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CTS Tours

China · discovery · 15 Days

Best of China

Fifteen days from Beijing's Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Great Wall and hutongs, by high-speed train to Xi'an's Terracotta Army, then by air to Hangzhou via Puyuan's fashion ancient town, West Lake and Longjing tea, finishing in Shanghai before your return via Beijing.

1 / 5 · Shanghai’s illuminated skyline at night

Shanghai’s illuminated skyline at night

Shanghai’s illuminated skyline at night
1 / 5

Next confirmed departure

11 March 2027

Scheduled group departure

Twin-share price

NZD $4,080

Per person · NZD

Travelling solo?

Own room + NZD $800

NZD $4,880 total per person

100+ Years Heritage

Backed by CTS · Founded 1928

Auckland Local Office

Local Support When You Need It

Direct China Operations

No Middlemen, Best Value

50,000+ Happy Travelers

Trusted by Kiwi Families

Book with a licensed New Zealand travel specialist

CTS Tours is a TAANZ member and IATA-accredited agency with local support in Auckland and direct operations in China—so you deal with one trusted team from enquiry to return.

View memberships & credentials
TAANZ — Travel Agents Association of New Zealand
IATA accredited agent
Qualmark recognised
Tourism Export Council New Zealand

Book with confidence

Free changes up to 60 days

Amend dates or travellers at no fee until 60 days before departure.

NZ-based specialist team

Speak to a Kiwi consultant in Auckland — one team, enquiry to return.

Backed by CTS · Founded 1928

CTS Tours NZ has run Kiwi-led tours from Auckland since 2000 (25 years), backed by China Travel Service (founded 1928) — hotels, guides, transport we run ourselves.

TAANZ bonded & IATA

Client funds held in a TAANZ-bonded trust — protected if travel plans are disrupted.

China’s essential cities, paced for discovery.

  • Temple of Heaven, Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City (or substitute Jingshan Park & Prince Gong's Mansion if tickets unavailable), Beihai Park, and the Great Wall
  • Hutong pedi-cab tour with family visit and Silk Market
  • High-speed train G89 Beijing–Xi'an (second class)
  • Terracotta Warriors with Circle Vision and Bronze Chariot; optional Tang Palace banquet show
  • Xi'an City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Small Wild Goose Pagoda Museum, and Muslim Quarter (Huimin Street)
  • Flight to Hangzhou and Tongxiang — Puyuan Fashion Ancient Town (Song-style waterways)
  • West Lake boat tour, G20 Hangzhou International Expo Center, Meijiawu Longjing tea, Qinghefang Ancient Street
  • Shanghai: Yuyuan Garden, Bund, Nanjing Road, Lujiazui skyline corridor, World Cultural Heritage Art Exhibition Centre

Experiences included in this journey

Your route at a glance.

China Discovery — Best of China route map — cities, transport and nights

Your journey, day by day.

Save this itinerary:
Day 01

Auckland — Beijing

Meals on board · View full day

Evening international flight from Auckland to Beijing.

Meals: Meals on board

Day 02

Beijing

View full day

On arrival, transfer to visit the Temple of Heaven — 500-year-old altars and pavilions set in gardens, trees and sculpture where emperors once made offerings to heaven.

Meals: See day description

Stay: Beijing Wanda Moments or similar (4-star)

Day 03

Beijing

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Tian'anmen Square; photo stop at the National Centre for the Performing Arts ("The Egg"). Forbidden City — palace complex home to emperors for 500+ years. Beihai Park, imperial garden northwest of the palace. Silk factory. Optional evening: acrobatic show. Note: Forbidden City tickets are capacity-limited; if unavailable, Jingshan Park (Forbidden City overlook) and Prince Gong's Mansion substitute.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Beijing Wanda Moments or similar (4-star)

Day 04

Beijing

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Great Wall — stretching toward Central Asia, counted among the ten wonders; jade carving factory en route. Return to Beijing for an outside view of the Bird's Nest and Water Cube in Olympic Park.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Beijing Wanda Moments or similar (4-star)

Day 05

Beijing

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Pedi-cab hutong tour — narrow lanes and courtyard life with a family visit. After lunch, Silk Market shopping.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Beijing Wanda Moments or similar (4-star)

Day 06

Beijing — Xi'an

Breakfast · View full day

Morning at leisure. Train G89 15:00–19:12 to Xi'an (or similar, second-class seat). Local guide meets you and transfers to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Mercure Xi'an Downtown or similar (4-star)

Day 07

Xi'an

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Terracotta Warriors — Circle Vision film and Bronze Chariot. Optional evening: Tang Palace Banquet song-and-dance show.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Mercure Xi'an Downtown or similar (4-star)

Day 08

Xi'an

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Ancient City Wall and Big Wild Goose Pagoda — iconic Tang-dynasty brick pagoda symbolising Buddhist architecture in China.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Mercure Xi'an Downtown or similar (4-star)

Day 09

Xi'an Tongxiang — Puyuan

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner · View full day

Small Wild Goose Pagoda Museum and Huimin Street. Flight to Hangzhou, then continue to Tongxiang (Puyuan). Puyuan Fashion Ancient Town: Song-dynasty style architecture, waterways and "parallel water and land" Jiangnan lanes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: Puyuan Hotel or similar (5-star)

Day 10

Puyuan — Hangzhou

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Breakfast and free time in Puyuan. Drive to Hangzhou. Afternoon: West Lake — Hua Gang Guan Yu, boat cruise, Su Causeway, Leifeng Pagoda; setting of the Legend of the White Snake.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Holiday Inn Hangzhou or similar (4-star)

Day 11

Hangzhou — Shanghai

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Hangzhou International Expo Center (G20 main venue). Lunch, then Meijiawu Tea Plantation with Longjing tea tasting. Free time at Qinghefang Ancient Street. Transfer to Shanghai.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Holiday Inn Express Shanghai or similar (4-star)

Day 12

Shanghai

Breakfast · View full day

Yuyuan classical garden; silk factory; stroll the Bund. Free time on Nanjing Road.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Holiday Inn Express Shanghai or similar (4-star)

Day 13

Shanghai

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

People's Square and Nanjing Road; Lujiazui circular corridor for three iconic towers; World Cultural Heritage Art Exhibition Centre.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Holiday Inn Express Shanghai or similar (4-star)

Day 14

Shanghai — Beijing

Breakfast · View full day

Free time in Shanghai until transfer to the airport for your flight to Beijing to connect with your return to New Zealand.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 15

Auckland

View full day

Arrive back in New Zealand.

Meals: See day description

What's Included

Included meals (22)

12

Breakfasts

9

Lunches

1

Dinners

Accommodation (12 nights)

5 carefully selected properties

Sample hotels detailed below — final selection confirmed at booking.

Included

  • International and domestic airfares
  • Hotel accommodation as specified in the itinerary
  • English-speaking tour guide
  • Entrance fees and meals as specified in the itinerary
  • Land transfer

Not Included

  • Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
  • Personal expenses
  • Transportation and guide services during free time
  • Meals not listed in the itinerary
  • Optional tours and performances (e.g. acrobatic show, Tang Palace show)
  • Tips (suggested NZD $10 per day per person)
  • Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the itinerary

Sample tour hotels

Representative properties for this tour — actual hotels may vary by departure date and are confirmed at booking.

  • 4nights

    Beijing Wanda Moments or similar (4-star)

  • 3nights

    Mercure Xi'an Downtown or similar (4-star)

  • 1night

    Puyuan Hotel or similar (5-star)

  • 1night

    Holiday Inn Hangzhou or similar (4-star)

  • 3nights

    Holiday Inn Express Shanghai or similar (4-star)

Room basis: Prices are per person, twin share. A private room for a solo traveller is an additional NZD $800 for the full tour.

Discover your destinations

Explore the places on your journey.

Get to know the cities and landmarks along this route, with our guides to what to see and how to visit.

Plan your trip

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about traveling to China with CTS

Have more questions?

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