What to book before you travel to China?

Most visits can be booked on the spot. A few sell out days ahead. Here they are, stop by stop, with what you can do without booking underneath. Keep the rest of your time free.

Trip length

One week Ten days Two weeks

11 activities to book · about €296 per person

Beijing

Days 1-3

Days 1-3The Great Wall at Mutianyu, guidedFull dayA restored stretch of the Ming wall, quieter than Badaling, with a cable car up and a toboggan down if you want one.€65Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 1-3The Forbidden City and Tiananmen SquareHalf dayThe palace of twenty-four emperors, walked from south to north, after the square that fronts it. Tickets are timed and must be booked ahead with your passport.€30Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 1-3The Temple of Heaven park, with tai chi at dawn2hThe park and its temples, where locals practise tai chi at dawn; a through ticket covers the Hall of Prayer.€5Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 1-3Jingshan Park and its view over the Forbidden City1hA small hill park with the best view over the roofs of the Forbidden City, for a token fee.€1Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The hutongs, Beijing's old lanes · Wangfujing snack street

All activities in Beijing on GetYourGuide

Xi'an

Days 4-5

Days 4-5The Terracotta Army, guidedHalf dayThousands of life-size clay soldiers, each face different, standing in the pits where farmers found them in 1974.€45Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 4-5Cycling the city walls2hFourteen kilometres of Ming ramparts, wide enough to ride the whole loop around the old city.€15Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The old city walls, lit up at night · The Muslim Quarter and its street food · The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, from outside

All activities in Xi'an on GetYourGuide

Shanghai

Days 6-7

Days 6-7Huangpu River cruise1h30An evening on the river between the lit-up Bund and the towers of Pudong.€30Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 6-7Shanghai Tower observation deck2hThe observation floor of China's tallest building, more than 500 metres above the river.€35Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 6-7Yu Garden1h30A classical Ming garden of pavilions, rockeries and ponds in the old town.€5Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The Bund · The former French Concession · The Pudong skyline at night

All activities in Shanghai on GetYourGuide

Guilin and Yangshuo

Days 8-10

Days 8-10Li River cruiseHalf dayDown the river from Guilin towards Yangshuo, between the karst peaks of the 20 yuan note.€45Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 8-10Cycling the Yangshuo countrysideHalf dayBack roads through rice fields and villages along the Yulong River, under the peaks.€20Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The karst peaks in the mist · The Longji rice terraces · The riverside villages · Sunset over the river and the peaks

All activities in Guilin on GetYourGuide

Indicative prices per person, checked when written. The button opens the GetYourGuide search for the activity and the town, on the days of the stop once your dates are known. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

How much do the activities to book in China cost?

€296 per person if you do them all, across 11 bookings. The most expensive is "The Great Wall at Mutianyu, guided" at €65, the cheapest "Jingshan Park and its view over the Forbidden City" at €1. Prices checked when written: confirm them when you book.

What can you do in China without booking anything?

12 visits on this itinerary need no ticket or time slot, starting with The hutongs, Beijing's old lanes, Wangfujing snack street, The old city walls, lit up at night, The Muslim Quarter and its street food. They make up most of your days: booking ahead only concerns a handful of sites with limited places.

At which stop should you book earliest?

Beijing, with 4 activities to book, against 2 at the quietest stop. That is where slots go first.

How long do these activities take?

From 1h for the shortest to Full day for the longest. Fit them into your days before filling the rest: a guided visit often takes half a day.

The rest of the trip

📒 The free printable China guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→ 🗓️ Best time to visit China, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book: all our destinations→