Chinese cuisine, scenery, and urban life

Upon your arrival at Beijing，our guide and private driver will meet you at the arrival hall with a name sign. Private transfer to your centrally located hotel in the city centre. Check-in and free time to rest, shower and recover from your long international flight.

In the early evening, we start our guided walking food tour in the authentic old hutong district. This is not the crowded commercial tourist hutong; we take you into quiet residential alleyways where local Beijingers live and eat every day. Your English guide will introduce the history of hutong culture, explain how these classic snacks came into being, and help you order safely from family-run street stalls.

Food Tasting List: Jianbing (savoury mung bean pancake with egg and crispy cracker), tanghulu (sugar-glazed hawthorn skewer), youtiao (deep-fried dough stick), paired with warm soybean milk.

Morning: Early pick-up to visit the Palace Museum, also widely known as the Forbidden City. It served as the imperial palace for emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for over 600 years. Our guide will walk you through the grand central axis, tell royal stories and introduce ancient Chinese architecture. We will follow a well-planned route to avoid the biggest crowds. We recommend bringing a hat and a water bottle in sunny weather.

After the palace visit, you have free lunch on your own nearby; your guide will suggest good local casual restaurants nearby.

Late afternoon: Return to hotel for a short break.

Evening: The highlight dinner of our Beijing segment — authentic Peking duck restaurant. The chef will come to your table and carve the crispy golden duck fresh in front of you. You will learn the traditional way to wrap duck skin and meat in thin pancakes with cucumber strips, spring onion and sweet bean sauce.

Food Tasting List: Table-carved Peking duck, side seasonal northern vegetable dishes.

Early morning private transfer to Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the best-preserved and most beautiful sections of the Great Wall. Mutianyu is far less crowded than Badaling. You can choose to take the cable car up and toboggan down for fun, or hike slowly at your own pace along the wall to enjoy panoramic mountain views. Our guide stays with the group and takes photos for you.

We will stop for a simple lunch at a clean local restaurant near the Great Wall.

In the late afternoon, we drive back to downtown Beijing. You get time to refresh at the hotel.

Dinner: A warm home-style northern Chinese feast at a local family restaurant, favoured by Beijing residents.

Food Tasting List: Braised pork, stir-fried seasonal greens, handmade boiled pork & vegetable dumplings, sour vegetable soup.

Morning transfer to Beijing railway station. We take the high-speed train to Xi’an, the ancient starting point of the Silk Road. Train ride takes roughly 4.5–5 hours. Business / first-class seats are arranged for comfort. You can enjoy views of the North China plain along the way. Light boxed lunch is provided on the train.

Upon arrival in Xi’an, private transfer to hotel in the old city area, check in.

After resting, we walk to the famous Muslim Quarter (Huimin Street area). This lively food district is the heart of Xi’an’s Hui ethnic culture and northwest wheat food tradition. We wander through crowded lanes lined with tiny stalls run by local Hui families. Our guide helps you select snacks and explains Silk Road food history.

Food Tasting List: Roujiamo (juicy braised pork “Chinese hamburger”), liangpi (cold spicy wheat noodles, non-spicy version available), cumin lamb skewers, fried persimmon cakes.

Morning private transfer out of town to the Terracotta Army Museum, one of the greatest archaeological wonders of the world. Our professional guide explains the story of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and the underground army, and takes you through Pit 1, 2 and 3 at a relaxed pace.

After the museum visit, lunch at a nearby local restaurant.

Afternoon: Unique hands-on cultural food workshop. We visit a local noodle master’s workshop. You will learn how to knead dough, stretch and swing the wide, famous biangbiang noodles. Everyone gets to make their own noodles, cook and taste what you make. This experience is very photo-friendly and great fun.

Evening dinner: Traditional Xi’an lamb paomo feast. You will tear flatbread into small pieces by yourself, the classic local way, before it is cooked in rich lamb broth.

Food Tasting List: Homemade biangbiang noodles, yangrou paomo (lamb soup with torn flatbread), cold vegetable side dishes.

Morning transfer to Xi’an airport for domestic flight to Chengdu.

After landing in Chengdu, transfer to hotel and check in.

Mid-morning: Visit Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. Pandas are most active in the morning. You can watch giant pandas munch fresh bamboo, play and nap in bamboo forests. We also see red pandas.

Lunch nearby at a simple local Sichuan restaurant, mild options ready.

Afternoon: Free time at hotel to relax.

Evening: The signature Sichuan hot pot experience! We book a well-loved local hot pot restaurant popular with Chengdu locals. Every table gets a yuanyang (double-flavour) pot: classic numbing-spicy mala broth on one side, clear bone broth on the other for guests who cannot eat spicy food.

Food Tasting List: Sichuan hot pot with assorted meat, tofu, mushrooms, vegetables and handmade noodles.

Morning: Visit Wuhou Shrine, the memorial temple of Zhuge Liang, a famous strategist from the Three Kingdoms period. The garden is quiet and beautiful, full of ancient cypress trees. Our guide shares stories of this famous Chinese historical legend.

Afterwards we stroll into Jinli Ancient Street, a restored ancient street filled with folk handicraft shops, tea houses and snack stalls. We wander slowly, watch folk performances and try street snacks along the way.

Lunch: Sit-down restaurant meal of classic Sichuan dishes.

Evening optional activity (self-paid): Sichuan Opera show featuring the famous face-changing performance, a beloved local folk art. Our guide can help you book good seats if you wish.

Food Tasting List: Mapo tofu, kung pao chicken, boiled fish, spicy cucumber salad (all dishes adjustable for spice level).

This is a fully flexible, unstructured slow day designed for food lovers. There is no mandatory early meeting time or fixed sightseeing schedule.

Your guide will provide you with a carefully curated list of hidden local snack shops, old teahouses and food alleys only known to Chengdu people. You can choose to sleep in, wander the city on your own or explore together with the guide at your preferred time.

A highlight of the day is Chengdu’s laid-back tea culture. We recommend visiting a century-old public teahouse. Sit on bamboo chairs, drink jasmine tea, watch locals play mahjong and chat, just the way Chengdu people spend their free time.

You can hop between snack shops to try a variety of small bites throughout the day.

Food Tasting List: Boboji (cold marinated skewered food), sweet water noodles, sugar oil fruit, spiced tofu pudding.

Morning transfer to Chengdu airport for flight to Guangzhou, the home of Cantonese cuisine and yum cha culture.

Arrive in Guangzhou, transfer to hotel in the old town.

Late morning: The core experience of Guangzhou — traditional yum cha brunch at a classic local dim sum restaurant, not a tourist chain. Cantonese people come here for hours of slow tea and small dishes. Our guide will explain yum cha etiquette and help you order the most iconic dim sum.

After yum cha, we walk through Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Old Street, a historic commercial district with old arcade buildings. We visit old pastry shops and herbal tea stores.

Dinner is free for you to explore nearby Cantonese eateries.

Food Tasting List: Har gow (crystal shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork & shrimp dumplings), cheong fun (silky rice noodle rolls), custard buns.

We arrange your schedule flexibly according to your flight departure time.

If your flight departs in the afternoon or evening, we start with a wonderful Cantonese roast meal in the morning. This is your final chance to enjoy authentic Guangdong flavours before leaving China.

After the meal, you have free time to shop for edible souvenirs such as dried tangerine peel, coconut biscuits and preserved fruit from local shops.

At the arranged time, private transfer to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport for your international flight home. Our guide will assist you with check-in tips and airport directions.

Food Tasting List: Cantonese roast goose, slow-cooked congee, wonton noodles, green vegetable side dishes.