China Adventure Tour with Kung Fu Experience

Your Beijing adventure starts from Beijing's imperial heritage today. After breakfast, enter the Forbidden City from Tiananmen Square. Built at the heart of Beijing more than 600 years ago, the palace complex stretches far beyond what you've ever imagined. While your guide shares fascinating stories of the imperial court, the architectural details are just as rewarding. Along the route, notice the bronze vessels, carved marble ramps, and painted beams hidden beneath the roofs.

Afterward, head to Jingshan Park. It's the best spot to take a sweeping view of the whole Forbidden City, so a short climb to the top is absolutely worth it.

In the morning, take a comfortable private car journey to Mutianyu Great Wall, a family-friendly choice that's easier to navigate than other sections. You'll take a cable car up, and explore the Wall at your own pace with the accompany of experienced private guide. After viewing the stunning scenery, you'll enjoy a fun ride of toboggan descend the mountains.

Lunch will be arranged in a farmhouse near the Great Wall, where you can taste fresh local delicacies. Afterward, return to the city and have some rest. In the evening, your guide will take you to try something new - hand-sliced lamb hotpot in a traditional copper pot. You'll enjoy the warmth and joy of a family-style meal, gathered around a steaming hotpot, cooking and sharing fresh ingredients together.

In the morning, walk through Temple of Heaven, where the main building sits at the center and locals gather to do morning exercises in the surrounding parkland. You can watch people practice Tai Chi for a while or step in and follow along. It's one of those places that works well for all ages, with plenty of open space and a relaxed pace.

Later, take a high-speed train from Beijing to Luoyang. The journey takes about four hours and gives you time to rest between cities. Upon arrival, your local guide will meet you at the station and take you to the hotel.

Today is a day of history, architecture, and martial arts. After breakfast, drive to Dengfeng. Your first stop is Shaolin Temple, renowned as the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu. You'll watch the monks demonstrate their remarkable skills before joining a one-hour Kung Fu lesson to practice a few fundamental techniques. It's the kind of activity that appeals across age groups, and the instructors are used to beginners.

Move forward to see the Pagoda Forest, a field of stone pagodas built to honor past monks, and the Songyue Temple Pagoda, an old surviving brick pagoda. The walk to the pagoda involves some stairs, but the view from the top is a good reward. End the day at Songyang Academy, where scholars once studied, is a quieter stop with old trees and courtyards.

Before leaving Luoyang, spend time exploring the Longmen Grottoes. As you walk along the riverside cliffs, countless Buddhist carvings gradually come into view, represents centuries of devotion and craftsmanship. Take time to appreciate the different styles before arriving at the magnificent Lusena Buddha, the centerpiece of the entire complex.

After the visit, transfer to the railway station and take a 1.5-hour high-speed train to Xi'an, the next stop on your journey through China's historic heartland.

This morning, head out to visit the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Museum, where you'll walk through the pits containing the Terracotta Warriors. The figures are life-sized and standing in battle formation, with thousands of soldiers, horses, and chariots. Your private guide knows how to keep the visit engaging for everyone, pointing out the details that tend to catch the eye and keeping the explanations short enough to hold attention.

In the evening, you have the option to dress in Tang-style costumes at the Grand Tang Ever Bright City, a pedestrian street designed to resemble the ancient capital. The street is busy in the evening, with performers and open-air stalls. It's a lively place to walk through, and kids tend to enjoy the costumes and the atmosphere.

Start the day at Xi'an's ancient city wall. You can walk along the top or ride a bike for a section. The surface is wide and open, and the ride is easy for most ages. It's a straightforward way to get a sense of the city's layout.

Then head to the Muslim Quarter, it's a narrow street that you won't miss for authentic taste of Xi'an. You can sample local snacks as you walk, and the pace is entirely up to you. A short walk away, you'll find the Gao Family Courtyard, where a short shadow puppet performance is followed by a calligraphy session. You'll have a brush and paper to try a few characters. No pressures, and no prior experience is needed, just a fun activity for the families.

Afterward, catch your flight to Zhangjiajie. Your local guide will meet you at the airport upon arrival.

Zhangjiajie is a place of stunning natural wonders, the landscape is made up of tall sandstone pillars, dense green valleys, and narrow paths that wind between the rock formations. Today, you'll take your adventure in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.

You'll start with the Bailong Elevator, a glass lift that rises quickly through the rock face. From the top, you'll walk along a ridge with wide views across the pillars. If you've seen the movie Avatar, the view here might look familiar with the floating mountains scene.

Then, pass the First Bridge under Heaven, a natural stone arch spanning two peaks, and walk sections where the paths are cut into the cliffside. The cable car down from Tianzi Mountain offers a different angle on the same landscape, and the small train through Ten Mile Gallery gives you a break from walking while still keeping the views in front of you.

The park is well served by shuttles and lifts, so you can cover a lot of ground without exhausting the group. With the accompany of your local guide, you'll find the day long but manageable, with enough variety to hold everyone's interest.

After breakfast, drive about 15 minutes to Baofeng Lake. The lake sits up in the mountains, and a boat ride takes you across the water, with cliffs and trees rising on both sides. It's a calm and refresh stop, and the boat ride does the work.

Afterward, head to the glass walkway at Tianmen Mountain. The platform is attached to the cliffside and looks straight down into the valley below. Some find it exciting, others prefer to stay closer to the rock wall. You can decide how far to step out once you're up there.

After the tour, head to the airport for your flight to Shanghai.

Start a little later today and take it slow. Shanghai can feel busy, but the morning is yours to ease into.

Walk along the Bund, where you'll see one of Shanghai's most iconic views, a classic skyline postcard scene. Then visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, which has a large scale model of the city and a short film shown on a 360-degree screen. It's an indoor stop, cool in summer, and usually holds the attention of younger visitors.

Continue to Yu Garden for a classical garden sightseeing with winding paths, rockeries, and fish ponds. Afterward, have some rest and enjoy a dim sum lunch. In the afternoon, stroll through Fuxing Park in the Former French Concession, where locals gather to play cards, dance, or just sit and chat. End the day with a walk through a local market to try a few snacks.