Xi'an Day Tour: Terracotta Army, City Wall & Pagoda

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/27

Duration9h–10h

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Walk among 8,000 terracotta warriors buried for 2,200 years, then stand on a 600-year-old city wall.

A full-day guided tour of Xi'an covers the Terracotta Army Museum, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, and City Wall, with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, all entry tickets and a buffet lunch included. The tour departs early to give you three hours at the Terracotta Army before crowds arrive. Groups stay around 12 people, and you return to your hotel by late afternoon. Pickup time is confirmed the day before; carry the same valid ID you provided at booking, or the sites will deny entry.

9h–10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Xi’an’s historic highlights

Meet guide at hotel lobby
Drive 1 hour to Terracotta Army Museum
Tour Terracotta Army for 3 hours
Enjoy buffet lunch with local dishes
Visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Walk on the 600-year-old City Wall
Drive past Muslim Quarter for street food
Return to hotel or disembark at Muslim Quarter

The Experience

Your guide meets you at your hotel lobby in the morning and drives you an hour to the Terracotta Army Museum in an air-conditioned vehicle. Early entry means you arrive before the crowds and spend three hours exploring all three burial pits—over 8,000 life-sized warriors, horses and chariots spread across the underground complex. Pit 1 holds the main army formation; Pit 2 shows individual warriors ranked by armor and posture; Pit 3 is the command center. Your guide walks you through the site and explains the Qin Empire's reach and power, not just the facts on a placard.

Lunch is an upscale buffet with over 25 dishes—hand-pulled noodles and local specialties prepared in an open kitchen, plus Western options like fried chicken and macaroni, finishing with pastries and fresh fruit. This bypasses the low-quality tourist restaurants and village lunch stops that fill other tours. After eating, you drive back downtown to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a 1,300-year-old UNESCO site built centuries before Columbus sailed. It survived more than ten major earthquakes and stands as a Silk Road landmark where Buddhist scriptures were translated and spread across China.

Next, you walk the South Gate section of the City Wall, the most complete ancient fortification in China and nearly 14 kilometers long. The wall offers a vantage point where you can see how the old city meets the modern one. Bicycle rentals are available at your own cost if you want to ride rather than walk. On the way back, the driver passes through the Muslim Quarter, the city's main street food hub. You can choose to stay and explore on your own—trying cold noodles, pot stickers or jujube rice cakes—and return to your hotel independently, or ride back with the group in the air-conditioned vehicle. Either way, your hotel transfer is included.

What’s included

Professional English-speaking guide.
all entrance fees to the Terracotta Army Museum, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and City Wall.
hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle.
buffet lunch with over 25 dishes, fresh fruit and a soft drink.
unlimited bottled water throughout the day.
free earphones.
free child seat upon request.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Travel China Guide

Is this one for you?Choose this tour for early-morning access to the Terracotta Army before crowds arrive, or pick the ticket-only option if you'd rather visit on your own schedule.