--- title: "Lost Plate's Best of China Trip: What the 11-Day Tour Includes and How to Save $100" slug: "lost-plate-best-of-china-tour" description: "Lost Plate is launching an 11-day trip across Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, and Shanghai with every meal, train, and ticket handled. Code ADAMANDLINDS takes $100 USD off per person on the fall 2026 departures." author: "Lindsay Clarkson" lang: "en" date: "2026-07-02" published_at: "2026-07-02T01:21:48.000-04:00" updated_at: "2026-07-02T01:21:48.000-04:00" feature_image: "https://adamandlinds.com/content/images/2026/07/Xian-Evening-Food-Tour-10.jpg" tags: ["Itinerary", "Lost Plate", "#no-city", "China", "Eastern Asia", "asia", "Review", "itinerary-planning", "#affiliate-heavy"] canonical_url: "https://adamandlinds.com/lost-plate-best-of-china-tour/" --- Lost Plate, the food tour company behind the tuk tuk tours we covered in [Hanoi](https://adamandlinds.com/lost-plate-hanoi-food-tour/) and [Bangkok](https://adamandlinds.com/lost-plate-bangkok-food-tour-review-2026/), is launching an 11-day trip across China this fall. It covers Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, and Shanghai with every train, domestic flight, entrance ticket, and meal already arranged. For July, they have given us a code worth $100 USD off per person on the fall departures. We have not taken this exact trip ourselves, so this is a straight rundown of what it includes, what it costs, and who it suits, based on the details Lost Plate sent us and what we know from their day tours. The short version: it is built for first-time China visitors who want the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, the pandas, and the Bund without spending weeks working out Chinese train bookings and restaurant menus on their own. ![The route runs Beijing to Shanghai, with high-speed trains and one domestic flight in between.](https://adamandlinds.com/content/images/2026/07/734807549_897670023379548_6069414405377592226_n.png) ## Best of China in 11 days Beijing to Shanghai by high-speed train, with a flight from Chengdu. { "places": \[ { "name": "Beijing", "lat": 39.9042, "lng": 116.4074, "desc": "Days 1-3: Great Wall, Forbidden City, hutong food tours, Peking duck", "type": "stop" }, { "name": "Xi'an", "lat": 34.3416, "lng": 108.9398, "desc": "Days 4-6: Terracotta Warriors, city wall, Muslim Quarter tuk tuk tour", "type": "stop" }, { "name": "Chengdu", "lat": 30.5728, "lng": 104.0668, "desc": "Days 7-8: Panda base, Sichuan hotpot, Leshan Giant Buddha", "type": "stop" }, { "name": "Shanghai", "lat": 31.2304, "lng": 121.4737, "desc": "Days 9-11: Yu Garden, food tours, Michelin farewell dinner on the Bund", "type": "stop" } \], "segments": \[ { "from": "Beijing", "to": "Xi'an", "mode": "train" }, { "from": "Xi'an", "to": "Chengdu", "mode": "train" }, { "from": "Chengdu", "to": "Shanghai", "mode": "flight" } \] } ![](https://adamandlinds.com/content/images/2026/07/Shanghai-Breakfast-Coffee-Tour-Vendor.jpg) ## The route: four cities in 11 days The trip runs south and east from Beijing to Shanghai over 11 days and 10 nights. Groups are between 4 and 15 people on the scheduled departures, and private versions can be arranged on your own dates if you would rather keep it to your family. The Route ## Best of China in 11 days Beijing to Shanghai with every meal and ticket included. Days 1-3 ### Beijing Great Wall, Forbidden City, hutong food tours, Peking duck, and a dumpling making class. Days 4-6 ### Xi'an Terracotta Warriors, the ancient city wall, morning market eats in the Muslim Quarter, and a tuk tuk food tour. Days 7-8 ### Chengdu and Leshan Panda base, Sichuan hotpot, a local teahouse, and the Leshan Giant Buddha. Days 9-11 ### Shanghai Yu Garden, breakfast and evening food tours, a rooftop toast on the Bund, and a Michelin star farewell dinner. ## What the price covers This is the part that separates it from a standard group tour. Lost Plate started as a food tour company, so the eating is the point rather than an afterthought, and the price includes every meal from arrival to departure. Once you land in Beijing, the only money you need is for shopping and whatever you buy off-itinerary. ### Included in the trip price - 10 nights of accommodation - All meals and drinks, breakfast through dinner - All entrance fees and activity tickets - High-speed trains between cities and the domestic flight - English speaking guide throughout International flights into Beijing and home from Shanghai are not included. Booking works on a $500 USD deposit per person, with the balance due 45 days before departure. If you cancel more than 45 days out, 80% of the deposit transfers to another Lost Plate multi-day trip within 6 months and anything paid beyond the deposit is refunded in full. Inside 45 days, payments are non-refundable, so treat that date as the real commitment point. ## Dates, prices, and the $100 code Two fall 2026 departures are open now, with two early bird dates already listed for spring 2027. Our code takes $100 USD off per person and is confirmed for the September and November trips. Departure List price With ADAMANDLINDS Sept 12-22, 2026 $3,450 $3,350 Nov 14-24, 2026 $3,450 $3,350 Mar 13-23, 2027 $3,200 early bird Code ends July 31, 2026 Apr 10-20, 2027 $3,200 early bird Code ends July 31, 2026 Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Solo travelers are welcome on the join-in departures with a $625 USD single supplement. ### Lost Plate Best of China $100 USD off per person on the September and November 2026 departures. Use code **ADAMANDLINDS** when you reserve your spot. [Check dates and book](https://lostplate.com/best-of-china-trip/?ref=adamandlinds.com) ## Practical details worth knowing Join-in departures need a minimum of 4 guests, and there is a guarantee attached: if the minimum is not met, the deposit is fully refunded or you can convert to a private trip for an additional fee. Vegetarian diets can be accommodated across the route, but Lost Plate is upfront that vegan, gluten free, and severe allergy requirements cannot be fully covered given how much regional food the trip moves through. Visas are on you, but after booking Lost Plate sends a China travel guide covering visa steps and packing. If you are considering a shorter visit instead, we wrote about the [240-hour transit visa](https://adamandlinds.com/preparing-china-240-hour-visa-family-travel/), which is a different route into the country entirely and worth knowing about before you commit either way. Your regular apps do not work on Chinese networks without a VPN. The Holafly China eSIM includes one built in, so there is nothing extra to install. Our guide to the [best eSIM for China](https://adamandlinds.com/best-esim-for-china/) covers how it works. FAQ ## Frequently asked questions The details people ask about before booking a group trip to China. Is this the right trip for a first visit to China? Yes. The trip is designed for first-time visitors who want to see the major landmarks without handling the logistics. Lost Plate arranges all tickets, meals, hotels, transportation, and English speaking guides. Can solo travelers join? Yes. Solo travelers are welcome on the join-in departures. A single occupancy surcharge of $625 USD applies because hotel rates are based on double occupancy. What happens if a departure does not reach the minimum group size? Join-in departures need a minimum of 4 guests. If the minimum is not met, your deposit is fully refunded, or you can convert the booking to a private trip for an additional fee. Can dietary requirements be accommodated? Vegetarian diets can be accommodated across the trip. Lost Plate is not able to fully accommodate vegan, gluten free, or severe allergy requirements because the route spans several regional cuisines. { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": \[ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is this the right trip for a first visit to China?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. The trip is designed for first-time visitors who want to see the major landmarks without handling the logistics. Lost Plate arranges all tickets, meals, hotels, transportation, and English speaking guides." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can solo travelers join?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Solo travelers are welcome on the join-in departures. A single occupancy surcharge of $625 USD applies because hotel rates are based on double occupancy." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happens if a departure does not reach the minimum group size?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Join-in departures need a minimum of 4 guests. If the minimum is not met, your deposit is fully refunded, or you can convert the booking to a private trip for an additional fee." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can dietary requirements be accommodated?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Vegetarian diets can be accommodated across the trip. Lost Plate is not able to fully accommodate vegan, gluten free, or severe allergy requirements because the route spans several regional cuisines." } } \] } ![](https://adamandlinds.com/content/images/2026/07/Regent-Beijing.jpg) ### Ready to eat your way across China? September and November 2026 departures are open now, and the $100 code runs through July 31. [Reserve a spot with Lost Plate](https://lostplate.com/best-of-china-trip/?ref=adamandlinds.com) [Read our Lost Plate review](https://adamandlinds.com/lost-plate-food-tours-review/) ### Related Reading [Lost Plate Food Tours Review](https://adamandlinds.com/lost-plate-food-tours-review/) [Lost Plate Shanghai Food Tours: Discount Code Guide](https://adamandlinds.com/lost-plate-shanghai-food-tours-discount-code-guide/) [Best eSIM for China](https://adamandlinds.com/best-esim-for-china/) This post contains a referral code. If you book through our Lost Plate code we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Trip details, dates, and prices were provided by Lost Plate and are subject to change. All opinions are our own.