China & Korea, May 2027

Public holidays marked are Canton of Zürich’s.

1. Flight to Chongqingabout 13 h · 8,193 kmQatar via Doha: Zürich 16:40, lands 15:10 the next day
2. 1Chongqing

   Fri 7 May – Sun 9 May · 3 nights

   Bridge day*

   • Fri 7 Check in at Jiefangbei, hot pot, Hongyadong lit up, seen from Qiansimen Bridge.
   • Sat 8 Liziba monorail station, the Yangtze cableway early (weekend queues), Kuixing Tower, Shibati, a two-rivers night cruise.
   • Sun 9 Day trip to Wulong Karst and the Three Natural Bridges, or the Dazu Rock Carvings.

   • Pagoda Hotel Jiefangbei
   • Hyatt Regency Chongqing Liberation Square
   • Hongyadong
   • Liziba monorail station
   • +2 more
3. Train to Zhangjiajieabout 3 h · 383 kmMorning train, about 2 h
4. 2Zhangjiajie

   Mon 10 May – Thu 13 May · 4 nights

   • Mon 10 Morning train, about 2 h. The Grand Canyon glass bridge on the way if the train is early, otherwise Baofeng Lake. Stay in Wulingyuan.
   • Tue 11 Forest Park, day 1: the Bailong glass elevator, Yuanjiajie with the “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain”, the Yangjiajie ridge.
   • Wed 12 Forest Park, day 2: Tianzi Mountain and the Golden Whip Stream walk, or the spare day if the first was fogged in. Move to Zhangjiajie town in the evening.
   • Thu 13 Tianmen Mountain: the cableway from town, Heaven’s Gate and the glass walkways.

   • Hampton by Hilton Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
   • Hampton by Hilton Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain
   • Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
   • Bailong Elevator
   • +2 more
5. Flight to Shanghaiabout 3 h 30 · 1,081 kmShanghai Airlines: Zhangjiajie 20:35 → Pudong 22:40
6. 3Shanghai

   Fri 14 May – Sun 16 May · 3 nights

   Pentecost

   • Fri 14 A slow morning in Zhangjiajie, the evening flight to Pudong.
   • Sat 15 The Bund at blue hour, Yu Garden, Wukang Road.
   • Sun 16 Shanghai Tower, then a night river cruise.

   • The Bund
   • Yu Garden
   • Wukang Road
   • Shanghai Tower
7. Train to Beijingabout 8 h · 1,069 kmHigh-speed train, about 4.5 h
8. 4Beijing

   Mon 17 May – Thu 20 May · 4 nights

   Whit Monday

   • Mon 17 Check in near the Forbidden City; the evening in the hutongs.
   • Tue 18 Great Wall with a hired van and driver: Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the Jiankou to Mutianyu hike for the fit ones.
   • Wed 19 Forbidden City, the view from Jingshan Park, hutongs and Houhai by bike, Peking duck.
   • Thu 20 Temple of Heaven early, the Summer Palace, the Lama Temple; an acrobatics show in the evening.

   • Hutong Moli Hotel Beijing
   • JM Alley Hotel Beijing
   • Home Inn Plus Beijing City Center
   • Mutianyu Great Wall
   • +4 more
9. Flight to Seoulabout 3 h 30 · 953 kmAbout 2 h to Incheon
10. 5Seoul

    Fri 21 May – Fri 28 May · 8 nights

    • Fri 21 Check in around Jongno or Myeongdong, Korean BBQ.
    • Sat 22 Gyeongbokgung in hanbok (free entry), Bukchon between 10:00 and 17:00, Ikseon-dong, dinner at Gwangjang Market.
    • Sun 23 Changdeokgung Secret Garden tour, Insadong, Namsan Tower at night.
    • Mon 24 DMZ half-day tour, Seongsu cafés in the afternoon.
    • Tue 25 Han River picnic at Yeouido, a jjimjilbang evening, Hongdae at night.
    • Wed 26 Day trip to Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, an hour south.
    • Thu 27 Inwangsan sunset hike, Lotte World Tower or the Starfield Library.
    • Fri 28 Free day: Myeongdong and the markets, a karaoke room for eight.

    • The Grand Hotel Myeongdong
    • Hotel The Designers Dongdaemun
    • Gyeongbokgung Palace
    • Changdeokgung Secret Garden
    • +3 more
11. Flight to Zürichabout 14 h · 8,770 kmQatar via Doha: Seoul 01:20, lands in Zürich at 14:20
12. Back to Zürich

    Sat 29 May

    for those starting there