Traveler Stories
Guest Reviews & Travel Notes
5 published guest reviews
Filter Reviews
Browse by source, traveler type, or rating.
⭐ Selected Reviews
Samantha Kowalski
Solo female traveler ? I felt safe, supported and amazed every single day
I was nervous traveling solo through China for the first time and genuinely did not need to be. From the airport pickup in Beijing to the farewell transfer in Shanghai, every single handoff was flawless. My guide Jenny in Beijing took me to a tiny tea house inside the Hutongs run by a retired professor ? we drank pu-erh and talked about Chinese history for two hours. The Forbidden City with a knowledgeable guide is a completely different experience from wandering alone ? she knew exactly where to stand for the light, which courtyards were always empty, and which doors led to hidden gardens tourists miss. I've uploaded my actual photos. That one of the Hall of Supreme Harmony reflection in the courtyard puddle after rain? Pure luck, but the guide knew exactly when to be there.
All Reviews
Anna Korhonen
Finland
🔍 GoogleHa Long Bay to Beijing ? two countries, completely different, both breathtaking
The China & Vietnam Combo Tour was my first big solo adventure and it set the bar impossibly high. Ha Long Bay on a two-night junk boat ? waking at 5am and climbing to the deck to watch sunrise between the limestone islands in total silence ? was one of the most peaceful moments I have ever experienced. Then back to China and the contrast was electric: the energy of Shanghai's Bund, the scale and history of Beijing. I've shared a few of my Ha Long photos and one from Guilin because the karst landscape is remarkably similar but the atmosphere is so different. Both beautiful for completely different reasons. The guide who arranged kayaking through the caves in Ha Long was incredible ? her knowledge of the local geology was like having a geologist friend with you.
Dr. Amira Hassan
Egypt
🔍 GoogleThree cities, three completely different Chinas ? brilliant routing
The 9 Days Beijing, Xi'an & Chengdu Cultural Tour was my first China trip and the routing is genius. Beijing is overwhelming imperial power. Xi'an is silk road mystery and underground armies. Chengdu is completely different ? laid-back, spicy, full of teahouse culture and pandas. Visiting all three gave me a much fuller picture of China than a simple Beijing-Shanghai trip would have. Our guide Grace had studied history at Peking University and her knowledge elevated every single stop. The Sichuan opera face-changing show in Chengdu on our last night was a magical finale. I am already planning to return for the Yangtze cruise.
Isabella Rossi
Italy
🔍 GoogleChina's UNESCO sites back to back ? spectacular cultural immersion
The 12 Days China Cultural Heritage Tour through Beijing, Xi'an, Luoyang and Pingyao felt like a living university course in Chinese civilization. Seeing the Forbidden City knowing it housed 24 emperors, then the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an where Tang Dynasty monks translated Buddhist scriptures, then the White Horse Temple in Luoyang (China's first Buddhist temple, 68 AD!), then Pingyao's intact Ming dynasty merchant quarter ? the depth of history is humbling. Our guide Teresa had personal family connections to Pingyao and her stories about life there before tourism added irreplaceable texture. One of the best cultural travel experiences of my life.
Priya Nair
India
🔍 GoogleYunnan is China's best-kept secret and this tour revealed it perfectly
I chose the 10 Days Best of Yunnan Tour after seeing photos of Lijiang's old town and I was not disappointed. But it was the Tiger Leaping Gorge hike that truly stole the show ? two days of trekking with jaw-dropping Yangtze River views and staying in guesthouses run by local families. Our guide arranged a home-cooked Naxi dinner in Lijiang where we sat with the family and tried a dozen local dishes including the famous Yunnan goat cheese. Shangri-La's Songzanlin Monastery was spectacular. The ethnic diversity of Yunnan ? Naxi, Bai, Tibetan, Yi ? is unlike anywhere else in China. This region deserves to be on every traveler's list.