an’s most recognizable landmarks and a symbol of the magnificence of the Tang Dynasty. This seven-story pagoda, standing in the tranquil Da Ci’en Temple, is one of China’s best examples of a Tang-style pagoda (squarish rather than round). It was completed in AD 652 to house Buddhist sutras brought back from India by the monk Xuan Zang. His travels inspired one of the best-known works of Chinese literature, Journey to the West.

After the tour, you will be escorted to the airport for a flight to Zhangjiajie (about 2 hours). Welcome to Zhangjiajie, an incredible place where you can see Avatar Hallelujah Mountain in reality! Upon your arrival in Zhangjiajie, the local guide and driver will greet you at the exit of the airport, and then escort you to your hotel in Zhangjiajie downtown area. Enjoy some free time on your own after the hotel check-in.

After breakfast, you will have a whole day to explore Wulingyuan Scenic Area, a spectacular island of nature dominated by more than 3,000 narrow quartz sandstone pillars. First, take a sightseeing bus to Bailong Elevator that within 1.5 minutes you can go from the valley bottom up to the pillar peak. It is the fastest and as well as the tallest outdoor elevator in the world. Next, enjoy the hike into a mysterious Pandora World - Yuanjiajie, where is rightly the shooting location of “Hallelujah Mountains” in reality. Catch the chance to shoot South Sky Pillar, the landmark of Yuanjiajie, about 150 meters high vertically rising high from the deep valley, looking like a giant standing so upright under heaven. Go to the Enchanting Platform for a marvel at the unbelievable scenery with hundreds of various peaks like bamboo shoots towering from the grounds. And then enjoy the lush scenery of Natural Bonsai at Backyard Garden.

Next, take the sightseeing bus to the second tourist site - Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve which was named after the leader of the local Tujia ethnic group - Xiang Dakun in early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is a fairyland in moive Monkey King. Hike to He Long Park which has a fascinating viewing deck to appreciate the incredible and magnificent scene of peculiar stone peaks. Move to Dianjiang Terrace to overlook the West Sea Stone Forest, rugged rock rising out of a misty canyon. The last stop today is the Ten-mile Galley. You will take a small green train to explore the beautiful scenery where you will feel like get through a Chinese ink painting. After the tour, get back to your hotel for a good rest.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon for the breathtaking Grand Canyon Glass Bridge experience. The Grand Canyon Glass Bridge wants to say “hello” to you and makes you yell “my god” to give a deeper impression of Zhangjiajie. Suspended between two peaks, the glass bridge is 430 meters long and 300 meters high, which is the longest and highest glass bridge in the world. Standing on the transparent glass is like floating in the air and you can have superb panoramic view of the entire Grand Canyon.

After your “tremble” on the glass bridge, move to the Baofeng Lake to do a scenic cruise to bring you back to peace. Surrounded by green trees and stone peaks of various shapes, Baofeng Lake is an idyllic place for relaxation. When leisurely cruising on the boat, you can see the reflection of the marvelous peaks and enjoy the folk songs performed by the local minority people.

This morning, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the train station for a high speed train to Guilin (about 7.5 hours).

Upon your arrival in Guilin, your guide will meet you at the exit of the train station and escort you to your hotel in Guilin downtown area. You will have free time after your hotel check-in. Taking a walk along the Binjiang Road and tasting the rice noodles are recommended activities for your leisure time.

“East or west, Guilin landscape is the best”. After breakfast, you will go to explore the most stunning natural scenery along the Li River, which is renowned as one of the “the world’s top 10 watery wonders” by National Geographic. Drive about 1 hour from your hotel to the pier and start a 4.5-hour relaxing sightseeing Li River cruise trip to Yangshuo. Along the 84-kilometer scenic cruise, you will feast your eyes with endless Chinese paintings of winding rivers, numerous green limestone karst peaks, grazing water buffalo, farmers working in the fertile fields, and idyllic villages nestled at the bases of the hills. (Note: Lunch is served on the cruise with simple local Chinese cuisine.)

After arriving in Yangshuo, the driver will pick you up from the dock and drive to your hotel in Yangshuo town for a short rest. Then it's a relaxing moment for an impressive exploration of the Yangshuo countryside with its beautiful rural landscape. You can either hop on a bike or rent an electric scooter to explore the postcard-like karst hills and rice paddies and pass by some tranquil villages. Let all the picturesque scenes please your eyes and your souls to the maximum for total relaxation.

Later, you will stroll leisurely along the West Street, which is the most prosperous area in Yangshuo. Restaurants, bars and souvenir shops along the street are always full of guests. It is a fusion of western culture and Chinese culture and it is the best place to spend your nightlife here. Whether you want to enjoy a cup of coffee, taste some local food or just throw yourself into the vivid atmosphere... all you can get.

After breakfast, transfer back to Guilin for further exploration. Start your visit to the Symbol of Guilin - Elephant Trunk Hill. Located on the intersection of Li River and Peach Blossom River, the Elephant Trunk Hill looks like a huge elephant drinking water in the river. And then you will pay a visit to the Reed Flute Cave, which is a classic scenic spot of karst landform. The amazing stalactites and stalagmites in the cave look like animals or plants. When the colorful neon lights are on, you will feel like walking in a crystal palace.

After the tour, you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Shanghai (about 2.5 hours). Welcome to Shanghai, China’s most internationalized and vibrant city! Upon your arrival in Shanghai, your guide will meet you at the exit of the airport and escort you to your hotel in downtown Shanghai. You will have free time after your hotel check-in.

Today, your group will have full day to experience the perfect blend of East and West in the "Paris of the East." Explore brilliant museums, classical gardens, futuristic skyscrapers, and stunning architecture - all in one vibrant city.

First, head to Pudong and the Lujiazui financial district, home to a trio of iconic skyscrapers. The Shanghai Tower, China’s tallest and the world’s second-tallest building at 632 meters (2,073 ft), soars with a dramatic 120-degree twist from base to peak. Ride the world’s fastest elevators (64 km/h) to the "Top of Shanghai Observatory" on the 118th floor, 546 meters above ground. Enjoy breathtaking 360-degree views of the city, with the Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center below.

Later, visit the Shanghai Museum (East), one of the world’s finest museums of ancient Chinese art. Its sleek, modern design is inspired by the traditional Chinese jade bi disc. Inside, explore galleries of bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, jade, furniture, coins, and sculptures. Don’t miss iconic treasures like the Da Ke Ding, a 3,000-year-old bronze vessel, displayed with the Zi Long Ding and Marquis of Jin Bells - a rare highlight of the Bronze Gallery. Also, see the legendary Sword of King Goujian of Yue, a masterpiece of ancient craftsmanship.

Next, visit Yu Garden, Shanghai’s most famous classical garden, hidden in the heart of the city. Stroll through elegant pavilions, rockeries, and lotus ponds, and admire exquisite carvings and traditional architecture. Outside, Yuyuan Bazaar offers local snacks, souvenirs, and handcrafted art.

In the afternoon, walk along Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, lined with global brands, cafes, and historic buildings. End at the Bund, Shanghai’s top must-see landmark. Known as the "Exhibition of International Architecture," it features 52 grand buildings in Gothic, Baroque, and Art Deco styles. From here, enjoy a stunning view of the Pudong skyline across the Huangpu River.

Travel Notes:

• Yu Garden is closed on Mondays. In this case, we may visit the City God Temple, or French Concession
• Shanghai Museum (East) is closed on Tuesdays. You will visit Shanghai Museum (People’s Square) on that day. If access to the People’s Square location is unavailable, we will arrange an alternative city attraction.

It is time to end your 13-day China Tour Package Philippines. You will have some free time in Shanghai and explore more on your own till your guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Manila.

Tips: There are direct flights from Shanghai to Manila. These flights are operated by several airlines, including China Eastern Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines. The flight duration is about 3 hours and 50 minutes. Flights are available daily, offering flexibility in travel schedules.

Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel for your Asia tour, and we are always here working for you and hope to see you again for your next trip to China/Asia!