Mini Group Xian Day Tour to Terracotta Army, City Wall, Pagoda and Muslim Bazaar
Description
Uncover the magic of Xi’an on a full-day tour through its 3,100 years of history! With an expert local guide, you’ll check two UNESCO World Heritage sites off your bucket list: the legendary Terracotta Army and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. Walk the historic City Wall and dive into the vibrant flavors of the Muslim Quarter. We’ll take care of every detail: hotel transfers via air-conditioned vehicle, all entry tickets, and a buffet lunch. Just relax and enjoy! - Beat the Crowds: Early morning entry to the Terracotta Army Museum - All-inclusive: Seamless transfers, expert guide, professional driver, and all tickets - Premium Lunch: Savor 25+ dishes and local snacks, bypassing low-quality tourist or village restaurants - We are a local supplier saving you 15% on the same route
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your morning begins with a greeting from your guide right in your hotel lobby. Relax in an air-conditioned vehicle for a 1-hour drive to the Terracotta Army Museum, as your expert guide shares insights into this UNESCO World Heritage site.
Beat the crowds with early entry and enjoy an immersive, 3-hour journey through the 2,200-year-old Terracotta Army of China’s First Emperor. You’ll fully explore all three burial pits housing over 8,000 life-sized warriors, horses, and chariots, as well as a special exhibition featuring rare artifacts. Pit 1: Stand in awe before the massive army, alongside occasional excavation work. Pit 2: Decode the ranks of individual warriors from their postures and armors. Pit 3: Explore the command center of the entire underground army. Your guide won’t just recite history. They’ll bring the legendary Qin Empire to life with fascinating trivia and hidden secrets, revealing a dynasty that once rivaled the Roman Empire. Ready to step back in time?
For lunch, refuel with an upscale buffet featuring over 25 gourmet dishes. Watch chefs prepare authentic local specialties like Chinese hamburgers and hand-pulled noodles right before your eyes in the open kitchen, while enjoying Western favorites like macaroni, fried chicken, and croissants. Finish with a selection of pastries, fruits, and a soft drink. Skip the overcrowded tourist restaurants and low-quality village lunches.
Drive back downtown to visit the pagoda, another World Heritage site and a Silk Road landmark, where Buddhist scriptures brought from India by Monk Xuanzang were translated and spread across China. Built over 1,300 years ago, centuries before Columbus set sail, this architectural marvel famously survived more than ten major earthquakes.
Next, take a walk on the 600-year-old City Wall, the most complete ancient fortification in China. Stretching nearly 14 kilometers (8.7 miles), it offers a vantage point to see how history meets modernity. Bicycles rentals are available on the wall at your own expense.
Drive past the Muslim Quarter, the city’s most vibrant street food paradise. Guests wishing to explore further on their own may disembark here to enjoy the evening independently. Soak in the bustling local life and try delicious cold noodles, pot stickers, or jujube rice cakes.
Guests disembarking at Muslim Quarter need to return independently, while others enjoy our complimentary vehicle transfer back to their hotel. Note: We offer ticket booking, mini-group, and private tour options. Check availability to choose the perfect fit for your travel style.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Free pickup and drop-off at your downtown hotel lobby. Your pickup time will be confirmed one day in advance. If your hotel is not listed, please specify its name and address in special requirements.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Free pickup and drop-off are included for downtown hotels. Your exact pickup time will be confirmed one day prior. For the ‘Half Day Mini Group to Terracotta Army’ option, drop-off is at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.
- Please provide your accurate passport information for real-name ticket bookings, and make sure to carry the same valid ID on the tour day; otherwise, the scenic area will deny entry.
- The tour is not recommended for senior travelers over 85.
- Mini Group: About 12 people with more personal care.
Reviews(1,547)
After the pick-up at the hotel we followed the schedule. Everything was well prepared and our tour guide Carol was brilliant. Her knowledge about all the visited spots is amazing. I can highly recommed this tour.
Had a wonderful time with Carol as our tour guide. She is the only one I want if I were to do the tour again. She was attentive, helpful, and very patient and had great insights for the best photo-taking spots. The tour helped save a lot of effort planning a day in Xian and would highly recommend since the Terracotta Army is actually outside the city a little bit. Only place of improvement would be a brief confirmation of the tour happening a week prior to the tour.
Terracotta Army was definitely the highlight of the Tour. Carol, our guide definitely made our tour much more enjoyable. She explain the history on what we are seeing at each spot. She made sure the whole group was hydrated because the weather was so hot. Carol made sure we get the pictures we wanted and showed us the best spot. She took care the needs of the group. Definitely recommend getting Carol as your guide.
We are grateful for your kind review. It is wonderful to know that Carol's knowledge and thoughtful attention made your tour so memorable. From historical insights to practical care in the heat and help with photos, she clearly went out of her way to make the experience special. She will be delighted to receive your kind words, and we hope to welcome you back soon.
Lily was great. We had a great experience at a very busy time at the Terra cotta warriors. Lily was very informative and helpful. She really looked after the group. It was hot there in July so be ready with lots of water if you go in the summer.
Thank you for your generous review. We are glad that Lily's knowledge and thoughtful attention contributed to a rewarding experience for you, even during a busy season. Your feedback about the summer conditions is valuable, and we will be sure to share it with future guests.
We thoroughly enjoyed the half day tour. Carol was our guide and she was incredible! She kept us informed before the tour with pick up times but also kept us informed before the loop throughout the day. She did an amazing job teaching us some Chinese history on the bus and throughout each pit. The buffet lunch was great. We loved trying some Xi An specialities. It was a great day and we would definitely recommend this tour to others.
Thank you for your thoughtful review. We are delighted to hear that your half-day tour was such an enjoyable experience and that Carol's informative and attentive guidance made a lasting impression. Her ability to share historical insights both on the bus and throughout the pits clearly enriched your visit. It is also wonderful to know that the buffet lunch and local specialties added to the overall enjoyment of the day. We truly appreciate your recommendation！
Great guide. Very informative friendly and helpful. We had a very enjoyable and fun experience. Would recommend to everyone. Thanks for a great time.
Thank you for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that your guide's informative, friendly, and helpful approach made your experience both enjoyable and fun. It is always rewarding to know that we could contribute to such a positive memory, and we truly appreciate your recommendation. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back in the future.
The tour was well organized and executed. There was no waiting times or delays. The tour guide, Carol, was excellent. Provided lot of useful information for the sites but the country as well. Good experience overall
Thank you for your great review! We're so glad the tour was well organized with no waiting or delays — that's exactly what we aim for. Carol will be absolutely delighted to hear that her excellent guidance and useful insights into both the sites and the country made your experience so positive. We truly appreciate your kind words.
We took a fantastic Terracotta Army and Xi’an tour with Carol. She was very knowledgeable about each of the sites visited and Chinese history/culture more generally. We also felt the all day tour was very well paced and never felt anything lasted too long as it sometimes does with long tours. Highly recommend booking with Carol if you can!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad Carol's deep knowledge of Chinese history and culture made your Xi'an tour so enjoyable. It's great that the day never felt too long, even with so much to see. Carol will be absolutely delighted to hear your kind words. We truly appreciate your high recommendation！
Tour guide Lily was an added value to this day thanks to her information. I recommend the tour and the excursion, it was really good
Thank you for your lovely review! We're so glad Lily's insights added real value to your day. It's wonderful that you enjoyed the tour and the excursion. We truly appreciate your recommendation！
Our "mini-group" was 12 people, and everyone was absolutely lovely and open. Our guide, Roger, is a wealth of knowledge on the history and where to go. He's clearly passionate, at times more than our group was after. Some segments ran long, and there were moments he grew visibly frustrated when people weren't fully attentive, which shifted the mood a little. If you want a thorough, history-heavy experience, you'll appreciate his depth; if you prefer a lighter, more flexible pace, it's worth knowing that going in. A breakdown, since it's a long day: The Terracotta Army is a lengthy trip out, and I'd recommend arriving early given the crowds and temperature (depending on the season). It's fascinating even at a high level and completely worth the trek, with a lot to take in. Lunch was a delicious buffet of local cuisine and simpler basics, with freshly made noodles and soup as a highlight. The restaurant sits above an antique store, jade market, and tourist shop, so it's a real one-stop shop. The Pagoda was a highlight, and I'd have happily traded some Terracotta Army time for more here. The grounds were beautiful, the history and fountains lovely, the crowds minimal, and we could explore on our own. A nice respite from the morning. The City Wall included the wall museum and time up top. The wall is a sight, though in practice it was a walk up, a look around, and back down. Note the Muslim Bazaar isn't actually included; it's an optional drop-off if there's time, or a drop-off at the end for you to explore on your own. Overall, it was great to have a guide to shepherd us through the queues and ticket gates and have a vast knowledge. It is a long day. Recommend.
Thanks for your detailed and honest feedback! Roger will be pleased to hear that his deep knowledge and passion helped you make the most of the Terracotta Army, Pagoda, and City Wall. We also appreciate your honest note about the pacing and moments of frustration — we'll use this to help him strike a better balance for future groups. We're glad you enjoyed the buffet lunch and found the Pagoda such a highlight. Thank you for your recommendation and for helping us improve!
