Ultimate 14 Day China Itinerary: Beijing, Chongqing, Zhangjiajie & Chengdu
Heading to China? We’ve got you covered.
This is the ultimate 14 day China itinerary covering Beijing, Chongqing, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain, and Chengdu. If you want a route that mixes bucket list highlights with culture and food without rushing through the country, this guide walks you through every step.
Below, you’ll find a day by day itinerary, travel logistics, and practical info to make your trip smoother.
Before You Go
Apps to Download
WeChat: Essential for messaging, paying, and staying connected.
Alipay: Another must for digital payments.
DiDi: China’s version of Uber. Also available as a mini app within the Alipay app itself.
Baidu Maps or Amap: More accurate than Google or Apple Maps in China.
Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book): Locals use it for the latest restaurant openings, cafes, and travel tips.
Google Translate: For translating menus, signs and conversations.
Bonus: Rednote — China’s Tiktok, great for searching recommendations for anything from photo-op locations to local restaurants.
Most major cities are cashless. Payment transactions are done through WeChat or Alipay, though it’s still smart to keep a small amount of cash for emergencies. We didn’t touch cash once in Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, or even Zhangjiajie.
SIM Card
We used Airalo for a quick, easy and reliable eSIM for mobile data. It worked seamlessly across all four cities and saved us time hunting down a physical SIM.
Keep in mind that many non Chinese apps will not work in mainland China. If you want to be able to use apps like Google, Gmail, Instagram, Google Translate, and many others, you will need a VPN (Virtual Private Network) that will connect your phone service to a country outside of China.
We found that the easiest and most afforable option was surprisingly built right into one of the Chinese apps we mentioned you should download earlier, Alipay. Here, you can find an in-app E-Sim purchase option. Purchase and install the one that includes a VPN.
General Travel Tips
Food: Be prepared to eat some of the best food of your life. China’s regional cuisines are wildly different and always worth trying where they originated. Beijing surprised us with how vegan-friendly it was, even featuring a two Michelin-star restaurant with totally reasonable prices.
Navigation: Don’t rely on Google or Apple Maps. Use Baidu Maps or Amap for accurate addresses and up-to-date info. We once spent half a day hunting for a husky café that had closed years ago, and came across many restaurants that no longer existed in real-time while using Google and Apple Maps.
Language: Locals are friendly and often go out of their way to help, even with language barriers. Keep a translator app handy, it goes a long way.
Weather: April to June and September to November are ideal, comfortable temps, clear skies, and manageable crowds.
The Route Overview
Beijing → Chongqing → Zhangjiajie → Chengdu
This route flows north to south, balancing cultural landmarks with nature and slower-paced local life.
Beijing (Days 1-3)
A modern, organized city with quiet electric cars, spotless subways, and endless history. Carry your passport at all times as random checks throughout the capitol city are common.
We visited in April/May, and we had the crispest, clearest skies. Sunny days, comfortable temps (23°C), and we averaged around 25k steps a day without even realizing it.
How to Get There: International flight – Beijing Capital International (PEK) or Daxing (PKX) are the main entry points for most travelers.
Day 1 - Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, & Jingshan Park
Explore Tiananmen Square
Walk through the Forbidden Palace (2–4 hours minimum)
Visit Jingshan Park for a panoramic view over the Forbidden Palace
We booked a guided tour through Get Your Guide and got to take in all the history at an easy pace. If you go with a guide, they’ll also walk you through the security checkpoint, which can get a little chaotic. And just so you know, you can always politely dip out whenever you’ve had your fill. We tapped out around the three hour mark and ended up wandering on our own until the entire palace cleared out… and suddenly the courtyard emptied out and we had the entire place mostly to ourselves before closing.
Jingshan Park is right behind the Forbidden City, and has a stunning view at sunset.
Day 2 - The Great Wall (Jinshanling Section)
Hire a private driver to the Jinshanling segment of the Great Wall (2 hour drive from Beijing)
If there’s one thing you should do in Beijing, it’s this. We’re not easily wowed by historical landmarks, but The Great Wall completely blew our minds. The Jinshanling section is quieter, scenic, and less touristy than Badaling. Take the cable car up to save time, or hike for a more challenging route. Most hotels can arrange a private driver.
Our driver had built-in car karaoke, and we sang the entire two hour journey there. Not to mention, our driver got us there and back at an incredibly fast pace, walked us to the ticketing booths to ensure we purchased the correct tickets, kept in constant text communication with us the entire time to make sure we were good, waited until it was dark out to take us back home, and was overall such a great host. If you want to have a similar experience, check out the hotel we booked below — they arranged our driver for us and the day couldn’t have gone smoother.
TIP: Going to the Great Wall is such a momentous experience, and if you’ve made the effort to see what is typically a once in a lifetime experience for most people, you must stay for sunset. It’s genuinely breathtaking, and we were shocked that almost everyone had already left by then. Just give your driver a heads up (and maybe a little tip for the extra wait).
Day 3 - 798 Art District, Lama Temple, & Hutongs
Visit the Lama Temple
Explore the 798 Art District
Wander through the hutongs (Wudaoying, Nanluoguxiang, Yandai Xiejie)
Start your morning at the Lama Temple, one of the most peaceful spots in Beijing with incredibly detailed architecture.
Next, head to the 798 Art District, a former factory complex turned creative neighborhood full of murals, galleries, cafés, and design shops. It’s easy to wander here for a couple of hours without a plan.
Later in the day, explore the hutongs, which are Beijing’s historic narrow alleyways filled with local homes, shops, cafes, and hidden courtyards. Each hutong has its own vibe:
Wudaoying is calmer, more boutique, and easy to stroll
Nanluoguxiang is busy but fun and great for snacks
Yandai Xiejie has a mix of shops and classic architecture
If you’re an animal lover, make time for Gudaomaone (Frolics with Cats) in Nanluoguxiang — a cute cat café filled with 26 cats, 2 dogs, and a ton of ducks and birds.
Where to Sleep
We stayed at Happy Dragon / Spring Yingxiang Hotel
It’s close enough to walk to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden Palace, Jingshan Park, and the hutongs, but still tucked inside its own quiet, charming hutong. It felt like the best of both worlds.
Where to Eat (Vegan Picks)
Gong De Lin (功德林) — one of Beijing’s oldest Buddhist vegetarian spots with 3 Michelin stars and a surprisingly affordable menu
King’s Joy (京兆尹) — a slightly more elevated 2 Michelin star vegetarian restaurant
SuHu Vegetarian Tiger (素虎·素食自助餐) — fully vegan buffet
Gong De Lin (前门功德林) — classic Buddhist-style vegetarian restaurant
Chongqing (Days 4–6)
Chongqing is one of the most visually unique cities in China, built across mountains and split by the Yangtze River. Expect neon skylines, spicy hotpot, and a lot of stairs.
How to Get There: Flight from Beijing: 2.5 hours. High-Speed Train: around 11 hours.
Day 4 - Local Chongqing, Cable Car & Nanfeng Teahouse BBQ Views
Visit Kuixinglou Tower Square
Eat your way through Jeifangbei Snack Street
Ride the Yangtze River Cableway
Enjoy teahouse sunset with live music in Nan’an
Kuixinglou Tower Square is the perfect place to really visualize how Chongqing is basically a 3D maze built into mountains. You enter on ground-level, walk straight through, and somehow end up on what is technically the 22nd floor, with no stairs or ramps in between.
Jeifangbei Snack Street is lit up with neon lights and packed with small stalls and quick bites, from spicy noodles to sweet jelly bingfen. It’s busy but fun, and a great place to try a little bit of everything.
From there, ride the Yangtze River Cableway (长江索道) to the teahouses and BBQ spots in the Nan’an District (南岸) and watch the city come to life from the opposite bank at sunset. You’ll be alongside locals grilling snacks, sipping tea, listening to live performances, and playing cards while the sky gets dark and the city lights up.
Tip: Chinese maps can be a little tricky. On AMAP, search 山水云间下午茶·观景·烤肉, or simply walk along Yitianmen Street — there are tons of spots along this stretch offering the exact same skyline view.
Day 5 - Ciqikou Old Town, Hongyadong, Qiansimen Bridge & Riverbank
Explore Ciqikou Old Town
Visit Hongyadong when the lights come on after sunset
Walk across Qiansimen Bridge
Take in the view from the Qiansimen Bridge Riverbank
Bonus:
Hop on a Yangtze River night cruise
Catch a drone show on Saturdays (9 pm)
Start your morning in Ciqikou Old Town (磁器口古镇), a cobblestone old town filled with shops, tea houses, street snacks, and winding stone staircases. It’s busy, but fun, and a great way to see a more traditional side of Chongqing. Wander through the small alleyways and see what fun food, drink, or souvenir you’ll find.
Around sunset, head back toward downtown and walk across Qiansimen Bridge (千厮门大桥) for a full skyline view. It connects straight into Hongyadong (洪崖洞), the iconic stilted building that lights up like a lantern at night.
End the night along the Qiansimen Bridge Riverbank (千厮门大桥江边), the wide, open riverbank where locals go to take photos and watch the boats drift by. This was easily one of our favorite spots at night. It felt surreal standing on this huge riverbank, big enough that you forget you’re in a city of millions, looking up in amazement at the skyline from the water.
If you want a different perspective, you can also take a Yangtze River night cruise, the skyline from the water is beautiful, and the boats are lit up in full on neon lights, which is especially fun to see from the riverbank.
If it’s a Saturday, stay for the drone show at 9 pm, over 11,000 drones lighting up the sky above the river.
Day 6 - Liziba Station, E’ling Park & Chongqing’s Best Viewpoint
Ride the train through a residential building at Liziba Station
Take a stroll through E’ling Park
Catch the best view of the Raffles City at the Glass Viewing Bridge
Start your morning at Liziba Station (李子坝站), the famous monorail stop where the train passes straight through a residential building.
Nearby, you’ll find E’ling Park (鹅岭公园), a quiet hilltop park with one of the best natural viewpoints in the city. It’s a short ride from Liziba and gives you a panoramic look at the rivers, bridges, and skyscrapers stacked into the mountains.
End your evening with a photo-op at this hidden gem: Eye Chongqing · Panoramic BBQ & Bar (眼重庆•全景烤肉餐酒吧). This Glass Viewing Platform gives you a clear shot of the most incredible skyline view of Chongqing, featuring a clear shot of the Raffles City Hotel. Conveniently located in a BBQ restaurant if you want to add on dinner or drinks while you’re there.
How to get there: Go to Nanbin Road Bell Tower Square, then look for the Himalaya Hotel Apartments. The panoramic BBQ bar is in that same area.
Where to Sleep
We split our stay between two locations/hotels, both central to all the major attractions.
A-Home Return Hotel: Centrally located right next to Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street, this hotel has 180° floor to ceiling window view of the skyline.
Yolo Skyline Riverview Designer Hotel: Centrally located near Hongyadong with skyline views and unique pools custom fitted in each room.
Where to Eat (Vegan Picks)
Jiefangbei Snack Street (解放碑小吃街) — vegan friendly street snacks and food halls featuring dumplings, noodles, and bingfen, the iced jelly dessert you’ll see everywhere
Suxinzai Vegetarian Buffet (素心斋自助餐厅) — fully vegan buffet right by Jiefangbei, cheap, busy, and very local
Donghua Temple Vegetarian Hot Pot (东华寺素食火锅) — Buddhist hotpot right next to the Donghua temple
Zhangjiajie (Days 7–10)
A surreal landscape of quartz-sandstone pillars that inspired Avatar’s floating mountains. These days cover the highlights of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain, with an option to dive deeper in the full guide below.
For a full guide to Zhangjiajie, check our detailed post here
How to Get There: Flight: 2.5 hours. High-Speed Train: 3 hours.
Day 7 - Arrive in Zhangjiajie & Settle In
Arrive and rest, the park is massive and deserves full energy
Get a map and orientation from your hotel staff
Most hotels here will sit you down with a full map, explain which loops to do, how to dodge crowds, what order to visit things in, and they’ll even factor in weather if it’s looking particularly stormy. If you’re staying at Pandora Boutique Hotel, breakfast is incredible, they accommodate vegan diets, and they’re walking distance to one of the quieter park entrances.
Day 8 - Hallelujah Mountain & Tianzi Mountain
Ride the Bailong Elevator up the cliff
Walk the Hallelujah Mountain Loop (Avatar peaks)
Continue to Tianzi Mountain lookout points
This loop covers the park’s most iconic viewpoints of the sandstone pillars. With eight different viewpoints (Yunqing Rock, Yubi Peak, Warrior Taming Horse, etc.), you can take it slow and adjust depending on crowds. Each viewpoint is just as incredible as the last.
Day 9 - Huangshizhai Loop & Golden Whip Stream
Take the Bailong Elevator (again)
Hike the Huangshizhai Loop (choose the 1 hour or 2 hour loop)
End the day at Golden Whip Stream
Huangshizhai overlooks the same mountains as Hallelujah but from a fresh angle. Golden Whip Stream is a calm forest trail along the river and the perfect slow finish to your park days.
Day 10 - Tianmen Mountain, Glass Walkways & Tianmen Cave
Cable car to the top of Tianmen Mountain
Follow the Red Path + the Glass Walkways
Walk to Tianmen Mountain Temple
Descend to Tianmen Cave
Optional: stay for the Tianmen light show
Tianmen’s glass walkways wrap around the cliffs and give you wild views straight into the forests below you. Stumble upon beautiful mountaintop temples and quiet viewpoints along the way. End your day at the Tianmen Cave light show. It starts around sunset and is worth seeing once.
Where to Sleep
We chose Pandora Boutique Hotel and it turned out to be the perfect base.
On arrival, they sit you down with a map and give you an orientation on the park: what loops to hit, when to go, how to dodge crowds. We’ll give you our exact itinerary here, but when in doubt, ask your hotel since they are experts.
Breakfast = steaming bowls of noodles and shumai dumplings. Dinner add-ons are available, and they happily accommodated our vegan diet (yay).
They’re walking distance to a bus that takes you straight to one of the quieter entrances. That saved us hours.
Avatar’s Mist Valley Hotel: Pool with sweeping mountain views. A relaxing spot when you want comfort close to nature.
Serenity Valley: Right on the edge of the park. Hot tubs, big views, and one of the few true in-park experiences.
Homeward Mountain Resort: Another cozy option inside the park that buys you time and quieter mornings.
Chengdu (Days 11–14)
Laidback and full of character, Chengdu is the perfect end to this trip, or the perfect kickoff point for your next destination if this isn’t your last stop. It’s slow yet interesting, with long teahouse afternoons, mellow neighborhoods, and some of the best food in China.
How to Get There: Flight: 1.5 hours direct from Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport (DYG). Train: 10–11 hours, overnight options available.
Day 11 - Chengdu’s Old Town
Check into your hotel and explore nearby cafés or street markets
Wander through one of Chengdu’s “old town” streets: Kuanzhai Alley (Wide & Narrow Alleys) or Jinli Ancient Street
Chengdu is incredibly walkable, so your first day is all about easing in. Kuanzhai Alley (宽窄巷子) and Jinli Ancient Street (锦里古街) are two of the city’s most charming streets, with stone pathways, shops, tea vendors, and snacks available while you wander around.
Day 12 - People’s Park, Traditional Teahouses, & Local Culture
Visit People’s Park and order a traditional tea service at Heming Teahouse
Wander through the Marriage Market
Try a local ear cleaning
Browse the shopping streets around Chunxi Road
Start your morning in People’s Park and grab a seat at Heming Teahouse, a lakefront teahouse tucked inside the park where locals spend hours playing cards, sipping hot tea, and getting ear cleanings (you should try it).
Weekends in this park include handmade craft stalls, the Marriage Market where locals pin up laminated dating profiles in search of love, couples practicing dancing by the lake, and teahouses serving hot brews and fresh snacks. It’s one of the most charming snapshots of everyday Chengdu.
Later in the day, wander toward Chunxi Road, the busy shopping district lined with cafés, street food, modern boutiques, and local snack stalls. Perfect for a slow afternoon stroll and people-watching.
Day 13 - Bike the Tianfu Greenway Loop
Bike part (or all) of the 100km Tianfu Greenway loop around Chengdu
Ride through wetlands, rice fields, parks, and scenic bridges
Choose a section or commit to the whole loop
Chengdu has a massive 100km bike loop circling the entire city, connecting 121 parks and crossing 78 scenic bridges. You ride through wetlands, rice fields, urban parks, countryside pockets, and neighborhoods full of shops and restaurants, all in one smooth loop.
The entire loop is incredibly wide and smooth, Chengdu spent around 6 billion USD building it.
How we’d break down the full loop:
12–3 o’clock: urban green parks
3–6 o’clock: lakes & wetlands
6–9 o’clock: countryside vibes
9–12 o’clock: cafés + scenic bridges
Tips:
Rent shared bikes anywhere along the Tianfu Greenway. Use Alipay or WeChat to scan and ride.
If you don’t want to commit to the full loop, pick one section and just ride. Each part feels completely different.
Day 14 - Tibetan Market & Riverside Drinks
Browse the Tibetan antique market for carved jade vessels, textiles, and home pieces
Visit Jiuyanqiao Bar Street for riverfront drinks with a view of Jiuyan Bridge
End your trip with a slow evening along the water
Start your morning at the Tibetan Market, one of the best places in the city to find carved jade vessels, embroidered textiles, and unique antiques. It’s lively without being overwhelming, and the vendors are friendly.
In the evening, head to Jiuyanqiao Bar Street, a riverfront strip of cafés and bars with views of Jiuyan Bridge lit up over the water. It’s perfect laidback evening to close out your China adventure.
Where to Sleep
We chose Chengdu E-Hotel, centrally located near many of Chengdu's attractions including Qintai Ancient Path, Shufeng Yayun Sichuan Opera House and Qingyang Taoist Temple
Where to Eat (Vegan Picks)
Yi Ye Yi Shijie Tibetan Vegetarian Hotpot (一叶一世界) — Fully vegetarian hotpot
Chanyue Vegetarian (禅悦素食) — Upscale Michelin Guide vegetarian restaurant
China surprises you in the best ways. The people are kind, the food is unreal, and the mix of old and new feels different in every city. One day you’re having tea next to a marriage market in Chengdu, the next you’re on the Great Wall outside Beijing, nothing ever feels the same twice.
If you’re planning your trip, check out:
