China Reviews
Review 1
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The Great Wall and Guilin
What did you think of your tour leader?
Very Good
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Get to a reasonable standard of fitness, Factor in some rest time at the end if possible.
Reviewed by Lorraine Eleanor Jackson who travelled in July 2011 on the Highlights Of China trip
Review 2
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Cycling through the rice fields outside of Yangshou, surounded by the Limestone hills - absolutely awesome!
What did you think of your tour leader?
Keith was absolutely excellent - he played a huge part in making the trip fun, and informative. He went beyond what was expected to ensure that everyone got the most out of our adventure.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Take lots of photo's, try to learn (and use) a few words of Mandarin, immerse yourself in the culture incl. the food, don't be afraid to adventure off the mail tourist tracks.
Reviewed by Shaun Waterman who travelled in May 2011 on the China Odyssey trip
Review 3
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Cycling through the rice fields outside of Yangshou, surounded by the Limestone hills - absolutely awesome!
What did you think of your tour leader?
Keith was absolutely excellent - he played a huge part in making the trip fun, and informative. He went beyond what was expected to ensure that everyone got the most out of our adventure.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Take lots of photo's, try to learn (and use) a few words of Mandarin, immerse yourself in the culture incl. the food, don't be afraid to adventure off the mail tourist tracks.
Reviewed by Shaun Waterman who travelled in May 2011 on the China Odyssey trip
Review 4
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
I can honestly say that every day of this trip was a highlight, because every day took us to a different iconic place, wonder or cultural phenomenon. The mountains of Yanshuo, depicted in Chinese paintings, the Three Gorges, The Terracotta Warriors, The Great Wall and Forbidden City, The West Lake of Hangzhou, and perhaps above all, the Yellow Mountain....not to mention modern cities like Shanghai and Beijing . Also, all the shows and theaatre trips were brilliant and stunning. Do them all! Perhaps as well as that long list, one should mention that it was interesting, and sometimes overwhelming, to meet modern China head on, over a whole month, and understand more about its position in the world today. But what an incredible opportunity.
What did you think of your tour leader?
Keith, our Chinese tour leader, was absolutely wonderful in every way: great sense of humour, very intelligent and thoughtful, very caring and thorough.. a proper friend to guide us through a month of complex and wide ranging travel, involving trains, buses, taxis, and of course, a boat (Yangtse) and numerous smaller expeditions and theatre trips. Everything ran so smoothly, thanks to him. This really is one trip we could never have managed ourselves, not knowing Chinese. I cannot praise him highly enough. We were lucky to have him.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
This is a challenging and amazing trip, particularly if you really interested both in Ancient Chinese Culture, as well as contemporary China - which is evolving faster than the speed of light. You need to be aware that travel is long and often quite basic, though comfortable. You will carry everything yourself so travel light. You need to be healthy to sustain the pace. We took Pre-biotics, as we always do nowadays when we travel, and never had a day of sickness. Do everything, eat almost everything (not bullfrog, dog or jellyfish head) and enjoy the contact with the very friendly Chinese people.
Reviewed by Mary Walker who travelled in April 2011 on the China Odyssey trip
Review 5
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
I can honestly say that every day of this trip was a highlight, because every day took us to a different iconic place, wonder or cultural phenomenon. The mountains of Yanshuo, depicted in Chinese paintings, the Three Gorges, The Terracotta Warriors, The Great Wall and Forbidden City, The West Lake of Hangzhou, and perhaps above all, the Yellow Mountain....not to mention modern cities like Shanghai and Beijing . Also, all the shows and theaatre trips were brilliant and stunning. Do them all! Perhaps as well as that long list, one should mention that it was interesting, and sometimes overwhelming, to meet modern China head on, over a whole month, and understand more about its position in the world today. But what an incredible opportunity.
What did you think of your tour leader?
Keith, our Chinese tour leader, was absolutely wonderful in every way: great sense of humour, very intelligent and thoughtful, very caring and thorough.. a proper friend to guide us through a month of complex and wide ranging travel, involving trains, buses, taxis, and of course, a boat (Yangtse) and numerous smaller expeditions and theatre trips. Everything ran so smoothly, thanks to him. This really is one trip we could never have managed ourselves, not knowing Chinese. I cannot praise him highly enough. We were lucky to have him.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
This is a challenging and amazing trip, particularly if you really interested both in Ancient Chinese Culture, as well as contemporary China - which is evolving faster than the speed of light. You need to be aware that travel is long and often quite basic, though comfortable. You will carry everything yourself so travel light. You need to be healthy to sustain the pace. We took Pre-biotics, as we always do nowadays when we travel, and never had a day of sickness. Do everything, eat almost everything (not bullfrog, dog or jellyfish head) and enjoy the contact with the very friendly Chinese people.
Reviewed by Mary Walker who travelled in April 2011 on the China Odyssey trip
Review 6
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The cycling day from Yangshuo
What did you think of your tour leader?
Truly brilliant and always ready to help with any extras
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
They photographed us as much as we photographed them.... Seriously, good interaction, all helping to open up what was once a very closed country
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Not possible in 16 days, but we made a good attempt!
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Pack a camping foam mattress -- hard Chinese beds are killers!
Reviewed by Terence Kennedy who travelled in October 2010 on the Inland China trip
Review 7
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The cycling day from Yangshuo
What did you think of your tour leader?
Truly brilliant and always ready to help with any extras
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
They photographed us as much as we photographed them.... Seriously, good interaction, all helping to open up what was once a very closed country
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Not possible in 16 days, but we made a good attempt!
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Pack a camping foam mattress -- hard Chinese beds are killers!
Reviewed by Terence Kennedy who travelled in October 2010 on the Inland China trip
Review 8
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
To taste the local chinese food and watch people in traditional dress and in their daily life.
What did you think of your tour leader?
Our tour leader was well informed about country and local issues and always available for any help.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
Yes, accomodation, trips and food was mainly provided by local people.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
In parts.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Enjoy a different culture.
Reviewed by Jens Guenther who travelled in September 2010 on the Yunnan Encounter trip
Review 9
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Too many memorable parts to pick just one! The Great Wall, the Li River, and the rice terraces stand out for me, but my son's favourite was playing cards in a tea house in Cheng Du, while my husband had his ears cleaned!
What did you think of your tour leader?
Zhao Bo was brilliant. Informative, patient and with a sense of humour.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
Somewhat, but not perhaps as much as other tours we have done, as most of the places were Chinese tourist destinations too.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
yes. We certainly saw more of daily life and living conditions that the average tourist.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Go with the flow. Do not expect western levels of comfort and stay away from the Starbucks/McDonalds/KFC options available in the big cities. Take flipflops for the rafting in Yangshuo and put on loads of sun cream. You do NOT need to dress up at all. And DON'T order western meals in the Dong village and expect to get them - this is the middle of nowhere!
Reviewed by Prudence Bray who travelled in July 2010 on the Land of the Dragon trip
Review 10
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Too many memorable parts to pick just one! The Great Wall, the Li River, and the rice terraces stand out for me, but my son's favourite was playing cards in a tea house in Cheng Du, while my husband had his ears cleaned!
What did you think of your tour leader?
Zhao Bo was brilliant. Informative, patient and with a sense of humour.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
Somewhat, but not perhaps as much as other tours we have done, as most of the places were Chinese tourist destinations too.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
yes. We certainly saw more of daily life and living conditions that the average tourist.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Go with the flow. Do not expect western levels of comfort and stay away from the Starbucks/McDonalds/KFC options available in the big cities. Take flipflops for the rafting in Yangshuo and put on loads of sun cream. You do NOT need to dress up at all. And DON'T order western meals in the Dong village and expect to get them - this is the middle of nowhere!
Reviewed by Prudence Bray who travelled in July 2010 on the Land of the Dragon trip
Review 11
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The tour has so many memorable moments but i think the sleeper trains are something we'll never forget! We loved Yangshuo - the atmosphere here, although a tourist area, was great and the scenery was spectactular. Of course the Great Wall and the Pandas were amazing - such a privilage to witness these.
What did you think of your tour leader?
Our tour leader was great! friendly and approachable, willing to go out of his way to ensure that we had a great trip. Also offering sound, honest advice about the optional extras offered on the trip.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
We used lots of local transport and ate at local restaurants. We also used specific local guides for some excursions.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
I think we did as much as possible.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
As the tour started we were presented with a little information pack that was great. It said that one phrase that we'd find our selves saying a lot would be 'This is China'. We certainly used this phrase a lot - it is unique and you have to view everything with an open mind! The best bit of advice would probably be - always carry some toilet roll in your pocket - you'll need it!
Reviewed by Sarah Rogers who travelled in July 2010 on the Inland China trip
Review 12
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The tour has so many memorable moments but i think the sleeper trains are something we'll never forget! We loved Yangshuo - the atmosphere here, although a tourist area, was great and the scenery was spectactular. Of course the Great Wall and the Pandas were amazing - such a privilage to witness these.
What did you think of your tour leader?
Our tour leader was great! friendly and approachable, willing to go out of his way to ensure that we had a great trip. Also offering sound, honest advice about the optional extras offered on the trip.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
We used lots of local transport and ate at local restaurants. We also used specific local guides for some excursions.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
I think we did as much as possible.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
As the tour started we were presented with a little information pack that was great. It said that one phrase that we'd find our selves saying a lot would be 'This is China'. We certainly used this phrase a lot - it is unique and you have to view everything with an open mind! The best bit of advice would probably be - always carry some toilet roll in your pocket - you'll need it!
Reviewed by Sarah Rogers who travelled in July 2010 on the Inland China trip
Review 13
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The beautiful buildings in the ancient cities of Uzbekistan, and the fabulous scenery on our journey through Kyrgyzstan to China, though I'm still recovering from the 2-day bone-shattering ride in the old Intourist bus! Wouldn't have missed it for the world and am very glad that the recent political problems did not force cancellation. With the re-routing of the itinerary we were kept safe.
What did you think of your tour leader?
Mainly very good - though the Uzbekistan guide had a tendency to overload information, albeit with the best of intentions! Helpful with health problems and considerate to the age-range of the group.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
Yes, particularly when we stayed in yurts or family accommodation
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Yes, particularly in the more remote areas where we encountered people living in a way not only totally different from ours, but also in contrast to their fellow citizens in the towns. They were as curious about us as we were about them and were largely very open to being photographed
What advice would you give to other travellers?
This is a very tough journey - not for the faint-hearted - but if you've got the guts of our oldest group-member - 86 and travelling on her own - you will have a great experience. Be prepared for long rides, high temperatures and some border burocracy, pack your sense of humour and enjoy everything as an adventure
Reviewed by Elaine Margaret Wycherley who travelled in June 2010 on the Turkestan Adventure trip
Review 14
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Walking on the quietest stretch of the Great Wall, A bit scarey but fantastic and two older Poms proved to the Aussie that they were fit enough to do it!!
What did you think of your tour leader?
Victor was great and very considerate to us as the oldest members of the group. His local knowledge and organisation was excellent. He could also cope with our different Western humour.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
To the extent that we had local guides and spent money on food and souvenirs locally.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Loved the country areas, particularly Yangshuo where we felt we saw the real China. The cities , apart from the people and the old buildings, are beginning to look like all big cities. Would have liked more time in some of the cities though to see more - particulary Xian and Beijing where it was all at a bit of a gallop. Feel I understand a bit more what "China" means.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Don't take AM Xpress travellers cheques - it took an age to change them in banks and there are loads of ATMs which work fine with a Debit card. Resist the visa agencies advice to get too many visas if you are only passing through China. Transit does not require one.Add on extra days in Hong Kong and Beijing to see everything. Take plenty of snacks for train journeys. The supermarkets are quite confusing and instant pot noodles pall after a while! Be determined to keep your place in a queue - the locals will be. They really appreciate a few words in Chinese. We had a great group that ate together which meant we had lots of different dishes to try. Victor was excellent at ordering. Vegetarians did not always get protein. Have space in your luggage - the markets are very tempting. Laundry is easy to find so you can cut back on the clothes. Take a lap top if you want to keep in touch. Wifi available in a lot of hotels.
Reviewed by Alison Jones who travelled in May 2010 on the Inland China trip
Review 15
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Walking on the quietest stretch of the Great Wall, A bit scarey but fantastic and two older Poms proved to the Aussie that they were fit enough to do it!!
What did you think of your tour leader?
Victor was great and very considerate to us as the oldest members of the group. His local knowledge and organisation was excellent. He could also cope with our different Western humour.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
To the extent that we had local guides and spent money on food and souvenirs locally.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Loved the country areas, particularly Yangshuo where we felt we saw the real China. The cities , apart from the people and the old buildings, are beginning to look like all big cities. Would have liked more time in some of the cities though to see more - particulary Xian and Beijing where it was all at a bit of a gallop. Feel I understand a bit more what "China" means.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Don't take AM Xpress travellers cheques - it took an age to change them in banks and there are loads of ATMs which work fine with a Debit card. Resist the visa agencies advice to get too many visas if you are only passing through China. Transit does not require one.Add on extra days in Hong Kong and Beijing to see everything. Take plenty of snacks for train journeys. The supermarkets are quite confusing and instant pot noodles pall after a while! Be determined to keep your place in a queue - the locals will be. They really appreciate a few words in Chinese. We had a great group that ate together which meant we had lots of different dishes to try. Victor was excellent at ordering. Vegetarians did not always get protein. Have space in your luggage - the markets are very tempting. Laundry is easy to find so you can cut back on the clothes. Take a lap top if you want to keep in touch. Wifi available in a lot of hotels.
Reviewed by Alison Jones who travelled in May 2010 on the Inland China trip
Review 16
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The most memorable part of my tour and the day I'll remember most dearly is the fantastic experience we had in the farmers village. The host families where really warming and willing to please us and make our stay as confortable as possible. I also enjoyed very much the Great Wall visit and it was worth it the 3 hour drive to have the opportunity to visit this remote section of the wall with no crowds around....really spectacular!!!
What did you think of your tour leader?
The tour leader was excellent, very helpfull and knowleadgeable. Also, he tried it's best to gather the group together and to pay attention to everybody needs, likes and requests. I love the fact that he gave us the information and tips to be able to move around in an independent way, allowing us to deal perfectly with the unusual situations we came across.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
I would like to feel that our holidays also benefited local people, specially in the farm village and local guides, who were all very professionals.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
I liked a lot the fact that we were travelling using public transport, trains, taxis, public buses and although that was sometimes a bit difficult considering that China can be very crowded at times, that gave us the oportunity to take a closer look to its reality.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Yes! It has been a great experience and a perfect way to travel for me, very well organized as far as hotels, transport and visits are concerned, but at the same with lots of free time to make our own way and fullfill our likes and budgets...
Reviewed by Emma Varona who travelled in September 2009 on the The Road to Shanghai trip
Review 17
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Great Wall
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
Yes - we used local facilities
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
A little bit - but loads to the country
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Pack light
Reviewed by Susan Doram who travelled in September 2009 on the The Road to Shanghai trip
Review 18
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There are SO many! It's very difficult to choose just one. Apart from The Great Wall and Hong Kong I feel the most memorable, for me, was Tibet. I wasn't expecting to be blown away with it as I was. In particular I remember the Tibetan women dancing in their town centre and all the traditional clothes the older generation wore. I loved the feeling of being a million miles away and having no contact with my world back home (due to lack of internet access and a personal problem I had with my phone).
What did you think of your tour leader?
The tour leaders were incredible! I feel very safe and trusted them were times got difficult. There were certain obstacles that had to be overcome, like when the jeeps on our safari ride broke down at times. I felt confidant that they were going to be fixed and that we weren’t going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. Our tour guide for the whole trip was particularly special. I loved his constant enthusiasm even though he’d done this trip many many times before. He was a brilliant storyteller and never failed to make any of the group laugh. He was also very helpful when any of us became homesick or had personal problems. He was a great listener and you felt conformable talking to him.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
I certainly did. I loved the homestay because it wasn’t touristy and enabled us to experience something very different to other holidays. Just being around villagers and buying from their family businesses made you feel like they were benefiting from us. This is because you were not pouring money into bigger business in the Cities that sold some of the same products but for a higher price. The Longji Terrace in Guilin comes to mind because they survived on tourism. But at the same time it was not ruined by it. They still sustained the life they had before and could carry on with their day-to-day routines on the rice paddies without being damaged by visitors.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Definitely! The time span helped with this because it didn’t feel rushed. Having three weeks enabled you to spend more time in one place so you didn’t feel like you were travelling all the time. However, I did also enjoy the variety of travel methods offered. The sleeper train was a favourite because I loved being around locals and being able to grow a close bond with my group.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Don’t rent a bike with no gears! I did whilst travelling round the Yangshuo scenery and paid for it! It was such hard work and in the heat it became very uncomfortable. I was lucky to have such a supportive group taking it in turns to ride next to me as I lagged miles behind! I would also suggest buying what you like when you see it because you never know if you’ll see it again. And also to not look at you itinerary the day before. I loved waking up not knowing what the day held for me. We also had changes to our tour so it was good not knowing what I was missing as that could of put a downer on the trip, if you had your heart set on something. It also makes the trip feel longer because you're not counting down the days to all the different excursions.
Reviewed by Mary Allen who travelled in April 2009 on the Sichuan Explorer trip
Review 19
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There are SO many! It's very difficult to choose just one. Apart from The Great Wall and Hong Kong I feel the most memorable, for me, was Tibet. I wasn't expecting to be blown away with it as I was. In particular I remember the Tibetan women dancing in their town centre and all the traditional clothes the older generation wore. I loved the feeling of being a million miles away and having no contact with my world back home (due to lack of internet access and a personal problem I had with my phone).
What did you think of your tour leader?
The tour leaders were incredible! I feel very safe and trusted them were times got difficult. There were certain obstacles that had to be overcome, like when the jeeps on our safari ride broke down at times. I felt confidant that they were going to be fixed and that we weren’t going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. Our tour guide for the whole trip was particularly special. I loved his constant enthusiasm even though he’d done this trip many many times before. He was a brilliant storyteller and never failed to make any of the group laugh. He was also very helpful when any of us became homesick or had personal problems. He was a great listener and you felt conformable talking to him.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
I certainly did. I loved the homestay because it wasn’t touristy and enabled us to experience something very different to other holidays. Just being around villagers and buying from their family businesses made you feel like they were benefiting from us. This is because you were not pouring money into bigger business in the Cities that sold some of the same products but for a higher price. The Longji Terrace in Guilin comes to mind because they survived on tourism. But at the same time it was not ruined by it. They still sustained the life they had before and could carry on with their day-to-day routines on the rice paddies without being damaged by visitors.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Definitely! The time span helped with this because it didn’t feel rushed. Having three weeks enabled you to spend more time in one place so you didn’t feel like you were travelling all the time. However, I did also enjoy the variety of travel methods offered. The sleeper train was a favourite because I loved being around locals and being able to grow a close bond with my group.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Don’t rent a bike with no gears! I did whilst travelling round the Yangshuo scenery and paid for it! It was such hard work and in the heat it became very uncomfortable. I was lucky to have such a supportive group taking it in turns to ride next to me as I lagged miles behind! I would also suggest buying what you like when you see it because you never know if you’ll see it again. And also to not look at you itinerary the day before. I loved waking up not knowing what the day held for me. We also had changes to our tour so it was good not knowing what I was missing as that could of put a downer on the trip, if you had your heart set on something. It also makes the trip feel longer because you're not counting down the days to all the different excursions.
Reviewed by Mary Allen who travelled in April 2009 on the China Visa Advice trip
Review 20
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There are SO many! It's very difficult to choose just one. Apart from The Great Wall and Hong Kong I feel the most memorable, for me, was Tibet. I wasn't expecting to be blown away with it as I was. In particular I remember the Tibetan women dancing in their town centre and all the traditional clothes the older generation wore. I loved the feeling of being a million miles away and having no contact with my world back home (due to lack of internet access and a personal problem I had with my phone).
What did you think of your tour leader?
The tour leaders were incredible! I feel very safe and trusted them were times got difficult. There were certain obstacles that had to be overcome, like when the jeeps on our safari ride broke down at times. I felt confidant that they were going to be fixed and that we weren’t going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. Our tour guide for the whole trip was particularly special. I loved his constant enthusiasm even though he’d done this trip many many times before. He was a brilliant storyteller and never failed to make any of the group laugh. He was also very helpful when any of us became homesick or had personal problems. He was a great listener and you felt conformable talking to him.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
I certainly did. I loved the homestay because it wasn’t touristy and enabled us to experience something very different to other holidays. Just being around villagers and buying from their family businesses made you feel like they were benefiting from us. This is because you were not pouring money into bigger business in the Cities that sold some of the same products but for a higher price. The Longji Terrace in Guilin comes to mind because they survived on tourism. But at the same time it was not ruined by it. They still sustained the life they had before and could carry on with their day-to-day routines on the rice paddies without being damaged by visitors.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Definitely! The time span helped with this because it didn’t feel rushed. Having three weeks enabled you to spend more time in one place so you didn’t feel like you were travelling all the time. However, I did also enjoy the variety of travel methods offered. The sleeper train was a favourite because I loved being around locals and being able to grow a close bond with my group.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Don’t rent a bike with no gears! I did whilst travelling round the Yangshuo scenery and paid for it! It was such hard work and in the heat it became very uncomfortable. I was lucky to have such a supportive group taking it in turns to ride next to me as I lagged miles behind! I would also suggest buying what you like when you see it because you never know if you’ll see it again. And also to not look at you itinerary the day before. I loved waking up not knowing what the day held for me. We also had changes to our tour so it was good not knowing what I was missing as that could of put a downer on the trip, if you had your heart set on something. It also makes the trip feel longer because you're not counting down the days to all the different excursions.
Reviewed by Mary Allen who travelled in April 2009 on the Malaria Tablets - China trip
Review 21
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There are SO many! It's very difficult to choose just one. Apart from The Great Wall and Hong Kong I feel the most memorable, for me, was Tibet. I wasn't expecting to be blown away with it as I was. In particular I remember the Tibetan women dancing in their town centre and all the traditional clothes the older generation wore. I loved the feeling of being a million miles away and having no contact with my world back home (due to lack of internet access and a personal problem I had with my phone).
What did you think of your tour leader?
The tour leaders were incredible! I feel very safe and trusted them were times got difficult. There were certain obstacles that had to be overcome, like when the jeeps on our safari ride broke down at times. I felt confidant that they were going to be fixed and that we weren’t going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. Our tour guide for the whole trip was particularly special. I loved his constant enthusiasm even though he’d done this trip many many times before. He was a brilliant storyteller and never failed to make any of the group laugh. He was also very helpful when any of us became homesick or had personal problems. He was a great listener and you felt conformable talking to him.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
I certainly did. I loved the homestay because it wasn’t touristy and enabled us to experience something very different to other holidays. Just being around villagers and buying from their family businesses made you feel like they were benefiting from us. This is because you were not pouring money into bigger business in the Cities that sold some of the same products but for a higher price. The Longji Terrace in Guilin comes to mind because they survived on tourism. But at the same time it was not ruined by it. They still sustained the life they had before and could carry on with their day-to-day routines on the rice paddies without being damaged by visitors.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Definitely! The time span helped with this because it didn’t feel rushed. Having three weeks enabled you to spend more time in one place so you didn’t feel like you were travelling all the time. However, I did also enjoy the variety of travel methods offered. The sleeper train was a favourite because I loved being around locals and being able to grow a close bond with my group.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Don’t rent a bike with no gears! I did whilst travelling round the Yangshuo scenery and paid for it! It was such hard work and in the heat it became very uncomfortable. I was lucky to have such a supportive group taking it in turns to ride next to me as I lagged miles behind! I would also suggest buying what you like when you see it because you never know if you’ll see it again. And also to not look at you itinerary the day before. I loved waking up not knowing what the day held for me. We also had changes to our tour so it was good not knowing what I was missing as that could of put a downer on the trip, if you had your heart set on something. It also makes the trip feel longer because you're not counting down the days to all the different excursions.
Reviewed by Mary Allen who travelled in April 2009 on the SICHUAN EXPLORER MAY 10 to MAY 31 2009 trip
Review 22
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There are SO many! It's very difficult to choose just one. Apart from The Great Wall and Hong Kong I feel the most memorable, for me, was Tibet. I wasn't expecting to be blown away with it as I was. In particular I remember the Tibetan women dancing in their town centre and all the traditional clothes the older generation wore. I loved the feeling of being a million miles away and having no contact with my world back home (due to lack of internet access and a personal problem I had with my phone).
What did you think of your tour leader?
The tour leaders were incredible! I feel very safe and trusted them were times got difficult. There were certain obstacles that had to be overcome, like when the jeeps on our safari ride broke down at times. I felt confidant that they were going to be fixed and that we weren’t going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. Our tour guide for the whole trip was particularly special. I loved his constant enthusiasm even though he’d done this trip many many times before. He was a brilliant storyteller and never failed to make any of the group laugh. He was also very helpful when any of us became homesick or had personal problems. He was a great listener and you felt conformable talking to him.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
I certainly did. I loved the homestay because it wasn’t touristy and enabled us to experience something very different to other holidays. Just being around villagers and buying from their family businesses made you feel like they were benefiting from us. This is because you were not pouring money into bigger business in the Cities that sold some of the same products but for a higher price. The Longji Terrace in Guilin comes to mind because they survived on tourism. But at the same time it was not ruined by it. They still sustained the life they had before and could carry on with their day-to-day routines on the rice paddies without being damaged by visitors.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Definitely! The time span helped with this because it didn’t feel rushed. Having three weeks enabled you to spend more time in one place so you didn’t feel like you were travelling all the time. However, I did also enjoy the variety of travel methods offered. The sleeper train was a favourite because I loved being around locals and being able to grow a close bond with my group.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Don’t rent a bike with no gears! I did whilst travelling round the Yangshuo scenery and paid for it! It was such hard work and in the heat it became very uncomfortable. I was lucky to have such a supportive group taking it in turns to ride next to me as I lagged miles behind! I would also suggest buying what you like when you see it because you never know if you’ll see it again. And also to not look at you itinerary the day before. I loved waking up not knowing what the day held for me. We also had changes to our tour so it was good not knowing what I was missing as that could of put a downer on the trip, if you had your heart set on something. It also makes the trip feel longer because you're not counting down the days to all the different excursions.
Reviewed by Mary Allen who travelled in April 2009 on the Sichuan Explorer, April 19th (NEXT WEEK!) trip
Review 23
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Hiking on the Great Wall
What did you think of your tour leader?
Great job! Perfect organization! Everything on time, good restaurants in the evenings, additional information about locations.... He had the difficult task to manage the different interests and expectations of the group: people up to 35 and people older than 60!
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
sometimes! A little bit disapointed, that China is already this touristic.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Call the tour operator to find out more about the other travellers in the group. In our group we were 4 between 27 and 40 and 11 >60 which is ok, but when more than half of the group complain / had difficulties to carry their bags in and off trains..... Recommendation to imagainative travellers: PLEASE ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE TYPE OF THE TRIP! This was not a relaxing beach holiday.....
Reviewed by Alexander Schlegel who travelled in October 2008 on the China Insight trip
Review 24
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Hiking on the Great Wall
What did you think of your tour leader?
Great job! Perfect organization! Everything on time, good restaurants in the evenings, additional information about locations.... He had the difficult task to manage the different interests and expectations of the group: people up to 35 and people older than 60!
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
sometimes! A little bit disapointed, that China is already this touristic.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Call the tour operator to find out more about the other travellers in the group. In our group we were 4 between 27 and 40 and 11 >60 which is ok, but when more than half of the group complain / had difficulties to carry their bags in and off trains..... Recommendation to imagainative travellers: PLEASE ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE TYPE OF THE TRIP! This was not a relaxing beach holiday.....
Reviewed by Alexander Schlegel who travelled in October 2008 on the China Insight 30 Aug trip
Review 25
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Difficult to highlight one. The ones that stand out are the walk on the Great Wall - Incredible! Very tough, wasn't quite expecting it to be that tough but I will treasure the experience. Loved the cycle round the City Walls of Xian and the swim in the Li River in Yangshuo. The Terracota warriors was awesome, even the train journeys were an experience.
What did you think of your tour leader?
Very good. I was impressed although if I had 1 niggle, it would have been that our Tour Leader didn't speak Chinese although there were others on the tour that did so it wasn't a big thing really. Our leader was very professional and helpful and despite some awkward other travellers, she handled herself very well.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Yes very much. I think this is what please me most about the trip. We felt we had seen the real China as well as the usual tourist sites.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Be prepared for a tough hike on the wall but incredibly rewarding. Would have tried to raise some money for charity had I known how long we were going to walk for. Be prepared for a different way of life. Definitely good value.
Reviewed by Shane Fernando who travelled in August 2007 on the China Explored trip
Review 26
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Many memories..walking a deserted great wall, the immense forbidden city, the pandas of Chengdu, the tranquility of the Li river...but for me the most memorable was sitting with Inner Mongolian camel drivers cooking breakfast in a wok as the sun rose over desert sand dunes
What did you think of your tour leader?
Trish was fantastic, there when we needed her, making things interesting for the children but not imposing her leadership on us
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
Yes. I think that we learnt more about the country too because of the way we interacted with the local people
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
Very much so and it is an achievement to do that in two weeks in such a big country
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Travel light (the chinese laundries are cheap and plentiful), have a go at everything including the varieties of food, definitely do the cooking course and watch out for the camels.
Reviewed by Neill Butler who travelled in April 2007 on the Chinese Crackers trip
Review 27
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Terracotta warriors
What did you think of your tour leader?
Excellent
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
A little
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Do as much background reading as possible before you travel - e.g. Wild Swans by Jung Chang
Reviewed by Judy Robinson who travelled in October 2006 on the Yangtse & the South-West trip
Review 28
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Terracotta warriors
What did you think of your tour leader?
Excellent
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
A little
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Do as much background reading as possible before you travel - e.g. Wild Swans by Jung Chang
Reviewed by Judy Robinson who travelled in October 2006 on the Information trip
Review 29
What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It was all great. The mountain stay in a yurt - especially when we had a hot shower in the morning, people and accommodation in Uzbekistan, food - especially the variety in China, the hamman, the amazing mosques, the miles and miles of desert. Fantastic.
What did you think of your tour leader?
Excellent. They were at all times professional, responsible and full of useful (and funny but useless) information that made the trip really enjoyable. I felt I could just sit back and relax knowing that everything would be taken care of, if it went according to plan or not.
Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?
A bit. The people who ran the yurts- maybe.
Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?
No. But I do feel that I have more understanding about the history (and size) of those countries.
What advice would you give to other travellers?
Be prepared to enjoy the time spent on the train traveling. For me a lot of travel is about the time spent getting from place to place, not just the arriving and seeing ´famous sights´- but the journeys are very long on this trip. The best way is to get involved with the trip, go to the canteen car, eat the local food, buy something from the guys who get on the train, get off the train at every availabe stop ( keeping your eye on the tour leader!) and just enjoy the traveling - which is a big part of this trip, instead of just enduring it and waiting for the end when you can see the sights. If you want to just see the sights, then fly from place to place. It´s a big area, and if you think you might not want to see it, then don´t.
Reviewed by Carol Ashen who travelled in August 2006 on the The Rhubarb Road trip
China Forum Feedback
Journey Across China
Hi Could you let me know if we require malaria tablets for this trip - If so for how many days will we be in infected areas? Also do we need any injections for the trip? Many thanks Roger Ingham
Journey Across China 20/07/09
Anybody doing this trip?
Journey Across China
Hi We are doing this trip on 20th July and have become somewhat spooked by blogs on the Internet which talk about needing to cross ledges which are only 20cm wide with a massive drip to the gorge on one side. This seems extremely dangerous. However, another site I went on indicated that the blogs are somewhat exaggerated. What is fact and what is fiction? Cheers Roger
Sichuan Explorer, April 19th (NEXT WEEK!)
Hey, Just thought I'd post a message to see if anyone going on this Sichuan trip next week was leaving any earlier? I'm going to Hong Kong next wed (will arrive thurs) and so wondered if anyone was doing anything simillar? Even if you're not... it'd still be great to hear from someone going on the same trip! Many Thanks, Mary X x
Road to Shanghai 20/09/09
Hi, I have booked on this tour, still a long time to go till departure, but would be good to get in touch with anyone else who is booked on it. Sarah
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