Private Xian Day Trip: Terracotta Warriors & Jingdi Tomb

Eight hours, two dynasties, one private guide who knows the Qin and Han stories.

A private day tour of Xian visiting the Terracotta Warriors Museum and Hanyangling Museum (Jingdi's Tomb) with a personal English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, air-conditioned vehicle, and bottled water included. The tour starts at 7:30 a.m., spends the morning at the Terracotta Army, includes a local lunch stop and a visit to a functioning traditional cave dwelling in the afternoon, and returns you to your hotel by late afternoon. Site entrance fees and gratuities are not included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Terracotta Warriors Museum3h
2. Tomb of Emperor Jing Di4h

Visit Terracotta Warriors and Jingdi Tomb

• Meet guide at hotel lobby 7:30 a.m.
• Visit Terracotta Warriors Museum
• Have lunch at local restaurant (own cost)
• Visit traditional cave dwelling family
• Explore Hanyangling Museum (Jingdi’s Tomb)
• Return to hotel

The experience

Your guide meets you at the hotel lobby at 7:30 a.m. and drives you straight to the Terracotta Warriors Museum, where you spend the morning walking through the main pits. The site holds over 8,000 life-sized terracotta soldiers, each one carved with distinct features, posture and rank. Your guide explains how Qin Shi Huang built this underground army to protect him in the afterlife, and walks you through the weapons (cold bronze blades, royal swords and daggers) that archaeologists have excavated alongside the figures. This is one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century, and the morning alone gives you time to absorb it.

After lunch at a local restaurant (on your own cost), the afternoon takes you to a working traditional cave dwelling, a form of housing carved into mountainsides that kept families cool in summer and warm in winter. You'll step inside a local family home to see how this architecture actually functions. Then you move to Hanyangling Museum, the underground tomb of Emperor Jing and his wife Wang Zhi. Unlike the grand, solemn scale of the Terracotta Warriors, this museum is quieter and more intimate. It holds small terracotta figures showing both imperial and everyday life from a prosperous, peaceful era. You'll notice excavation work still happening inside. The tomb has not been fully revealed. Your driver returns you to the hotel by late afternoon.

The private vehicle and guide mean you set the pace at each site and skip the logistics of group tours or public transport. Your guide speaks English and handles all navigation, so you focus on the history and the artifacts. The air-conditioned car, bottled water, fuel and parking are all included. You pay only for lunch and the entrance fees at each site.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver.
• personal English-speaking guide for the full day.
• hotel pickup and return.
• bottled water.
• parking fees and fuel surcharge.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30 and 08:00

AgesAdult (6 to 90 years) · Child (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Stefanie's XiAn Private Tour

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move at your own pace through two major archaeological sites without coordinating with a group. The private guide speaks English and tailors the commentary to what interests you most, whether that's the military structure of the Qin army, the craftsmanship of individual terracotta figures, or the contrast between the grand Terracotta Warriors and the more intimate Hanyangling Museum.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 6): free.

What exactly will I see at the Terracotta Warriors Museum?

The Terracotta Warriors Museum holds over 8,000 life-sized terracotta soldiers arranged in formation, each carved with individual features, expressions and rank insignia. You'll also see excavated weapons (bronze swords, daggers and common cold weapons from the Qin Dynasty) displayed alongside the figures. Your guide explains the military structure and why Emperor Qin Shi Huang built this underground army.

How much time do I spend at each site?

The morning is devoted to the Terracotta Warriors Museum, giving you several hours to walk the main pits and absorb the scale of the discovery. After lunch, you visit the traditional cave dwelling briefly, then spend the afternoon at Hanyangling Museum before returning to your hotel.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included. Your guide will take you to a local restaurant in the afternoon where you pay for your own meal.

What makes Hanyangling Museum different from the Terracotta Warriors site?

Hanyangling Museum is China's only underground museum and the tomb of Emperor Jing and his wife Wang Zhi. It holds smaller terracotta figures showing both imperial and common folk life, and has a quieter, more peaceful atmosphere than the grand Terracotta Warriors Museum. Excavation work is still ongoing, so you may see staff working inside the tomb.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the sites?

No. Your private driver picks you up from your hotel at 7:30 a.m. and handles all transportation throughout the day in an air-conditioned vehicle. You return to your hotel at the end of the tour.

What is the traditional cave dwelling visit like?

You visit a local family home built into a mountainside using a form of architecture that was common in rural areas dating back to the 19th century. The cave design keeps homes naturally cool in summer and warm in winter, though this type of dwelling is no longer widely used due to safety risks in rainy weather. You'll see firsthand how the space functions as a residence.