Xi'an Private Tour: Terracotta Warriors & City Wall Visit

Three thousand years of empire in one day: warriors, temples, and walls

A private tour of Xi'an with a guide or driver covers the Terracotta Warriors Museum, the 1,300-year-old Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Ming Dynasty City Wall in a single day. Hotel pickup is included, and you customize the stops with your guide based on what interests you most. The tour suits travelers with limited time in Xi'an who want to see the major sites without arranging separate transport.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Terracotta Warriors Museum3h
2. Big Wild Goose Pagoda2h
3. South Gate1h

Visit Terracotta Warriors and Xi'an highlights

• Pick up from hotel lobby
• Visit Terracotta Warriors Museum
• Have typical Chinese lunch
• Visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda
• Visit Xi'an City Wall
• Explore Muslim Quarter on your own

The experience

The Terracotta Warriors Museum opens the day. Since their discovery in 1974, more than 8,000 soldiers, 670 horses, and 130 chariots have been unearthed across three pits covering over 22,000 square metres. Each warrior is unique, with distinct facial features and heights averaging 1.85 meters. A separate hall holds the bronze chariots and horses. Your guide walks you through the scale of what was buried here and what the excavation revealed about the army that protected China's first emperor.

After lunch, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda sits in the old town. Built in 652 AD to store Buddhist scriptures and statues brought back from India, the pagoda stands as a landmark of how Buddhism traveled the Silk Road into China. If you want, you can climb to the top for a view over the city, or stroll the north and south squares where locals gather and the music fountain sometimes runs. Then the tour moves to the City Wall, one of the most extensive defensive walls still standing. Renovated during the Ming Dynasty over 600 years ago, it rises 12 meters tall with a moat 15 to 18 meters thick at the base. You can walk the wall or rent a bike to cover the full 14-kilometer circuit.

The Muslim Quarter and the Bell and Drum Tower can fill the evening or the next day, depending on your energy and what your guide suggests. Three main sites fit comfortably into one day. Anything beyond that depends on how much time you spend at each stop and what you want to skip.

What’s included

• Private tour guide in English, Spanish, Italian or Chinese.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.

Options for this experience

5 options

Private tour guideUp to 9 per booking · Guide in 4 languages · 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00Public transport: the transportation fee is paid as it is actually incurred. A private car can be booked separately through the same link. Pickup is included.

Private 5-seater carUp to 2 per booking · Guide in 4 languages · 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00Teana, Passat or a similar class, with pickup included

Private 7-seater carUp to 5 per booking · Guide in 4 languages · 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00Buick GL8, with pickup included

See 2 more options

Private van for 9 to 17 seatsUp to 10 per booking · Guide in 4 languages · 7 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 11:00Goden Dragon or Mercedes-Benz: to add a tour guide, book the Private Tour Guide option through the same link. Pickup is included.

Car and private tour guideUp to 5 per booking · Guide in 4 languages · 6 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 11:005- or 7-seater car, with pickup included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 11:00

Book up to4h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, Italian and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by China Miracle Travel

Is this one for you?Choose a private guide if you want someone to explain the history and context at each stop. Choose a private car with driver if you prefer to explore at your own pace and make your own decisions about where to linger. Either way, you pick the sites that matter to you and skip the rest, so a short stay in Xi'an doesn't force you to rush through everything.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How many terracotta warriors have been found at the museum?

More than 8,000 soldiers, 670 horses, and 130 chariots have been unearthed since the discovery in 1974, spread across three pits and a separate hall for bronze chariots and horses.

Can I climb the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to see the city?

Yes, the pagoda allows visitors to ascend to the top of the ancient wooden-and-brick structure for a bird's eye view of the cityscape, though climbing is optional.

What is the City Wall like to walk?

Xi'an's City Wall stands 12 meters tall and stretches 14 kilometers around the old town. It was renovated in the Ming Dynasty and is one of the most extensive and best-preserved defensive walls in the world. You can walk it or rent a bike to cover the full circuit.

Can I customize which sites to visit?

Yes, the itinerary is flexible. You discuss with your guide or driver what you'd like to see in one day, and they pick you up from your hotel to start the tour. Three main sites fit reasonably into a single day.

Does the price include entrance fees to the museums and attractions?

No, entrance tickets are not included in the tour price. You pay separately for entry to the Terracotta Warriors Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall, and any other sites you visit.