A 16-day festive journey through China's greatest icons — Christmas markets and skyline views in Shanghai, New Year's Eve celebrations in ancient Xi'an, the Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors, futuristic Chongqing and a Cantonese Yum Cha finale in Guangzhou.
Next Departure
22 Dec 2026
All departure dates
22 December 2026
NZD $7,188per person
+ NZD $968 single supplement
Dates refer to scheduled group departures — confirm at booking.
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm · speak to a real person, no form needed
I put this China Discovery — China Icons Collection itinerary together for New Zealand travellers who want the route to feel human — hotels, pacing, and local guides are chosen so you spend your energy on the places, not on fixing problems on the ground. Ask our Auckland team if you want my eyes on the dates; I still review Discovery and Signature lines myself.
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Depart Auckland for Guangzhou on flight CZ 306, 2210/0510+1. Overnight on board.
A 16-day festive journey through China's greatest icons — Christmas markets and skyline views in Shanghai, New Year's Eve celebrations in ancient Xi'an, the Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors, futuristic Chongqing and a Cantonese Yum Cha finale in Guangzhou.
Single supplement: NZD $968
Christmas season in Shanghai, with the city's Christmas markets, the Oriental Pearl Tower and an evening Huangpu River cruise
New Year's Eve in Xi'an at the Tang Dynasty Ever-Bright City, with performances, float parades and festive crowds
The Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square and the Summer Palace in Beijing
The 2,000-year-old Terracotta Warriors, including the Circle Vision Movie and Bronze Chariot
Zhujiajiao Watertown, a pedi-cab Hutong tour with a local family visit and a Beijing Duck banquet
Chongqing's Hongyadong night view, Ciqikou, Liziba and Eye in the Clouds, then Yum Cha in Guangzhou
Official guides and destination hubs to help you prepare—visa timing, seasons, and places on this route.
Interested in China Discovery — China Icons Collection? We'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Claire & Tom Mackenzie
Wellington, NZ
Beijing to Xi'an on the Bullet Train — The Perfect 10 Days
“The visa-free entry for Kiwis (it came in mid-2024) made booking so much easier than we ever expected — no embassy queues, no paperwork, just flights booked and off we went. Baker's itinerary was brilliantly paced: three days in Beijing (Forbidden City, hutong evening walk, Great Wall at Mutianyu at sunrise), then a bullet train to Xi'an for the Terracotta Warriors and the Muslim Quarter's lamb skewers. Two of the world's great historical capitals in ten days. Couldn't have asked for more.”
Michael & Bev Larsen
Dunedin, NZ
Great Wall at Dawn, Terracotta Warriors After Lunch — Incredible
“As Dunediners, we're no strangers to spectacular scenery — but nothing prepared us for standing on the Great Wall with mist rolling through the valleys below. Lisa matched that moment perfectly with our private guide at the Terracotta Warriors pit two days later. The scale is genuinely hard to believe until you're standing in front of it. The Xi'an Muslim Quarter lamb skewers and pomegranate juice were the perfect ending to a brilliant day. Ten days, two ancient capitals, zero complaints.”
Fiona Hewitt
Auckland, NZ
Solo Kiwi Traveller — Visa-Free Entry Made This Finally Happen
“I'd been putting off China for years, mostly because of the visa process. Then visa-free access opened for NZ passport holders in mid-2024 and I had no more excuses. Baker sorted the rest: a great small group for the Beijing–Xi'an itinerary, a private morning at the Wall before the tour buses arrived, and a Xi'an family dinner that turned into a two-hour dumpling lesson. I've been talking about this trip non-stop since I got home. The no-visa thing genuinely is a game-changer for Kiwis.”
Group departures from New Zealand (dates as published). Contact us to reserve a seat or request a private departure.
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