A China 13 day itinerary is the sweet spot we recommend to travelers who have two weeks of annual leave plus a weekend on either end. The extra two days over a standard eleven-day loop let you add Hangzhou’s West Lake without cutting anything else, so the pace stays gentle. On a trip we ran last spring, the group told us the Hangzhou stop was the unexpected highlight — slow boat rides and Longjing tea they could actually taste at the source. This deeper China 13 days plan covers Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, with real prices and trains bookable right now, plus the practical notes we hand every group before they fly.
Days 1–3: Beijing, the Capital Layer Cake
Fly into Beijing and give yourself three full days. The Airport Express train into town is 25–30 RMB and takes 25 minutes; we tell clients to skip the taxi queue and take the train, then a DiDi for the last mile. Stay around Wangfujing for first-timers (hotels from 400 RMB) or Gulou for character (guesthouses from 250 RMB). Day one is the Forbidden City (entry 60 RMB peak, 40 RMB off-peak; timed slots open three days ahead through the museum portal) and Tiananmen Square, then a hutong dinner in Gulou for zhajiangmian noodles around 38 RMB a bowl. Day two is the Mutianyu Great Wall — 8 AM shuttle from Dongzhimen (45 RMB plus 15 RMB bus), cable car up and toboggan down (100 RMB each way), with snacks packed because mountaintop food is bland. Day three is the Summer Palace (30–60 RMB depending on ticket) and the 798 Art Zone, ending with Peking duck (180–260 RMB for two at Siji Minfu).
The best season here is April–May or September–October. We’ve sent clients in July and the 35°C+ heat made the Wall miserable; winter is crisp but the northern wind bites. For date planning, our best time to visit China breaks down each region month by month.
Days 4–5: Xi’an, Where the Silk Road Started
The high-speed G-train from Beijing West to Xi’an North takes about 4.5 hours and costs 515–935 RMB; we book second class at 515 RMB. Day four is the Terracotta Warriors (120 RMB with shuttle) — arrive at the 8:30 opening to beat the tour buses, and take the official 30 RMB audio guide rather than the touts. Evening is the Muslim Quarter’s lamb skewers (8–12 RMB each), persimmon cakes (5 RMB), and biangbiang noodles. Day five is the Xi’an City Wall (54 RMB; bike rental 45 RMB for the 13.7 km loop) and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda fountains in the evening; if legs are tired, electric carts (80 RMB) do the circuit.
Days 6–7: Chengdu, Pandas and Slow Mornings
The Xi’an–Chengdu F-class train is a flat 3 hours (263–398 RMB). Day six is the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (55 RMB; before 9 AM for feeding) and the Wenshu Monastery teahouse (20 RMB tea). In the afternoon walk Jinli Street for glutinous rice cakes (10 RMB) and watch the street performers. Day seven is the Sanxingdui Museum (72 RMB, in Guanghan, 40 minutes by bus) or a Kuanzhai alley cooking class (from 280 RMB). We also send clients to People’s Park for a 30 RMB ear-cleaning session — odd, but a real Chengdu ritual. Hotpot runs 120–180 RMB per head; order the yuan yang half-and-half pot if you’re spice-shy.
Days 8–9: Guilin and Yangshuo, the Karst Dream
A morning flight Chengdu–Guilin is 1.5 hours and 600–900 RMB booked early. Day eight is the Li River cruise (210–360 RMB, 4 hours to Yangshuo), the view on the 20 RMB note. Rent an e-bike (40 RMB/day) for the Yulong River bamboo raft (200 RMB). Day nine is rock climbing or the Impression Liu Sanjie show (320 RMB); if rain hits, Reed Flute Cave (90 RMB) is a dry, lit limestone cavern 20 minutes from Guilin. West Street in Yangshuo fills with bars at night — fine for a beer (20 RMB) but quiet by 11 PM.
Days 10–11: Hangzhou, the West Lake Pause
Fly Guilin–Hangzhou (2 hours, 500–750 RMB). Two days here is the whole point of the China 13 day route. Day ten is a boat on West Lake (70 RMB for the public electric boat, 150 RMB for the self-rowed version) and a walk through the surrounding gardens, then the Hefang Street snack lane for Longjing shrimp (68 RMB) and lotus root cakes. Day eleven is a morning at the Longjing tea terraces in Meijiawu village (most family farms offer a 30–50 RMB tasting and will mail tea home), and the Lingyin Temple (75 RMB including the Feilai Peak carvings). We’ve found the lake at 7 AM, before the tour groups, is when Hangzhou actually shows itself.
Days 12–13: Shanghai, the Modern Finish
The high-speed train Hangzhou–Shanghai takes just 45 minutes (73 RMB) — the shortest hop on the whole trip. Two days: the Bund at night, Yu Garden (40 RMB), the former French Concession, and the Shanghai Museum (free). Ride the Maglev from Pudong airport (50 RMB) for the 300 km/h novelty. Our best things to do in China lists the Pearl Tower and the Propaganda Poster Art Centre if you want more. For the train legs, our China high speed train guide for foreigners explains the real-name system.
If eleven days felt too short, this best China 13 day trip is the natural step up; the China 12 day itinerary is a tighter version, and our China 2 week itinerary adds Zhangjiajie for those with a full fourteen days. For first-timers, start with the China travel guide for first timers. When travelers ask us how to spend 13 days in China without rushing, this is the China 13 day travel plan we hand over, and every hotel and train on it is bookable today.
Is This Route Right for You?
This China 13 day travel plan suits travelers with a full two weeks who still want a gentle pace, and it’s our default for honeymooners and older couples because the Hangzhou stop breaks up the city-heavy start. The China 13 day route adds West Lake without dropping anything from the eleven-day version, so you get more scenery for only two extra days. If you’ve already seen Shanghai, swap it for Zhangjiajie using our two-week plan. We’ve run this loop for families with teens who loved the panda base and the Li River raft most. When people ask how to spend 13 days in China with margin to breathe, this best China 13 day trip is the one we hand over, and every train and flight on it is bookable this week.
Practical Tips for the Whole Route
Carry your passport everywhere — hotels and most ticket counters check it against the booking name. Download Alipay before you land; it handles subway QR codes, DiDi rides, and most small vendors, and it links to foreign cards now. For trains, book through the official 12306 platform three to seven days ahead, because the Beijing–Xi’an and Xi’an–Chengdu legs sell out in peak weeks. We tell every group to pack a refillable bottle and a light daypack, since the walking is constant even on “rest” days. Cash is rarely needed but keep 200 RMB for the occasional market stall. Most importantly, leave one buffer afternoon — the best meals we’ve found were unplanned, in a lane we hadn’t mapped.
What the Whole Loop Costs
A mid-range solo traveler should budget about 9,500–12,500 RMB excluding international flights: hotels (500–700 RMB/night) roughly 6,500 RMB, trains and two internal flights about 2,800 RMB, attractions about 1,100 RMB, and food (120–200 RMB/day) about 1,600 RMB. Sharing a room drops the per-person hotel cost sharply. We’ve watched clients keep it under 1,100 RMB/day by eating in local lanes and taking second-class trains.
Before you go
Carry your passport everywhere — hotels and most ticket counters check it. For official rail schedules and seat availability, see the China Railway official site (English version).