China is a vast and diverse country, rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. Even if you had 2 weeks in China, with so much to see and do, you may want some help to make the most of your time. So, we've put together the best itinerary ideas that showcase some of the best that China has to offer.
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Where to Go for a 2-Week Itinerary in China
For a classic 2-week itinerary in China, Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai are three cities that should be included. They are the top windows to learning about China's imperial past, its more recent history, and its traditional culture.
These three cities cover some of the top attractions in China like the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Warriors, and the Bund.
Besides these three cities, you could choose one or two more cities based on your interests:
- If you are interested in natural scenery and want to enjoy a relaxed vibe, we recommend Guilin and Zhangjiajie.
- If you are more interested in giant pandas, you should include Chengdu.
- Tibet is many people's dream destination because of its pure cultural atmosphere and plateau scenery.
We offer a personalized service. Just tell us your interests, travel dates, and other needs, and we will create a trip for you.
China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.


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Exploring Chengdu
Two days with her guidance made my all dreams to come true (voluntairing experience in Research base of Giant Panda Breeding, meeting Leshan Giant Budha, strolling in Wuhpu Shrine and Jinli Ancient street, admiring Sichuan Opera, diving into local tea culture In People's park and of course tasting Sichuan hot pot dinner and other local food) in relaxed and joyful mode. Helen is really fond of pandas and all what she is doing. I was admiring her profesional skills in each step even in smallest ones. more
Dec 2023,
Inspirator
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Albee was great in booking our tour to
Albee was great in booking our tour to Indonesia Malaysia and Singapore.She was very friendly and responded to my request to change itinerary few times to fit our needs. more
Dec 2023,
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Olivia Tian, a sunshine tour guide!
In October, my friend Amy booked a tour with Chinahighlights, Olivia Tian was our guide in Beijing, she is such a sweet n happy person to be around, not only she gave us the best guide service, also very accommodating, alter the plan as per our interest, took us to very local shopping n food district. Above all, she takes awesome pics, very patient!! Thank you so much for such pleasant 5 days in BJ, look forward to see you when we are back in China, Olivia!! more
Dec 2023,
Venture216019
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One whole of a good experience !
Kevin was always making flexible arrangements for us making sure we meet our needs. Kevin also walked us to our desired restaurant daily making sure all are well before he left. Kudos to the whole team. Highly recommend ? more
Dec 2023,
Cornelius C
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Excellent tour of Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai
I should mention the three bilingual guides, all passionate about their location and very accomodating. Tim in Hangzhou was exceptional as was Kenny in Shanghai.All three drivers were very good too.All in all a great tour. Thoroughly recommended. more
Dec 2023,
Deepak
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China is Amazing Wonders that do not stop coming at you.Great country
Great job,Loved every minute of it,Ethan did an amazing job,True Ambassador of China,Just like the Chinese people,Friendly, dignified and hardworking,Very happy.China Highlights exceeded expectations and then some,I will never even think of travelling with another company. more
Dec 2023,
Philip Sardar /Maps10321171537
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13 day tour with China
Helen who set the tourist standard for us. She was super informative and consistently looked out for the best phot spots using her camera and ours. She always gave us a "smile countdown" and positioned us. She took candid shots which we later discovered as most precious. We did a private tour and also found the drivers to be very capable. more
Dec 2023,
Can vi
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The tour was perfectly organised
The tour was perfectly organised, the guides, Massimo, Giorgio, Helen and Luca were prepared and always ready to help and adapt themselves to our requests more
Dec 2023,
Jonathan
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The tour was perfectly organised
We had 2 tours with Helen in Chengdu and thoroughly enjoyed our tours with her.Helen was friendly, bubbly and knowledgeable.It was fun to be with her. China Highlight had arranged 5 tours for us during our stay. The company is reputable and had fulfilled all our request. more
Dec 2023,
Silva
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We had 2 tours with Helen in Chengdu
We had 2 tours with Helen in Chengdu and thoroughly enjoyed our tours with her.Helen was friendly, bubbly and knowledgeable.It was fun to be with her. China Highlight had arranged 5 tours for us during our stay. The company is reputable and had fulfilled all our request. more
Dec 2023,
Sooi
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Wonderful times with the pandas
The tour was amazing and we loved the pandas we got so many wonderful pictures and our guide Helen was great. She is super knowledgeable and always ready to help more
Dec 2023,
Kavita
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Xi’an
During our trip around China, we spent three days in Xi'an. Thanks to our wonderful guide, Susan, who took us to visit the most beautiful places, explaining additional details about the dynasties. We especially enjoyed the Terracotta Warriors, where we had the chance to create one at a local workshop. Susan was very attentive; she tried to find a restaurant where everyone was happy with the food and found a pizza for our little son. She even made a gift for our daughter—a beautiful hairpin. Very positive experience! more
Dec 2023,
Kamilya1818
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Wonderful trip to Beijing and Xian
Had a great trip to bejing n xian. Our guide lily liu is so well versed in english and we have no worry here at all. We managed to dine in great halal restaurants though out our trip. Highly reccomended to all muslims travellers. more
Dec 2023,
Efen Reyes
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Great experience, highly recommended!
Additionally, she helped me with all my personal needs like getting a SIM card, finding an ATM, shopping, dining, checking in at the train station, hotel, suggested a couple additional very entertaining art events. Was also punctual and spoke good English. more
Nov 2023,
Wayne S.
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Chengdu and surrounding area tours
Our guide Helen was the complete package. She guided us every step with deep knowledge and energy. But, that's not all. She bought us snacks for the optional kungfu show. She helped us check into every hotel and inspected our room to ensure it was perfect. She translated at every need. She even bought a bamboo stick to help us ward off some aggressive monkeys. We had 4 lovely days with Helen and our excellent driver, Mr. Wu. Highly recommended! more
Nov 2023,
Chris
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Like a dream come true, but better
The experience itself was above and beyond what was described. The driver and vehicle was spotless and on time, the lantern festival and seats were like something from a wonderful dream. The lesson to make kratong and the dinner after were perfect. This whole experience has been a dream come true and I cannot recommend it enough. more
Nov 2023,
Diana B
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excellent communication
Bangkok guide Mr. Samart was great, and saw to all our needs. Mr. Chong in Chaing Mai was fun and very sweet. (5 Stars, Mr. Chong!) Finally, Nittaya is experienced, flexible to our needs, and took good care of us right to the flight out. more
Nov 2023,
Abigail Kamelhair
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We really enjoyed touring Chiang Mai
She met us at the airport and accompanied us on hiking tours, market visits, temple and pagoda tours, and our Thai cooking class, and then returned us safely to the airport where she helped us navigate the check-in process. more
Nov 2023,
Steve
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Excellent Siem Reap tour guide
He shared his vast knowledge about the Angkor temples, the Cambodian culture, the Khmer people, and the Khmer spirituality, in both historical and modern times. I appreciated how he connected Cambodia with other countries in Southeast Asia, as I had visited these countries prior to Sam's excellent tour. more
Nov 2023,
Baha
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Everything worked very well
Everything worked very well, for the second time I used Asia Highlights' service, and I'm already planning the third time, I have to praise the attention given by Sharon and Amir, who went beyond the professional service, during the trip, my wife Teresa had to carrying out a surgical procedure in India, and Sharon and Amir were tireless so that we could have peace of mind during that urgent moment. We would like to express our gratitude to these two professionals, and see you soon. more
Nov 2023,
William Roberto Guedes
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1. The Classic 2-Week Itinerary for First-Timers
- Beijing – Xi'an – Zhangjiajie – Guilin – Shanghai
If it would be your first time to visit China, you are recommended to consider this itinerary.
Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai offer classic cultural attractions. Guilin and Zhangjiajie are recommended for enjoying China's iconic natural scenery.

Days 1–4: Beijing

In Beijing, the Great Wall and the Forbidden City are musts. For a visit to the Great Wall, we highly recommend a Great Wall hike from Jinshanling to Simatai. This section is wilder with breathtaking views, retaining the original appearance of a variety of watchtowers.
If you would be traveling with kids, we recommend the Mutianyu section, which is fully restored with cable cars, easier walking, and a toboggan.
If you want a special-occasion experience, we can arrange a sunset visit to the Great Wall with a romantic picnic.
For foodies, Peking Duck is not to be missed, and there are plenty of hidden snack bars in the hutongs.
If you want to learn about local lifestyles, we can arrange a rickshaw ride through the hutongs or a home visit.
China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.


![]() ![]() |
Olivia Tian, a sunshine tour guide!
In October, my friend Amy booked a tour with Chinahighlights, Olivia Tian was our guide in Beijing, she is such a sweet n happy person to be around, not only she gave us the best guide service, also very accommodating, alter the plan as per our interest, took us to very local shopping n food district. Above all, she takes awesome pics, very patient!! Thank you so much for such pleasant 5 days in BJ, look forward to see you when we are back in China, Olivia!! more
Dec 2023,
Venture216019
|
One whole of a good experience !
Kevin was always making flexible arrangements for us making sure we meet our needs. Kevin also walked us to our desired restaurant daily making sure all are well before he left. Kudos to the whole team. Highly recommend ? more
Dec 2023,
Cornelius C
|
China is Amazing Wonders that do not stop coming at you.Great country
Great job,Loved every minute of it,Ethan did an amazing job,True Ambassador of China,Just like the Chinese people,Friendly, dignified and hardworking,Very happy.China Highlights exceeded expectations and then some,I will never even think of travelling with another company. more
Dec 2023,
Philip Sardar /Maps10321171537
|
Wonderful trip to Beijing and Xian
Had a great trip to bejing n xian. Our guide lily liu is so well versed in english and we have no worry here at all. We managed to dine in great halal restaurants though out our trip. Highly reccomended to all muslims travellers. more
Dec 2023,
Efen Reyes
|
Great experience, highly recommended!
Additionally, she helped me with all my personal needs like getting a SIM card, finding an ATM, shopping, dining, checking in at the train station, hotel, suggested a couple additional very entertaining art events. Was also punctual and spoke good English. more
Nov 2023,
Wayne S.
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Excellent tour with Tom from China Highlights
We used China Highlights for the 3 days of our Beijing trip. Tom was a fantastic guide. Very knowledgable with excellent English. He was able to accommodate changes to our tour at short notice, allowing us to make the most of our limited time. Couldn’t recommend highly enough more
Nov 2023,
Ross
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Magical Adventure
Wow this tour was honestly the best tourI have ever taken! Our guide Simon Yao was simply superb! His English was excellent and he was very easy to talk to. He was personable and friendly but not overpowering or overbearing. Very knowledgeable about history. Thankfully the weather was good so we were not super hot !Finally at the wall we were amazed by it's beauty and grandeur. It really is something and pictures don't do it justice. more
Nov 2023,
Annika M
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Excellent two day visit to Great Wall
Our guide ‘Mark’ was incredible. So friendly, knowledgable and funny. The itinerary was perfect, we got to see two different parts of the Great Wall (one of which at night which was magical) and our hotel stay in Gubei was wonderful. Highly recommend to anybody visiting Beijing more
Nov 2023,
James_Wolstenholme
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Great Experience from start to finish!
Jack was my guide and his local knowledge and English skills were fantastic. He was punctual, friendly and willing to flex as we went about our tour. Couldn’t recommend China Highlights more! more
Nov 2023,
Scott Smith
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Family tour
Helen in Beijing - thanks for paying great attention to details, for your small surprises for the children every day, for selecting amazing restaurants, and leading wonderful walking tours. Your cheerfulness added to our enjoyment. more
Nov 2023,
Kamila
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Great day out with Mark, thanks China Highlights!
We did a 1 day private tour with China Highlights to see Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. Communication was great throughout - from trip planning/booking with Roger and from our guide Mark who contacted us the day before to confirm meet up time/location. Avoided a lot of the queues and definitely learned quite a bit of history from our guide Mark…thanks again! No language barriers/issues…highly recommended. more
Nov 2023,
ykeezy
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China Three (3) Cities Tours
To the tour guides, Ethan, Jason and Tony, you guys have made my visit an awesome and memorable experience. All the tour guides spoke english and communicated very effectively. They are knowledgeable about all the sites visited including, Great Wall of China, The Forbidden City, Panda Breeding and Research Center, Leshan Giant Buddha, Hallelujah Mountains, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge, and Tianmen Mountain. The tour guides ensured I got the most out of my time I stayed in the various cities Beijing, Chengdu and Zhangjiajie. more
Nov 2023,
Kadar
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13 days in China
We booked a 13 day’s tour of China with China Highlights. Our travel advisor, Ms Leah Zhou organised an itinerary that suited what we wanted. She was really helpful and patient will all our needs. Leah helped us organised our 30th Wedding Anniversary Dinner and my 60th Birthday celebration?? in Beijing. For this to be possible, she had to liaise with our guide in Beijing. The flowers and cake were a real surprise. My husband and I, were really touched at the good service provided by China Highlights and Ms Leah Zhou. Thank you China Highlights and Ms Leah Zhou for your constant care of your customers. I will certainly recommend China Highlights to my friends. more
Nov 2023,
Eda Adams
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Perfect Beijing experience
Covering all major sights our exploration of Beijing and surroundings was flawless guided by Lily, along with her knowledgeable and balanced information on Chinas culture and history. In particular, Lily was able to adjust the tour according to personal preferences, e.g. focus on photography, as well as suggesting additional activities like an impressive authentic artistic show. I highly recommend China Highlights as China tour operator and Lily Liu as excellent guide regarding the Beijing area. more
Nov 2023,
Perfect Beijing experience
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Our first trip to Beijing
Our tour guide was Lucy Yubo. She was awesome. Very friendly, informative and passionate about her job. We really enjoyed her company and guidance. more
Nov 2023,
Sreelatha Reddy
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Anne and Bob’s tour of Beijing
We did the China Highlights tour of Beijing with our excellent guide Mark and his driver. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Beijing highlights including the Lama Temple, the Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Lama Temple. The Summer Palace with the boat ride and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony were memorable also and the Mutianyu Great Wall was a highlight. We were impressed with Mark as a guide. He knew his history and he was kind and thoughtful. He took us to some excellent restaurants and we were introduced to some beautiful food. We enjoyed his company and will always remember him. more
Nov 2023,
BendigoBob
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Excellent end to end service
Helen is a positive, full of knowledge, experienced guide.She provided us an implacable service abd experience for 3 days .Highly recommended more
Nov 2023,
Sariel Engel
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Amazing Beijing Tour with Risa!
Risa gave us a wonderful tour of the city! She thoroughly explained the cultuaral importance of each exhibit while also educating us on the Chinese culture. Appreciated having this wonderful Beijing trip with Risa:) more
Nov 2023,
Angelica M.
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Amazing Beijing Tour With Risa!
We were very kindly received in Beijing by our tour guide Risa. She gave us a very thorough tour of the city and showed us wonderful places, while also explaining the important history/culture of China! Very beautiful city filled with many things to do and full of culture! This was very well planned and made it very easy for us to visit the city and foreigners:) Thank you Risa! more
Nov 2023,
Angelica M
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Do Beijing like a local
They organised my trip very quickly and efficiently. On the day, Anna was very friendly to me, my mum and my baby. Very accommodating to our needs. The car was immaculately clean and very comfortable. We visited everything we initially wanted and more. Also, Anna took us to the best meal we had in China. It makes a difference to have a local choosing the dishes! more
Nov 2023,
Natali A
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Days 5–6: Xi'an

The main attraction in Xi'an is the famous Terracotta Warriors. In order to offer a richer experience and better understanding of the Terracotta Warriors, we have arranged the hands-on experience of making your own clay warriors.
If you are looking for an outdoor activity to do with your kids, we recommend a bike ride along Xi'an's 600-year-old Ancient City Wall where you can have a good all-around view of the city.
Days 7–8: Zhangjiajie

The most famous attractions in Zhangjiajie are Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon with its Glass Bridge skywalk.
Take a cable car up to the mountain tops, see the pillars which are said to be the inspiration for Avatar's Hallelujah Mountains, and walk on the world's longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge.
If you are a lover of outdoor sports, you could stay for a few more days to experience some exciting activities like walking on the cliff-hanging gantries, biking, and adventurous hiking.
Days 9–12: Guilin

Guilin is the classic place to enjoy China's countryside beauty and leisurely outdoor activities.
A Li River cruise is recommended for enjoying the quintessential views of Guilin's karst scenery. If you want to experience countryside life, Yangshuo county is a must visit.
There you can experience farming with your kids and cycle around the villages. If your kids love adventure, we can arrange for your family to explore a less-traveled karst cave.
If you are looking for some quiet and romantic moments, we can arrange a riverside candlelit dinner for you.
Days 13–14: Shanghai

The essential sightseeing in Shanghai is focused around the Bund. A walk along the Bund visiting its historical buildings is a good way to learn about the history of Shanghai and present-day life.
You could leave some free time to enjoy a relaxing spa at your hotel or photo Shanghai's iconic skyscrapers. If you're traveling with kids, you may want to finish with a trip to Disneyland.
2. A 2-Week Itinerary Including Pandas
- Days 1–4: Beijing arrival and exploration with must-sees including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City
- Days 5–6: Xi'an sightseeing with a visit to the Terracotta Army and a clay-warrior-making experience
- Days 7–8: Chengdu panda tour with a keeper program — make panda cakes, see pandas being fed at close quarters, and clean their enclosures.
- Days 9–11: Yangtze River cruise with excursions
- Days 12–13: Shanghai exploration with a visit to the Bund and some free time

If you or your kids love pandas, you might be considering Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an plus Chengdu.
For the best panda experience, we recommend a panda volunteer program, which would allow you to observe pandas more closely and understand them better.
We can arrange a convenient program for you: you would make panda cakes, clean panda enclosures, watch them being fed, and get a volunteer certificate.
Chengdu is also famous for its cuisine. If you would like a food-hunting tour or a cooking class, we can also arrange these for you.
To add relaxation to the central China part of the trip, we recommend a Yangtze River cruise, which departs from nearby Chongqing. It offers stunning views of huge gorges and plenty of typical cruise activities for all ages.
All our tours can be customized according to your travel duration, interests, and other needs. Just contact us.
3. A 2-Week China Tour with Tibet
- Days 1–4: Beijing arrival and exploration with must-sees including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City
- Days 5–6: Xi'an sightseeing with a visit to the Terracotta Army and clay-warrior-making experience and a food tour with dumpling making
- Days 7–11: Lhasa with must-sees and special monastery experiences plus a picnic visit to Yamdrok Lake.
- Days 12–14: Shanghai exploration with a visit to the Bund and some free time

Tibet, which is on many people's bucket list, can be visited during a two-week trip. If you have a passion for Tibet, we can arrange it for you.
On a 2-week itinerary, apart from the time spent in the golden triangle of Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai, you can spend about 5 days in Tibet seeing Lhasa and serene Yamdrok Lake with a picnic.
Insider tips: Lhasa is at a high altitude of 3,650 meters (12,000 feet), therefore your schedule in Lhasa is better arranged at a more relaxed pace, especially on the first day.
Tibet is usually closed to foreign travelers in February and March for 5 or 6 weeks. The best times to visit Tibet are from May to October.
Tibet Entry Permits, which are a must for foreign travelers, are best applied for 2 weeks in advance. We can handle it for you when booking a tour with us.
You can get more itinerary ideas on our 14 Days in China: Top 10 Tours and Itineraries
Costs for a 2-Week Tour in China
For a private tour of China, the average cost per day is about US$220–350 per person, including flights/trains within China, 4- or 5- star hotels, lunches, attractions, guides, and private transport. Kids under 10 usually get 30–50% off.
Thus, for a couple, a 2-week private tour may cost about US$6,000–10,000 in total. For a family of four, it may cost about US$11,000–15,000. (International airfares are not included.)
The cost of flights from the U.S. or Europe to China varies a lot depending on when you fly and which airline you use, from around US$1,200 to US$3,000 for an economy round trip.
The peak tourist times in China are on the first weeks of May and October (China's two golden weeks), summer holidays, and Christmas and New year holidays.
The biggest price difference between the off and peak seasons is in the price of hotels and airfares. Prices can go up by 50 to 100% in peak seasons.
Our refund policy minimizes the monetary risk to you when booking: you'll receive a 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights if you cancel up to three weeks before departure. (See more details)
How to Travel around China
China has a highly-developed transport network. Air travel and high-speed rail are the main modes of travel and also the most convenient ways. Almost every major city is connected by high-speed rail and an airport.
When booking with us, let us know your travel preferences, and we will arrange the best travel routes for you seamlessly booking the flight/train tickets you need.
Within a city/destination, private vehicle and driver, which we supply as standard, is the most convenient and comfortable way to get around.
Touring China with Us
Our private tours are custom-designed to be the most convenient and fulfilling option for your trip to China. We would create an itinerary according to your flight times, interests, and any other requirements. Just contact us.
- 2-Week A Close Encounter with Pandas
- 2-Week China Nature Wonder Discovery
- 2-Week A Taste of China
- 11-Day Family Happiness