Still Tweaking intinerary - is this achievable

Question

So collecting passport with Visa on Monday so now know that this is a reality and want to button down itineray. Would appreciate views as to whether the below is to crowded...

Day 1 Arrive Beijing - early evening

Day 2 Beijing

Day 3 Beijing

Day 4 Beijing

Day 5 HST Beijing > Pingyao. Afternoon and overnight in Pingyao

Day 6 HST Pingyao > Xian (afternoon)

Day 7 Xian

Day 8 Xian - Terracota Warriors - afternoon HST to Longman grottoes

Day 9 Visit Longman grottoes . Train to Xian for evening flight to Guilin - stay in Yangshuo

Day 10 Yangshuo

Day 11 Yangshuo

Day 12 Yangshuo (some chill time here - in hotel with pool!!)Yang

Day 13 Visit Longji Rice Terraces and stay over

Day 14 Longji Rice terraces to Guilin airport > Chengdu

Day 15 Chengdu

Day 16 Chengdu

Day 17 Chengdu to HK

Is it overambitious to "squeeze" in Pingyao and Longmen Grottoes / Luoyang in the middle of the trip. Should we consider and extra day in Xian/ Luoyang instead of the extra time in Yangshuo.

Yangshuo is planned to be for activities, enjoy surroundings and hotel - the other places are more about sight seeing.

Thanks again

Answer

Your itinerary covers many of China’s classic highlights — Beijing, Pingyao, Xi’an, Luoyang (Longmen Grottoes), Guilin/Yangshuo, and Chengdu — and it’s generally well structured in terms of flow. However, there are a few sections that may feel slightly rushed, especially the middle segment (Pingyao, Xi’an, and Luoyang) where you are moving cities almost every day. Below is a breakdown and some recommendations to help you balance sightseeing with travel comfort.

1. Overall Impression:

The trip is ambitious but achievable for experienced travelers who are comfortable with frequent train and flight connections. You’ve organized the route logically from north to south, minimizing backtracking. The main concern is that you’ll have limited time to explore Pingyao and Luoyang because of tight train schedules. Adding an extra day between Xi’an and Luoyang would make this middle part smoother.

2. Segment-by-segment comments:

Days 1–4 (Beijing): Excellent allocation. Four full days allow you to visit the Great Wall (Mutianyu or Jinshanling), Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace without feeling rushed.
Day 5 (Beijing → Pingyao): The high-speed train takes around 4 hours. Arriving in Pingyao by early afternoon gives you enough time to explore the ancient walled town, which is compact and best enjoyed on foot in the evening when it’s beautifully lit.
Day 6 (Pingyao → Xi’an): Another high-speed train (approx. 3 hours). You’ll arrive mid-afternoon, leaving only time for a relaxed evening walk along Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter or the city walls. That’s fine if you don’t plan on seeing major attractions until the next day.
Days 7–8 (Xi’an + Terracotta Warriors + Luoyang): The pace here is tight. On Day 8, visiting the Terracotta Warriors in the morning and then traveling to Luoyang (Longmen Grottoes) in the afternoon is possible, but you’ll arrive late and might feel rushed. It’s better to either stay an extra night in Xi’an or Luoyang to fully enjoy both cities.
Day 9 (Luoyang → Guilin/Yangshuo): Visiting Longmen Grottoes in the morning and then taking a train back to Xi’an for a flight to Guilin is logistically demanding. Unless train and flight times align perfectly, this will be a very long day. If possible, consider flying directly from Zhengzhou or Luoyang (if available) instead of returning to Xi’an.
Days 10–13 (Yangshuo + Longji): This section is well-paced and provides a great contrast to your cultural sightseeing. Yangshuo offers stunning karst landscapes, cycling or bamboo rafting, and leisure time by the Li River. Spending two or three days here is ideal for rest. A day trip and overnight stay in Longji Rice Terraces is also excellent — especially if you stay in a scenic guesthouse in Ping’an or Dazhai village.
Days 14–17 (Chengdu + Hong Kong): The plan for two full days in Chengdu works perfectly — it gives you time to visit the Panda Research Base, Jinli Street, Wuhou Temple, and perhaps a hotpot dinner before heading to Hong Kong.

3. Recommendation Summary:

Keep 4 days in Beijing as planned.
Pingyao is worth including, but make sure you arrive by early afternoon to enjoy the town before moving on the next day.
Consider adding one extra day between Xi’an and Luoyang to make travel and sightseeing less hectic.
If you must shorten something, trim one day from Yangshuo (3 nights instead of 4) to give that day to Xi’an or Luoyang.
Check train and flight schedules in advance — connections between Luoyang, Xi’an, and Guilin can be time-consuming.

4. Suggested Adjusted Schedule (if you add one buffer day):

Day 1–4: Beijing (unchanged)
Day 5: Beijing → Pingyao
Day 6: Pingyao → Xi’an (evening)
Day 7: Xi’an (city and Muslim Quarter)
Day 8: Terracotta Warriors and overnight train to Luoyang
Day 9: Longmen Grottoes, then evening flight to Guilin
Day 10–12: Yangshuo (2 full days, 1 rest day optional)
Day 13: Longji Rice Terraces overnight
Day 14–17: Chengdu and Hong Kong (unchanged)

5. Conclusion:

Your itinerary is very well thought out and certainly feasible, but the middle section (Xi’an to Luoyang to Guilin) will be your most tiring part. If you can spare one more day, allocate it to that region for smoother transitions. Otherwise, trimming one day from Yangshuo’s leisure time will balance the schedule. Overall, it’s a rich and rewarding route covering China’s history, nature, and culture — ambitious, but achievable with good planning.

Still Tweaking intinerary - is this achievable

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