Family China

Arrive in Beijing, China’s political and cultural hub. Transfer to your luxurious hotel.

Travel to the less-visited Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. Walk its ramparts before hopping in a toboggan for an exciting ride back down. Later, view the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the “Bird’s Nest,” and the National Aquatics Center, dubbed the “Water Cube.” Gather for a cocktail and a welcome dinner at your hotel.

Start the day with a morning tai chi class for the family, which you experience at the Temple of Heaven. Ride Like a Local by pedicab through a maze of winding alleyways known as a hutong. After lunch, walk in the footsteps of emperors in the Forbidden City and wander Tiananmen Square.

Fly to Xian and enjoy lunch. Then, stand atop the ramparts of Xian’s City Wall. Tonight, a fun Family Foodie Experience awaits you at a local restaurant, where you learn to make traditional dumplings and witness a noodle-throwing demonstration.

Play archaeologist today with a visit to the site of the legendary Terra Cotta Warriors, where thousands of life-size ceramic soldiers “guard” the tomb of China’s first emperor. This afternoon, travel by high-speed train to Chengdu, the charming capital of Sichuan Province.

This morning, visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, where you encounter the adorable giant panda — China’s living national emblem — in a beautiful, sprawling habitat. Later, attend the Sichuan Opera for a dazzling “face-changing” performance.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Guilin. Continue to your hotel in the countryside for a relaxing afternoon at leisure. This region is famed for its picturesque landscape of towering karst peaks that have inspired Chinese artists and poets down through the ages. With its verdant flora that ranges from bamboo to conifers and fanciful topography, it is roundly considered one of the most beautiful places in China.

Today, embark on a leisurely bamboo raft trip on the Li River, drifting quietly downstream, past stunning limestone peaks. Observe life along the banks, where fishermen use cormorants to collect their catch and farmers still cultivate rice paddies by hand. This afternoon, visit the village of Fuli, and try your hand at local fan making and design.

Today, travel to the airport to board your flight to Shanghai. Transfer to your luxury hotel on the Bund with views of the glittering skyscrapers. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

This morning, take part in an interactive kung fu class. Visit the Shanghai Museum for a private tour of the collections, led by its curator, an A&K-exclusive experience. The impressive examples of the traditional dress of various ethnic Chinese minorities, on display in the museum’s great gallery, should be of particular interest to young explorers. Later, pass through the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel by electric cart and visit Shanghai Tower for more remarkable vistas of action-packed Shanghai.

Stroll the Bund, the waterfront promenade along the Huangpu River. Step back in time with a walk in Old Town and a visit to the beautiful Yu Garden. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure before gathering tonight for a farewell dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and fly home.