Beijing to Hong Kong: Great Wall & Warriors (Self-Launched)

Land at Beijing Capital or Daxing and get to your hostel. The Airport Express train runs to Dongzhimen (¥25, ~£2.80) — bus 919 to the city is even cheaper if you're not in a rush. Check into a Dongcheng or Gulou hostel (dorms £10-15 a night). Download a VPN before you arrive (Gmail, WhatsApp and most Western apps are blocked), get a Chinese eSIM or cash SIM, and take a wander through the hutongs around Nanluoguxiang. Grab Beijing duck or jianbing from a street stall for your first dinner.

🚌Airport Express train ¥25 (~£3)

🛏Hostel dorm, Dongcheng/Gulou (£10-15)

• →Hutong wander around Nanluoguxiang
• →Street food dinner

The headline day. Take a direct tourist shuttle bus from Qianmen (public shuttle, ¥40 return, departing ~8am) or pre-book a shared minibus via Klook/GetYourGuide if you want flexibility (from ~£18). Mutianyu entry is ¥40, plus the cable car (¥100-140) or toboggan down. Climb between the 22 watchtowers for the ridge views without the crowds of Badaling. Back in town by late afternoon — swing past Tiananmen Square (free, ID needed) or the Forbidden City if timed right, then a kung fu show in the evening at the Red Theatre (~£18) if you have energy.

🚌Shared tourist shuttle bus ¥40 return (~£4.50)

🛏Hostel dorm, Beijing (£10-15)

• →Mutianyu Great Wall (entry ¥40)
• →Optional cable car / toboggan (¥100-140)
• →Tiananmen Square (free)
• →Optional kung fu show (~£18)

Spend the morning at the Temple of Heaven (¥34) — arrive early to watch locals doing tai chi in the park — or the Summer Palace (¥30-60) if you prefer lakes and gardens. Late afternoon, head to Beijing West station for the overnight hard-sleeper train to Xi'an (Z-class, roughly 13-14 hrs, ¥270-280 for a hard sleeper lower bunk). Book on the Trip.com app or 12306 a couple of days ahead, especially around Golden Week. Bring snacks and earplugs — hard sleepers are six-bunk open bays.

🚌Z-class sleeper train Beijing West → Xi'an, ¥270-280 (~£30)

🛏Overnight hard-sleeper train (~£30)

• →Temple of Heaven (¥34) or Summer Palace
• →Tai chi watching in Temple of Heaven park

Arrive early and drop bags at a hostel inside the city walls (dorms £8-13). Head straight to the Terracotta Warriors by public bus 306/5 from the east station or the metro + shuttle (¥7), entry ¥120. Book an English-speaking guide on GetYourGuide (~£20-25) or use the audio guide — the pits are genuinely better with context. Evening in the Muslim Quarter: get lost in the food stalls along Beiyuanmen for roujiamo, yangrou paomo and biangbiang noodles (~£6-8 total).

🚌Local bus/metro to Terracotta Warriors ¥7 (~£0.80)

🛏Hostel dorm inside the city walls (£8-13)

• →Terracotta Warriors entry ¥120
• →Optional guided tour (~£22)
• →Muslim Quarter food crawl

Rent a bike on top of the Ming city walls (¥45 + ¥45 hire = ~£10) and do the full 14km loop — best late afternoon for the sunset. See the Great Mosque (¥25) tucked in the Muslim Quarter, and the Bell and Drum Towers (¥50 combined) if you want the classic view. In the evening, round up other hostel guests for a private karaoke room (KTV rooms are cheap in China, often ¥80-150 an hour split between a group) and sing your heart out — the G Adventures version is a group karaoke night too, just do it yourself.

🚌Walking / local bus

🛏Hostel dorm, Xi'an (£8-13)

• →Cycle the city walls ¥90 (~£10)
• →Great Mosque ¥25
• →Bell & Drum Towers ¥50
• →Karaoke night (~£8 shared)

Take a morning G-class high-speed train from Xi'an North to Shanghai Hongqiao (6-7 hrs, second class ¥515-560 / ~£58). Book on Trip.com — trains sell out on holidays. Arrive late afternoon and check into a hostel around the Bund or French Concession (dorms £12-18). In the evening, watch the Pudong skyline light up from the Bund for free, or catch a Shanghai acrobatics show (~£25-35) — the Shanghai Circus World/era acrobatics performances are the classic.

🚌G-class high-speed train Xi'an → Shanghai, ¥515-560 (~£58)

🛏Hostel dorm, Shanghai (£12-18)

• →Bund evening light show (free)
• →Optional acrobatics show (~£30)

Do the orientation walk yourself: start at the Bund for the colonial architecture in daylight, walk to People's Park and Nanjing Road, then into the Old Town around Yuyuan Gardens (¥40, or free to wander the bazaar lanes). The Shanghai Museum is free and superb. Afternoon option: ferry across the Huangpu (¥2) to Pudong or up the Oriental Pearl Tower (¥220) — the free rooftop bars in the French Concession are arguably better value. Dinner of xiaolongbao at a local shop (~£4).

🚌Metro day pass ~¥18 (~£2)

🛏Hostel dorm, Shanghai (£12-18)

• →Self-guided Bund & Old Town walk
• →Yuyuan Garden ¥40
• →Shanghai Museum (free)
• →Optional Oriental Pearl Tower ¥220

Take metro line 17 from Hongqiao to Zhujiajiao (~¥7, 40 mins) for the 'Venice of Shanghai'. Entry to the village is free; a boat ride through the canals is ¥60-100 and worth it. Wander the stone bridges and old lanes, eat sticky rice cakes, then head back to the city for the evening. Alternatively stay in Shanghai — the Propaganda Poster Art Centre or a French Concession café crawl are lovely quiet alternatives.

🚌Metro line 17 return ~¥14 (~£1.60)

🛏Hostel dorm, Shanghai (£12-18)

• →Zhujiajiao water village (free entry)
• →Canal boat ride ¥60-100
• →French Concession wander

Morning free for a last Shanghai wander, then board a G-class bullet train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Wuyishan North or Wuyishan East (approx 3.5-4 hrs, second class ~¥240-280 / ~£28). Check into a guesthouse or hostel in the resort town below the reserve (£10-16) — small family guesthouses are the norm here. Eat a plate of Fujian-style noodles and turn in early for a big hiking day.

🚌G-class train Shanghai → Wuyishan, ¥240-280 (~£28)

🛏Guesthouse/hostel, Wuyishan (£10-16)

• →Last Shanghai wander
• →Evening walk in Wuyishan resort town

Full day in the UNESCO Wuyishan reserve. The combined scenic-area ticket is ¥140-225 depending on the package; the classic is Tianyou Peak (Heavenly Tour Peak) — a steep stair climb into the mist with a valley view, plus the Jiuqu (Nine Bend) Stream. Bamboo rafting on the Nine Bend Stream (¥130-180, book the day before at the ticket office or via a local agent) is the highlight and takes about 90 minutes. Bring water and snacks — food inside the park is limited and pricey.

🚌Local bus/taxi to reserve entrance (~£2)

🛏Guesthouse/hostel, Wuyishan (£10-16)

• →Wuyishan reserve ticket ¥140-225
• →Tianyou Peak hike
• →Nine Bend Stream bamboo raft ¥130-180

Morning G-class train to Xiamen North (approx 2-2.5 hrs, ¥150-190 / ~£17). Check into a hostel near Zhongshan Road (£10-16), then walk the colonial streets and take the ferry to Gulangyu Island — book the ferry online in advance (¥35-50 return) as daily visitor numbers are capped; the island is pedestrian-only and the UNESCO-listed old consulates and villas are lovely. Climb Sunlight Rock (¥50) for the 360° view and relax in Shuzhuang Garden. Evening on Zhongshan Road for seafood and shaved-ice desserts.

🚌G-class train Wuyishan → Xiamen ~¥170 (~£19); ferry to Gulangyu ¥35-50

🛏Hostel, Xiamen (£10-16)

• →Gulangyu ferry ¥35-50
• →Sunlight Rock ¥50
• →Shuzhuang Garden
• →Zhongshan Road evening

This is the local-transport adventure of the trip. Take the long-distance bus from Xiamen's Hubin or Fanghu bus station to Yongding/Hukeng (approx 3-3.5 hrs, ¥50-60), then a local minibus or taxi for the last stretch to Hongkeng village (~¥20-30). Alternatively pre-book a shared transfer via Klook from Xiamen. Pay the Yongding tulou scenic-area ticket (¥90, covers the cluster) and check into a tulou guesthouse — several roundhouses rent simple twin/dorm rooms to travellers for £10-18 a night. Stroll down to Hongchuan Creek at sunset.

🚌Long-distance bus Xiamen → Yongding ¥50-60; local minibus ¥20-30

🛏Tulou guesthouse (twin/dorm share), Hongkeng (£10-18)

• →Yongding tulou scenic ticket ¥90
• →Sunset at Hongchuan Creek

Slow day. Walk the village circuit of roundhouses and square tulou — Chuxi and Hongkeng's Chengqi Lou (the 'King of Tulou') are the stars — and take a short guided tour of one of the family-run buildings (locals charge ¥20-50 for an informal tour, and tea is usually free). Chat with the Hakka families, try local rice wine and home-cooked Hakka food, and watch village life go by. This is the closest thing on the itinerary to a homestay experience, and it costs you almost nothing.

🚌Walking

🛏Tulou guesthouse, Hongkeng (£10-18)

• →Chengqi Lou and Hongkeng cluster walk
• →Optional local tulou tour ¥20-50
• →Hakka home-cooked meal (~£5)

Local minibus back to Yongding, then the long-distance bus or a high-speed train from Longyan to Xiamen (train ~1 hr, ¥60-100). Spend the afternoon at Nanputuo Temple (free) and the beach at Gulangyu-facing Xiamen University (note: campus visits need pre-booking). Seafood dinner at the Shapowei district — pick your fish and have it cooked (~£8).

🚌Minibus + bus or train back to Xiamen (~£8-12)

🛏Hostel, Xiamen (£10-16)

• →Nanputuo Temple (free)
• →Shapowei seafood dinner

Morning G-class train from Xiamen North to Hong Kong West Kowloon (approx 4-4.5 hrs, ~¥350-400 / ~£40) — there are direct services and you clear immigration at West Kowloon. Alternatively, go via Shenzhen and cross at Futian/Luohu. Note: you'll need a Hong Kong entry stamp — most Western passports get 90 days visa-free. Check into a hostel in Jordan or Mong Kok (£15-22 dorm), then hit Temple Street Night Market for claypot rice and seafood, and ride the Star Ferry (HK$4-5) across the harbour after dark.

🚌G-class train Xiamen → Hong Kong West Kowloon ~¥375 (~£42); Star Ferry HK$5

🛏Hostel dorm, Jordan/Mong Kok (£15-22)

• →Temple Street Night Market
• →Star Ferry crossing
• →Kowloon harbourfront promenade

Final day. Ride the Peak Tram up Victoria Peak for the skyline view (~£6), walk the Mid-Levels escalators, or take a cheap bus to a beach on the south side. Do laundry at a street laundry shop (as the tour does on its final day). Fly out from Hong Kong International — the Airport Express is HK$115 (~£11) and takes 24 minutes, or bus A21 from Nathan Road is HK$33 and just as easy.

🚌Airport Express HK$115 (~£11) or bus A21 HK$33

🛏—

• →Victoria Peak & Peak Tram (~£6)
• →Mid-Levels walk
• →Optional south-side beach