Beijing to Kunming: Undiscovered China (Self-Launched)
14 days · China
G Adventures charges £2,010
No-markup version: ~£1,280 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-friendly version of G Adventures' 14-day Beijing to Kunming route. Hit the must-sees — the Mutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors and Chengdu's pandas — then follow the slow road south through Lijiang, Shaxi and Dali to Kunming. All travel is done on China's excellent public transport (high-speed rail, sleeper trains, buses, metro) with hostel and guesthouse stays. Roughly a third of the guided tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Beijing
Beijing
Land at Beijing Capital or Daxing airport and take the Airport Express or metro into the city. Check into a hostel in the Dongcheng area near the Hutongs — good for walking and connecting with other backpackers. In the evening take an orientation wander around Nanluoguxiang, grab a cheap jianbing or bowl of noodles, and sort your rail tickets (12306 app or Trip.com) for the days ahead.
🚌Airport Express + metro, ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm in Dongcheng, ~£12/night
- →Airport Express into the city
- →Self-guided hutong orientation walk
- →Street food dinner
Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City
Beijing
Book your Forbidden City ticket online in advance through the official WeChat/website (passport required, released ~7 days ahead). Walk the length of Tiananmen Square first, then spend 3-4 hours inside the Forbidden City. In the afternoon explore the Temple of Heaven or climb the Drum and Bell Towers for the classic Beijing views — both are pay-on-the-door, cheap, and easy to reach by metro.
🚌Metro all day, ~£2
🛏Hostel dorm in Dongcheng, ~£12/night
- →Tiananmen Square
- →Forbidden City (pre-booked, ~£8)
- →Temple of Heaven or Drum & Bell Towers (~£4 each)
- →Hutong wander
Mutianyu Great Wall & overnight train
Beijing to Xi'an
Skip the crowded Badaling section and head to Mutianyu. Take a tourist bus or the 916 bus from Dongzhimen to Huairou then a shuttle, or book a shared minivan seat via a hostel or Dianping (~£15). Buy your wall ticket at the gate and consider the cable car up. Return to Beijing late afternoon, store your bag, then board an overnight sleeper train to Xi'an.
🚌Shared minivan/bus to Mutianyu ~£15; overnight hard sleeper Beijing-Xi'an ~£28
🛏Overnight train, hard/soft sleeper
- →Mutianyu Great Wall (ticket ~£6)
- →Cable car optional ~£12
- →Overnight train experience
Arrive Xi'an
Xi'an
Arrive early morning and walk or metro to your hostel near the Bell Tower inside the city walls. Drop bags and do a self-guided loop of the walls, Drum and Bell Towers, and the Muslim Quarter for lunch — the street food here (roujiamo, yangrou paomo) is some of China's best. Evening wander around the illuminated South Gate.
🚌Metro from station, ~£1
🛏Hostel dorm in Xi'an, ~£11/night
- →Xi'an city wall (rent a bike, ~£5)
- →Bell & Drum Tower
- →Muslim Quarter food crawl
Terracotta Warriors
Xi'an
Take bus 306/游5 from Xi'an Railway Station to the Terracotta Warriors (~£1, 1 hour). Buy entry at the gate (~£13) and either hire a licensed guide on site (~£12 shared) or rent an audio guide. Spend half a day across the three pits, then return to the city for a relaxed evening and prep for tomorrow's train.
🚌Public bus 306 return ~£2
🛏Hostel dorm in Xi'an, ~£11/night
- →Terracotta Warriors archaeological site
- →Optional on-site guide/audio guide
Xi'an to Chengdu
Xi'an to Chengdu
Take a high-speed train from Xi'an North to Chengdu (~4 hours, ~£35 booked via 12306/Trip.com). Check into a hostel near Chunxi Road, then spend the late afternoon in the lively People's Park teahouses — order a cup of jasmine tea and just people-watch. Dinner of authentic Sichuan hotpot (ask for mild if you need it).
🚌High-speed train Xi'an-Chengdu ~£35
🛏Hostel dorm in Chengdu, ~£12/night
- →People's Park teahouse
- →Sichuan hotpot dinner
Chengdu pandas & Jinli Street
Chengdu
Go early — gates open around 07:30 and pandas are most active in the morning. Take metro line 3 plus a short bus/taxi to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (~£7 entry). Afternoon: Jinli Ancient Street and Wenshu Monastery, or book a Sichuan cooking class through GetYourGuide (~£30) if you want the full foodie hit.
🚌Metro + short taxi, ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm in Chengdu, ~£12/night
- →Chengdu Panda Base (~£7)
- →Jinli Ancient Street
- →Optional Sichuan cooking class ~£30
Chengdu to Lijiang
Chengdu to Lijiang
Fly Chengdu to Lijiang (roughly 1.5 hours, ~£60 booked early on Trip.com/Spring or Air China) or take the slower overnight train via Kunming if you'd rather save money. On arrival, settle into a guesthouse inside Lijiang Old Town — the north end near the waterwheels is quieter. Evening stroll of the lantern-lit lanes.
🚌Budget flight Chengdu-Lijiang ~£60 (or overnight train via Kunming ~£25)
🛏Old Town guesthouse, ~£16/night
- →Lijiang Old Town evening wander
Lijiang Old Town & Naxi culture
Lijiang
Spend the day exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town on foot — the cobbled lanes, canals and Naxi minority culture are best seen slowly (entry/maintenance fee ~£5). Visit Black Dragon Pool for the classic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain backdrop, and optionally hire a local guide or cycle out to Baisha village.
🚌Walking + local taxi, ~£4
🛏Old Town guesthouse, ~£16/night
- →Lijiang Old Town walk
- →Black Dragon Pool (~£5)
- →Optional Baisha village & Naxi embroidery
Shaxi old town
Shaxi
Take a local bus from Lijiang to Shaxi (~3 hours, ~£6). This tiny former tea-horse road town is one of Yunnan's best-kept secrets. Walk the old market square and Sideng Street, visit the Ming-era theatre stage and temples, and watch village life unfold. Stay the night in a small family guesthouse.
🚌Public bus Lijiang-Shaxi ~£6
🛏Shaxi family guesthouse, ~£14/night
- →Shaxi market square & theatre stage
- →Temple walk
- →Village wander
Shaxi to Dali
Dali
Bus to Dali (~4 hours, ~£8), checking into Dali Old Town or by the lake at Xizhou. Spend the afternoon around Erhai Lake — rent a bike or scooter to ride the lakeside paths and pass through Bai minority villages with their white-washed, painted houses.
🚌Public bus Shaxi-Dali ~£8
🛏Dali Old Town guesthouse, ~£15/night
- →Erhai Lake bike ride (~£4 hire)
- →Bai villages
- →Dali Old Town
Dali downtime & Cangshan foothills
Dali
A slower day: hike part of the Cangshan mountain trails or take the cable car, browse the old town's bars and markets, and eat your share of Dali's Yunnan specialties. This is the flex day in the itinerary — use it to catch up, rest, or extend in Dali if you're loving it.
🚌Walking + taxi, ~£4
🛏Dali Old Town guesthouse, ~£15/night
- →Cangshan foothill walk or cable car (~£10)
- →Dali Old Town markets
- →Local Yunnan dinner
Dali to Kunming
Kunming
Take the high-speed train or overnight service from Dali to Kunming (~2-4 hours, ~£20). In Kunming explore Green Lake Park, the Yunnan Provincial Museum, and the Bird and Flower Market. If you have a spare half-day, day-trip to the Stone Forest (~£25 return with entry) or the Western Hills.
🚌High-speed train Dali-Kunming ~£20
🛏Kunming hostel/hotel, ~£15/night
- →Green Lake Park
- →Yunnan Provincial Museum (free)
- →Bird & Flower Market
Depart Kunming
Kunming
Final morning in Kunming — a last coffee and pastry at a local bakery, then head to Changshui Airport by metro line 6 (cheap and quick) for your onward flight. That's the full Beijing-to-Kunming route done entirely on your own terms.
🚌Metro line 6 to airport, ~£1
🛏—
- →Final morning wander
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,280 | £2,010 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £730 per person (36%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,280
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Beijing to Kunming: Undiscovered China (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,280 per person for 14 days in China. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,010 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,280 — a saving of roughly £730 (36%) per person.
How long is the China trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through China.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, budget trip through China, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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