Xi'an Private Day Tour: Terra Cotta Army, City Wall & Pagoda

Walk three centuries of Xi'an in one day, with a guide who explains what you're standing in front of.

A full-day private tour of Xi'an visits the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, climbs the 600-year-old Ancient City Wall, and explores the Big Wild Goose Pagoda: a Tang dynasty temple linked to the Silk Road. Your English-speaking guide and driver handle pickup from your hotel, entrance tickets, lunch at a local restaurant, and all transport between sites over eight hours, with no factory shopping stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Terracotta Warriors Museum3h · entry included
2. South Gate1h · entry included
3. Big Wild Goose Pagoda1h · entry included

Visit Xi'an top 3 highlights

• Meet guide and driver at hotel
• Drive one hour to Terra Cotta Warriors
• Visit Terra Cotta Warriors Museum for 3 hours
• Enjoy authentic local lunch
• Drive one hour back downtown
• Climb and walk or bike on Ancient City Wall
• Visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda and learn history
• Return to hotel with guide and driver

The experience

The day starts with pickup at your hotel around 8:30 a.m., then a one-hour drive to the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum outside the city. You spend roughly three hours walking through the three excavation pits and the Bronze Chariots exhibition: your guide points out what each warrior's pose and armor tell you about the army's rank and role. There are no tourist shops built into the route. The museum itself is the stop. Before heading back downtown, you eat lunch at an authentic local restaurant, which gives you a break and a sense of how Xi'an residents eat.

The afternoon splits between two sites. At the Ancient City Wall, you climb to the top (a 600-year-old structure that still rings the old city), and walk or rent a bike for 30 minutes to an hour along the wall itself. Below, you can see locals relaxing in the moat park. Then your guide takes you to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a Great Tang dynasty temple in the downtown center square. Your guide explains why the pagoda leans slightly, how it connects to the Silk Road and Tang history, and what Buddhist practice looks like in modern China. If your visit falls on a chanting day, you'll see monks and worshippers in the courtyard. The driver returns you to your hotel at the end of the day.

The tour runs eight hours total and includes all entrance tickets, the private car and driver, and lunch. Your guide speaks English. If you need Spanish, French, Italian or German, you can request it at least three days ahead for an additional fee. Comfortable walking shoes matter. You'll be on your feet at the museum, climbing the wall, and exploring the pagoda grounds. Dietary needs (vegetarian, gluten-free) can be arranged if you mention them when you book.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off (or train station or airport transfer, depending on your booking option).
• entrance tickets to all three sites.
• a full eight-hour private car and driver.
• a professional English-speaking guide (Spanish, French, Italian or German available for an extra fee with three days' notice).
• and lunch at a local Xi'an restaurant with vegetarian and gluten-free options available.

Options for this experience

4 options

Tour plus two-way hotel transferGuide in 7 languages · 10 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 12:00Everything is covered: all entrance tickets, a private guide, a driver, lunch, and pickup and drop-off at your hotel. Please note your hotel address. Pickup is included.

Tour plus one-way airport transferGuide in 7 languages · 11 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00All entrance tickets, a private guide, a driver, lunch, and a one-way transfer between the airport and hotel are included. Please note your flight number. Pickup is included.

Tour plus two-way airport transferGuide in 7 languages · 9 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:00All entrance tickets, a private guide, a driver and lunch are included, along with airport pickup and drop-off. Please note your flight number. Pickup is included.

Tour plus two-way bullet train station transferGuide in 7 languages · 11 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00Included: all tickets, a private guide, a driver, lunch, and a two-way transfer to and from the bullet train station. Please note your train number. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day11 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (8 to 80 years) · Child (4 to 7 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Chinese

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 13 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Catherine Lu Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a private guide steering you through Xi'an's three major sites in one day, with all logistics handled and lunch included. Choose English unless you need Spanish, French, German or Italian, which requires notice.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 7 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What exactly is inside the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum that I'll see?

The Terracotta Warriors Museum holds three excavation pits and a Bronze Chariots exhibition. Pit 1 contains the main army formation, Pit 2 shows a mix of cavalry and infantry, and Pit 3 holds the command center. Your guide walks you through each one and explains the rank and role of the warriors based on their armor and stance.

Can I bike on top of the Ancient City Wall, or do I have to walk?

You can choose. The Ancient City Wall allows roughly 30 minutes of walking or 30 minutes to an hour of cycling if you rent a bike on top. Either way, you get a view of the moat park below and the city layout from the wall itself.

Does the tour include time inside the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, or just the courtyard?

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a temple and cultural landmark where your guide explains its history, its lean, and its connection to the Silk Road and Tang dynasty Buddhism. The itinerary focuses on the site and its significance rather than interior access. Your guide tells you what the building represents and what you're seeing.

Is lunch included, and can you handle dietary restrictions?

Yes, lunch at an authentic local Xi'an restaurant is included in the tour price. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available. Tell your guide your dietary needs when you book so the restaurant can prepare it.

How do I get picked up, and what if I'm arriving by train or plane instead of staying at a hotel?

Hotel pickup is included in the standard tour. If you're arriving by bullet train or airport, you can add a one-way or two-way transfer to your booking at checkout, and your driver will meet you at that station or terminal instead of your hotel.