China Small Group Trips

Itinerary was jam-packed with great sights and activities that gave us a taste of both ancient and modern China, while still leaving some free time to explore on our own; excellent value. All the hotels were very good (luxurious for Exodus), with the Tianfu Sunshine in Chengdu being stand-out for room facilities and decor, the Bell Tower in Xi'an for location and generous room size, and the Dong Fang in Beijing for the most extensive and best quality breakfast buffet (and period charm in the historic coffee shop, courtyard, and public areas); Golden Tulip in Shanghai was also very glamorous and well-located for the Bund. Transport (bullet trains x 2, internal flight, private minibuses, and public buses) was all excellent - punctual, efficient and clean, and our trip leader, Sunny, got us to all the attractions before the busiest crowds, and marshalled us well on public transport. (There were only seven of us on my departure - five solos and one couple - which was a good number; I can imagine a full cohort of 16 would be much more challenging to manage in the busiest locations.) Food was amazingly cheap and generally good (you can eat well for a fiver, and feast for under £10; large beers cost around £1), although some of us might have liked an option once or twice to have a more upmarket and relaxed dining experience. This trip takes in all the main tourist attractions (Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City, a section of the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, panda breeding centre), and they were all well worth seeing, but what I enjoyed most was having some time to explore the lesser known cities, Xi'an, and Chengdu. Xi'an was my favourite, for its historic centre, and lively night-time vibe. I would have liked some more time in Shanghai (not least because I was on a quest for family history); a day and a half on the official trip itinerary is not enough for such a vibrant city, specially as we lost half a day (the group trip to Yuyuan Garden) due to heavy rain the day we arrived. Luckily, some of us had late flights on departure day, effectively giving us another post-trip day in which we were able to visit the Yu Garden independently, but it would be good if this extra day could be factored into future trip itineraries. (Personally, I'd trade Beijing for more time in Chengdu and Shanghai. I'm planning to return to Shanghai independently.) As a solo traveller, this was my first long-haul trip, and it was brilliant. Just go!

Highlights of China was an excellent trip to see some of the 'must-see' bucket list places. Was good fun every day with good weather and we were very well looked after by our exceptional tour leader Olly...maybe an extra day in Beijing at the end but really nothing to complain about.....Thanks Olly 👍

China Highlights was an amazing trip, I enjoyed it from the begining to the end. I am very happy with this trip, Olly, out tour leader, was great and very helpfull, he took care lf all of us. Thank you for a wonderfull trip.

An amazing trip from start to finish! The natural landscapes and historical monuments were magnificent. Accommodation and meals were good and as expected in such corners of the planet - no surprises. Both of our Nepali and Tibetan guides were exemplary. They provided us with detailed information and responses to our questions. Our Nepali guide was very experienced with any signs of Altitude Sickness, and kept a close eye on us. I would thoroughly recommend this Adventure Tour.

This aas a great road trip, made more so by the excellent tour manager and local guide who were with us from go to whoa. It included all that we expected from the published itinerary plus a few surprises that enhanced the overall experience. We got both sides of the story of modern Tibet in a dispassionate way, enabling a good understanding of this great region.

This trip was a brilliant time; every day you're walking on the Great Wall of China, mostly in areas with few other tourists and amazing views. The weather was kind to us so the panoramas are spectacular. Our tour leader Stone was so organised and an incredible help in a country where most locals don't speak English (my Mandarin isn't too good either), and the food and hospitality at the local guesthouses was great too. Accommodation was better than expected having been described as basic!