China is a continent-sized adventure: imperial capitals, holy mountains, ancient trade cities, and some of Earth’s most electric skylines. Across 28 days you’ll step along the Great Wall, gaze upon 8,000 Terracotta Warriors, circle prayer wheels in Lhasa, and watch playful red pandas in Chengdu before drifting past the Bund’s art deco facades and ending in Hong Kong’s neon glow.

History is never out of sight here. From the Ming-era Forbidden City to the Tibetan monasteries of Sera and Drepung and the merchant lanes of Shanghai’s French Concession, the past folds into daily life—over steaming bowls of biangbiang noodles, a Sichuan hotpot, or Hong Kong’s delicate dim sum.

Practical notes: Foreign travelers need a Tibet Travel Permit (arranged via a registered agency) to visit Lhasa. Altitude in Lhasa (3,650 m / 12,000 ft) demands a slow pace for the first 48 hours. High-speed rail links many cities efficiently; for longer hops, flights are frequent and good value. Mobile payments dominate, but bank cards work at hotels and larger restaurants.

Beijing

Days 1–5: Imperial capital, hutongs, and the Great Wall

Start in the heart of Chinese history and politics. Stroll Tiananmen Square into the Forbidden City, wander lakeside at the Summer Palace, and sip coffee in maze-like hutongs where siheyuan courtyards hide design-forward cafes and tiny noodle bars. Save a full day for the Mutianyu Great Wall—fewer crowds, dramatic watchtowers, and, yes, a toboggan ride down.

• Arrival: Fly into Beijing (PEK/PKX). Search fares on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Nonstops from major hubs run 11–14 hours; typical roundtrips $800–1,200.
• Essentials: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City (pre-book timed entry), Jingshan Park hilltop views, Temple of Heaven morning tai chi, Summer Palace lakes, 798 Art District galleries.
• Great Wall day: Mutianyu section for classic stonework and valley vistas.
• Eat & drink:
  • Siji Minfu (Qianmen branch): crisp-skinned Peking duck carved tableside; book early.
  • Mr. Shi’s Dumplings (Baochao Hutong): pan-fried crescents and colorful fillings; lively, wallet-friendly.
  • Zhang Mama (Gongti area): beloved for fiery Sichuan staples—mapo tofu and mouthwatering chicken.
  • Metal Hands Coffee (Wudaoying Hutong) and %Arabica (Sanlitun): third-wave espresso to kickstart jetlagged mornings.

Hotels: Browse stays on VRBO Beijing or Hotels.com Beijing. Standouts: The Opposite House (design-forward in Sanlitun), The Peninsula Beijing (all-suite grandeur near Wangfujing), Novotel Beijing Peace (great value), New World Beijing Hotel (rooftop bar), budget 365 Inn Beijing or 365 Inn Beijing Qianmen.

Recommended Viator experiences:

• All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall

  

• Private Tour to Mutianyu Great Wall Cable Way Up & Toboggan Down

  

• Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)

  

Xi’an

Days 6–8: Terracotta Army, city walls, and spice-scented lanes

Once the Silk Road’s eastern gate, Xi’an matches world wonders with street food fireworks. Marvel at the ranks of the Terracotta Warriors, then cycle the Ming-era City Wall at sunset before diving into the Muslim Quarter for cumin lamb skewers and hand-pulled biangbiang noodles.

• Getting there (Day 6 morning): Beijing → Xi’an by high-speed train (4.5–6 hours, ~$70–95 second class). Book on Trip.com trains. Flights are ~2 hours if you prefer.
• Essentials: Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses; City Wall bike loop; Drum & Bell Towers; Great Mosque courtyard; Shaanxi History Museum (excellent curation).
• Eat & drink:
  • Lao Sun Jia Paomo: classic mutton paomo—tear flatbread into broth and savor slow-cooked depth.
  • De Fa Chang (near Bell Tower): dumpling banquets shaped like goldfish and walnuts—touristy but fun.
  • Xi’an Restaurant (Xi’an Fanzhuang): heritage spot for cold noodles and roujiamo (Chinese “burger”).
  • Manner Coffee (multiple branches): reliable espresso between sights.

Hotels: Search VRBO Xi’an or Hotels.com Xi’an for stays near the Bell Tower or South Gate.

Recommended Viator experience:

• Mini Group Xian Day Tour to Terracotta Army, City Wall, Pagoda and Muslim Bazaar

  

Lhasa (Tibet)

Days 9–14: Potala Palace, monastic debates, and high-altitude light

Lhasa rewards slow mornings and unhurried walks around prayer-flagged rooftops. The white-and-russet tiers of Potala Palace dominate the skyline; Jokhang Temple pulses with pilgrims circling the Barkhor. Watch the debating monks at Sera Monastery and day-trip to Yamdrok Lake’s turquoise bends.

• Travel & permits (Day 9 morning): Fly Xi’an → Lhasa (~3–3.5 hours). Search on Trip.com flights. You must pre-arrange a Tibet Travel Permit via a licensed agency; foreign visitors tour with a guide. Plan 10–15 days lead time for paperwork.
• Acclimatize: Take Day 9 easy—tea houses, short Barkhor strolls, hydrate well. Most travelers feel normal by Day 11.
• Highlights: Potala Palace timed entry (stairs at altitude—go slow), Jokhang Temple & Barkhor kora, Sera and Drepung Monasteries, Norbulingka summer palace, optional day trip to Yamdrok Lake or Ganden Monastery.
• Eat & drink:
  • Tibetan Family Kitchen: mom-and-pop spot for momos, thenthuk (hand-pulled noodle soup), and yak butter tea.
  • Dunya Restaurant: traveler favorite mixing Tibetan, Nepali, and international dishes.
  • Makye Ame (Barkhor): storied window views; go at golden hour.
  • Summit Café: long-running espresso and pastries, handy for quiet acclimatization mornings.

Hotels: Look near Barkhor or Potala for easy walks. Browse VRBO Lhasa and Hotels.com Lhasa. Choose properties that can assist with permits.

Chengdu

Days 15–19: Pandas (including red pandas), teahouses, and Sichuan heat

In Chengdu, life slows to the rhythm of mahjong tiles and jasmine tea—until dinner, when hotpot ignites the table. Spend a morning with both giant and red pandas at the Chengdu Research Base, then day-trip to Dujiangyan for conservation-led encounters and leafy Qingcheng Mountain temples.

• Getting there (Day 15 morning): Lhasa → Chengdu flight (~2–2.5 hours). Compare on Trip.com flights.
• Essentials: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (arrive at opening), People’s Park Heming Teahouse for ear-cleaners and jasmine tea, Wide & Narrow Alleys (Qing-era lanes), Jinli Street, Wenshu Monastery, Dujiangyan Panda Base or Wolong Shenshuping for conservation programs.
• Eat & drink:
  • Shu JiuXiang or Da Long Yi: benchmark Chengdu hotpot—choose spice level, don’t skip duck blood and lotus root.
  • Chen Mapo Tofu (Qingyang flagship): the original numbing-peppercorn classic since 1862.
  • Zhong Dumplings (Zhong Shui Jiao): sweet-spicy sauce over delicate pork dumplings—order a double.
  • Manner Coffee and Seesaw Coffee: quality espresso between temple strolls.

Hotels: Base near Tianfu Square or Kuanzhai for easy dining. Check VRBO Chengdu and Hotels.com Chengdu.

Shanghai

Days 20–24: The Bund, French Concession, and canals of Zhujiajiao

Shanghai is art-deco facades facing a forest of supertalls, and lilong lanes where laundry flutters above cafés. Stroll the Bund and cross to Pudong’s observation decks, duck into Yu Garden’s classical pavilions, and linger in the plane-tree shade of the Former French Concession.

• Getting there (Day 20 morning): Chengdu → Shanghai. Fly (~2.5–3 hours; often $120–220) via Trip.com flights. High-speed trains take ~10–11 hours via Trip.com trains.
• Essentials: The Bund promenade; Shanghai Tower or SWFC observation decks; Yu Garden & Old Street; Former French Concession walking; Propaganda Poster Art Center; evening Huangpu river cruise.
• Eat & drink:
  • Yang’s Fried Dumplings (shengjian bao): crisp-bottomed soup-filled buns—perfect street bite.
  • Din Tai Fung (Pudong/various): precision xiaolongbao; order crab roe if in season.
  • Lost Heaven on the Bund: Yunnan cuisine—lemongrass chicken, tea-leaf salad—in a moody space.
  • Manner Coffee or Seesaw Coffee (born in Shanghai): great pour-overs; end at cocktail bar Speak Low for inventive tipples.

Hotels: For river views or leafy lanes, start with Hotels.com Shanghai or VRBO Shanghai. Top picks: The Peninsula Shanghai (Bund grande dame), The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong (skyline icon), Campanile Shanghai Bund Hotel (value near the river), Kerry Hotel Pudong (family-friendly), budget Shanghai Blue Mountain Bund Youth Hostel or Shanghai Fish Inn Bund.

Recommended Viator experiences:

• Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour

  

• Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights

  

Hong Kong (+ Macau)

Days 25–28: Peaks, islands, dim sum—and a dash to Macau

End with harbor breezes and neon nights. Ride the Peak Tram for sweeping views, cruise across on the Star Ferry, graze on dim sum, and thread through temple courtyards and design studios. Lantau’s Big Buddha pairs naturally with a fishermen’s stilt village, and Macau’s pastel Portuguese lanes make a photogenic finale.

• Getting there (Day 25 morning): Shanghai → Hong Kong by flight (~2.5–3 hours, often $120–220) via Trip.com flights. Optional high-speed train to West Kowloon (~8–9 hours) via Trip.com trains (~$90–160).
• Essentials: Victoria Peak, Central–Mid-Levels Escalators, Man Mo Temple, PMQ, Star Ferry, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Chi Lin Nunnery & Nan Lian Garden, Temple Street night eats.
• Lantau Day: Ngong Ping cable car, Tian Tan Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, Tai O stilt village.
• Macau Day Trip (Day 27 or 28): UNESCO-listed Ruins of St. Paul’s, Senado Square, A-Ma Temple; try Portuguese egg tarts and minchi.
• Eat & drink:
  • Tim Ho Wan (Sham Shui Po/Central): Michelin-star dim sum for the people—BBQ pork buns are essential.
  • Mak’s Noodle (Central): punchy shrimp-pork wontons in delicate broth since the 1960s.
  • Yat Lok (Central): lacquered roast goose with crisp skin; share a quarter bird.
  • The Cupping Room (Central) or %Arabica (TST): quality coffee to power up between hills.

Hotels: Search Hotels.com Hong Kong or VRBO Hong Kong. Consider The Upper House (harbor panoramas), The Peninsula Hong Kong (afternoon tea and Rolls-Royce transfers), good-value Hop Inn or Hop Inn on Carnarvon, and families love Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.

Recommended Viator experiences:

• Top-Rated Hong Kong Tour: Peak Tram, Dim Sum & Cultural Sights

  

• Lantau Island Day Trip Big Buddha & Tai O Includes Cable Car

  

• Full Day Macau Sightseeing Tour from Hong Kong (OW by HZM Bridge)

  

Departure: Fly out of HKG with Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com.

How your 28 days flow

• Days 1–5: Beijing (Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Great Wall at Mutianyu)
• Days 6–8: Xi’an (Terracotta Army, City Wall, Muslim Quarter)
• Days 9–14: Lhasa (Potala, Jokhang, Sera & Drepung, Yamdrok Lake) — permit and acclimatization days included
• Days 15–19: Chengdu (pandas and red pandas, teahouses, hotpot; Dujiangyan/Wolong day trip)
• Days 20–24: Shanghai (Bund, Yu Garden, French Concession; Zhujiajiao canals)
• Days 25–28: Hong Kong (Peak, Star Ferry, Lantau); Macau day trip

This four-week arc strings together China’s greatest hits with local rituals—morning tai chi, afternoon tea, night markets. You’ll return with Great Wall stone dust on your shoes, chili warmth in your bones, and a camera roll full of pandas, prayer flags, and skyline sunsets.