2-Day Xi'an Tour: Terra Cotta Warriors & Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Pick your own pace through centuries of Xi'an history instead of following a set itinerary.

A 2-day private Xi'an tour where you choose up to 6 attractions from options including the Terra Cotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall, and Banpo Village. The package includes all entrance tickets, a private English-speaking guide and driver, hotel pickup, and 2 lunch meals. You set the pace at each site and decide which attractions matter to you, with no mandatory shopping stops or tourist-factory detours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Visit 3 chosen Xi'an attractions

• Meet guide and driver at hotel
• Drive to Terra Cotta Warriors Museum
• Tour Terra Cotta Warriors Museum
• Visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda
• Explore Muslim Market street food
• Visit Banpo Village
• Visit Xi'an Great Mosque
• Enjoy local Chinese lunch

Day 2 — Visit 3 chosen Xi'an attractions

• Climb Ancient City Wall
• Visit Tomb of Emperor Jing Di
• Climb Bell Tower for city view
• Visit Drum Tower and watch show
• Visit Daoism temple and market
• Visit Xi'an Museum and Small Wild Goose Pagoda
• Enjoy authentic Xi'an lunch

The Experience

The Terra Cotta Warriors Museum sits about an hour from your hotel, and the first day opens with a 3-hour visit to all three pits plus the Bronze Chariots exhibition — no guided rush-through, just you and your guide moving through the underground chambers at whatever pace makes sense. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a Tang dynasty temple landmark, is another option for day one; your guide explains why the structure leans and walks you through the Buddhist philosophy behind it. If you choose the Muslim Market in the afternoon, you'll spend an hour or longer following your guide through the crowded street lined with Halal food stalls — lamb skewers, sticky rice, fruit ice cream, nuts and candy — and one of your two included lunches happens here.

Day two opens with six more attractions to choose from. The 600-year-old City Wall lets you walk the top for 30 minutes or rent a bike for up to 2 hours, watching local morning markets and the moat park below. The Tomb of Emperor Jing Di is a 1-hour underground visit through glass corridors lined with thousands of pottery figurines prepared for the Han dynasty emperor's afterlife. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower both offer bird's-eye views of downtown Xi'an and the city wall; the Drum Tower includes a short bell and drum performance and Ming and Qing dynasty furniture. Banpo Village, a 6,000-year-old matriarchal settlement site, shows living quarters, burial tombs and pottery kilns with videos and models explaining the period. The Xi'an Museum and Small Wild Goose Pagoda combine a Tang dynasty structure with the city's history and folk culture in a garden setting.

Hotel pickup happens at your requested time on day one — you can arrange it from your downtown hotel, the airport exit, or the bullet train station. Your second day ends with drop-off at a location you choose. The private guide speaks English; other languages (Spanish, French, Italian, German) are available with 3 days' notice and an extra fee. All entrance tickets and 2 lunch meals are included; the second lunch is arranged based on your day-two choices.

What’s included

• All entrance tickets to your chosen attractions.
• private English-speaking guide and driver.
• private vehicle for both days.
• hotel pickup on day one and drop-off on day two at locations you choose.
• 2 lunch meals based on your itinerary selections.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Catherine Lu Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to skip the standard itinerary and spend more time at sites that matter to you — the guide adjusts the day around your pace instead of moving a group through a fixed schedule. The private format also means no shopping stops or tourist-factory detours, and you control when the day starts and where it ends.

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Top questions

Can I really choose any 6 attractions I want, or are there set combinations?

You choose up to 6 attractions across the two days from the available options — the Terra Cotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Tomb of Emperor Jing Di, Banpo Village, Xi'an Museum, and the Great Mosque. Your guide builds the itinerary around your interests, not a fixed route.

What is the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum actually like when you get there?

The Terracotta Warriors Museum is an underground site divided into three excavation pits plus a Bronze Chariots exhibition. You walk through all of them during your 3-hour visit, seeing thousands of life-sized pottery soldiers and horses arranged as they were buried for the 4th century emperor — no tourist-factory stops or rushed galleries.

How much time do I spend walking and climbing on day two?

The City Wall involves either a 30-minute walk across the top or optional bike rental for 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on your pace. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower both require climbing to the top for views. The other day-two options — the museum, Banpo Village, and the Tomb of Emperor Jing Di — involve walking through indoor and outdoor sites at your own speed.

What if I arrive late or need to leave early — can I adjust the pickup and drop-off?

Day one pickup happens at your requested time from your downtown hotel, airport exit, or bullet train station. Day two ends with drop-off at a location you choose. You arrange both when you book, so timing fits your arrival and departure.

Are the 2 lunches included in the price, and can I choose where to eat?

Two lunch meals are included in the package. One is arranged based on your day-one choices — if you visit the Muslim Market, that meal happens there. The second lunch on day two is arranged around the attractions you select. Let the operator know any dietary requirements when you book.

Does the guide speak English the whole time, or will there be translation?

Your guide speaks English throughout the tour. If you need Spanish, French, Italian, or German instead, notify the operator at least 3 days before the tour — an additional fee applies for those languages.