15-Day China Itinerary & Cost: Beijing–Xi'an (October)

Budget$6,000·Duration15 days·TierStandard·InOctober·Travelers2 adults · 1 senior · 1 child <6

Forbidden City and Great Wall in Beijing, Terracotta Warriors Museum and City Wall in Xi'an, Chimelong Resort and Canton Tower in Guangzhou — 15 days for $6,184.

This 15-day Standard trip covers Beijing (5 nights), Xi'an (5 nights), Guangzhou (4 nights) — connected by domestic flights.

Beijing: Forbidden City, Great Wall (Badaling), Prince Gong's Mansion; flight to Xi'an (1h 54m, $133). Xi'an: Terracotta Warriors Museum, Huaqing Hot Springs, Song of Everlasting Regret (Show); flight to Guangzhou (2h 31m, $166). Guangzhou: Chimelong Safari Park, Chimelong Resort, Canton Tower.

Estimated total: $6,184 for one traveler on a Standard budget — hotels average $132/night, with meals, inter-city transport, and attraction tickets included.

Cost breakdown (1 traveler, Standard)

CategoryCNY
Stay¥12,506
Food¥8,663
Transit¥6,060
City transit¥1,890
Attractions¥5,652
Total¥41,725

What to eat

Beijing
  • Peking roast duck
    北京烤鸭 · Běijīng kǎoyā
  • Noodles in fried bean sauce
    炸酱面 · Zhájiàng miàn
  • Stewed offal with flatbread
    卤煮火烧 · Lǔzhǔ huǒshāo
Xi'an
  • Braised pork in flatbread
    肉夹馍 · Ròujiāmó
  • Cold skin noodles
    凉皮 · Liángpí
  • Lamb stew with torn flatbread
    羊肉泡馍 · Yángròu pàomó
Guangzhou
  • Morning dim sum
    早茶点心 · Zǎochá diǎnxīn
  • Roast goose
    烧鹅 · Shāo'é
  • Poached sliced chicken
    白切鸡 · Báiqiē jī

Beijing itinerary

5 nights in Beijing on this route — the attractions below are priced into the estimate.

Full Beijing travel guide →

Next leg: Beijing to Xi'anFlight · 1h 54m · $133

Xi'an itinerary

5 nights in Xi'an on this route — the attractions below are priced into the estimate.

Full Xi'an travel guide →

Next leg: Xi'an to GuangzhouFlight · 2h 31m · $166

Guangzhou itinerary

4 nights in Guangzhou on this route — the attractions below are priced into the estimate.

Full Guangzhou travel guide →
Use this route as my trip template →Plan (Off-peak)
BeijingShanghaiGuangzhouShenzhenChengduHangzhouChongqingWuhanXi'anSuzhouNanjingTianjinZhengzhouChangshaQingdaoDongguanNingboHefeiShenyangXiamenKunmingFuzhouDalianHarbinJinanChangchunTaiyuanNanchangNanningGuiyangLanzhouHaikouXiningYinchuanHohhotShijiazhuangWuxiUrumqiLhasaGuilinSanyaPingyaoLijiangDaliZhangjiajieHuangshanFenghuangShangri-LaDunhuangKashgarYangshuoWuyishanXitangWuzhenJiuzhaigouEmeishanWudangshanTai'anQufuChengdeDatongLuoyangQinhuangdaoYantaiQuanzhouYichangZhangyeBeihaiZhuhaiWeihaiYangzhouChangzhouXuzhouShaoxingWenzhouJingdezhenGanzhouZhongshanChaozhouZhanjiangKaifengYueyangBaotouLeshanDujiangyanXishuangbannaTengchongAnshunXingyiJiayuguanTianshuiTurpanYiningYanjiManzhouliHong KongMacauTaipeiKaohsiungTaichungBeijingShanghaiGuangzhouShenzhenChengduHangzhouChongqingWuhanXi'anSuzhouNanjingTianjinZhengzhouChangshaQingdaoDongguanNingboHefeiShenyangXiamenKunmingFuzhouDalianHarbinJinanChangchunTaiyuanNanchangNanningGuiyangLanzhouHaikouXiningYinchuanHohhotShijiazhuangWuxiUrumqiLhasaGuilinSanyaPingyaoLijiangDaliZhangjiajieHuangshanFenghuangShangri-LaDunhuangKashgarYangshuoWuyishanXitangWuzhenJiuzhaigouEmeishanWudangshanTai'anQufuChengdeDatongLuoyangQinhuangdaoYantaiQuanzhouYichangZhangyeBeihaiZhuhaiWeihaiYangzhouChangzhouXuzhouShaoxingWenzhouJingdezhenGanzhouZhongshanChaozhouZhanjiangKaifengYueyangBaotouLeshanDujiangyanXishuangbannaTengchongAnshunXingyiJiayuguanTianshuiTurpanYiningYanjiManzhouliHong KongMacauTaipeiKaohsiungTaichung
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CHINA TRAVEL ITINERARY
中国之旅
October · Standard · 4 people · 14 nights
🔴
Extreme Peak SeasonNational Day Golden Week (Oct 1–7)
Hotel rates up to ×2.3 above baseline. Extremely high crowd levels — book accommodation and transport well in advance.
Beijing
Beijing
5 nights
Highlights
Forbidden City¥60Great Wall (Badaling)¥40Prince Gong's Mansion¥40Temple of Heaven¥34Summer Palace¥50Great Wall (Mutianyu)¥45Old Summer Palace¥10Olympic ParkFreeMing Tombs¥30
🏨 $47.57 (CN¥321)/night×1.9🍜 $12.00 (CN¥81)/meal🚇 $8.89 (CN¥60)/day🎫 $45.79 (CN¥309) admission
✈ Flight
1h 54m · $133.38 (CN¥900)
Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an
5 nights
Highlights
Terracotta Warriors Museum¥120Huaqing Hot Springs¥118Xi'an Ancient City Wall¥54Tang Paradise¥120Daming Palace National Heritage Park¥60Xi'an Beilin Museum (Forest of Stone Steles)¥10Song of Everlasting Regret (Show)¥269Shaanxi History MuseumFreeXi'an MuseumFree
🏨 $19.12 (CN¥129)/night×1.8🍜 $10.52 (CN¥71)/meal🚇 $8.89 (CN¥60)/day🎫 $111.30 (CN¥751) admission
✈ Flight
2h 31m · $165.98 (CN¥1,120)
Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou
4 nights
Highlights
Chimelong Resort¥300Mount Baiyun¥5Chimelong Safari Park¥300Canton Tower¥149Chen Clan Ancestral Hall¥10Guangdong Science Center¥60Grandview Mall Tourist Area (Guangzhou)Free
🏨 $32.90 (CN¥222)/night×2.3🍜 $10.67 (CN¥72)/meal🚇 $8.89 (CN¥60)/day🎫 $122.12 (CN¥824) admission
I have
$6,000.00 (CN¥40,486)
Estimated Total
$6,183.64 (CN¥41,725)
Over budget
$183.64
Estimated Total
$6,183.64 (CN¥41,725)
Stay $1,853.39 (CN¥12,506) · Food $1,283.86 (CN¥8,663) · Transit $898.09 (CN¥6,060) · City transit $280.10 (CN¥1,890) · Attractions $837.63 (CN¥5,652) · Misc $1,030.58 (CN¥6,954)
Estimates only. Actual costs may vary. · 1000usdinchina.com
Use this route as my trip template →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is $6,184 enough for a 15-day Beijing-Xi'an-Guangzhou trip?

Yes, $6,184 is a realistic budget for 15 days on a Standard tier. This covers accommodation, food, inter-city transport, and major attractions.

What is the best time to visit Beijing-Xi'an-Guangzhou?

Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are the best times to visit. Avoid Chinese national holidays (Golden Week in October and May) as crowds and prices surge.

How many days do I need for this Beijing-Xi'an-Guangzhou route?

This route is designed for 15 days: Beijing (5 nights), Xi'an (5 nights), Guangzhou (4 nights).

Is October a good time for this route?

October is a recommended time for this route. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) generally offer the best conditions across China.

What visa do I need for this trip?

Most visitors need a Chinese tourist (L) visa. Many nationalities qualify for 72/144-hour visa-free transit through major hubs — check your passport's eligibility.

How does this route compare to a longer version?

Adding 3 more days typically adds about $2,400–$3,600 for extra nights and one more high-speed rail leg.

CompareThis 15-day trip ($6,000) versus a 18-day extension (~$9,000) — the longer version adds another city and one more HSR leg.
Beijing → Shanghai → Guangzhou · 15 Days

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