Terracotta Army Tour with Family Lunch Xi'an

Pit 1 of the Terracotta Army: Faces of an Ancient Army

The first sight of Pit 1 stops every group in its tracks: long earthen corridors filled with life-size infantrymen in battle order, all facing east. Look closely and the craft becomes clear. The bodies were made from moulds in a few standard shapes, then each head, hand and hairstyle was finished by hand, which is why no two faces match. Workshop marks stamped on some figures show that the army was produced in organised teams more than 2,200 years ago.

Your guide explains how the figures were fired, painted and armed with real bronze swords and crossbows, and why most of the colour vanished within minutes of excavation. This Terracotta Army day trip from Xi'an gives you unhurried time at the front rail and along the side galleries, with about an hour in this hall alone.

Pits 2 and 3 and the Exhibition Halls

Pit 2 adds variety to the army: kneeling archers, cavalrymen standing beside their horses and squares of chariots, much of it still under the original collapsed roof. In display cases at the edge of the pit you meet the most expressive figures up close, from a stern officer to an archer whose hair braid is carved strand by strand. Pit 3, the smallest, is believed to be the command post, with officers grouped around a chariot.

The exhibition halls complete the picture with the museum's painted bronze chariots, found near the First Emperor's tomb mound, and rotating displays of recent finds. Is the Terracotta Army worth visiting with a guide? Here especially, because the stories behind each case are what bring the halls to life. Allow about 45 minutes for the second pit, the command post and the halls together.

A Family Lunch in a Lintong Village

After the museum the group drives a short way into the countryside of Lintong, where village houses sit among orchards at the foot of Mount Li. Lintong is famous across China for its pomegranates, which flower in late spring and are harvested in autumn, and many families still farm small plots. Lunch is served at a family table: dishes typically include hand-made noodles, steamed buns, stir-fried seasonal vegetables and simple Shaanxi home cooking.

This is a relaxed hour rather than a show. Your guide translates, so you can ask about village life, local festivals and how the area has changed since the warriors were found nearby. Please tell us about dietary needs when you book, such as vegetarian meals or no pork, and we pass them on to the family in advance.

Shaanxi Flavours and Halal Food in Xi'an

Shaanxi is wheat country, and its kitchen shows it: wide belt-like biangbiang noodles, roujiamo flatbread sandwiches and yangrou paomo, a mutton broth poured over torn bread. The family lunch gives you the home version of this cooking, and your guide can suggest where to taste the rest during your stay.

Xi'an also has one of China's oldest Muslim communities. Hui families have lived around the Great Mosque of Xi'an for centuries, and the lanes of the Muslim Quarter near the Drum Tower are lined with halal (qingzhen) stalls selling beef and mutton dishes, persimmon cakes and sesame breads. If you eat only halal food, the Muslim Quarter is the easiest place for dinner after the tour, and our team is happy to share recommendations.

How to Get to the Terracotta Army and When to Visit

The museum lies about 40 kilometres east of central Xi'an, roughly an hour by road. How to get to the Terracotta Army on your own? Tourist buses run from the square east of Xi'an Railway Station, and metro Line 9 reaches Lintong, but connections and queues eat into the day. On this tour the vehicle meets you at your hotel and the ticket is already reserved with your passport.

Terracotta Army opening hours run from early morning to late afternoon every day, slightly longer in the warmer months, with the last entry about an hour before closing. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, and the village is at its prettiest when the pomegranate trees are in flower or fruit. Avoid Chinese public holidays if you can, when the halls are very crowded.