Fly from Lisbon or Porto to Beijing, usually with one stop, and use the overnight flight to land ready for the route to begin properly.

Check in around Dongcheng or Wangfujing, take an easy hutong walk, eat early, and reset to local time without trying to force a full sightseeing day.

Start with Lama Temple, drift through Wudaoying's cafes and boutiques, then shift into Sanlitun for a more social, younger-energy Beijing night.

Do the classic imperial core properly with the Forbidden City, Jingshan Park for the full roofline view, and an easy evening around Wangfujing or nearby hutongs.

Make Mutianyu the big bucket-list day, with cable car or chairlift up, wall time, and the famous slide back down if the group wants the more fun finish.

Use the final capital day for Summer Palace, then contrast it with a more modern Beijing finish around the CBD, Chaoyang, or one last good dinner out.

Take the high-speed train to Xi'an, settle in near the old city, and finish with sunset on the City Wall plus dinner around the Muslim Quarter.

Give the Terracotta Army its own proper day, then come back for dumplings, Bell Tower views, or a Tang-style show if the group still has energy.

Use the morning for Giant Wild Goose Pagoda or one last old-city wander, then move on to Chengdu for a softer, food-first middle stretch.

Do the Panda Base early, then slow the pace with tea house time, local snacks, and an easy evening around Taikoo Li or Chunxi Road.

Jump to Chongqing by high-speed rail, tick off Liziba Station, and lean fully into the city's layered skyline, hotpot, bridges, and night energy.

Use one full day for Wulong's karst scenery and giant natural bridge landscapes, which gives the route its first real nature shock after the cities.

Use the cleanest transfer available into Zhangjiajie, ideally preserving enough evening energy for the 72 Wonder Tower area and a first look at the city's more theatrical side.

Give the sandstone pillar landscape its own full day and keep the schedule focused on the strongest viewpoints instead of trying to conquer the whole park.

Do the cableway, cliff walk sections, and the famous Stairway to Heaven zone, then keep the evening free for recovery or one more city night.

Use the morning for the Glass Bridge, then fly to Shanghai for a clean final switch back into big-city mode.

Use the main full Shanghai day for the Bund, Lujiazui views, the French Concession, shopping, and one more strong group night out.

Keep the final day open for one last meal, shopping, or a slower morning, then head to the airport for the long flight back to Portugal.