Itinerary questions: Beijing - Chengdu - Zhangjiajie - Yangs

Question

Hi fellow travellers!

I’m putting together a solo trip to China from 3 to 18 April and would really appreciate any advice on timing, logistics and possible tweaks to the route.

03 Apr Arrive Beijing 15:40. Hotel check-in, rest, evening stroll (overnight in Beijing)

04 Apr Forbidden City + Tian’anmen Square + Temple of Heaven (overnight in Beijing)

05 Apr Great Wall – Mutianyu section + Summer Palace (overnight in Beijing)

06 Apr High-speed train Beijing → Chengdu 07:00–14:00, evening walk (overnight in Chengdu)

07 Apr Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding early morning + city sightseeing in the afternoon (overnight in Chengdu)

08 Apr Train Chengdu → Zhangjiajie (arrive ~12:00) → transfer to Wulingyuan → half-day in the national park (overnight in Wulingyuan)

09 Apr Full day in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (overnight in Wulingyuan)

10 Apr Glass Bridge + Grand Canyon, then either Yellow Dragon Cave or more of the park (overnight in Wulingyuan)

11 Apr Transfer to Zhangjiajie City, Tianmen Mountain (Heaven’s Gate) (overnight in Zhangjiajie)

12 Apr High-speed train Zhangjiajie → Guilin 07:00–14:00, onward to Yangshuo (overnight in Yangshuo)

13 Apr Yangshuo – programme still open (overnight in Yangshuo)

14 Apr Back to Guilin, city sightseeing; night train Guilin → Shanghai (overnight on train)

15 Apr Shanghai (overnight in Shanghai)

16 Apr Shanghai (overnight in Shanghai)

17 Apr Shanghai (overnight in Shanghai)

18 Apr Flight out of Shanghai 01:20

Questions:

• 5 April – Is it realistic to visit both Mutianyu Great Wall and the Summer Palace in one day if the palace closes at 17:00? I’m leaning toward a combo tour which is cheaper than a round-trip taxi.

• 7 April – After the morning panda visit, does it make sense to squeeze in the Leshan Giant Buddha the same day, or should I leave Leshan for later and spend the rest of the day in Chengdu?

• 8 April – I expect to reach the Wulingyuan gate around 14:00. How would you use half a day in the park if 9 April is a full day there?

• 11 April onward – Three days in Shanghai may be more than I need (I prefer nature to big cities). What would you suggest: add a day or two around Zhangjiajie, detour to the ancient towns of Furong or Fenghuang, or give extra time to the Guilin–Yangshuo area?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Answer

Overall your route is ambitious but doable — you’ve allowed sensible travel windows and included key highlights. Below I answer each question with practical timings, realistic expectations and alternatives so you can tweak the trip to match your pace (more nature / less city vs. more relaxed transport).

Is 5 April realistic to visit both Mutianyu Great Wall and the Summer Palace in one day?

Possible but tight. Mutianyu is about 1–1.5 hours drive from central Beijing each way (longer with traffic), and the road/transfers between Mutianyu and the Summer Palace or central Beijing can take roughly 1.5–2.5 hours depending on transport and traffic — you should plan ~2–3 hours transit between the two sites if using taxi/private car. Mutianyu itself deserves at least 2–3 hours (more if you hike rather than use the toboggan/cable). The Summer Palace typically closes around 17:00 so you would need to finish Mutianyu early (start at or before first cable-car opening), leave mid-afternoon at the latest, and arrive at the Summer Palace by mid-to-late afternoon. Tours that combine the two do exist and are the easiest way to guarantee timing (they handle transfers), but they still make it a long day and you will be rushed. If you prefer a relaxed visit and good photos, split them into separate days or choose Mutianyu + nearby sights for one day and the Summer Palace another.

Tip: If you must do both, book a private driver or small-group tour so you control departure times and minimize waiting/transfer time.
Tip: Start very early — aim to be at Mutianyu by opening time to avoid crowds and finish by early afternoon.

7 April — Panda Base in the morning: squeeze in Leshan Giant Buddha same day?

Technically achievable but rushed. The Chengdu Research Base visit commonly takes ~2–3 hours in the morning (pandas are most active early). Chengdu ↔ Leshan by high-speed train is about 50–70 minutes each way from Chengdu East / Chengdu to Leshan; road drive is about 1.5–2 hours depending on traffic. From Leshan station the Buddha scenic area is a short taxi ride (~15–25 minutes). Seeing the Buddha comfortably (including boat view or steps) usually needs 2–3 hours. Combining both in one day means a long day of travel and tight timing; you may end up skipping parts of one attraction. If you like relaxed sightseeing, leave Leshan for another day (or book an organized Leshan half-day tour that departs early and returns by late afternoon). If you’re fine with a long, tightly-scheduled day (early panda visit, mid-day train/drive to Leshan, 2–3 hrs at the Buddha, then return), it’s doable.

Option A (relaxed): Spend the afternoon/evening in Chengdu (Wuhou Shrine, Jinli Street, Sichuan opera) and plan Leshan for a separate day.
Option B (ambitious): Book early trains and taxis; expect 10–12 hour day and limited downtime.

8 April — arrive Wulingyuan ~14:00 then use half-day in the park — suggestions

With a gate arrival around 14:00 you can still have a satisfying half-day if you focus on a compact area (don’t try to do everything). Good half-day options:

Take the cable car up to Tianzi Mountain or Yuanjiajie (famous “Avatar” pillars) for sunset views — cable rides save time and deliver dramatic vistas quickly.
Do a shorter circuit like Golden Whip Stream (Jinbianxi) to experience forest valley scenery with less climbing — easier if you’re tired from travel.
If you prefer peak viewpoints and photo ops, head to the Yuanjiajie/Tianzi area and focus on 1–2 lookout platforms before dusk, then exit/return to Wulingyuan.

Because 9 April is a full day, use 8 April to position yourself (take cable cars to reach higher viewpoints) and conserve energy for a full-day loop the next day that can include Huangshi, Golden Whip + Yuanjiajie or other highlights. Many recommended Zhangjiajie itineraries use 1.5–2 full days to cover the park well.

11 April onward — three days in Shanghai: keep or reallocate?

If nature is your priority, you probably don’t need three full days in Shanghai. Three days in Shanghai is comfortable for seeing the main city highlights (Bund, Yu Garden/Old City, French Concession, Shanghai Tower/Shanghai Museum, maybe a water-town day trip), but if you’d rather add nature you have several attractive alternatives:

Add 1–2 days around Zhangjiajie: More time lets you explore Tianmen Mountain, local hikes, and nearby scenic towns at a relaxed pace (you currently have Tianmen on 11 Apr but an extra day eases transfers and avoids rushing).
Detour to Fenghuang or Furong Ancient Towns: Both are atmospheric, picture-perfect old towns. Fenghuang is a popular overnight choice (it’s ~3–4 hours by road from Zhangjiajie) and offers riverside scenery and traditional architecture; Furong is smaller and quieter. Adding one night at Fenghuang (or Furong) gives a strong cultural/nature contrast to the mountains.
Give extra time to Guilin–Yangshuo: The karst countryside around Yangshuo rewards slow travel: Li River cruise, biking/rock-climbing, Longji rice terraces (if you want rural scenery). If you love outdoors, replace 1–2 Shanghai days with extra Yangshuo/Guilin time.

If you keep three days in Shanghai, you’ll get a good feel for the city — but if forced to choose, trade one Shanghai day for extra time in Zhangjiajie or Yangshuo for more nature. Three days total in Shanghai is fine if you like urban exploration, but 1–2 days would be adequate if you’re mainly there to break up travel and catch a flight.

Other practical tips and tweaks for your overall itinerary

Trains vs flights: You’ve already used multiple long high-speed train legs (Beijing→Chengdu, Zhangjiajie→Guilin). Those are long but scenic; keep buffer time for delays and luggage transfers — morning departures are safer if you want to maximize sightseeing on arrival days.
Panda base timing: Visit the Chengdu Research Base early (8:00–10:30) for best panda activity and cooler weather. Plan at least 2–3 hours there.
Zhangjiajie transfers: Transfers from Zhangjiajie city to Wulingyuan / park can take time; aim to arrive at the park/entrance earlier if you can so 14:00 arrival doesn’t feel rushed.
Overnight choices: For Zhangjiajie, staying in Wulingyuan Town or near the park entrances saves commute time and lets you start early for cable cars.
Booking & tickets: Pre-book major tickets (Great Wall entry or Mutianyu cable, panda base timed-entry if offered, high-speed train seats) to avoid sold-out issues and to keep your day schedules reliable.

Summary quick recommendations

If you want relaxed sightseeing: split Mutianyu and Summer Palace into two days; keep Leshan as a separate half/ full day from Chengdu; add 1–2 days to Zhangjiajie or Yangshuo and reduce Shanghai to 1–2 days.
If you prefer to keep the schedule compact: do Mutianyu (early) + Summer Palace (late) with a private transfer; do Chengdu + Leshan only if you accept a very long day; use 8 Apr late arrival to reach a viewpoint via cable car and save full exploration for 9 Apr.

If you want, I can now (a) suggest a revised day-by-day itinerary that sacrifices one Shanghai day for more nature time, or (b) produce a realistic timed schedule for 5 Apr (Mutianyu + Summer Palace) or 7 Apr (pandas + Leshan) showing exact train times and suggested departure windows — tell me which you prefer and I’ll draft it.