Mini Group: Two-Day Xi'an Panoramic Tour

Pickup from your hotel and ride about 1 hour (arrives at around 9 am) to the Terracotta Museum. Your exploration of the Terracotta Army site begins. Please follow your guide to discover the amazing terracotta warriors that were buried for more than 2,000 years and to hear interesting stories about China's first emperor — Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259–210 BC). There are three pits in the museum. Our recommended visiting sequence is Pit 1 – Pit 2 – Pit 3 – the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang as you will follow historical clues that lead from general to detailed information. Pit 1 is the largest of the pits and it is estimated to house around 6,000 figures as well as a great quantity of bronze weaponry. You will be shocked by the large scale of the figures lining up, and will feel as if you have been taken back to the Qin Dynasty when the army of soldiers was waiting to go out to battle. Pit 2 is not as large as Pit 1. Pit 3 is the smallest one.

Xi'an Ancient City Wall was first built in the Ming Dynasty (1370–1378 AD) and is the largest and the best-maintained ancient city wall in China. It is shaped like a rectangle with a total length of 13.74 kilometers. The downtown part of Xi'an City is centered within this ancient city wall. There are four major gates (the north gate, the east gate, the south gate, and the west gate) of this city wall. Your visit will start from East Gate (Chang Le Gate). After a leisurely walk, your guide will lead you descend from the wall. However, you are welcome to make another choice if you are itching to try cycling on the wall (at your own expense).

After visiting the city wall, you will head to Xi'an's most famous food street, Muslim Street, where you'll see lots of featured foods and snacks. You can try some if you'd like to.

The same as your previous day, your guide will be waiting for you at your hotel lobby at the appointed time (around 7:30AM-8AM) and pick you up to our first destination: Hanyangling Mausoleum. It takes about 40 minutes to drive there. This museum has an underground exhibition hall so that people can see the results of the archeological digs in the big mausoleum complex of Emperor Jingdi (also named Liu Qi, 188 to 141 BC) of the Han Dynasty, his wife, officials, dynastic clan members, and commoners. There is also a graveyard for slaves who built the complex. The underground hall was opened in 2006. The archeological dig site only covers a small area, but the whole burial complex is immense. It covers a total area of about 10 square kilometers or 4 square miles.

Originally it was 46 meters high, but now it is 43.3 meters high, because its steeple was destroyed. It has a square pedestal and a huge first storey, whose sides measure 11.38 meters long each. Doors on the north and south sides of the first storey have frames built of black stone. Carved on the lintel are images of arhats and designs of grasses, their excellent workmanship reflecting the artistic style of the early Tang Dynasty. You will have chance to ring the bell for blessings and good luck.

Xi'an Museum, covering an area of 245 hectares, was officially opened to the public in May 2007. This museum collectively reflects the long history of Xi'an city, integrating with the small Wild Goose Pagoda, the national key protection culture unit, the ancient building groups of Janfu Temple, and the modern culture relic exhibition hall. The harmony combination demonstrates the special features of this garden museum, the strong historic atmosphere in the modernity.