From the Great Wall to Hong Kong harbour

Beijing's axis and the Forbidden City, the Great Wall at Badaling as the gate opens, Shanghai's Bund and the harbour of Hong Kong.

Day by day Open the itinerary in the app

Beijing → Badaling → Shanghai → Hong Kong · 11–13 days

The route on the map, in the itinerary’s order.

ChinaBeijing
Days
4
When
Sep–Oct
Per person/day
Average 40–70 USDMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
ChinaBadaling
Days
1–2
When
Sep–Oct
Per person/day
Average 100–250 JPYMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
ChinaShanghai
Days
3
When
Sep–Nov
Per person/day
Average 450–900 CNYMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
China (Hong Kong SAR)Hong Kong
Days
3–4
When
Oct–Dec
Per person/day
Average 700–1,400 HK$Mid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.

Who it is for

For a first trip to China combining Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, with a visit to the Great Wall from Beijing.

Not for anyone who wants a slow pace, since there are three megacities and long journeys.

The strategy

Beijing comes first because the Great Wall at Badaling is a day trip from there; the climb happens early, right when the gate opens. Shanghai and Hong Kong follow, each one further south.

What you will see

Forbidden City, Beijing. Imperial palace built between 1406 and 1420, with 72 hectares and about 980 buildings, home to 24 Ming and Qing emperors until 1924 and a World Heritage Site since 1987.
Beibalou: North Tower 8, Badaling. The highest point of the section, at 1,015 m, about 1 km of stairs from the north gate.
The Bund, Shanghai. About 1.5km of riverside promenade on the west bank of the Huangpu, with 52 buildings put up between 1900 and 1937.
Victoria Peak, Hong Kong. The funicular has run since 1888 and got sixth-generation cars in August 2022, carrying up to 210 passengers per trip on the 1.4-km climb to the top of Victoria Peak.

Day by day