Trace the golden thread of China's imperial history on this 11-day journey through Beijing's Forbidden City and Great Wall, Xi'an's Terracotta Warriors, and Shanghai's vibrant waterfront.
Next Departure
16 Nov 2026
Returns 26 November 2026
All departure dates
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 — Golden China 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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Amend dates or travellers at no fee until 60 days before departure.
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Depart Auckland on flight MU780 at 22:00. Meals are served on board.
Trace the golden thread of China's imperial history on this 11-day journey through Beijing's Forbidden City and Great Wall, Xi'an's Terracotta Warriors, and Shanghai's vibrant waterfront.
Single supplement: NZD $690
Walk the Great Wall at Juyongguan section
Discover the 2,000-year-old Terracotta Warriors of Xi'an
Explore the vast Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
Evening cruise along Shanghai's Huangpu River
Hutong pedi-cab tour and family visit in old Beijing
Stroll the ancient water town of Zhujiajiao
Included meals (26)
9
Breakfasts
7
Lunches
10
Dinners
Accommodation (9 nights)
3 carefully selected properties
Sample hotels detailed below — final selection confirmed at booking.
Representative properties for this tour — actual hotels may vary by departure date and are confirmed at booking.
Beijing Wanda Moments or similar (4-star)
Mercure Downtown Xi'an or similar (4-star)
Motorpark Jichen Hotel Shanghai (4-star)
Official guides and destination hubs to help you prepare—visa timing, seasons, and places on this route.
Interested in China Discovery — Golden China? 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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