7 Easy Steps to Plan A Perfect China Tour
If you are looking for some easy and useful steps about how to plan a perfect China tour, read this article in 6 minutes, and you will get the answer you want.
Select Where to Go
Baby Panda in Chengdu
China is vast, it's hard to cover all the destinations at one time. Besides Beijing and Shanghai, the main international gateways and must-visited cities, you still have many choices.
If you are a fan of history, Xi'an and Luoyang are highly recommended. Love natural wonders? Yangtze River Cruise, Guilin, and Zhangjiajie are ideal places to visit. Want to experience Chinese minority culture? You won't miss Tibet, Yunnan, or Guizhou. If you have enough time to travel in-depth, it's highly recommended to go to the Silk Road and Inner Mongolia. Of course, the highlights of your China tour should include a close observation of the cute pandas in their hometown - Chengdu.
Choose When to Go
Autumn View of Longji Rice Terrace, Guilin
China's spring and autumn, especially April, May, September, and October, are the high seasons for tourists. If you prefer to travel to China during these months, it would be better to make your travel plan and book your tour as early as possible. Some popular sites will even limit visitor volume. Must-see museums like the Forbidden City need to make an appointment in advance.
May. 1st - May. 7th and Oct. 1st - Oct. 7th are the busiest travel time in China. Chinese people will choose to travel around China during these two long holidays. It is suggested to avoid to travel China in these periods.
Summer is a good season to enjoy nature and minority culture. If you want to escape the heat, you can choose to travel to Huangshan, Zhangjiajie, Yunnan, or Tibet.
The best places in winter are Harbin and Hong Kong. Owning very good ski resorts, Harbin, this city attracts lots of visitors to see the world of ice and snow. Hong Kong has very cozy temperatures in winter. You can embrace the comfortable weather on the top of Victoria Peak and have an outlook of the panorama of this metropolis.
Decide How Long to Go
From 7-day short tours to 30-day long journeys, China always can satisfy you.
For 1 Week:
You can spend 4 days in Beijing and 3 days in Shanghai and nearby to see the remarkable Great Wall, Forbidden City, The Bund, and Water Town. Don't forget to savor Beijing Roast Duck.
For 8 Days:
Extend to Xi'an by 2 days, and delve into the UNESCO Heritage Site - Terracotta Warriors. Sample itinerary: Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai Best Tour.
For 10 Days to 13 Days:
78% of overseas customers of China Odyssey Tours are traveling to China within 10 - 13 days. Besides the China Golden Triangle route, you can add a visit to Guilin, Zhangjiajie, Chengdu, Yangtze River Cruise, etc. Check the suggested itineraries:
- 10-Day Shanghai, Guilin, Xi'an, Beijing
- 11-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Shanghai
- 12-Day Hong Kong, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an, Beijing
- 13-Day Hong Kong, Shanghai, Yangtze Cruise, Xi'an, Beijing
For More Than 2 Weeks:
China boasts many incredible places worth visiting. If your time and budget permit, consider exploring in-depth to see more of this fascinating country. Here, we've hand-picked the top 4 in-depth China tours for your reference.
14 DAYS 
12 DAYS 
17 DAYS 
24 DAYS Group Tour or Private Tour
Photo of Our Clients' Private Trip to China
If you have ever used a private tour service on your overseas tour, you will probably rely on this flexible and worry-free style. China was one of the earliest countries that provide private tour services 20 years ago. You can trust the professional tour service in China. If this is your first time in China, to make your travel experience better, especially when you are traveling with kids or seniors, or having a honeymoon tour, use a private tour that can fulfill your request and budget.
To make your tour smooth and unforgettable, it's very important to choose a high-quality tour company to arrange it. But how? Firstly, you can search the reviews of this company on the Internet. For example, TripAdvisor is one of the most popular third-party tourist platforms where you can see the real comments by customers who used this company before. Proudly, China Odyssey Tours has continually won the 'Certificate of Excellence' since 2012, and 98.5% of customers have rated us 5 stars!
Secondly, you can also check the company's qualifications. If this company is in some high-criteria travel associations like Virtuoso, IATA, and USTOA, generally means it has a very good reputation. Thirdly, when you contact a travel expert, you can see whether they are very familiar with China and flexible to make a tour itinerary upon your needs and budget. Of course, a prompt reply always shows their expertise and importance of you.
A group tour's advantage is saving some money, and you can also make some new friends. While the fixed itinerary and big group might limit your personal time to enjoy the experience. If you are traveling alone or want to meet more people from all over the world, consider joining a small group tour offered by a reputable company.
Consider Your Budget
The cost of a China tour is higher than before. For example, a 4-star hotel will cost more than 100 USD per night in tourist destinations. It would be more expensive in big cities. The good news is that private tours seem more cost-effective. Generally speaking, a private tour including tour guides, transportation, hotel, sightseeing fee, and meals will cost 220~250 USD per person per day (based on 2 persons sharing 1 room of 4-star hotel).
If you want to have a luxury experience, there are plenty of luxury activities and high-end hotels (such as Six Senses, Aman, and the Ritz-Carlton) in China. If you want to lower your budget, using high-speed trains to substitute domestic flights is a good idea.
Passport and Visa
It is required to hold a passport with a validity of at least 6 months before arriving in China. China visa is easier than ever to obtain. China is continuously simplifying the process of applying for a tourist visa. Moreover, citizens from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, and Switzerland are granted a visa-free opportunity for a China tour lasting up to 15 days, available until the end of 2025. Besides, you can also consider a port visa or 144-hour visa-free transit policy if your condition matches the request.
Getting To/Around China
High-Speed Train
China has a very high-efficiency and facilitated transportation hub. For your international flights, non-stop flights from several cities in the USA, Europe, Australia, and other countries and regions are available. The price will be higher than a stopover flight. Keep in mind that booking your flight at an early stage can always get a better price.
Domestic flights provide many choices. You can consider the times, prices, and flight models and decide which one is the best.
Do try a high-speed train in China. It's very fast and convenient. The facilities and service on the train station and train are all very good. There are obvious English signals, that you don't need to worry about missing anything.
The formal taxis are charged by the meter and under the supervision of the Transport Sector. Please keep in mind that taxi drivers do not understand English in most cities. Some stop points are not close to the sightseeing places and it is not easy to find the right way. It's more recommended to take a private tour so that your tour guide will lead you to the places smoothly.
Quick Links of China Travel Useful Tips
- The Ultimate Packing List for Your China Trip in 2024
- FAQ - Chinese Currency & Payment Methods
- Useful Travel Tips for Your First Trip to China
You must have heard lots of things about China before, but the best way to know China is to see it by yourself. If you are planning your China tour now, the easiest step is to travel with China Odyssey Tours. The 20+ years of professional operator experience will give you a stress-free tour and the perfect journey. Reach us at trip@odynovotours.com or simply send us an inquiry here.
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