The Perfect 2-Week China Itinerary: Guangzhou, Yangshuo, Zhangjiajie, Beijing

China is a country of contrasts, where futuristic skylines meet ancient temples, and serene rivers wind through landscapes that look like oil paintings. It’s fast-paced, full of surprises, and far more accessible than you might think. From feasting on dim sum in Guangzhou and drifting past karst mountains in Yangshuo to standing beneath the towering peaks of Zhangjiajie and exploring Beijing’s imperial past, this two-week itinerary is a whirlwind dive into some of China’s most unforgettable sights, flavours, and experiences.

Guangzhou: 2 nights

Day 1: Arrive into China

Arrive into China, making sure you know everything there is to know about entry visas from our China Entry Requirements blog. Make sure you also have AliPay and WeChat set up before you arrive into the country, you can find everything you need to know to make that happen here.

Catch a DiDi rideshare (booked through AliPay) to your hotel, settle in and get your bearings! Guangzhou, previously known as Canton in English, is a truly massive city and there are a few different areas you might choose to stay. The central area around Beijing Road pedestrian street would be the most convenient, we stayed in the western area of the city in an area called Liwan district close by the Liwan Museum.

Guangzhou is the home of Cantonese cuisine, so prepare yourself to enjoy some local delicacies like dim sum, roast duck and char siu pork! On day 1, you can order a DiDi and head straight to Beijing Road pedestrian area, from here begin to acquaint yourself with the beautiful, modern city and try some weird and wonderful treats throughout this area.

Day 2: Explore modern Guangzhou

By now you should be familiar with using WeChat and Alipay with local stores and vendors, so this morning we’d recommend just heading out for a walk from your hotel, wherever that may be and soaking up a feel for China! Follow the crowds and find breakfast at a bustling local spot or enjoy your first Luckin Coffee (China’s very own coffee chain). You could use this time to explore some malls and do some shopping, China has an unbelievable array of clothing stores with relatively affordable prices. In Guangzhou, we found incredible activewear and shoes at great prices in stores like Camel and Anta.

This afternoon, you’ll visit a symbol of Guangzhou, the Canton Tower. This is the worlds third tallest tower, and the tallest with an outdoor observation deck that you can visit! We recommend visiting in the evening as the sun sets for some of the most incredible views of a city you’ll ever see. Tickets can include access to a free-fall drop ride on top of the tower and some other areas like a museum, however we’d recommend just getting the standard tower access ticket + the bubble tram which circles the top of the observation deck. We paid around ¥298 per person.

Day 3: Morning market wander & transfer to Yangshuo

Southern China is famous for its textile manufacturing and wholesale, and Guangzhou operates as a hub for the industry and features many world-class outlets for retail and wholesale clothing. Grab a DiDi rideshare in the Alipay app and visit the Baima Clothing Market or another in the city to see for yourself how some of the worlds largest wholesale transactions take place!

Head back to the hotel and check out, ready to head to the train station for the next leg of the adventure. Countryside landscapes straight out of an ancient Chinese oil painting await in Yangshuo.

Book your train tickets using Trip.com and head to the train station for your first taste of China’s airport-esque train stations. You’ll find hundreds of electronic massage chairs, clothing outlets and a huge range of food in these massive terminals, make sure to check the departures board for which gate your train leaves from and don’t be late! China’s trains are extremely punctual. For accessing the train station & platform, you’ll need your passport handy as all tickets purchased are linked through your passport number. Passport is gospel in China, so don’t misplace it!

Yangshuo: 3 nights

Arriving into Yangshuo Railway Station, you’ll find plenty of rideshares available to hop into and make your way to Yangshuo town. The drive takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour. We stayed in Yangshuo Moye Sanqiu Homestay, which was just over the river from Yangshuo town. To get into town, you can catch a slow river ferry which takes less than 5 minutes to cross the river, which cost about 4 CNY per trip. There’s plenty of amazing restaurants in the town to find lunch or dinner at, depending on when you arrive.

Day 4: Explore Yangshuo Town

Yangshuo is a truly beautiful town nestled on the banks of the Li River, with towering karst mountains on both sides of the river, the vistas are incredible! Enjoy the relaxed vibe during the day, grabbing breakfast from small local restaurants serving dishes like Guangxi provinces Guilin noodles. Wander around West Street and the Yangshuo ancient town centre admiring the beautifully decorated streets during the day without the crowds that you’ll find here at night.

Enjoy the beautiful views from your accommodation, we recommend “splashing” out here and choosing a bucketlist accommodation. The hotel we stayed at had the most incredible views, we almost never wanted to leave, and for less than $120 per night!

Once the sun sets the streets come to life with domestic tourists enjoying the plentiful dining options and pretty streets of this riverside village. You’ll find cuisine from all across China, from hotpot restaurants to local Guangxi fare and speciality seafood restaurants, use a combination of Amap, Apple Maps and TripAdvisor, to find some popular restaurants to enjoy on your first full day in Yangshuo.

Day 5: Ancient towns & river magic

Today you’ll be cruising along the famous Li River, weaving between the towering karst mountains before arriving at another ancient town, Xingping. This village has been reconstructed to demonstrate how the original village would’ve looked hundreds of years ago. We recommend staying in Yangshuo as Xingping caters largely to daytripping tourists with its excessive number of gift shops and touts for extra river cruises, bamboo rafting trips and traditional clothing photographs. But Xingping is truly beautiful and while in the village you have a few options!

To get to Xingping, you can book a motorised raft cruise which will take about 1.5 hours and cost you around 200 to 300 CNY.

If you feel like an adventure while in Xingping, you can climb one of the karst mountains, Laozhai or Laozhaishan in Chinese, or head out on a stroll along the road north along the river, past the 20RMB note viewpoint to find the cormorant fisherman!

Head back to Yangshuo and enjoy your last evening here, get any last photos you’d like of the iconic river and karst mountains, eat incredible Chinese food in the pedestrian area or explore the surrounding area!

Day 6: Make your way to Zhangjiajie!

Getting from Yangshuo to Zhangjiajie can happen in a few ways. We got a taxi to Guilin and then a fast train to Zhangjiajie with a total travel time of approximately 8 hours. You could also alternatively taxi or train to Guilin and then fly with a connection, depending on what you’d prefer. The flying route could potentially take even longer than the fast train and cost more so do a quick search on Trip.com and decide which is best for you!

Once you arrive to Zhangjiajie, make sure you stay in the Wulingyuan district, right next to the eastern gate to the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Once you arrive to either the train station or airport, you’ll need to order a DiDi rideshare through the Alipay app to transfer to your hotel.

Upon checking in, the team at reception will explain how to navigate the park and make some suggestions for your itinerary there. Your days in Zhangjiajie will entirely centre around this unbelievable national park. Check to see if the reception team can assist with organising your tickets for the park as they can sometimes get better rates than those available on Trip.com, WeChat or another online travel agent.

For more specific info on where to go and which spots you cannot miss, check out our Zhangjiajie guide here. Combine this information with what the reception team at your hotel recommends for an amazing experience in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Zhangjiajie, Avatar Landscapes & National Parks: 4 nights

Day 7-9: 20,000+ steps per day!

Start your day with a good breakfast at your hotel or a nearby restaurant. From here, head into the East Gate where you’ll need to show your passport for the first (and probably only time). After this, most entry to the park and transport around the park is operated off facial recognition so you generally won’t need your ticket or passport again. It’s a good idea to carry your passport with you just in case however.

Within the Zhangjiajie National Park there are four main areas; Yuanjiajie, Yuangjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and Huangshizhai. To get to and from each section, there are buses and cable cars, as well as plenty of walking tracks. We recommend taking one day to visit Yuanjiajie and Yuangjiajie (day 7), and one day visiting Tianzi Mountain and Huangshizhai (day 8).

Use your third day to head to Tianmen Mountain (day 9), about a one hour drive from Wulingyuan. This is where you’ll find some of the iconic sites like Heaven’s Gate (also known as Tianmen Cave), the 99-Bend Road, the Glass Skywalks and a zipline.

Zhangjiajie is otherworldly, and three days gives you just the right mix of scenery, hiking, and heart-pumping moments.

Day 10: On to Beijing!

Depending on your travel schedule to get to Beijing, if time permits, you can visit any spots you missed in the national park, enjoy a leisurely walk around the bottom of the mountains or simply take it easy in town. There’s some great clothes shop, book stores and more to enjoy in Wulingyuan.

To get from Wulingyuan to Beijing, you’ll first need to return to Zhangjiajie city by DiDi (about 1 hour). From there, you can either fly or take a high-speed train. Flights are faster but less frequent, while the train offers a more scenic and budget-friendly option, though it takes at least 10–12 hours. We opted for the speed train to Changsha and slow train to Beijing combo with the total itinerary taking around 18 hours including an overnight train. Either way, plan for a full travel day.

Beijing: 3 nights

Get to Beijing by train or flight and settle into the final hotel of the trip! It will take at least a day to get from Zhangjiajie in central China to the nations capital in the east. As we travelled by overnight train, this itinerary will start Beijing from day 11 in the early morning, however if you fly you may enjoy one extra night in Beijing.

Day 11: Easy day in Beijing

Once you’ve arrived, take it easy on your first day. We stayed in the area near Tiananmen Square so there is plenty of walking streets nearby to shop, eat and relax. If you feel like catching a nice sunset you can order a DiDi rideshare to Jingshan park and head to the top of the hill for panoramic views of the city and the Forbidden City.

If not, head to one of the city’s meaning pedestrian streets for your first Beijing dinner (we’d recommend the Beijing duck), then plan the day tomorrow.

If you’d like to visit Tiananmen Square, ensure you access the site’s mini program within WeChat to complete registration and receive your ticket at least one day in advance. The ticket is free however the registration must be done in advance, you cannot get access on the same day or by walking up to one of the entrances.

To access the Forbidden City, visit the official website or Trip.com and arrange your ticket in advance, tickets are also not able to be purchased at the entry and the venue has a 30,000 daily cap on visitors, both domestic and foreign. Don’t forget to bring your passport with you everywhere you go in Beijing, all of the attractions require a registration or scan of your passport and without it you will not be able to access Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City or the Great Wall!

If you’d like to visit Tiananmen Square for the flag-raising or flag-lowering event, ensure you make your reservation on the WeChat mini-program for either before sunrise or just before sunset, the time of the flag raising and lowering changes depending on the season, however if you are at the flagpole before sunrise it will ensure you get a good view. This is a very popular attraction for local tourists so expect a large crowd! We recommend visiting for sunrise as there will be less crowds and from there you can visit more attractions earlier in the morning.

Day 12: Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City

Tiananmen Square is one of the largest public squares on the planet, at over 100 acres in area, the square is surrounded by many of China’s most significant public offices and landmarks such as Mao Zedong’s Mausoleum, Tiananmen Gate, the Great Hall of the People and the Monument to the People’s Heroes.

After wrapping up at Tiananmen Square, head for breakfast around the square and then enter the Forbidden City. You could spend quite a few hours at the Forbidden City, so explore at your leisure and leave when you’re ready for lunch! You will find many great restaurants all around the centre of Beijing, so after the big morning, find somewhere that suits your taste whether that be a local hole in the wall, classic Chinese sit down restaurant or a quirky cafe or taste of home!

If the early morning and big day in the Forbidden City has you calling for a nap, head back to the hotel for an early afternoon rest so you’re able to head out and explore the city again in the evening. There’s a lot to do, see and eat in Beijing so depending on what you’re feeling like you could head to a rooftop bar like Atmosphere or Migas Mercado, or explore some of Beijings iconic ‘Hutongs’. You could also visit the Liyuan Theatre for the Peking Opera, enjoy a Kung Fu Show at the Red Theatre or do as the Chinese do and spend the evening at a KTV (fancy karaoke) venue!

Day 13: The Great Wall

For your last full day, head to China’s most iconic historical structure, the more than 21,000km long Great Wall of China! While the Great Wall is divided up into many sections built over several dynasties, the Badaling and Mutianyu sections are the most tourist friendly and best-preserved sections easily accessible from Beijing.

We’d recommend the Mutianyu section, it’s been more recently restored and features some absolutely incredible views from the wall of the surrounding forests and mountains, complete with sections of the great wall snaking along mountain spines in the distance. Get the most out of your visit by ordering a DiDi rideshare in the Alipay app just after lunch, this will take about an hour and a half to get there so allow plenty of time to explore the area before the sun sets. When you arrive you can get your tickets at the booth, like everywhere in China, don’t forget your passport! Your ticket will include the shuttle bus to the base of the mountain that the wall is on top of, and optionally you can include a one-way or two-way cablecar ticket directly to the top, avoiding the few hundred step walk up to the wall if you’d prefer. If you want a unique way to get down, you can also include a toboggan ticket that will have you sliding down the mountain back to the bus terminal!

There’s about 2.5km of the wall open to be walked on with 23 watchtowers that you can pass through along the top of the wall. The entire area is incredibly beautiful, and its one of those places that you just wish could speak about what its witnessed in the hundreds of years its been there. If time allows, stay up there for sunset, it is simply breathtaking and definitely one of the most perfect places we’ve ever watched a sunset anywhere in the world!

Once you’re finished, head back to the bus terminal, catch the shuttle bus back to the entrance and order a DiDi back to Beijing!

It’s time for your last dinner! If you haven’t yet, you need to try Peking duck in its original form! You’ll find Peking roast duck-specialty restaurants everywhere in Beijing, especially tourist areas where your hotel is likely located.

Day 14: Last tastes and departure!

Thanks China! That’s it for the itinerary we followed during our first visit to China, if your visa permits and you’d like to spend more time in the nation, you could now travel to Shanghai or another city like Chongqing or Chengdu to explore more, there’s a limitless amount of things you can do in China and we will most definitely be back for a third trip following our most recent visit in April 2025 for a month-long Kung Fu camp! Stay tuned for that blog!

That’s It!

If you’ve made it down here, thank you so much for reading!

That covers everything you need to know for a beautiful two weeks exploring the incredible landscapes and bustling cities of China!