The 15 Best 1-Day Tours in China

1.Lantau Island Day Trip – Big Buddha & Tai O

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,328 reviews · from $48Our pick

Review of Hong Kong’s Lantau Island tour, covering Big Buddha, Tai O, cable cars, dolphins, meals, costs, guides, and practical tips.

“Our guide Grace was awesome. She made the tour very memorable and gave a lot of good information along the way. We got lucky and were able to see the dolphins in the fishing village. Don't skip the boat ride! If you can manage, climb all the way to the top of the big Buddha. Worth the view. Great tour.”

Live prices and dates →Our review in full

2.Suzhou and Zhouzhuang Water Village Day Trip from Shanghai

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 426 reviews · from $135

Review of the Suzhou and Zhouzhuang day trip from Shanghai, with gardens, canals, lunch, silk, boat ride, transport, costs, and practical tips.

“This tour was interesting and Zhouzhuang is really neat place, we even had a gondola operator sing for us. Some walking, but not too much and not too exhausting. Everything was well done. The food was good as well. Good tour and there were few nice things to take pictures of.”

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3.Suzhou Private Day Trip from Shanghai with Bullet Train Option

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 366 reviews · from $193Top rated

Review of a private Suzhou day trip from Shanghai, with bullet train or car travel, classic gardens, canals, lunch, and a private guide.

“Our guide Melinda English speaker was very attentive and knowledgeable. We were happy and the meal was great . To be honest I would do it over again with stay overnight to explore more , but not during summer time. The canal was beautiful, It’s little too hot now however in overall , It’s highly recommended.”

Live prices and dates →Our review in full

4.Private Suzhou Day Trip from Shanghai by Bullet Train with All Inclusive Option

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 283 reviews · from $220

Review of a private Shanghai to Suzhou bullet train tour with gardens, canals, lunch, rickshaw ride, and flexible guided sightseeing.

“Lulu made our Suzhou trip amazing. She rescheduled without hesitation when we had to shift the tour and planned the whole day around our four year old, which kept things relaxed and fun. We visited Shantang Street, Pan City Gate, and walked along Pingjiang Road, which became our favorite spot. She brought us to a local place for lunch and shared great stories about the city since she grew up there. Our son fell asleep in my arms at one point, and Lulu jumped in as photographer so we wouldn’t miss any memories. Her photos were great. If you want a friendly, flexible guide who really knows Suzhou, she’s the…”

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5.Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Private Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 209 reviews · from $185

Visit Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace in one private Beijing day trip, with lunch, hotel pickup, cable car, toboggan, and a guide.

“My tour started off rocky but it finished good. I booked my trip and called the night before to confirm the tour. However, the company said that it was canceled due to the limit amount of people. The person on the other end said he will rebooRead more”

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6.Shanghai One Day City Private Tour by German-Speaking Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 180 reviews · 8 hours · from $158

Explore Shanghai’s Bund, Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, and Pudong with a flexible private German-speaking guide and driver.

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7.Southern Great Wall Day Trip by Bullet Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 179 reviews · 13 hours - 1 day · from $399

Ride Shanghai’s bullet train to Linhai for a quiet Southern Great Wall walk, local lunch, East Lake, and Ziyang Old Street.

“I had a truly great experience on this tour. The communication was excellent, with prior contact made via WhatsApp, which made everything clear and easy to follow from the beginning. A special thanks to our guide, Jordan, for the outstanding explanations, clarity, and attention throughout the trip. He was extremely knowledgeable and always willing to answer questions, which made the experience even more enriching. The tour was perfectly punctual, well organized, and delivered exactly what was promised. It was a rich cultural experience that allowed me to better understand the history and context of the region. I highly recommend it. Se quiser, posso adaptar para uma versão mais curta (estilo...”

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8.1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 148 reviews · from $209

Cruise Guilin’s Li River to Yangshuo with a private guide, buffet lunch, countryside tour, West Street time, and hotel transfers.

“1-Day Guilin Tour to Reed Flute Cave, Xianggong Hill, Bamboo Boat & Night Show This tour was truly amazing, made even more special by our excellent English-speaking guide, Mr. Jeff. He is caring, attentive, and took very good care of us Read more”

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9.All-Inclusive Suzhou Day Trip by Bullet Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 137 reviews · 9 hours · from $288

Review of a private Shanghai to Suzhou bullet train tour with gardens, canals, rickshaws, lunch, Panmen Gate, and hotel transfers.

“The day to Suzhou was fantastic. The weather this time of year was raining and cold; however the day trip was really good. Caroline was a great guide! Caroline explained the history and significance of many things in the Garden and Suzhou. Our lunch was amazing - the best meal I have had in China. I highly recommend this tour, I had a great time!”

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10.Southern Great Wall Day Trip by Bullet Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 124 reviews · from $399

Ride Shanghai’s bullet train to Linhai for the Southern Great Wall, East Lake, local lunch, and Ziyang Old Street with a private guide.

“Our tour guide, Summer, was fantastic! She was knowledgeable about the area, willing to answer all of our questions, and her English was great. We did this trip on our first day in China and it was the perfect way to start our stay here. We were able to learn about the history of the area, try lots of local foods, and the sight seeing was amazing! Summer took care of everything and organized all of the trains, taxis, and meals and gave us suggestions for places to check out during the rest of our stay. We felt safe the entire time while being able to have an authentic experience.…”

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11.Private Custom Tour or Private Tour: Beijing in One Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 119 reviews · from $75

Review of Beijing in One Day, a flexible private tour with an English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, custom sights, and extra costs to plan for.

“I had a great time on this private tour. It was really nice being able to customize my itinerary and see 3 of Beijing's great attractions without feeling rushed. My tour guide was fantastic and knowledgeable.”

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13.Private Beijing Day Trip: Mutianyu Great Wall and Ming Tombs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 114 reviews · from $176

Review of a private Beijing day trip to Mutianyu Great Wall and Ming Tombs, with lunch, private transport, guide tips, costs, and practical advice.

“WOW is all I can say -- this tour was awesome. Our tour guide was Lotus Lian in Chinese and she was definitely the best part. her English is impeccable, and she gave us so much insight not only the great wall and tombs, but also to live in Beijing and Chinese culture, which was a real added bonus. I will say the Mutianyu section is very steep and is not a particularly easy climb -- don't take any heavy camera bags or items, and wear comfortable tennis shoes. Also take bug spray, as I was stung by a hornet while walking! We did the toboggan down, which was really…”

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14.Full Day Trip Mutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Sq.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 110 reviews · from $99

Review of Beijing’s private day tour to Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and Mutianyu Great Wall, with transport, guide, lunch, and practical tips.

“We were met in our hotel lobby by our guide for the day then taken to all the sights in a comfortable car with a safe driver. We never felt rushed and had lots of time to ask questions and see the sights. We only had one day (a Monday) in Read more”

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15.1-Day Private Zhangjiajie Tour to Avatar Mountain & Glass Bridge

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 103 reviews · from $129

Review of Zhangjiajie’s private Avatar Mountain and Glass Bridge tour, with itinerary, guide quality, price value, practical tips, and drawbacks.

“Had a great tour. Dora is the guide you wish for, very knowledgeable, very communicative, perfectly speaking English and just fun to chat with. Our driver took us safely to all destinations. So I recommend this tour if you’re about to experience this wonderful landscape.”

Live prices and dates →Our review in full