Overview
If you want to see exactly what this trip looked like day by day, I've saved my entire travel diary in my Instagram Stories Highlights. You'll find all my photos, videos, and specific gluten-free spots there. Honestly, planning a trip to China can feel intimidating at first. But with a little prep and an open mind, all those barriers just disappear. What you get instead is this incredibly rich, unfiltered experience of a country full of beautiful extremes.
Itinerary
Day 1 Beijing Travel day 
Day 2 Beijing Arrival and city orientation 
Serviced Apartment
Day 3 Beijing Great Wall, Dashilan Commercial Street and Qianmen Street 
Private tour
Great Wall (Mutianyu tour, 7 AM–2 PM). The guide was incredibly helpful with my gluten-free needs—she even brought gluten-free soy sauce for me, which was such a kind gesture. In the afternoon, we explored Dashilan Commercial Street and Qianmen Street.
Day 4 Beijing Summer Palace, Lama Temple and Nanluoguxiang Hutong
In the morning, we visited the Summer Palace. For lunch, we tried Peking duck at Hua’s Restaurant (gluten-free friendly). After lunch, we visited the Lama Temple and then wandered through Nanluoguxiang Hutong.
Day 5 Beijing Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City and Tian’anmen Square
We visited the Temple of Heaven as part of a free walking tour with Roy (highly recommended). In the afternoon, we toured the Forbidden City and Tian’anmen Square. For dinner, we had New Zealand-style pizza at Gung Ho! A fun surprise was stumbling upon a supermarket disco club (unfortunately, I don’t remember the exact name).
Day 6 Beijing → Xi’an Travel Day and Tang Dynasty show Jinmao Hotel 
2:00 PM → 6:30 PM
Traveled to Xi’an (2:00 PM → 6:30 PM). That evening, we saw the Tang Dynasty show and explored the lively Muslim Quarter.
Day 7 Xi’an Terracotta Warriors, Bell Tower, Muslim Quarter Private tour
We visited the Terracotta Warriors with this private tour. Later, we walked around the city center and visited the Bell Tower and Muslim Quarter again. We didn’t have time for a bike ride along the ancient city wall, but it looked like a cool option!
Day 8 Xi'an → Chengdu Qingyang Temple, Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley 9:56 AM → 2:26 PM The Hidden House
Took a train to Chengdu at 9:56 AM (4.5h). After arriving, we explored Qingyang Temple and Palace. In the evening, we wandered through Kuan Xiangzi, passing by Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley.
Day 9 Chengdu Chengdu Research Base, People’s Park, Wenshu Temple, Jinli Ancient Street, and Sichuan Opera Multi-day private tour
In the morning, we visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Back in the city, we stopped by People’s Park, Wenshu Temple, and its peaceful neighborhood. In the evening, we strolled through Jinli Ancient Street. After dinner, we went to the Sichuan Opera at Shufeng Yayun Theater and even tried the famous ear-cleaning ritual.
Day 10 Chengdu Dujiangyan, Qingcheng Mountain, Jiezi Old Town and acupuncture Multi-day private tour
We drove to Dujiangyan to see the ancient river irrigation system. After lunch, we went for a light hike at Qingcheng Mountain, visiting a Taoist temple along the way. On the return, we explored Jiezi Old Town. Instead of heading back to the hotel, I tried acupuncture at Julie’s favorite doctor and clinic—definitely a unique experience. (All restaurant names are saved on my Instagram stories.)
Day 11 Mount Emei Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Emei Jinding Hotel
Overnight trip outside Chengdu. We visited the Leshan Giant Buddha and took a boat ride to view it from the water. Afterward, we hiked part of Mount Emei and spent the night near the Golden Summit at Jinding Hotel.
Day 12 Mount Emei Wannian Temple and return to Chengdu Joyhub Cheer Hotel Multi-day private tour
Early the next morning, we woke up to see the sunrise, we then visited Wannian Temple. At the end of our tour, we were dropped off at our hotel, conveniently located near the airport.
Day 13 Chengdu → Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Landed at 9:30 AM Private tour Baihao Lushanshu Homestay
We landed in Zhangjiajie at 9:30 AM. We booked a tour mainly to have luggage storage and convenient transport from the airport to Tianmen Mountain, then back to our hotel in Wulingyuan. In the evening, we went to a nearby bar with karaoke.
Day 14 Zhangjiajie National Park
We explored Zhangjiajie National Park on our own. Our hotel was very close to the entrance. To reach the higher parts of the park, you need to take two cable cars and several shuttle buses. A note about the Bailong Elevator, I usually suffer from vertigo, but this was totally manageable.
Day 15 Zhangjiajie → Fenghuang Glass Bridge and train to Fenghuang 40min 1h Dengnilai Qingcheng Hostel
We took a series of buses to reach the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge. I actually managed to cross it, and even looked down on the way back! It was a cool experience, but if you're short on time, I’d prioritize Zhangjiajie National Park over the bridge. After the visit, we returned to the hotel to grab our luggage and took a train to Fenghuang Old Town (Phoenix City).
Day 16 Fenghuang → Guilin Old town 14:30 → 20:00 Wing Hotel
Unfortunately, we only had a short stop in the charming town of Fenghuang (Phoenix City). I highly recommend checking out my Instagram Stories for beautiful photos and vibes from the area. We took a train to Guilin, arriving in the evening.
Day 17 Guilin Xianggong Hill, walk around the Yulong River and show Private tour
We booked a full-day Yangshuo tour (9:00 AM – 10:20 PM), which was originally supposed to include Xianggong Hill, a Li River hike, biking around the Yulong River, and the famous Liusanjie light show. Unfortunately, due to high river levels and road closures, the itinerary had to be adjusted. To be honest, Guilin didn’t quite live up to our expectations. That said, we may simply have been unlucky with the weather.
Day 18 Guilin → Hong Kong Downtown and Soho area 15:43 → 18:43 Nathan Hotel
In the morning, we walked around Guilin, then took a train to Hong Kong at 15:43. After arriving, we strolled around the city and headed to the Soho area for dinner, I was excited to try the gluten-free dim sum at Madame Fu (definitely worth it!).
Day 19 Hong Kong Downtown, Man Mo Temple and ladies market
We joined a free walking tour (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM) through Hong Kong Free Tours, which was really informative—we learned so much about local history and culture. The tour also included a stop at the Man Mo Temple. In the afternoon, we had planned to take the tram up to The Peak, but the weather was too cloudy, so we skipped it and visited the Ladies Market instead.
Day 20 Hong Kong Lamma island and Mong Kok 
Ferry to Lamma Island
We took the ferry to Lamma Island and visited a small fishing village. This is one of the best places to eat fresh seafood (we had lunch at Wai Kee). Aside from the food, there isn’t much to do on the island, but it was a nice break from the city. In the evening, we explored Mong Kok.
Day 21 Hong Kong Downtown and dark side tour
Day 22 Hong Kong → Zürich Travel day
Reflections & highlights
Sichuan is the crown jewel
If there is one standout recommendation from the entire trip, it is the Sichuan province. The combination of Chengdu’s culture, the Pandas, the local food, and the overnight hike at Mount Emei made it the undisputed highlight. In our case, we decided to book a private tour with Windhorsetour. Our guide, Julie, was absolutely amazing, the best guide we had during the entire trip. Highly recommended! She was also incredibly helpful with my gluten-free needs, making the whole experience smooth and stress-free.
Shattering stereotypes
One of the biggest surprises was how clean, organized, and welcoming everything felt. Many of the Western stereotypes about China simply didn’t match the reality we experienced. Throughout the trip, we encountered kind people, impressively efficient infrastructure, and a strong sense of everyday hospitality.
The "local celebrity" experience
Be prepared for a bit of paparazzi! Especially outside the massive international hubs, locals will frequently ask to take photos with you (or sometimes sneak a picture). It’s almost always done out of pure, friendly curiosity rather than intrusiveness. It often leads to lots of smiles and fun, albeit entirely pantomimed, interactions.
Good to know
It really is a must-have. You'll end up using WeChat for just about everything: translating menus, chatting with the hotel reception, and making daily payments.
Payments
Physical cash is surprisingly rare in mainland China, so linking a card to Alipay or WeChat Pay beforehand saves a lot of hassle. For the mainland, I found Wise more convenient than Revolut as it supports Chinese Yuan (CNY) directly. In Hong Kong, Revolut works perfectly, but definitely keep some cash there since local taxis often don’t accept cards.
Taxi
We relied heavily on DiDi. It works just like Uber, has an English interface, and translates messages with the driver automatically.
Maps
Google Maps is restricted and often inaccurate here. We found that Apple Maps actually worked surprisingly well for getting around cities and using public transit.
Trip.com
We used Trip.com for almost all our logistics. It’s super reliable for booking high-speed trains in English, and we usually found better hotel rates there compared to Western booking platforms.
SIM & internet
If you use an international eSIM, your data runs through roaming, which means you won't need a VPN to access sites like Google or Instagram. Discount for Holafly or Airalo (code: COSTAN1544).
Dining culture
Honestly, some of the best food I’ve ever had. Dining here is very communal, with dishes shared at the center of the table. A heads-up for Sichuan: the food is seriously spicy, and if you get a strange, slightly soapy and tingly sensation, that’s just the famous local peppercorn.
Gluten-Free
Navigating dietary restrictions seemed tricky at first, so I made custom gluten-free translation cards. They turned out to be incredibly helpful in local restaurants where English wasn't widely spoken. Don't forget to bring your own gf soy sauce!!
Gluten-free travel in China
How I prepared for my gluten-free adventure in China.
Go if you have the chance. It’s an extraordinary destination that left a huge impression on me and felt unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been.
