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Guest Reviews & Travel Notes
11 published guest reviews
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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.
Robert & Linda Patterson
Perfect introduction to China ? 10 days well spent
As first-time visitors to China, the 10 Days China Highlights Tour was exactly what we needed. The itinerary hit all the must-sees: Tiananmen Square at sunrise (genuinely moving), the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, then Xi'an for the Terracotta Army, and finally Shanghai where the Bund at night made us both speechless. What sets this company apart is the small group size ? only 8 people ? which meant we could move quickly and get into places before the crowds. Our guide Amy spoke flawless English and had a wonderful sense of humor. We're already planning the Yangtze River cruise for next year!
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Emma van der Berg
Netherlands
🔍 GoogleStrong overall trip with a few long transfer days
Overall we had a very good experience. Guilin and the Li River day stood out the most for us. A couple of transfer days were longer than we expected, but the local team always met us on time and helped keep things smooth. I would book again, especially for a slower-paced route.
Helen Morris
Canada
🔍 GoogleGreat guides and clear communication
The planning team answered questions quickly before departure, which helped a lot because we were traveling with teenagers. Our Beijing guide was excellent at keeping the day moving without making it feel rushed. We would happily use the company again for a longer route next time.
Brendan & Fiona Murphy
Ireland
🔍 GoogleTibet at altitude ? the Potala Palace against a blue sky is worth the flight alone
We spent weeks preparing physically for the 10 Days Tibet Explorer and the preparation paid off ? not a hint of altitude sickness for either of us, thanks in part to the careful acclimatization schedule built into the itinerary. The company had emailed us a detailed preparation guide six weeks in advance. The Potala Palace on a blue-sky morning is simply one of the most visually perfect buildings on earth ? 13 stories of white and red rising from a rocky outcrop above Lhasa. Our guide Tenzin's grandfather had worked in the palace before 1959 and his stories made every room come alive. Namtso Lake at 4,718m with the Nyenchen Tanglha mountains reflected in the water ? I've put the photo as my laptop wallpaper and people ask me if it's a painting every single time. Real China tour, real moments.
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.
Raj & Sunita Patel
India
🔍 GoogleSeamless, enriching, and better than any China tour we considered
We compared five China tour companies before choosing this one for the 11 Days China Wonders Experience. The deciding factor was the quality of information and the quick, detailed response to our enquiry. In person it was even better than promised. The private tour format meant our guide David could adapt each day to our pace ? when he discovered I am interested in traditional Chinese medicine he arranged an impromptu visit to a 200-year-old pharmacy in Xi'an's Muslim Quarter. Guilin's Reed Flute Cave illuminations are surreal. The company's network of contacts across China means you access things simply not available to independent travelers. Book them.
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.
Jonathan & Fiona Clarke
New Zealand
🔍 GoogleThe ultimate China experience ? 16 days, zero regrets
The 16 Days China Highlights including Hong Kong was the most ambitious trip we have ever taken, and The Top China Tour made it feel effortless. Six cities across three weeks: Beijing's imperial grandeur, Xi'an's underground army, Chengdu's pandas and blazing hot pot, Guilin's karst paradise, and then Hong Kong as a spectacular finale ? the harbor light show and dim sum in Kowloon were the perfect ending. Every single hotel was excellent. What impressed us most was the seamless logistics: internal flights always on time, private transfers always waiting, itinerary always perfectly paced. A masterclass in tour organization.
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.