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China Small Group Tours & Trips
109 China trips. Tours from 35 tour companies. 1,454 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.
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China Reviews & Ratings
Overall, the trip was excellent. This was
Overall, the trip was excellent. This was my first time with Intrepid but I have taken several similar trips (Tucan). The tour leader (Kris) was excellent and the ac...
Emma was an excellent group leader- very
Emma was an excellent group leader- very friendly, helpful and polite. We really liked her suggested restaurant and activity recommendations and felt that they were ...
A well put together itinerary from Intrepid
A well put together itinerary from Intrepid and my tour guide Emma Guo was fantastic. She made herself available to the group 24 hours with added information on loca...
China Tour Selection Trips
- When choosing a tour to China, consider how much free time is allowed, especially in cities, where the chance to walk the streets and observe daily life can be an unforgettable experience.
- Resident tour guides are your best resource for insights into modern Chinese life, and the best of them are bright, sophisticated, willing to answer your hard questions and eager to find out more about you.
- Request or procure a multiple-entry 10-year China tourist visa (which became available late in 2014), making a return visit easier and cheaper.
- Jet lag is a reality for most travelers to China. Try to fly in at least a day ahead, if possible, so that you can begin your tour at full strength.
- Early spring and late fall are the best times to travel in most parts of China—less hot and crowded. Southern China is much warmer than the North in winter months.
- Learning a few Chinese phrases can go a long ways in smoothing your way, even on a tour. Being able to say “Hello,” “Good-bye,” and “Thank you” opens doors, while “Yes,” “No,“ and “How much is this?” in Chinese make shopping (and fending off vendors) much easier. After you’ve arrived…Credit cards will be all you need for most purchases, and ATMs are widely available in cities, but street markets and village shops usually require local currency.
- If you’re venturing outside the main cities, be sure to carry tissues, hand sanitizers and other hygienic devices. China has modernized rapidly, but it is still a developing nation.
- Most Chinese are frank and outgoing, rather than reserved. Few topics are taboo these days, especially among young people, but certain topics of conversation -- such as Tibet, the Dalai Lama, Hong Kong elections, abortion, Taiwan -- can be unfruitful.
- Jokes and puns, however, are popular, as is Western pop culture, including music, films and designer clothes.
- Wear sturdy, comfortable walking shoes, since you’ll want to see as much as possible on foot.
- Given the air pollution and dusty (sometimes unclean) conditions, choose serviceable outdoor attire by day. Touring China can be more a ramble through the outback than a stroll through a shopping mall.
Additional details
Tours to China usually visit the heavy hitters, such as the Great Wall, and major sites in Beijing. However, the benefit of going on a China tour is the opportunity to venture out to the countryside, get a glimpse of rural Chinese life, and the amazing ancient natural landscapes.
What to expect from a China Tour
Culturally, there are many nuances to Chinese life that will come to life as you travel through, and some things may be difficult to adapt to. Traveling on a tour in China will not only enhance your experience, it will help with the language barrier, and you’ll learn more about local life, bringing these many nuances to light in a safe and comfortable way.
History tours are a great way to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, but they can only go so far. Try to book a tour that visits local establishments and villages as well as cities.
Here are a few unexpected cultural differences you can expect on your first trip to China:
- Toilet paper. The majority of public restrooms (with the exception of higher-end restaurants and hotels) don’t carry toilet paper, and so you may want to carry around your own packet, or some tissues.
- Service. The expectation that you will be waited on hand and foot is a uniquely American ideal. In China, like many other places, service is not quite so good. On a similar note, the Chinese do not tip, and won’t expect them from you.
- Spitting. You might be shocked the first time you see an old Chinese man hock a loogie onto the street, but the Chinese do not use tissues. In fact, they are equally disgusted by the way that we Westerners “keep” our mucus!
- Small talk. In most Western cultures, having a conversation with a stranger about your marital status, economic status, or personal history can seem incredibly invasive; these topics are not off limits for the Chinese.
Affordable Asia & Traveling China on the Cheap
There are two general, competing views on traveling to China:
- Buying a flight to Asia is really expensive, and so is having a decent vacation in one of China’s crowded, rapidly expanding cities.
- Traveling Asia is really cheap, and China is no exception, from its abundant street food and mass production.
The truth actually lies somewhere in between. If you want to live life to the fullest in one of China’s premiere cities -- Beijing, Shanghai, or Hong Kong -- eating like a king, and then resting your weary bones in a luxury hotel, you can expect to pay similar prices to any big Western city.
There are, however, ways to travel China affordably. Here are some of our recommendations:
- Step outside the cities. As is the case any other country, prices in big cities (especially touristy ones!) are significantly higher than anywhere else
- Public transportation. China not only has a cheap and effective taxi system within its cities, but an effective and very affordable rail system. If you plan to travel within the country, a ticket on a sleeper train will not only save you the cost of a hotel room, it will be at least half the price of a flight!
- Check your credit card fees. This rule stands for all international travel -- make sure you are using a credit card with minimal, or no, international fees when making payments. Or sign up for WeChat, which is the most common method of payment in China, and only uses your phone.
- Eat like the locals. Not only is this food likely to better, and is guaranteed to be authentic, eating Chinese food in China is much cheaper than eating any other foreign food. When in Rome! Another tip if you are eating a single portion of food, ask for your meal “xiao pan.” This will cut the size of meal, and reduce the price as well.
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