Beijing, Zhangjiajie & Shanghai, 7 Nights

A private transfer from the airport into the centre, which usually takes about an hour. After check-in there is time for a short outing if energy allows: the hutong lanes around the Drum and Bell Towers, where courtyard houses still line the alleys, or the lakes at Houhai with their bars and pedal boats. Otherwise rest; the next two days are full and the pace in Zhangjiajie is physical.

Juyongguan first, one of the great passes on the Wall, where the fortifications drop into a valley and rise sharply on both sides; climb to the first tower or much further as legs allow. On the drive back, the Summer Palace, which shares the same north-western edge of Beijing: Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill, the Long Corridor painted with thousands of scenes from legend and literature, and the marble boat moored at the shore. A stop at the Olympic Green for the Bird's Nest stadium ends the day.

Tiananmen Square and then the Forbidden City, walked north along its central axis from the Meridian Gate to the Imperial Garden. The palace closes on Mondays and tickets are issued against passports in advance, which we handle. In the afternoon, the Temple of Heaven, whose circular triple-roofed hall is one of the most photographed buildings in China, and whose park is where Beijing's older residents come to exercise, sing and play. The evening is free for a Peking duck dinner or something lighter.

A morning transfer to the airport for the domestic flight to Zhangjiajie Hehua, roughly two and a half hours. Met on arrival and driven out to the hotel at the edge of the Wulingyuan scenic area, so that tomorrow starts at the park gate rather than in traffic. The rest of the day is quiet. Zhangjiajie cooking is Hunanese and fiery; ask for dishes without chilli if needed, and pack layers, because the forest is cooler and wetter than the city.

A full day inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, part of the Wulingyuan World Heritage area. The cable car up Tianzi Mountain lands among the high viewpoints, where more than three thousand sandstone columns rise out of the forest, often wrapped in cloud. Park buses link the sections to Yuanjiajie, the cluster of pillars that inspired the floating mountains in the film Avatar, and the day ends by descending the Bailong lift, a glass elevator bolted to the outside of a cliff. Expect crowds and a lot of walking between viewpoints.

Tianmen Mountain rises directly behind Zhangjiajie city, and the cable car to its summit starts in town, a short drive from the airport, which is why it fits the morning of a flight day. The ride is one of the longest of its kind, and the top has cliff-edge walkways and a road of switchbacks leading to Heaven's Gate, a huge natural arch through the mountain. After lunch, the flight to Shanghai, around two hours. Met on arrival and driven to the hotel for a late evening on the Bund.

A full Shanghai day. Yu Garden and the old town bazaar in the morning, then the Shanghai Museum on People's Square, strongest on ancient bronzes and ceramics. After lunch, over to Pudong and up to the 88th floor of the Jin Mao Tower for the view across the Huangpu to the Bund. The late afternoon is left for Nanjing Road or the tree-lined streets of the former French Concession, which is the better place for coffee and a sit-down.

Breakfast, check-out and the private transfer to Pudong International, an hour or so depending on traffic. With an evening departure the hotel will keep luggage while you spend the morning locally, perhaps at Fuxing Park or along the Bund promenade. Allow at least three hours at the airport for an international flight. Any souvenirs bought in Zhangjiajie, such as tea or local crafts, travel best in checked luggage.