Tips & Answers · Community post
Help needed with our first China trip in May 2027
A couple planning a three-week first China trip asks whether their Chongqing, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Xi'an, Luoyang and Beijing route is too ambitious.
angii gausShared Sep 5, 2026Hello guys! 😄
I'm planning a 3-week trip with my husband to China in May 2027. We are in our 20s and quite resilient 👀
It will be our first time in China, and so far we have the following route:
May 8: Arrive in Chongqing (~ 10 PM) from 1-week trip in Seoul
May 9 - 11: Chongqing
May 12: Chongqing → Chengdu
May 13: Chengdu
May 14: Day trip to Leshan → Chengdu
May 15: Chengdu → Mount Emei → overnight
May 16: Mount Emei / Golden Summit → Chengdu
May 17: Chengdu → Zhangjiajie
May 18: Zhangjiajie / Wulingyuan
May 19: Furong Town → overnight in Furong
May 20: Furong → Zhangjiajie → Tianmen Mountain
May 21: Zhangjiajie → Xi'an
May 22 - 23: Xi'an
May 24: Xi'an → Luoyang + Longmen Grottoes
May 25: Luoyang
May 26: Luoyang → Beijing
May 27 - 29: Beijing
May 30: Beijing → flight home ~ 11 PM
We are trying to avoid flying between cities where possible and would prefer high-speed trains, including overnight trains when they make sense.
Do you think this is a good itinerary for a first-time trip to China, or would you recommend changing the route, number of days at a specific location or some of the destinations? Is there enough time in the big cities to do some shopping? And is Mount Emei realistic with an overnight stay, or would you recommend doing it differently?
Thank you in advance for your help!!! ❤️
P.S.: We skipped Shanghai because the flights were much more expensive than we expected.
Comments (1)
I gotta hand it to you, young people have incredible stamina! With an itinerary this packed, even back when I was young, I’d be completely wiped out. Running at this pace from the 13th to the 26th is basically a military boot camp—it's just way too intense.
I’d really suggest slowing things down for the days you’re in Zhangjiajie. First, there’s more than enough incredible scenery to keep you busy, so skipping a spot or two is really no big deal. Second, it gives you a much-needed chance to catch your breath mid-trip.
Other than that, everything looks solid. Since your stops are mostly clustered in one region, getting between cities by high-speed rail will be super smooth and won't require any overnight transit.