Planning a 3–4 Week China Trip for a Group with Seniors (2026)

Limit the route to 3–4 regions over 3–4 weeks and route hotel changes around rest days. A workable 24-day frame: Beijing 5 nights (Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall), Xi'an 3 nights (Terracotta Army), Guilin or Yangshuo 4 nights (Li River cruise plus a rest day), Chengdu 3 nights (panda base, slow pace), and Shanghai 5 nights (the Bund, day trip to Suzhou). Use the high-speed train and book Business Class — wider 2+1 seats, less crowd, separate quiet carriage. As of February 17, 2026, UK and Canadian passport holders enter visa-free for 30 days, joining most EU passports plus Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea — total 45 countries through December 31, 2026. US passport holders still need a 10-year tourist visa or a 240-hour transit visa via 60-plus designated ports. Set up Alipay TourCard before flying — link a Visa or Mastercard, pre-load ¥500. WeChat Pay International runs similar daily caps. Cash is rare; ATMs accept most international debit cards but US-issued debit can fail at random. Health-side: carry chronic medication in original packaging with a typed doctor's letter, buy travel insurance with medical evacuation cover (Allianz, World Nomads, IMG Global), and avoid Chinese public holidays — Golden Week (October 1–7) and Spring Festival (late January or early February) double prices and triple crowd density. Hotels: pick chains near metro stations with elevators (Hilton, Crowne Plaza, Marriott). Schedule a free afternoon every fourth day. Cap walking days under 12,000 steps. Chairs and benches sit at most major sites, but Great Wall and gardens still involve stairs.