Beijing & Southwest China Adventure
May 1
Day 1 — Xi’an (arrival + evening food walk)
- Check in + easy reset
- Evening: street-food crawl in the
- Try: roujiamo, liangpi, yangrou paomo (pick 2–3, not everything at once)
Budget note: Xi’an is excellent value—keep meals to street food + casual local spots.
- Check in + rest
- Evening: head to the for affordable specialty snacks
- Early night (big sightseeing tomorrow)
Food to try (Xi’an specialties / must-eats)
- Muslim Quarter staples: roujiamo (meat sandwich), liangpi (cold noodles), yangrou paomo (lamb broth + torn flatbread)
- Night snack strategy: eat small portions so you can try more
- Go to:
Food notes (no beef / no shellfish friendly)
- In the Muslim Quarter, skip beef skewers; prioritize lamb, chicken, and vegetarian snacks
- Ask for no beef () and no shellfish ()
- Consider adding a second food stop at for more snack variety in one place
May 2
Day 2 — Xi’an (Terracotta Warriors + city evening)
- Morning/early afternoon: Terracotta Warriors at
- Late afternoon: back in the city for a relaxed dinner
- Evening: optional second lap of snacks in the Muslim Quarter (only if you still have energy)
- Terracotta Warriors visit at
- Keep the evening flexible: rest, laundry, or casual neighborhood dinner
May 3
Day 3 — Xi’an (cycle/walk the City Wall)
- Morning: cycle or walk the
- Afternoon: chill café time + shopping for small gifts
- Evening: dumplings/biangbiang noodles for an easy, affordable dinner
- City Wall time at
- Keep this day lighter so your group is fresh for Huashan tomorrow
Hotpot night (Xian)
- Add a hotpot dinner at
- Order a split pot (mild + spicy) and load up on: lamb, chicken, tofu, mushrooms, leafy greens
- Avoid beef and shellfish; staff can usually guide you to safe broths/ingredients
May 4
Day 4 — Xi’an day trip (Huashan hiking)
- Full hiking day at
- Plan an early start; bring gloves/layers and plenty of water
- Evening: back to Xi’an for a simple recovery meal
- Go early to
- Focus on the most scenic sections; avoid over-packing (it’s a big day)
May 5
Day 5 — Xi’an → Pingyao (travel + first wall walk)
- High-speed rail/travel day to Pingyao
- Evening: first stroll inside the walls of
- Dinner: Shanxi noodles/dumplings (very budget-friendly)
- Travel to Pingyao, check in
- Sunset/blue-hour photos in
Food focus (Tunxi/Huangshan)
- Snack crawl on
- Look for Huizhou-style dishes like stinky mandarin fish + bamboo shoots + braised tofu (often best at simple local restaurants)
May 6
Day 6 — Pingyao (ancient city deep-dive)
- Morning: walk the city walls and main streets in
- Afternoon: courtyard architecture + small museums
- Evening: night-lit lanes + low-cost snacks
- Slow day in
- Optional: add a short photoshoot/ancient costume rental here (often cheaper than big-city studios)
May 7
Day 7 — Pingyao side trip (Wang Family Courtyard)
- Half/full-day to
- Late afternoon: return to Pingyao for a relaxed dinner
- Take the side trip to
- Keep the evening free for packing (Beijing transfer next)
Want to tweak this itinerary?
May 8
Day 8 — Pingyao → Beijing (travel + settle)
- High-speed rail to Beijing
- Check in/settle near your Park Hyatt base area
- Light evening walk + early sleep
- Travel to Beijing
- Keep it easy tonight (tomorrow is a good day for any pre-booking/ticket confirmations)
May 9
Day 9 — Beijing buffer day (easy culture + prep)
- Flexible day to rest, do laundry, and adjust
- Optional: hutong stroll (keep it light and affordable)
- Early night
- Buffer/rest day in Beijing
- Low-key dinner close to your hotel area
May 10
Day 10 — Beijing (final prep day before Park Hyatt check-in)
- Keep it light: shopping for basics, ticket pickups, and planning tomorrow’s Forbidden City start
- Optional: early night market/snack street (choose 1 area, don’t criss-cross the city)
- Pre-Beijing plan buffer day
- Pack day bag for Forbidden City (ID/passport, water, sunscreen, comfortable shoes)
Food to try (Pingyao / Shanxi)
- Signature: Pingyao beef (order it sliced, cold or warm)
- Also try Shanxi vinegar-forward noodles + dumplings (great budget meals)
May 11
Day 11 — Beijing (Park Hyatt) | Forbidden City core
- Check in at Park Hyatt Beijing
- Explore the main halls of (arrive early, expect security lines)
- Evening: relaxed dinner near your hotel; early night for the Great Wall
Food to try (Beijing)
- Peking duck dinner at
- Street breakfast: jianbing () + soy milk
- Also look for zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean paste) for an affordable classic
May 12
Day 12 — Beijing | Great Wall hiking day
- Day trip to (Mutianyu-area day plan)
- Make it a hiking day: walk longer sections instead of only the cable car viewpoint
- Evening: easy dinner + rest (big steps today)
Optional hot springs add-on (Beijing)
- If you want a soak after the Great Wall: consider a half-day at (Xiaotangshan area)
- Best as an evening activity on a lighter day
May 13
Day 13 — Beijing | temples + hutongs
- Morning:
- Afternoon: hutong wandering + snacks at
- Night: optional foot massage (often good value)
May 14
Day 14 — Beijing | shopping (affordable focus) + camping gear
- Start with easy mainstream shopping along
- Bargain/market-style shopping at
- Camping run at : tent, sleeping bags, headlamps
Tip: for skincare/makeup, prioritize reputable chains/counters to reduce counterfeit risk.
Want to tweak this itinerary?
May 15
Day 15 — Beijing | wrap-up + travel prep
- Morning: finish anything you missed at
- Afternoon: pack + confirm Chengdu transfer (flight/train)
- Evening: relaxed neighborhood dinner (low-key night before travel)
May 16
Day 16 — Chengdu (Grand Hyatt) | pandas + old lanes
- Check in at Grand Hyatt Chengdu
- Early visit to (best in the morning)
- Late afternoon/evening snacks + strolling at
Food to try (Chengdu)
- Mapo tofu at
- Hotpot night + order a mix of beef, mushrooms, tofu skins, and local sides
- If you like snacks, add a stroll through night markets near central shopping streets
Hotpot night (Chengdu option)
- If you want a classic Chengdu hotpot meal: book/queue for
- Great with: lamb slices, chicken, mushrooms, tofu skins; avoid beef/shellfish
May 17
Day 17 — Split day
- Group: travel to Chongqing + check in (Hyatt Regency Metropolitan Chongqing)
- You: fly back to SFO
- If you have time in the morning: quick Chengdu breakfast + last-minute packing
May 18
Day 18 — Chongqing | old town + night views
- Day: snack-and-stroll in
- Night: iconic riverfront lights at
Food + hot springs (Chongqing)
- Evening snack-and-stroll: add local bites around
- Hot springs day option: (easy add-on to your Chongqing days)
- Must-try foods: Chongqing xiaomian (spicy noodles) + hotpot + suanla fen (sour-spicy noodles)
Hotpot night (Chongqing option)
- True Chongqing vibe: go for
- Order a split pot if anyone wants milder soup; focus on pork, chicken, mushrooms, tofu, potatoes
- Avoid beef/shellfish; ask if any broths use beef tallow and choose alternatives if needed
May 19
Day 19 — Chongqing | Dazu day trip (carvings)
- Full/half-day to
- Evening: hotpot (choose spice level carefully)
May 20
Day 20 — Chongqing | big nature day (hiking-friendly)
- Day trip to
- Focus on scenic walks + viewpoints; bring layers (weather can change)
- Return late; simple dinner + rest
May 21
Day 21 — Chongqing | flexible final day
- Easy morning: cafés, souvenirs, downtime
- Optional: revisit either or a riverside viewpoint
- Depart depending on onward plans