
Tour · 16 nights · with Travelsphere
Travelsphere’s escorted holiday through China takes in Shanghai’s riverside bustle, a four-night cruise down the Yangtze River, and historic cities including Chengdu, Xian and Beijing over 16 nights.
Highlights
Three Gorges and smaller Shennong Stream gorges on Yangtze River
Terracotta Army and Xian City Wall
Shanghai’s Bund and Jade Buddha Temple
Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Centre
Great Wall of China at Beijing
Beginning in Shanghai, this escorted tour by Travelsphere allows several days to see the city's contrasting sides, from the ornate Jade Buddha Temple to the shimmering skyscrapers of the Bund by night. A high-speed train whisks you next to Yichang, where a four-night Yangtze River cruise showcases narrow gorges, hanging coffins perched on cliff faces and Qing Dynasty courtyards at an ancient folk culture park.
Journeys
After the river trip, you travel by high-speed train to Chengdu to meet the famously laid-back giant pandas and stroll Jinli Street’s tea houses and silk workshops. Xian follows, where the Terracotta Army awaits alongside a city wall walked by those keen on ancient defences. The final stop is Beijing, home to the forbidding gates of the Forbidden City, and a section of the Great Wall, which, depending on the day, sees visitors taking in views from watchtowers and paths.
Comfortable train travel knots the journey tightly together, giving well-paced time in each place. It holds a mixture of familiar highlights and quieter corners, with none of the rush implied by the schedule but none of the dawdle either.
Itinerary
Days 1–4
4 days here
Days 5–8
4 days here
Days 9–10
2 days here
When to go
Departs between Oct 2026 and Oct 2028.
Travelsphere publishes a season rather than fixed dates for this trip, so we show it as they do. Their site lists the exact departures and the price for each.
Need to know
For full details of what’s included, check with Travelsphere. See the full details on their site
The operator
Escorted tours with the details arranged
Escorted tours with a tour manager throughout, for travellers who would rather someone else worked out the trains.
You book with Travelsphere directly. They confirm your place, take payment, and look after you from the moment you leave home; Atlas & Passage’s part ends when you click through.

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