China Adventure

Connor B.  -  Traveled, December 2024

An exciting and safe way to see a country that can be otherwise difficult to navigate.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 12/13/2024

Phu  -  Traveled, November 2024

The itinerary whilst packed everyday was extremely worth it. The only thing I would change is spending one less day in Beijing with the removal of visiting the 2008 Olympic stadiums and the Ming tombs and spending an extra day in Yangshou for relaxation and also due to an extremely early departure from there. The accommodation and bathroom facilities throughout the trip whilst at times were basic (think squatty potties) were adequate and added to the local experience. Lee on trip manager was frankly second to none. She was extremely knowledgeable and utterly professional in how she led the tour. Every meal she pointed out either what dishes we should try or would suggest both Western and local restaurants we should eat at, which this foodie very much appreciated (the Peking duck in Beijing was literally the best I've ever had and I'm Asian!). Her professionalism shined most when discussing cultural topics such as traditional Chinese therapies, cultural history of China, the more sensitive political and human rights issues down to letting us know on the bus how much we should be spending on souvenirs (to which I found to be very tactful and respectful to locals). Whichever questions we asked that she didn't know she found the answer to promptly. Would strongly recommend travelling on this tour with her just from her personality, keen interest in Asian culture and geopolitics and insightful local knowledge. She single handed made this trip a trip of a lifetime for me. My biggest recommendation to other future travellers is to download a VPN (we all used ExpressVPN on our trip) on all your devices prior to arrival, the firewall is a very real problem for people who want access to the free internet. Secondly, bring as much money as you can with you. China is not as cheap as I thought it'd be. With all the extra add-ons (DO ALL OF THEM, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!), the "treat yourself" souvenirs e.g. jade and silk, and unexpected extras such as acupuncture and massages you will find your wallet getting light pretty fast if you're unprepared. Come with an open mind, heart and stomach and this trip will be one you'll remember for the rest of your life! Booking trip was done through a third party company, however whenever I needed to call Contiki they were helpful. Although annoyingly the mycontiki system was down until a few days before my trip started.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 11/14/2024

Zachary H.  -  Traveled, October 2024

Great trip. Not the cheapest but we’ll worth the value with plenty to do and see. Awesome trip. Great TM and local guides. And the food, oh the food. I’d go back to China in a heartbeat. A great way to experience China of the past, present, and future. Oh, and pandas!!!

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 10/15/2024

Lauren B.  -  Traveled, September 2024

Amazing trip and Lee the trip manager was awesome. Yes, I would recommend them and use them again.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/16/2024

Anonymous  -  Traveled, August 2024

Jam packed with lots of activities and food options! Good value for money. Jelly was our fantastic Tour Manager - she was dedicated, organised and made our tour so special as it is clear how much she loves her job and making the tour memorable for everyone!

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 08/17/2024

Anonymous  -  Traveled, July 2024

While on paper, this was an expensive trip, it really did check all the boxes, which made it more than worth it! I saw everything I wanted to see, learned all about the people and the culture, and made amazing friends along the way. I do wish we had been warned about how much the "extras" would cost by the end for budgeting sake, but considering the whole trip stayed under $5,000, it was still a great deal to have everything planned and taken care of for us! The trip itself was amazing!! Our trip manager, Jelly, handled everything with such grace and hyped us up every step of the way. Prior to my trip, I did have some trouble with getting the necessary paperwork for my visa in a timely manner, something that I was not warned about and that did become a problem since I planned the trip last minute. However, the customer service staff tried their best and everything worked out in the end so I'm overall happy with my experience.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 07/18/2024

Anonymous  -  Traveled, June 2024

The price for the trip was decent. My biggest complaint and suggestion for improvement would be to disclose all potential add-ons for the trip before people arrive in the country (i.e. theater shows, Dr. Lily alternative medicine) so that they can plan to have adequate money. For those considering this trip, I highly recommend going for it. I did not know what to expect before I left for the trip and was completely blown away. It was a comfortable size (16 of us). You will encounter squatty potties, especially in Beijing, Xian, and Chengdu. For the ladies, I highly recommend bringing 1-2 rolls of toilet papers from home since for some reason toilet papers are highly treasured, minimally dispensed, or non-existent in the public restrooms, particularly in Beijing, Xian, and Chengdu. If you don't bring any, don't worry. You can ask the hotels for extra and just use that. Also ask the hotels for extra body soap when you first arrive and use that to wash your hands in the public restrooms since soap is also highly treasured, minimally dispensed, or non-existent in the public restrooms. Also, bring at least a couple small hand-sanitizer or an 8 fluid oz hand sanitizer bottle for the same reason mentioned above. There are designated clean public water dispenser so you can bring a re-usable water bottle from home to refill. I have been to a few Asian countries, and I did the most shopping in China. There is so many tourist shopping available. If you are considering jewelry, I recommend buying jade from the jade factory that Contiki brings you to since you know it is authentic. If you are allergic to nickel or fake metal, make sure to ask the customer representative which jade items have real and full silver or gold attachment. There is also a koisin china art factory that Contiki brings you to and you can purchase koisin art there. Bring enough money or bring a credit card because it can be costly. I found the least expensive panda paraphernalia in Chengdu so definitely get panda items in Chengdu. Medium size stuffed pandas were around 38-40 yuan. I can do without the overnight train from Beijing to Xian, but it adds to the authentic experience. The rooms are small with 4 bunk beds each. Bring card games because you'll have time to play card games or get to know your bunk mates better. Some people did not sleep very well or not at all during the train ride (particularly those on the top bunks) so expect that or bring ear plugs or whatever you'll need in order to sleep. My favorite cities were Chengdu and Yangshuo. Yangshuo reminds me of Halong Bay in Vietnam. Contiki offers sessions with Dr. Lily who is an alternative medicine doctor offering therapeutic massages and acupuncture. My session was nice, but I recommend booking your appointment either early in the day or late in the evening so that you can have a big gap in the middle of the day to find and go on excursions from third parties. There was a vendor near the hotel that offered white water rafting and sightseeing on a boat. It was costly (around 40-60 USD) but I would have done it if I had known to plan better. Shopping in the downtown district (within the walls of the old city) in Shanghai was the cheapest of all the places we visited and you could still haggle it lower. I found baoding balls for 15 yuan each (30 yuan for a pair) and trinkets for 5 USD with bargaining. Overall, China offered so much in culture, food, and shopping. Authentic Chinese food is so much better than Americanized Chinese food. It completely blew my mind (i.e. noodle soups, dumplings). The trip manager Jelly was wonderful, super out-going, fun, and organized.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 06/19/2024

Anonymous  -  Traveled, May 2024

The add ons were all fantastic and pretty cheap considering. It included a group photo and booklet providing info on Beijing, a cooking class which was extremely fun and 2 amazing shows that I will not forget. An amazing experience filled with so many great memories with a great bunch of people. I feel I have done China to the fullest and created lifelong friends as well as exploring the major cities as well as the smaller towns in China. Value for money add ons as well adding to the overall experience.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 05/20/2024

Anonymous  -  Traveled, December 2024

Amazing trip across China discovering all of its different facets: climbing the steps of the Great Wall (World Wonder), blending in among the historic terracota warriors, setting sights on live teddy bears: the giant pandas (and babies is you go around July period), breathtaken by the scenery of Yangshuo (feels like being in an oil painting) and blown away by the skyline of China. Props goes to our amazing trip manager - Jelly - who was beyond excellent and highly professional. The local guides were knowledgable and highly helpful with the language barrier. Included activities were a good blend of culture of the country. I signed out for all optionals and was highly satisfied. This is a small group trip so it is easy to connect with others. The food was excellent throughout, be prepared for the spices if you are not accustomed to them. Booking online and payment was smooth and simple. I usually get contacted by the Guernsey but this time by the South African office. A week before planned departure I still had not received the travel documents. After reaching out to them, I got the documents quite quickly. In my previous trips, I was usually proposed booking for transport to and from hotel which I was now told is no longer done. But I thorougly enjoy travelling with Contiki in small groups and I will do it again :)

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 12/21/2024

Patricia M.  -  Traveled, December 2024

The trip was probably the best travel experience I've ever had. From start to finish the whole experience was easy, stress-free, fun and surprising. Before the trip I had a good idea of what we were going to be doing and I had looked into the different stops but we always got nice surprises to add to our trip. The trip covered lots of bases around China and I feel like I didn't miss out on anything. The add-ons were all excellent and most definitely worth it. Our guide, Lee, was excellent, so helpful, kind and considerate. She got to know us really well and was able to recommend things that she knew we would like. My trip to China was supposed to be a last hurrah before I became a serious adult to save for a house but after this experience I've already starting saving for my next Contiki trip. Thank you!The staff were always helpful in advance of the trip and provided lots of information to help get ready for the trip. The online chat was always supportive in answering questions.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 12/24/2024