TrailBlazer80075
Singapore
- Reviewed on January 24, 2024
I had a weekend away to Xi’an, China to celebrate my birthday. It was an exciting weekend and it was certainly something off the beaten trail for most of my friends. The itinerary that Mr Wonder Wang from China Discovery has suggested, provided good coverage of the city’s rich history. From the fascinating Terracotta Army to the City Walls to the sacred Mount Hua, to the Muslim Quarter to the Drum & Bell Towers, there’s an interesting story from every historical era in Xi’an. I managed to hike up Mount Hua from North Peak to West Peak, but I didn’t get to do the dangerous plank walk as it was closed.
The recommended hotel Eastern House was very accessible too with food places within steps and its proximity to the Drum Tower is a plus. The room was very clean and comfortable.
At this point, I have to quickly mention our amazing tour guide Betty Jiao Yan who was assigned to us as part of our private tour package. She made our time feel so very special and I wonder if Xi'an would have been as awesome without her. She had such a positive and caring nature and when we had to say goodbye, we felt very sad. It was strange to miss a guide after only knowing her for 5 days! Luckily we still keep in touch on WeChat. Our driver Mr Ma was very polite, punctual and accommodating, making our travel a pleasant experience too!
Ying Ying H
USA
- Reviewed on January 22, 2024
I took a personalized tour created by Tracy. She is AMAZING. If you are not satisfied with anything, don't hesitate to let her know because she won't stop until you are fully satisfied with your itinerary. Also, by having this personalized trip, everything was extremely easy and convenient. You only need to provide your ID for them to take care of everything for you. You will have to arrange your own flights, but once you are there, just sit back and relax.
laura R
Italy
- Reviewed on January 15, 2024
We found China Discovery online and trusted them thanks to the beautiful reviews they got. Now I can confirm that they are absolutely fantastic and helpful! A special thank to Zeva that was very kind and helped us before the departure for all the organization and suggestions. The trip was perfectly customized according to our needs, we had some difficult request (as we asked to see the fishing with cormorants in Guilin) and she perfectly planned everything. Also all the local guides and drivers were very kind and helpful. During our last day we had the flight at midnight and asked to the last guide to bring us to have dinner before going to the airport and they found a special restaurant for us.
We did a fantastic 11 days Beijing-Pingyao-Xian-Guizhou-Guilin-Beijing Highlights Private Tour, China is enchanting with its spectacular landscapes and temples!!
Diana E
Indonesia
- Reviewed on January 5, 2024
We have 11 Days family trip in Beijing, Xi'an and Chengdu. The whole trip was amazing. Accomodation and transportation are wonderful. The food are very nice. The hotel is great. We are so thankful to Wonder Wang who arrange this amazing trip from the very beginning, also for being very helpful and patient to give a quick respond, always ready to give any information that we need, and make sure that everything has been well communicated. Also special thanks to our tour guides Jack (Beijing), Jessie (Xi'an), Kevin (Chengdu) and all the drivers. They are very kind, cheerful, communicative and helpful. The service was very excellent from our arrival to our departure. We feel very safe and comfortable. We highly recommend China Discovery to everyone who wants to have a memorable, pleasant, and comfortable trip to China.
Salil
India
- Reviewed on January 4, 2024
Took a family trip to China - Guilin, Shanghai, Xian , Beijing. It was well planned and executed trip by Wonder. We thoroughly enjoyed every step of the day. The sights, choice of hotels, guides and vehicles were spotless and well organised. Wonder was very accommodating and patient of suggestions. Quick to respond. Will highly recommend this agency especially Wonder for wonderful experience.
sharifahmed8
Australia
- Reviewed on January 2, 2024
I am overwhelmed and very satisfied with this 13 day China trip! The service I got was beyond my expectations. We were taken care of every places we visited. All local guides and drivers were helpful.
We thought we would face difficulty to find suitable Muslim food but guides took us to the right places and we had very yummy food all over the trip. Even in the Yangtze river cruise, cruise manager instructed his chef to prepare special meals for us! All local guides speak very good English. We always felt safe there.
Special thanks to Leo Li for organising such a wonderful and memorable trip! Me and my family will cherish the memories of our China trip many years to come.
Kelvin L
Singapore
- Reviewed on December 30, 2023
3 Day tour of Xi'an, with trips to the Terracotta Warriors Museum and Huashan. The trip was amazing and the guide was very accommodating to our requests. The only disappointment was the day we went up Huashan was very foggy and we could hardly see anything through the fog. Xi'an city and especially the Terracotta Warriors were definitely worth the trip to Xi'an. Highly recommended!
David M
Australia
- Reviewed on December 29, 2023
This was a fantastic experience and my first time visiting China. My China Discovery tour was in two parts, firstly Beijing, followed by Xi'An and time to see the Terracotta Army.
I had guides in both cities - Justin in Beijing and Angela in Xi'An.
Both guides were incredibly knowledgeable, punctual, informative and supportive of a first time visitor.
The Beijing part had many highlights, Tiannanmen Sq, The Forbidden City (simply incredible!), the hutongs, streetfood, the palace gardens and pretty much everywhere I went. A driver service removed all the worries that would be expected of an English-only speaker. Special mention for the Great Wall visit at Mutianyu... humbling and simply stunning to stand on a magnificent piece of history. I understand that I am part of the 'returning wave' of westerner tourists to China, so I didn't see many other westerners at all.
Everyone was very friendly, the locals thought my wearing shorts in Autumn was 'funny', but that only put more smiles on faces. The temples were beautiful and the city has a large, bustling, but appealing presence to it.
Xi'An was a once in a lifetime 'must see' for the Terracotta army. Angela proudly showed me the essential city sights for a two day visit. It's a very pretty city with a wonderful vibe. The food quarter (muslim section) is exceptional and well worth the visit! I was lucky enough to stay in the 'old section' of the city, so the architecture was the traditional structures. Very beautiful. The Terracotta Army is simply incredible. It's busy, so be prepared for crowds, but it's easy enough to get to where you need to, see the pits and enjoy the marvel of history that is laid before us.
Drivers in both cities were exceptional and I can't thank them enough for their fantastic service.
My travel agent (Rita) did an amazing job in organising my trip - it was all so 'easy' that it took away my worries. I wholeheartedly recommend this trip and organiser. Thank you team, this was an incredible tour of the traditional 'heart' of ancient China. To those thinking of going, treat yourself, you'll be glad you did!
Paul H
UK
- Reviewed on December 28, 2023
Very good tour, and China Discovery's communication (before, during, and after the trip) was very good.
We researched many tour providers and (despite a negative review for China Discovery that we saw, which criticised the individual guides rather than the company) went ahead with China Discovery as this tour fitted with our specific needs (starting in HK, and not including flights to/from UK). The trip was a customised 15 day tour to Guilin, Chengdu, Lhasa, Xi'an and Beijing, so if you need something different they should be able to customise. Highlights were:
- Guilin, River Cruise through the Limestone Karst mountains to Yangshuo where we saw a fantastic evening show that was directed by Mr Zhang (director of Beijing Olympics opening ceremony).
- Chengdu, Giant Panda Research Centre, evening show with face-changing.
- Lhasa (Tibet), Potala Palace and monasteries, plus the scenery. This was supposed to be a group tour, but the group was just us!
- Xi'an, Terracotta Warriors, City Walls, Bell and Drum Towers
- Beijing, Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Olympic Park.
By the end of the tour we felt a bit overwhelmed, which was not surprising given the amount packed in!
Our experience of guides was very good, we had a different guide in each city and all were knowledgeable, friendly, and easy to understand. If anything was not clear they would repeat and clarify anything we asked them, they never pressed us to go anywhere we did not want (e.g. shops/side tours/etc.), and the only "complaint" that we had was that at times we felt they walked a bit fast (but never excessively).
As we travelled in the low season (and had to deal with 30C in HK down to -1C in Beijing... -12C with wind chill) all the sights were quite free of tourists which we had not expected from what we had heard of other's experiences touring China.
We would recommend China Discovery (although we think that this could easily depend on whether the individual guides were as good as ours).
benurajesh
USA
- Reviewed on December 24, 2023
China is diverse and fascinating with history nature and food. Rita at China discovery made all arrangements so we could enjoy most of China in comfort and efficiently with excellent guides at each stay. When our train ride from Shanghai to Beijing was cancelled by the railways, Rita promptly informed us and made alternate flight arrangements keeping the tour moving smoothly. The tour started with Beijing and the forbidden city and the Great Wall are an experience. Tibet is a different world with awesome artwork everywhere. Lin river cruise is a must. The caves were an experience, better than the ones in West Virginia and Virginia. Terracotta Army is a must see. The tourists outnumbered the army and the crowds were unbelievable. The Yangtze River cruise is so relaxing and pleasant. Shanghai is best for the shopping experience and the riverfront.
Thanks to Rita and her team at China Discovery in making this tour so memorable.
Richard T
UK
- Reviewed on December 23, 2023
My family and I went on a 11 days Silk Road Tour in China end of Oct 2023 with China Discovery. Journey began at Beijing to Xian, Dunhuang, Turpan, Urumqi then end in Kashgar. Overall a very well organised trip. Logistics were well coordinated, and hotels were of excellent standard. Local cuisines were gastronomic delights. The guides were all knowledgeable which added so much colours to the sights and sounds. Rita the arranging agent was very responsive from the start and continue to monitor to ensure a smooth tour. Definitely a recommendation for anyone thinking of using China Discovery and Rita.
toni m
Australia
- Reviewed on December 22, 2023
Our Travel Consultant, Rita, organised our tour to perfection! She included all of the sights we were most interested in and ensured our trip was one to remember. All of the local guides were outstanding, with a wealth of knowledge about their local area and attractions. We had no idea China had so many beautiful hidden gems. We had the most wonderful trip, and would recommend China Discovery, and especially Rita
pepman34
Spain
- Reviewed on December 22, 2023
We had a great time in China thanks to China Discovery. We had a business meeting in Wuxi, asked them to organize a tour afterwards, but we did it very close to the traveling dates, as we were really struggling with the visa and the dates of the meeting. That left us almost no time to organize the tour, but Rita Jiang from China Discovery was really efficient in doing so. Everything was fast and smooth before going, and exactly the same after arriving there. Everything from hotels to vehicles, guides, tickets, etc., was perfectly arranged, what made that we had a very enjoyable trip and we hope to go back soon to such a beautiful country!
Miga I
USA
- Reviewed on December 21, 2023
My husband and I took private tour to Silkroad from Xian to Kashgar through China Discovery. If I knew this tour company earlier I would have been there long time ago. Their consultant and guides at each destination were wonderful to make my trip seamless and pleasant from preparing, visa application, money exchange, getting us familiar with their culture, food ordering recommendations... even to flight check-in problem solving, etc., and my life long dream came true. I thank more than enough for their professional services and certainly recommend this company.
Sara-Jane A
Australia
- Reviewed on December 21, 2023
We chose the 6 day classic Beijing and Xian tour. Should have done a tour for longer! Can’t begin to thank the team at China Discovery. Wing was so helpful in organising the entire trip. I just gave her dates and where we wanted to go and she did the rest! She made it stress-free for us and was so accommodating, even with last minute changes and her email responses were always thorough. We could not fault the accommodation and meals included. We were so comfortable and well-fed! Jamie and Angela were awesome tour guides in Beijing and Xi’an respectively. Their English was most commendable. Both so knowledgeable and showing us to the best parts of their cities! Jamie waited an hour with us until check-in for our train to Xi’an, and even walked us right through to our train seats. He was truly great and we are so thankful for him. Angela was so proud of Xi’an and shared some amazing knowledge of the history, and good food with us. She also recommended some great places to come back to when we plan to come back to China! She was also great. Highly highly recommend China Discovery. We will be back and sure to use your services again!
phunotfoo
USA
- Reviewed on December 18, 2023
Where and how do I start?! Firstly, I was blessed to find China Discovery! China has always been my number one destination to visit. After extensive research, I realized I could not plan and actualize this 3-week trip alone. My husband and I bought our flights to Beijing for November and unable to start planning until October. Knowing that we were on a time crunch, I quickly emailed my itinerary to what seemed to be the top tour companies online. The one that stood out the most was China Discovery. Tracy, our travel consultant, was quick to reply and, without any questions, provided complete arrangements to my itinerary to the tee. In the next 2-3 weeks, Tracy was extremely patient and accommodating to my adjustments and requests to improve the itinerary.
The itinerary included five major cities (Beijing, Luoyang, Xi'an, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie) and several other sub-cities (Dengfeng, Leshan, Emeishan, Fenghuang) in between. In each of the five major cities, we were greet kindly with a tour guide and driver. Everyone spoke fluent English and were very knowledgable with the culture and history. Jamie, our first guide in Beijing, went above and beyond every day to ensure that our initial arrival and experience of China was excellent. Kelly was excellent at explaining the history of Luoyang and the dynasties in chronological order that was easy to understand. In Xi'an, Waldener was spunky, gregarious, and very informative. Evan perfectly delivered the essence and beauty of Chengdu and took care of us in more ways than we expected. Lee friendly and proudly welcomed us to Hunan province, where we were in awe everyday as we explored Zhangjiajie.
Though the drivers did not speak English, they expressed by their nice gestures and smiles. We appreciated how attentive and sweet Tracy was during our trip. She made sure to contact me to check in several times. I can't say our trip was 100% flawless. There were little hiccups, but nothing that would sour the entire trip. The important thing is any unwanted issues were taken care of quickly.
We started the trip in excitement and curiosity, and ended with appreciation and amazement. We love China so much we already have two trips in mind for 2024. Of course, we'll be sure to contact China Discovery again!!
Jane N
UK
- Reviewed on December 14, 2023
As this was our first visit to China we were relying on Wing and the team to make all the necessary arrangements. Booking accommodation, buying advance tickets and supplying transport and guides.
We were very impressed. From pre-travel suggestions to final send off everything went very smoothly.
It was a bit of a whistle stop tour taking in a lot of the most famous sights in just over two weeks, but we always planned on returning. Next time will be more leisurely.
China Discovery were an excellent agency to work with and always very responsive when we had queries.
They come highly recommended.
Jane and Jon
eva s
USA
- Reviewed on December 9, 2023
9 day tour of Beijing/Xian/Zhangjiajie/Beijing
Overall, I cannot say enough good things about this trip! Starting with our travel consultant, Zeva Du. She was so patient and helped us make great decisions. I was hesitant about doing a private tour, but it was the best idea ever and allowed us to see the cities we wanted within our travel dates.
Every tour guide in each city was amazing and spoke English very well. They were very informative and knowledgeable. They could not have been more attentive. When leaving Beijing, we took a train to Xian. Linda, our tour guide, escorted us all the way to our seats on the train. Thank goodness we stayed on the train until the last stop! The train system over there is so efficient and a great way to travel.
Jessie in Xian was wonderful. I think seeing the Terracotta Army was my favorite.
David in Zhangjiajie and Liqi in Shanghai were equally great.
If you like Chinese food, each restaurant we were taken to for lunch was amazing.
Our Peking duck dinner in Beijing was the absolute best.
It was wonderful to see China up and running again. They suffered greatly during the pandemic and is working very hard to recover. I would highly recommend this tour company and would gladly use them again. Thank you to Zeva and her team for such a great trip!
HCSeow
Singapore
- Reviewed on November 30, 2023
A truly amazing tour of Xi'an (terracotta warriors), the ancient city of DunHuang, and the exotic cities of Xinjiang within 14 days, fully arranged by China Discovery. The Travel Consultant Mr Johnson Wang had been extremely patient in answering enquiries and clarifying doubts before finalisation of the Tour which the Company carefully tailored to our physical needs. Our requirement of a leisurely tour was fully met and hotels provided were clean and spacious ! The Guides, Drivers and cars were definitely above our expectations!
Our flight out of Kashgar was unexpectedly cancelled by the Airline and we were left stranded with our visa-free permit expiring in 2 days! We missed our next connecting flight and risked leaving China without an extended visa!! Mr Johnson Wang and the Management of China Discovery kindly helped in assisting us obtain an extension of our visa, and extended hotel bookings. For this, we are truly grateful to Johnson and China Discovery!
We will definitely use back China Discovery for other Tours within China should there be another opportunity !!!
Amy P
Australia
- Reviewed on November 21, 2023
I took a 10-day tour of China including Guilin, Chengdu, Xian and Beijing. The highlights were the Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall. Guilin also surprised with amazing scenery on the Li River cruise. At each destination I had a driver and tour guide which made it possible to see many attractions in a short time. The tour guides knew the history and culture and helped us to check-in to hotels and give us recommendations for local dining and shows. The drivers were always waiting for us when we finished at a destination. I wouldn't have had the confidence to travel around China without a tour guide due to the language barrier. But, this was easy and the tour guides made everything efficient. Also, booking my tour with Tracy was easy as she amended the tour to fit my needs. For anyone travelling to China, I recommend this company.
Adrian S
Australia
- Reviewed on November 20, 2023
We took a 20 day Chinese Silk Road trip starting in Luoyang and ending in Kashgar - the western most city in China close to the border with Kyrgyzstan. There were 8 of us in a small privately organised tour which Leo Li managed for us from China Discovery Chengdu.
I have been to China for work and twice before for holidays - this is definitely the best trip hands down. The itinerary was excellent and tailored to our needs. The hotels were fantastic (maybe except for one which was borderline) - all Chinese owned and operated hotels (there was only 1 international branded hotel in the entire 20 days). They were clean, spacious and very obliging to our needs.
The food organised by Leo was excellent on all days.
We requested English speaking guides and had 6 in all at various stages of our trip. They were all excellent, very knowledgeable about the history and significance of the locations in relation to the Silk Road and great company and humour too.
The guides went out of their way to ensure we were comfortable - even to the extent of organising special meals when a few of us got sick and another left his bag in the mountains!
The trip included historic cities beginning with Luoyang, Lanzhou, Xian, Xining, Qinghai Lake, Chaka Lake, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Turpan, Urumuqi and Kashgar. The trip utilised a combination of China's excellent bullet trains, private bus and flights (between Urumuqi and Kashgar and Kashgar to Shanghai)
Leo seemed to work all hours! Thank you Leo and your team for making our trip so memorable!
I highly recommend China Discovery Tours and will definitely without hesitation use them again.
Some tips for travelling in China:
1. Bring Cash! - WeChat Pay (linked to your credit card) works, but not all the time. Our personal success rate was about 40%. Even in the big cities like Shanghai. So definitely bring cash. PS - you will need internet connection to pay by WeChat - see internet connection below.
2. Watch for "Spit Bombs" (the Hark...Phui!) - its getting better especially after the pandemic. But in the smaller tier 2 and 3 cities definitely watch for it. Now you know why Chinese people take off their shoes when entering homes! :)
3. Chinese hotels are very warm and the aircon doesn't work in winter. Switching the aircon to cool will STILL give you heat!! So be prepared. However, despite this, as mentioned, our Chinese branded hotels were excellent.
4. Everything in China is huge! Except for the toilet rolls in the hotels! Don't ask me why. So if you need to have a big one, make sure you have sufficient toilet paper! Don't be afraid to ask, they are generous when you ask. (The 4-5 star hotels in the main cities are OK though)
5. Speaking of loos, we tried to make sure we only do No 1s in the public loos. Most of the tourist locations are OK but they are of the squatting kind... Of course the ladies have a tougher time than us guys. So before you embark on your daily tours - as much as possible make sure your system is all clear!
6. Internet connection seems to work fine (yes even Google, Messenger, YouTube etc)...BUT, BUT I think it is because I am on data roaming. Another member of the group had the same experience - No need for VPNs. But have a VPN loaded on your phone anyway as a backup. (We were on Australian Mobile network - Vodafone and Optus). Not sure how long this is going to last. Others not on data roaming had massive issues with the Great Firewall. Of course forget about the hotel wifi, the firewall is strongest there! Also 4G works better than 5G. So setting your phone to only 4G might make your internet connection more stable and reliable.
7. Enjoy the people - they are very friendly and patient (especially with our payment issues with WeChat). Trying to speak mandarin goes a long way!
8. Enjoy the food - it is generally safe but of course be sensible. We stuck to the main markets, hot cooked food and except for a short unexplained stint, we were good.
Above all - enjoy the experience!
Marius K
Canada
- Reviewed on November 19, 2023
We appreciate the excellent coordination by Vivien Li and the great services provided by her team, including the guides and the drivers.
Tami29
Italy
- Reviewed on November 10, 2023
Our Tour with China Discovery well very well, I need to compliment them on their organization and choice of guides. Our consultant Wing was extremely helpful, kind and flexible. We did a 14 day, personalized tour and visited the imperial cities with Chengdu and a short cruise on Yangtze River. I would definitely recommend them and will plan another tour with China Discovery in the future (hopefully).
Claire P
UK
- Reviewed on November 8, 2023
We had a great experience with China discovery, our travel consultant and tour guides were incredibly friendly, helpful, and responsive, and they had a lot of knowledge about all the places we visited. The tour was very well organised and although we went during golden week - which was incredibly busy - the tour guides went above and beyond and were excellent at making sure it didn’t affect our trip. We were treated very well during our tour, got to see some amazing things, and would highly recommend using this service because of this.
Jen R
Sweden
- Reviewed on November 7, 2023
I had an amazing experience with my 8 days China trip to Beijing, Xian, Shanghai. I recommend anyone who is planning to go on a China trip with China Discovery. Please contact Wonder Wang, he assisted me all throughout my trip with competence, efficiency, done in a very responsive, responsible way. He responds quickly at all times no matter what time it it wherever you are in the world. And this is very important specially in visiting China where everything has its own system, tickets in place properly sibmitted accordingly including passports, different language, huge crowds....Thanks China Discovery for a memorable China experience!
George W
Canada
- Reviewed on November 6, 2023
We had Johnson Wang as our travel consultant to develop a customized 16 days itinerary with flexibility to accommodate any unexpected surprises. A team of dedicated and knowledgeable staff that included local guides and drivers made our tour an amazing and worry-free one. We appreciate very much the help from local guides for transfer at train stations and airports as the check-in process may not always be the same. My most impressive experience was in Dunhuang and Chengdu. The tours at Turpan, Kashgar, and Tashkrugan are my favorites. Beijing and Xian are always fascinating. We are looking forward to China Discovery to plan our next trip.
Ngahana H
New Zealand
- Reviewed on November 2, 2023
Our tour covered all of the main tourist attractions offered by this vast and beautiful country.
We chose China Discovery.com for our China holiday simply because, their website information was easy to understand and their holiday options were numerous and very detailed. From the start there was a strong sense of service and we got that from our very first email to the Travel consultant. Every email was answered promptly and clearly. We were able to tailor our preferred tour option to suit our budget and in the end the choices we made were perfect. The consultant continued to keep in touch either by email or through the agents until tour end.
At all city locations local guides with modern sedans and drivers ensured that we connected smoothly with our transport, accommodation and access to all tourist destinations. At many tourist sites, the long walks and climbing long stairways suited younger and/or fitter clients. We seniors with average fitness were blessed with guides who tailored our visits perfectly to our optimum enjoyment. And still got to enjoy most on offer.
Throughout our multicity itinerary we travelled on the superbly smooth and comfortable bullet trains, high class internal air flights and comfortable high standard river boat cruises. The three day 5 star Yangtse river cruise was very comfortable, modern stylish and the staff service standard was exceptional.
Lastly we believe that it would be very difficult to experience the numerous contrasting features of China, historical and modern and its cultural entity without all the aspects of the China Discovery private tour package.
Brian K
Australia
- Reviewed on November 1, 2023
We visited China in September 2023 for 16 days visiting Beijing, Xian and Shanghai . The attraction Great Wall, Forbidden City (Beijing) Terracotta Warriors (xian) and the gardens and the lights surrounding Shanghai organized by China Discovery (Chengdu) and our consultant Ms Wing Zeng were amazing. Discovery China ( Chengdu) provides a professional first class service. I highly recommend Ms Wing Zeng consultancy and China Discovery C
Francis C
Australia
- Reviewed on October 28, 2023
Just came back from a 11-days trip with China Discovery. We visited 4 cities, Beijing, Xian, Zhangjiajie and Guilin. It's a well packed itinerary with interconnecting high-speed rail and flights. We have Vivien Li as our travel consultant, and she was able to quickly come up with a schedule that allows us to visit all the hotspots including some we add in ourselves like the old summer palace. Everything ran like clockwork, and we travelled first class with our own transport, tour guide and driver just for the two of us. I heartily recommend China Discovery and especially Vivien for your next China trip.
Mui G
Singapore
- Reviewed on October 24, 2023
We did a 9D Xian to North Shaanxi covering several natural, geological and archaeological sites. A lesser populated sight seeing region.
Our travel consultant Leo Li was efficient and responsible. Bruce Li our local guide was excellent in providing us with great insights of historical and geographical information. Hence making this trip memorable !
Victoria
South Africa
- Reviewed on October 21, 2023
Rita Jiang was our travel consultant from China Discovery who worked with me to plan our 30 days in China. She helped with a suggested itinerary and when I added or removed destinations, she swiftly and efficiently adjusted it with clever additions I had not researched. I tried 2 other large Chinese travel agencies with my proposed itinerary before settling with China Discovery. China Discovery was not the cheapest, but they were certainly the most efficient in response time and also, most importantly, they created an excellent itinerary with clever routes and efficient transportation options between destinations. When you are travelling for this length of time as a family, efficient travel time is very important. The guides which met us in each location were well spoken and highly knowledgable. The drivers were excellent too. We covered Shanghai, Zhangzhou, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang, Guilin, Kunming, Dongchuan Red Lands, Lijiang, Chengdu, Juizhaigou and Huanglong Valley, Xian, Luoyang, Zhangye, Dunhuang, Datong and Beijing with our two children aged 9 and 10.
There is no other way to travel efficiently through China and get to understand the culture and history without the help of a local travel agent. I highly recommend China discovery to help you plan your next trip!
LohWaiYee
Singapore
- Reviewed on October 19, 2023
Our guide picked us up from Luoyang Longmen train station . We went to Longmen Grottos and Shaolin Temple via private car. Our guide Kelly was very polite , knowledgable and could answer our questions . Car and driver was clean and professional . Kelly helped us to changed our high speed rail train timing to a better time. She really took care of us. The day activities were just perfect for my aunt and I . This was the most impressionable experience of my time in Xian due to the sites visited. I would recommend this to my family and friends.
Ralph G
Canada
- Reviewed on October 16, 2023
T.H. Go
Long China trips for not-so-young people
Four of us in our 60-80s have recently returned from our 25 days trip (26.08-19.09) covering [1] Datong, Hanging Temple, Pingyao Ancient City, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda of Fogong Temple, Hukou Waterfall, Xi’an, [2] North Xinjiang (Urumqi Bazaar, Ulungur Lake, Hemu Village, Kanas Lake, Rainbow Beach, Guozigou Bridge, Sayram Lake, Karajun Grassland,Tekes County aka BaGua City), [3] Chengdu (Leshan Giant Buddha, Emei, Ya’an-Kangding,Luding Chain Bridge, Panda Tour), Huanglong Valley, Jiuzhaigou Valley, [4] Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Ancient Town and finally, Beijing (on our own, 3 nights).
Above 4 group of sightseeing points are customized and planned with Ms. Wing Zeng of China Discovery with her friendly and professional suggestions and helps as well as personalized responses. Her selections of 7 tour guides (and drivers) all along the routes are mostly fine, who are knowledgeable in the subject matters involved, helpful and have tried their best to answer our numerous questions along the tours. This is in contrast to previous 2 China tours (of two members in our group) with other travel agency where the tour guide(s) were primarily taking them from one point to the next without too much “explanations”. Nevertheless, more “understandable English”-speaking guide (in 1 instance) would help non-Chinese-speaking tourist to enjoy the program more completely. Also, Chinese breakfast with western alternatives would be a plus for some of us (not so easy to adjust to the lifestyle of other country?).
The whole trip is of course no doubt tiring. Fortunately, at the end, we do “overcome”. And all of us are happy with the services rendered to us by this Chengdu-based China Discovery, with which we are connected via WeChat to Ms. Wing Zeng to deal with any unexpected issue arising out of the long trips without any problem as she has immediately, sovereignly reacted to the situation to address them.
We would highly recommend those who want to visit China to take the services of “China Discovery” based in Chengdu with their team of professional travel consultants like Ms. Wing Zeng into consideration to enjoy the trips less hassle.
Attached are some of our travel pictures to share the happy moments of this trip:
dandl2015
Australia
- Reviewed on October 3, 2023
I am really happy that we chose this company to help us organise our trip to China. From our first enquiry to the end of our trip, we had prompt courteous and personalised responses. I never felt like “just another foreign tourist”. Once we chose the tour we wanted , the travel consultant Zeva Du, was always just an email or text message away. Her communication with us was faultless, and she understood subtle cultural differences. We had an absolutely wonderful trip that was definitely due to the expertise of this company and it’s staff
Kar Tung Quek
Singapore
- Reviewed on September 29, 2023
My wife and I speak little Chinese and we did not want to join a package group tour. It was great that we found China Discovery online. Mr. Wonder Wang of China Discovery was just fantastic in helping us design a customised private tour itinerary for our China tour. Wonder Wang was very professional, responsible, and responsive. The resultant itinerary was just perfect for us. The english-speaking tour guides and drivers at each of the destinations we visited were just great making it a carefree, comfortable, and thoroughly enjoyable experience. We were connected with Wonder Wang and the respective tour-guides online via WeChat throughout the journey and the coordination from one destination to the next were perfect and smooth. We boarded the Century Oasis Cruise ship for a Yangtze cruise as part of the itinerary. On board we were serviced by one of the english-speaking cruise managers. The onboard service was just excellent. We were connected on WeChat with the cruise manager who kept us informed and instructed every step of the way. The cruise manager also connected with our tour guide at Yichang to perfectly coordinate our disembarkation arrangements. We would highly recommend China Discovery and Wonder Wang to all who wish to visit China with their own customised itinerary and at their own pace.
madiana l
USA
- Reviewed on September 28, 2023
I have joined a 17 days trip to Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Chongqing, including Yangtse Cruise. Besides enjoying all the places, they are amazing. I also enjoyed the hospitality from the tour guides on the gound and the cruise ship. They served good foods and yummy. We travelled by plane, ship, high speed train during the tour. The tour arrangement is good, my travel consultant is Mr. Leo Li. Overall, the tour was very nice and satisfying. I definitely will travel to China again next time.
Peter T
USA
- Reviewed on September 26, 2023
This tour company scheduled and organized our privet tour very professionally. I would strongly recommend using them.
Our trip was amazing, you could see how happy we were from 20 pictures I attached below. Two weeks of travel by plains, bullet trains, Starting in Beijing-Xian-cruising Yangtze river, Shanghai, Guangzhou, beautiful Guilin and finishing up in Hong Kong. We all had a great time and returned back with wonderful memories.
Eugene W
USA
- Reviewed on September 25, 2023
This was my third time to the “motherland “ born a fourth generation ABC that doesn’t speak a word Chinese, did Beijing,Xian, Lhasa, Chengdu, Yangtze River cruise and of course the greatest city Shanghai, Mr Leo Li of China Discovery arranged the trip we opted to go the 5 star route with group of two , Leo answered all my questions promptly and to my satisfaction, the local guides some the best we ever encountered very good English skills on many topics, a couple became friends, question who would I have arrange a China trip? Mr. Leo Li
Brenda C
Australia
- Reviewed on September 18, 2023
Mr Wonder Wang organised a fantastic tour for us and helped us out in Chengdu when we were unable to organise a English speaking tour guide due to the University World Athletic Championships. We had gone to watch our son compete there and were left stranded when we realised there were no taxis after the games. The first time, a policeman helped us get a taxi. I reached out to Wonder for our second night and he organised a Didi for us.
He also helped us when our flight was 00.40 in the morning.
Our tour guides in Xian and Beijing were informative and punctual, the cars clean and bottles of water were kept up to us in the hot, muggy weather.
In Xian, Waldner, our guide showed us the Terracotta warriors, Ancient City Wall, the Muslim quarter , Big Wild Goose , Huanyangling Mausoleum in two days as our time was limited In Beijing, Andy was our guide who was able to show Tianannmen Sqare, Forbidden Palace, Jingshan park.
Due to flooding, we were unable to visit the Sacred Way but we saw a live performance instead which was an added cost but well worth as well as a local neighbourhood house and the family, had a rickshaw ride a Taoist Temple. The Great Wall was awe inspiring too. Andy also dropped us at 798 where missile etc were made during the Cold War but is now a place for artists and galleries before picking us and dropping us at the airport.
The bullet rains were fantastic between Chengdu and Xian and Xian and Beijing.
I also strongly recommend a tour guide, 5 days in Chengdu without one was very tricky although the chines people went out of there way to help us.
Palvannanathan G
USA
- Reviewed on September 17, 2023
Vivien Li made excellent tour arrangement for our 14 day trip to China. Replied to my 20 or more emails immediately, sent both during initial arrangements and also during our travel within China. Responded to all specific requests including last minute changes requested while we were traveling in China. Hotels and guides were excellent, price charged was very reasonable. Took great care of us including contacting us when there was a change in flight schedule due to anticipated typhoon in Southern China.
I requested to arrange travel in Shanghai Maglev train 4 days before arriving at Shanghai and took great effort to arrange this. Changed the flight schedule to fly out of Shanghai Pudong airport and we were able to take Maglev train to Pudong airport. I want to thank Vivien Li for making our China travel a wonderful experience.
Singlish
Singapore
- Reviewed on September 13, 2023
Our 10 Day Silk Road Tour began in Xi’an and ended in Kashgar. Leo Li did a great job of arranging our accommodations, interesting itinerary, transfers , drivers and very knowledgeable guides! The tour gives us a deeper insight to the China segment of the Silk Route. In Xi’an we enjoyed strolling along the solid Ancient City Wall and we amazed by the huge numbers of Terracotta warriors in Pit 1! In Dunhuang the Mogao Grottoes the art works were so well preserved! Naturally preserved mummies in the Xinjiang Museum were something not to be missed. We were well rewarded by two overwhelmingly beautiful lakes and their surroundings after a long drive from downtown Kashgar. We also net friendly locals along the way and enjoyed spicy noodles and kebabs!
Bryce H
Australia
- Reviewed on September 8, 2023
China Discovery - particularly travel consultant Wonder Wang - did an outstanding job in organising and supporting our recent trip to the mainland of China. It was a memorable visit. We are now back in Hong Kong after a memorable trip to the mainland of China. The destinations - Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie and Guilin - were well chosen, with so many interesting and exciting things to see and do. The guides we had in each location were great - well informed, helpful, friendly and mainly with excellent spoken English. The hotels were also very good - comfortable and well located (the Yungshuo river resort was a particular highlight). And the travel logistics - trains and planes - worked seamlessly.
China Discovery was extremely responsive and flexible throughout in putting together and supporting our visit plans. The suggestions for travel options, and readiness to adapt as our plans changed, was greatly appreciated. China Discovery's performance was highly professional, first-class in fact, and I would have no hesitation in recommending the company to others who might be considering a trip to the mainland of China.
Matthias W
Germany
- Reviewed on August 23, 2023
We had a wonderful, custom-arranged, private trip as a family of three with China Discovery in summer of 2023 - going from Beijing via Xian, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Longsheng, Yangshou, Kungming, Yangtze River to Shanghai.
As we expected, we left with many exciting new impressions and memories - really a trip worth taking.
Last not least, we must mention Tracy, our coordinator at the agency, who was from the earliest planning stage all the way through the trip the most competent, most friendly, and most helpful coordinator we could think of - we felt really well looked after! A big compliment and thanks to you, Tracy, and the entire team at China Discovery!
Matthias W
armando c
- Reviewed on August 22, 2023
Special thanks to China Discovery (based in Chengdu) for the given assistance and services all the time we have got a trouble to solve. In particular I would like to thanks the local assistant Wing Zang for the support and fast reply to all our enquiries.
Their support make the difference between a succesful tour and a failing one! thank you again.
I recomend their assistance to all travellers!
yvesdimt
Germany
- Reviewed on August 15, 2023
We planned a 3 week round trip together with China Discovery and then booked there.
Already during the planning our wishes were taken into account individually. I said what we would like to see and the trip was put together accordingly.
In addition, we received documents that facilitated the application for visas. I was a little skeptical at first, because we had to transfer the fees in full before the start of the trip, but everything worked out perfectly on site.
We had a guide in each city who picked us up from the airport or train station and took care of us on site. The hotels, tickets and transportation were all booked by China Discovery. We did not have to worry about anything.
At lunchtime, the guides usually picked out a local restaurant and advised us on local specialties. This was also included in the tour price. China is really worth a trip and offers besides great culture, beautiful landscapes as well as modern vibrant cities. There is something for everyone here.
Comensal
Hungary
- Reviewed on July 23, 2023
9-day private tour to Guilin, Xi’an, Zhanjgijie and Shanghai with China Discovery was beyond all expectations and I have to include the excellent China Discovery (Chengdu) travel services throughout the whole tour.
Our (my wife and I) sincere joyfull thank to our travel consultant, Jack Li for the programme designed .
Excellent assistance.
Congratulations !
Fotografista
USA
- Reviewed on July 20, 2023
We had an unforgettable our 7-day private tour to Xi’an and Beijing with China Discovery! Zeva Du, my travel consultant, orchestrated a seamless and exceptional experience in both cities. Her reliability, responsiveness, and efficiency in handling last-minute requests and changes were excellent!
Despite the unusual heat and heavy crowds at the tour sites, the itinerary was carefully designed to account for these factors. Zeva also tailored activities to cater to my family with teenagers, ensuring everyone had a good time.
Our guide in Xi’an, Bruce, was truly wonderful! His knowledge, enthusiasm, and excellent English made the tour even more enjoyable. The driver and the comfortable, air-conditioned car were a blessing in the very hot weather.
In Beijing, Linda, our guide, impressed us with her knowledge and understanding of our needs as we traveled with teenagers. She went above and beyond, assisting us with dinner reservations and other recommendations, making our experience delightful.
The entire tour was very well planned, offering us a diverse glimpse into the rich history and culture of both cities. The exceptional service and attention to detail provided by Zeva and the guides truly made this journey a memorable and rewarding one. We highly recommend China Discovery and would choose them again for future trips. Five stars!
Gaby P
Indonesia
- Reviewed on July 10, 2023
I did a tour for Yangtze river cruise, Zhangjiajie, Xian and Luo Yang via China Discovery.
Rita our travel consultant was very helpful in organising a suitable itinerary tailored to our needs. She was very quick to respond and organised everything well.
Lily our tour guide in ZJJ was super helpful and friendly, especially given that one of us got sick during the trip. She was also very flexible in sorting that out and ensured that those who were not feeling well was taken cared of, whilst also making sure that the rest of the group could still enjoy their tour. Would totally recommend her to anyone who is considering going to Hunan province.
ZJJ is also a must visit with stunning and gorgeous views.
The cruise was also decently good, although the boat was getting a little outdated and could do with renovation (Yangtze Gold 8).
When we went to Xian it was heavily raining and during the school holidays so it was really hard to see the terracotta warriors properly, but it was a decent trip. Our tour guide introduced us to some good local food so that was great.
For Luo Yang I really enjoyed seeing the museum that Joe, our tour guide, took us too. He was very very knowledgeable and could inform us of Chinese history. From the Long men grottoes to the museum to the Shaolin temple and White horse temple, our group was all enriched in knowledge. Definitely recommend visiting Luo Yang, especially the museum. I typically do not enjoy museums as much but Joe made it super fun.
Shirley
Hong Kong (China)
- Reviewed on June 13, 2023
We are Chinese living overseas and my experience with China was 30 years back. My son expressed to me his interest in traveling to China before he starts university studies. As I am totally unfamiliar with travel in China, I approached China Discovery for planning and arranging my 8 days trip to Beijing and Xian. Rita patiently guided me through the spots I could explore in the 2 cities and as both me and my son loves history and culture, she tailored-made a traveling itinerary that best suits us. The tour turned out to be great. Our tour guide in Beijing, Andy, is fun and knowledgeable, telling us everything about Lao Beijing. Our tour guide in Xian, Jessie, is flexible with all my requests and is very understanding. We highly recommend China Discovery to anyone who plans to visit China.
aob1965
Ireland
- Reviewed on June 7, 2023
Booked a multi city tour with China Discovery. They organised hotels, 4 -5*, all internal transport, Inc flights and high speed trains. Admission to attractions, a guide and a driver. The experience was phenomenal, couldn't have asked for ant more. Professional at every stage of the experience. I would 1 highly recommend a visit to China & 2 using Discover China to help with this trip of a lifetime.
Samuelmantilha
Brazil
- Reviewed on June 5, 2023
Great agency, they helped me in every way I needed. They were very flexible with my travel arrangements that changed over time and the tour guides very knowledgeable about the turistic spots.
I would definitely book a tour with them again.
Teresa L
Kuwait
- Reviewed on May 31, 2023
Informative and friendly guides, safe drivers, great communication from head office pre-trip and until we returned home.
Claudia S
USA
- Reviewed on May 16, 2023
I was traveling to China for business reasons and wanted to extend my stay a little to see some of it. I had Beijing and the Great Wall in mind as well as the Terracotta soldiers in Xi’An. I knew that with the little time I had I would need all the logistical assistance I could get so when I stumbled onto China Discovery and they responded promptly with a well curated plan inclusive of hotel, drivers and guides I was all in!
They get a sense of your price range and adjust hotel bookings accordingly.
I wanted to travel by bullet train starting from Hangzhou and Rita figured it all out, including the hotel by the airport in Shanghai the night before leaving.
The guides were not only really knowledgeable but also lovely people, the same can be said for the drivers. In just four days I learned and experienced so much. As I was there over the weekend the sites in Beijing were busy, thankfully they took me to a section of the wall a little further out where they were much more manageable. In spite of the number of people, the experience was even better than I expected.
While Beijing is a cosmopolitan city I could easily relate to, Xi’An was simply magic. It is much more laid back, many went out of their way to say hello and welcome me to China and between the terracotta soldiers, the city wall (ride the bike on it!), the pagodas and the Muslim district I absolutely fell in love with it and will go back for sure to experience the archeological museum and the nearby mountains.
Massive thanks to you Jack and Lily!
paulajk1
UK
- Reviewed on May 8, 2023
China discovery is an excellent tour company, who tailor made a wonderful holiday for us. The local guides were excellent in their knowledge and enthusiasm, and their English was perfect. I would definitely use them again and can highly recommend.
dave h
UK
- Reviewed on May 5, 2023
2 DAY VISIT TO XI'AN CITY & TERRACOTTA WARRIORS.
WING FROM CHINA DISCOVERY VERY QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY ORGANIZED THE ABOVE LAST MINUTE TRIP FOR US.
ALL OF CHINA DISCOVERY REPRESENTATIVES WERE EXTERMELY PROFESSIONAL. TIMO OUR GUIDE WAS VERY KNOWLEDGABLE, ZHOU OUR DRIVER WAS PUNCTUAL AND VERY PROFICIENT. CHINA DISCOVERY WILL BE OUR GO TO TRAVEL COMPANY ON OUR NEXT VISIT.
DPerth2
UK
- Reviewed on May 4, 2023
Did 2 day Terracotta Army and Xi'an city tour. We took bullet train from Shanghai about 7 hour journey. Our guide Timo and driver Zhou met us at the station and took us to our hotel.
Day 1 - Picked up from hotel and drove 1 hr to Terracotta Army. One of the most amazing sights we have ever seen, the scale and detail is phenomenal, lunch in a traditional Muslim restaurant on way back to Xi'an. Afternoon spent walking around the Muslim Quarter - Guangji Street markets, the Great Mosque then the Ancient City Wall and Qujiang new area.
Day 2 - Visited the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and the Buddhist Temple, lunch then driven to station for train back to Shanghai.
We were really impressed with both Timo and Zhou's attention to detail. Timo is very knowledgeable and taught us a lot about Chinese history and culture. He has a lovely manner, English excellent and very attentive, obviously a very experienced guide. Zhou is also very professional, excellent driving, clean vehicle and supply of much needed water, especially Day 1 as a sandstorm had blown in from outer Mongolia!
Xi'an is a beautiful diverse city, so glad we had the chance to experience part of it. Oh and the sight of all the everyday, normal people dressed up in traditional clothes, make-up and hair walking around the city centre really tickled me, loved it.
Can't wait for our next trip with China Discovery.
Alexey K
Russia
- Reviewed on April 15, 2023
We travelled around Xi’an and on its outskirts. Our itinerary included lots of places of interest to visit, but we were most impressed by Mount Hua and Terracotta warriors. Our manager Vivien Li took into account all our wishes and organized an ideal private tour in a very brief period of time, providing us with professional local Chinese guides who spoke perfect English and knew this business inside out. The information they gave us was both useful and entertaining, and their boundless energy and sense of humor gave our journey a lively turn! What is more, adjustments could be made to the itinerary on the way according to our preferences. The guides and the driver really tried to cater for our tastes. Thanks to top-level organization we didn’t waste time standing in long queues to buy tickets. We were also given an executive car which made our travel convenient. The hotels we stayed at provided excellent service, and this was our manager’s choice as well. All in all, we’d like to express our gratitude to Vivien Li and her team and wholeheartedly recommend their tourist company to all travellers who like to feel welcome, safe and cared for!
Gérald D
France
- Reviewed on March 5, 2023
We had a great time in Xi'an. Our stays are always made for us according to our requests and with quality guides. we have already made two stays with China Discovery and we will continue…
RoyGaurab
India
- Reviewed on November 1, 2022
We toured Xi'an in October 2022. The entire trip was well organized by Mr. Wonder Wang from China Discovery. Right from the planning to the last day Mr. Wang was very considerate about our requirements and took care of all the minute details. Hotel arrangements were excellent with nice European and local breakfast spread. Moreover, the hotel also tried its best to cater to our food requirements.
Our tour guide in Xi'an, Timo, was a lovely and knowledgeable person. From receiving us at the airport to guiding us to the test facilities every 2 days, he was very helpful. Timo has a good knowledge about Xi'an city and its history. Moreover, he could also help you to know about the non touristy hidden places in Xi'an. Overall, the trip was well organized and Wonder and his team were very good in making the trip happen inspite of several restrictions.
Andy C
UK
- Reviewed on August 2, 2021
Wonder and his team planned an exceptional 18 day tour of China for our family. Visiting Beijing, Xian, Zhangjajie and 5 days in Yunnan.
From the planning stage, to the selection of hotels and guides, Wonder was fabulous and he could not have been any more helpful. Booking a tour such as this allowed us to be flexible with our choices of activities and areas and it was a trip we will never forget!
I would recommend Wonder and China Discovery for anyone who is looking to book a well planned and personalised tour around China. It made life so easy and a trip to remember forever!
Ron
Canada
- Reviewed on July 31, 2021
I recently completed a 22 day rail tour with China Discovery. I let them know what I wanted to see and they planned the entire trip, rearranging my itinerary many times based on my feedback. I appreciated their patience as I made many changes over a period of months and never felt any pressure in any way. They generally got back to me within 24 hours with an adjusted itinerary for me to consider. My trip was well-organized and adjusted on the fly when needed (particularly when a typhoon blew in and things had to be changed at the last minute). The guides were good and the trip was stress-free, largely because of the work that Tracy did in organizing it. She checked on me regularly during the trip and even met me in Chengdu to present some nice gifts.
I would definitely use China Discovery again.
Tamer G
Turkey
- Reviewed on July 27, 2021
We had 8 days trip of Beijin-Luoyang-Xian with China Discovery arranged by Wonder in Jul'21.
Along with great content of trip, very qualified local guides and hotel selections, we had great service and flexibility to adjust our program due to many uncontrollable incidents through weather conditions.
Client oriented mindset and agility to finding alternatives options of Wonder has let smoothly finish our trip with maximum satisfaction. Strongly suggest China Discovery and Wonder as agent for your programs.
Joanna Burns
USA
- Reviewed on July 12, 2021
We did a shortened version of the China Discovery 17 day highlights tour. There was a big group of us with lot's of children so we decided to shorten our trip which was not a problem with China Discovery tours.
Our five families had a superb trip! The incredible sites we visited such as the 'Great wall' and the 'Terracotta warriors' will stay in our memories forever! Our guides took us to some superb restaurants where we really enjoyed the local food. The Peking duck for me was a favourite. I can't speak highly enough of our travel agent Johnson based in Chengdu. He was very patient in answering our many questions and was superb in organising the trip for us. Our local guides were excellent! There knowledge of the places we visited was in-depth and really added to the interest in what we were seeing. I will highly recommend your tour to other teachers at my school and friends and family back in New Zealand.
Phillip R
UK
- Reviewed on July 9, 2021
Working in China, it was challenging to go back to the UK for a holiday because of Covid 19, so I booked a trip through China Discovery (based in Chengdu). This trip took me to Xi'an, Gailin, and the highlight was a cruise down the Three Gorges to the Three Gorges Dam. My point of contact was Rita Jiang, and I was very impressed. At every new place, I was met by a guide who was knowledgeable and helpful. At no point did I feel stressed, especially with all the procedures of different health checks and so on. I found Rita very helpful and flexible to my wishes. She replied very quickly to my messages and was at all times professional. I highly recommend China Discovery and Rita. I will most certainly use her again for my next major trip.
Faye Chan
Malaysia
- Reviewed on July 7, 2021
First of all, a shout out to our tour organiser - Ms Riley Guo!. We had a memorable private tailor made family tour to Xi-an and Dunhuang. She is bilingual (speaks both English and Chinese). She was quick to response to our enquiries and were always prepared to accommodate our needs and preferences. There is no pushy, hard selling of tour packages and she is always patient to answer all our questions.
I would love also to mention Jacky , our Dunhuang tour guide for 3 days. A lovely and responsible guide that given a chance, i would want to have her again for our future travels.
Well done China Discovery!
Stephen B
USA
- Reviewed on June 27, 2021
My wife and I engaged China Discovery to help us navigate our first foray into post COVID-19 travel, and we couldn’t be happier with our decision. Our liaison Johnson’s excellent communication as well as his extensive knowledge of the logistics of cross-country travel were invaluable to us. The accommodations, meals, and sightseeing attractions they organized for us were all of the highest quality. Highly recommended!
Kim
USA
cleabir
USA
- Reviewed on February 27, 2021
Our agent Riley did a great job! Thanks to her and her team, we got to have a great new year holiday without get into any trouble. She thought of everything ahead of time, we will highly recommend her to anyone who wants to have a trip over China.
Anirban Ray
India
- Reviewed on February 17, 2021
I recently completed a trip to Xiamen organized by China Discovery. I am based in Guangzhou. China Discovery assigned a travel consultant(Mr. Wonder) to me, who designed a tailor-made itinerary suiting my purposes. Mr. Wonder was fantastic, extremely responsive, kind, flexible, and quick, responding quickly to any question or request I had, and going beyond the call of duty to accommodate my needs.
I will plan all my future trips with China Discovery. I highly recommend China Discovery as a travel agency able to arrange your trip!
Mr. Wonder is a wonderful person. I am so impressed with him. Actually I planned a next tour with him for Xian--Harbin in new year and paid advance. But I had to cancel the tour because of increase in restriction. He refunded me all the money.
markandkeena
USA
- Reviewed on January 18, 2021
Recently my husband and I went to Beijing and Xi 'an with China Discovery. This is our fourth trip with this company! And our fourth trip working with Wonder as our travel-technician!
We are extremely happy with our experience.Unexpected events happened and we were required to head to a Beijing Public hospital for a check.Wonder, our tour guide Linda, and China Discovery, however, made it as smooth of an experience as possible for us while also trying to ensure we could still see the "big events": namely, the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Temple of Heaven.And even though our itinerary needed some edits due to the unexpected events, Linda made sure that we were able to enjoy our experience in the safest way possible.She looked for shorter lines, she journeyed in the cold to a more remote area on the Great Wall with us, and she even waited with us at the train station when we were heading to Xi 'an. She also always made a point to always pick the most excellent food choices for our lunch, making an extra effort to merge the food that represented Beijing, but also that would be comfortable for a westerner to eat. While we would have been willing to try anything, that extra little effort made our eating experience all the more wonderful. Throughout the entire time in Beijing, Linda always made sure we were comfortable and safe and Wonder checked in frequently.
Next, Bruce, our tour guide in Xi 'an, was also excellent! Extremely passionate about history and food, he wanted to make sure we had the fullest experience possible during our short stay in Xi' an.He encouraged us to ask questions and went on a food mission to make sure, even though we were already eating the most wonderful dumplings, that we could also try a special sandwich from Xi 'an prior to heading to the airport. I love food, so this was fantastic! We rode around the wall on a bicycle -- a surprisingly very fun experience -- , visited the warriors, toured the Muslim quarter and tried a number of the most wonderful dishes I have ever had in China. Bruce also took the time to show us HOW to eat some of the dishes, since we would have been lost otherwise.
We are very happy with our experience and hope that we can go on another one.If so, we will definitely be reaching out to Wonder, since we have thus far, thoroughly enjoyed our adventures.
Jonathan H
USA
- Reviewed on January 8, 2021
I used China Discovery to take a 6-day tour of Beijing and Xian (there was a 5 hour high-speed train between these two cities).
They arranged my hotels and hired experienced tour guides and drivers to pick me up every morning and take me to all the sights in Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Terracotta Army, etc.) I just told them my preference for historical and cultural sights and they took care of the rest.
The tour guides were great, everyone was friendly, knowledgeable, and flexible. I had a great time. It was also shockingly less expensive than I expected.
Zeva & china discovery, see you in my next holoday in 2021
Ananth Nagarajan
India
- Reviewed on January 3, 2021
We travelled across 3 places over 6 days (Xi'an, Zhangye & Dunhuang).
China Discovery helped arrange all aspects of the trip (travel, stay, food and tour guide) It was overall a wonderful experience. The service was tailored to our specific requirememts (food, flexibility in itenarary etc). They are also very open to feedback at every stage and respond to it well.
Despite some issues (inexperienced tour guide) we faced in one city, we are very glad to recommend China Discovery to other prospective travellers considering a trip in China!
Kat D
UK
- Reviewed on December 21, 2020
My husband and I had the most amazing private tour thanks to China discovery. Thanks to Rita and her amazing team we had VIP/first class service throughout our whole trip in Beijing and Xian. We had a nice, clean, comfortable car, fun, knowledgable tour guides (thank you Kai and Timo, we learnt a lot about the history of China) delicious food and wonderful places to see. In this current Covid situation, where travel is a bit more restricted, Rita and her team looked after us at all times, ensuring we had everything we needed to travel. We highly recommend this tour. Thank you Rita.
Thomas P
Sweden
- Reviewed on November 28, 2020
We were three couples that used China discovery for guide in Xi’an. We contacted the firm and got a proposal on itinerary for three days. We wanted to do some changes to fit our purpose and wishes and that was no problem and easy done. CD proposed a hotel and could have booked it for us but we decided to book hotel by ourself and that was no problem at all. (Hilton in city center Xian, very good).
The guide (Timo) met us at the air port and guided us over the three days. Very professional and listed to our wishes and really tried to give us the best support. Really good! His English was fantastic and he guided very well and explained I the right level. He also explained what was going to happen so there was no misunderstandings. It is not so common that this works so well with Chinese guides is our experience from earlier trips.
Since this trip was during the COVID pandemic and there were local restrictions in different areas China. We needed support to understand if the Hotel and the sights was possible for us to visit. CD supported this very well and made sure that everything was ok.
We can really recommend this company. A little pricey maybe, but you got what you pay for.
Per
Sweden
- Reviewed on October 9, 2020
If you want to have a custom-made guide tour in China.
I can really recommend Yangtze-River-Cruises.
I got help from one of their agents Tracy to custom-made my trip to Xian to see the terracotta warriors with Side trip to Luoyang Longmen Grottoes.
She solved and booked everything from pickup at the airport, hotel, guides, ticket for entrance and high speed train to Luoyang etc.
And the guides she hade booked was excellent, they had a great knowledge and was really good in English.
I will use Tracy at Yangtze-River-Cruises (China Discovery) for more trips in China.
A very satisfied customer/ Per
TPBTokyo
USA
- Reviewed on October 3, 2020
After 9 years in China, we're headed to Japan. A lot of life happened (including 3 kids growing up and graduating from HS) while we were here and we didn't make time to really see/experience China outside of Shanghai where we've lived.
China Discovery arranged a great guide and driver for us for a 3-day private visit to Xi'an (of Terracotta Warriors fame but so much more). Then a week later we had a really fantastic guide and driver for another private trip, this time for 6 days in Yunnan Province to Dali, Shaxi & Lijiang.
We arranged our own flights and hotels and Wonder from China Discovery arranged our travel itinerary. Having the local guide especially in the time of Covid made our trips much smoother than would otherwise have been as 2 foreigners in China.
I highly recommend China Discovery, especially if it's your first visit to China or if you're a long-term resident but haven't managed to get too fluent in the local language :).
G S He
Singapore
- Reviewed on July 5, 2020
My wife and I had a private tour from Shanghai to Huangshan in late October 2019.
It was a 3-day visit. We stayed at the foothill of Huangshan. Hotel was clean and pleasant.
The trip was wonderful and the services of the tour guide and driver were also very good.Tracy Tan at China Discovery provided good and prompt service too.
One negative aspect was the private tour price could have been 20% lower. That would have been perfect.
G HeWah
chrisdR872JP
UK
- Reviewed on January 15, 2020
Unsure of who to contact to organise my 8-day tour of China, I contacted China Discovery and they were excellent. I have no hesitation in recommending them to family and friends..
My contact at the company was Wing Zeng and, after a number of emails discussions options we finally agreed an itinerary that met all my needs.China Discovery organised my travel, hotels and guided tours for 3 cities and everything was excellent!
The real proof of the quality of the service came when I arrived at the wrong exit at Beijing station. Despite being 10pm I was able to text Wing Zeng who immediately resolved the situation. Brilliant customer service!! Thank you Wing Zeng for organising an excellent tour
kumarilm2016
Australia
- Reviewed on January 19, 2020
China Discovery organised a 13 day China tour for us from 21/12/19 to 3/1/20. Wendy Dan was the consultant.Covered Beijing,Xian,Guilin,Huangshan and Shanghai. Overall, a great tour! and well organised,thanks Wendy!
Andy our guide in Xian was excellent as were the guides in Guilin and Huangshan.
Vehicles provided in general were good.Restaurants in Beijing were bad however the quality improved after we protested.
Hotels were neat and clean(chose all 5star) except in Xian and after we complained ,we were upgraded.
I would definitely recommend ChinaDiscovery tours and would book with them again on my second tour.
We were a family of 4, all adults.
V8990UZstevenk
UK
- Reviewed on January 4, 2020
Both tours were amazing - 2 nights in Xian, 4 nights in Zhangjiajie.
Zhangjiajie is one of the most amazing places we have ever been. Beautiful scenery, unbelievable landscapes and basically incredible sights and attractions. It is also quite unspoiled as it is still not really a big tourist destination for westerners, and has only began developing for such in the last 4 years.
Xian was equally as interesting and to spend our Christmas Day with the Terracotta Warriors was a Christmas to remember.
The guides were both excellent with a good command of the English language, which helped, and the local people and hotel staff in both locations were very friendly.
Despite Christmas not being an actual thing in China they have adopted it fully and both hotels were beautifully decorated and they even gave presents to our teenage kids.
This was a great way to enjoy a different Christmas and New Year and China Discovery made the whole process easy and I would definetely recommend them to anyone travelling to China
866sybils
Belgium
- Reviewed on January 4, 2020
We used China discovery for a private tour ( 2 people ) of 12 days Beijing, Xian, Hangzhou and Shanghai. Riley was our contact. She presented us a very good program covering all the highlights, with a good combination of sightseeing and free time; She was very helpful and quickly replied to our questions, gave advice on questions we had related to the trip and was also flexible and open to change .
We had good guides and guidance , but our Xian guide Gin and our Hangzhou guide Lulu were really exceptionally good , they gave good explanations and really helped us out , also we had our personal car with driver and tour guide and we were dropped at the entrance of the sightings and the tour guides organized the tickets and the food at noon , taking into account our preferences. The timing spent and the program offered were really adapted to what we want. We also recommend to visit Hangzhou, very nice. So we are extremely happy with the service we have received from China discovery and i would certainly recommend them for a china trip. ( i was bit unsure before i booked because you never know via internet , but for those in doubt , really they give good service).
Ken N
UK
- Reviewed on December 30, 2019
This was a magnificent holiday from start to finish organised superbly by Wonder Wang.Nothing was ever too much for him and he helped us whenever asked.We travel extensively but these guys are a bit special.
We started in Guilin with a trip on The River Li.Then on to the pandas in Chengdu--a definite highlight.Xian followed with the Terracotta Warriors which on first sighting take your breath away.We finished in Beijing with The Forbidden City,Temple of Heaven ,The Summer Palace and The Great Wall.
Travel between the Centres was by Hi speed train-extraordinary--topping 310KPH on occasions.
Overall a superb holiday and one of the best we have ever been on with Wonder magnificent throughout.
russellm510
Australia
- Reviewed on December 15, 2019
My wife and I have been regular international travellers over the past decade but had not made it to China's mainland until last month. A conference nearby presented the ideal opportunity to remedy this with a short Yangtze River Cruise to celebrate a significant birthday for my wife and to satisfy our curiosity about other places in this vast country. We are travellers rather than tourists, so I would like to endorse the travel agency (China Discovery) which helped us with our internal travel arrangements. In the first instance, all we had to do was indicate our intended arrival and departure points and our intended length of stay and our assigned agent Echo Gou cheerfully and efficiently provided us with multiple options. Over a couple of weeks we settled on an itinerary including various sites in Beijing, Xian, Chongqing, Three Gorges Dam, Yichang, Shanghai and Hangzhou over 12 days. Highlight was probably West Lake in Hangzhou. Hotels were all of high standard, local individual guides were well-educated and fluent English speakers and drivers were confident and cheerful. Most travel tween cities was by high speed rail, but when we chose to vary this for convenience once in China to include an internal flight and a private car transfer to an airport in another city, this was expertly arranged by our contact agent Echo in Chengdu at minimal additional cost. This flexibility made what might otherwise have been some difficult aspects of our trip into a smooth and enjoyable experience. I can't fault the professionalism and expertise of China Discovery and our agent, and I recommend others who like to travel independently to consider using such an efficient service at such reasonable cost.
HarikaSetty
India
- Reviewed on December 15, 2019
Our tour was organized by China Discovery [Rita Jiang] for 15 days covering five beautiful places. Though there were different means of communications available we just used Email and our Journey to china was all set.
Everything was perfectly organized starting from planning, implementing and executing.
We Didn't face any problem anywhere while travelling or while interchanging stations.
Security: We didn't face any problem anywhere either with baggage or other property. Everything was Secured.
Comfort: spacious cars, Door to door services, Hotels in the city center were provided, which was very convenient.
Food: food which was served was exactly the way we liked [Indian Vegetarian]
Awesome and Honest tour guide and Driver treated us like a family.
such a wonderful company with them made our journey to china Memorable.Incredible People of China !!
Englui
Singapore
- Reviewed on November 4, 2019
I decided that it was time to visit China again after the last trip to Yunnan Province. For anyone who has the experience of forming a trip from ground zero for a group with different arrival and departure dates, it is truly time consuming and difficult. I finally established the travel route, from Xian, Luoyang/Longmen Grottoes, Pingyao, Wutaishan, Yanmenguan, Hengshang Hanging Temple, Datong/Yungan Grottoes and exit via Beijing. All I relied on was Google Map (checking on location and distance), China's high speed train schedule for connection, Booking.com for hotel, skyscanner for flights and many different sites on the web for what to see. What I needed MOST was to find an expert in China to assess the viability of my holiday plan, offering new ideas and advice to shape my travel plans better. We also needed an English speaking guide, a vehicle, a driver, someone to book/issue our high speed train tickets, and other considerations relating to convenience, flexibility, safety, support, trust, cleanliness, friendliness, speed of response, visa application; and may I add, also a fair price without feeling being ripped off. Having emailed a few Chinese travel agencies, Leo Li from China Discovery reverted in a timely fashion, with clarity of good English, and a competitive quote. We soon started our engagement with emails to and fro. Needy travel companions were annoyingly making new demands and changes. Leo was so prompt and accommodating with multiple changes I made over the period of shaping and tightening my travel plans. I appreciated Leo's understanding and patience and the price revisions he kept making. The only anxiety I felt with Leo was when I had to send money over to China by Paypal to a different named person, without a formal offer and invoice. Despite Leo's explanation, I was worried but took a leap of faith this is China Discovery's work process. It turned out safe and sound, and Leo was quick to confirm the money transfer. Although I have never met Leo, my trust on him soon developed and I felt very comfortable relying on him and his expertise. When the trip started, we were provided with very reliable, friendly, experienced and most helpful and thoughtful guides. We were also impressed with the drivers who took such care on the road for our safety. We ended up having meals together most of the time. The guides recommended restaurants well. We avoided those standard tourist restaurants and went to where the locals would go. We enjoyed the food so very much, and China is not as cheap as before as my memory tells me. Well, one advice on booking hotels in China - use Ctrip.com (you get more options and better deals and can also book China's speed train of amazing network). When you are in Luoyang, make a day trip to explore the gorges around the area of Xiolangdi. When you are at Pingyao, include a day trip to Mianshang. We were there 14-28 Oct 2019, and we had mostly blue skies, autumn leaves and pleasantness around. I want to thank Leo for being such a reliable guy (leo@chinadiscovery.com) and a hickup-less trip! Bravo!
ChuckTheTravelingGuy
USA
- Reviewed on November 4, 2019
Prior to a Princess cruise which departed from Shanghai, we took a nine day China Discovery Tour of three of China's most well-known cities...Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. Catherine Liu, our travel consultant in China, was outstanding to work with as we had numerous questions before flying to Beijing.
Included in the China Discovery Tour she arranged were tours of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall in Beijing, the amazing Terra cotta warriors in Xian and the Pudong and Bund areas in Shanghai. These tours and the many other stops we visited were excellent.
We chose the small group tour of usually 7-15 people that included numerous stops at various sites, five star hotels, excellent guides and drivers, a bullet train ride from Beijing to Xian and a flight from Xian to Shanghai. We met interesting please, saw amazing sites and were thoroughly pleased with our China Discovery Tour.
One suggestion, avoid July and August if possible as students are out of school and visit these three cities with their families which makes for crowded sites. The reason we decided on an August tour was so we could take the cruise from Shanghai which was only offered in August.
Visiting China was extremely educational. We could have never accomplished as much as we did if we had tried to tour on our own. We highly recommend the China Discovery Tour and especially Catherine Liu. Catherine was very professional, was quick to answer our questions via email and made sure our guides were excellent. Ask for her when you book a China Discovery Tour. You will be glad you did.
Davegledhill
UK
- Reviewed on October 28, 2019
Review For China Discovery
China Discovery is simply superb!
The period prior to departure is a little scary. Although the itinerary is comprehensive, handing over a large amount of money on a promise, is daunting. The application process for a tourist visa is rigorous and final details of flights and train bookings were not available until the last few weeks. That led to a little nervousness at the Chinese Embassy. As it was, visas were issued without the detail. That is my only criticism as the rest of the trip was faultless.
This is a slick operation, the company strives for perfection and they deliver. The itinerary was close-hosted so a guide and driver were on hand at every destination to see us through every aspect of the visit. The ultimate illustration of efficiency was when a guide appeared on the platform on arrival at Xian station and waved my name card through the train window!
A detailed itinerary is issued before travelling. We elected for a few days in Hong Kong before and after the trip. Collected from the hotel, we had little to do for the remaining duration other than enjoy the experience. I booked good hotels and first class rail travel - the bullet train is impressive - which proved worth the additional cost. Whilst it may appear at face value to be an expensive trip, when you consider what is included, the trip is excellent value for money. The only compromise was economy flights, between distant venues. Baggage allowance on internal flights is limited so Business Class may be a consideration, if one wants to take more luggage and, of course, for that extra touch of luxury. Many meals were included allowing us to sample local cuisine.
The trip took in Chengdu to see pandas, Xian for the Terracotta Warriors, a Yangtze cruise and Beijing to see the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Great Wall. At every venue, additional sites were added to round out the experience. I lost track of the number of times I said "Wow!" The itinerary proved to be extensive and varied. The guides were not only efficient, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly but I would add that I met new people, anxious to deliver a unique insight. They became, albeit short term, friends. My thanks and compliments.
I can thoroughly recommend China Discovery. The tour coordinator was exceptional and our every request was delivered. The itinerary was comprehensive and executed flawlessly. Not only did we receive what we had booked but were made to feel like VIPs at every event.
My memories of China will be memorable, largely thanks to a skilled company which delivers excellence. Kudos to the team.
MargaritaTse
USA
- Reviewed on October 27, 2019
10 days tour with the group of 6 friends was totally amazing, it was perfect combination of physical activity, information to process and just moments to enjoy. Out of all included and optional activities I want to highlight just two special moments in Xi’an and show on the Li River in Yangshuo.
With basically all-time rain our visit to Xi’an was bright, interesting and full of surprises thanks to our wonderful guide Timo. It started late in the evening when we arrived in the city and was taken to Grand Tang Dynasty Ever-Bright City filled with lights, decoration, different activities, lots of people, some in traditional cloths and etc. And the next day, after seeing the Terracotta warriors, City wall and other place of interests there was another surprise for us. One person in our group had a birthday and what he got as a gift from our tour company was creative, unique and above our best dreams (don’t want to go into details in case somebody else wants to celebrate birthday in Xi’an). The only thing I regret about is we did not tip our wonderful guide enough. Tip recommendation was at the very end of our confirmation letter and none of us bothered to read it to the end until the mid of the tour. We used our best judgment, and as it turned out it was not that good, he deserved much better. And show in Yanhshuo – I have no words to describe it, have never seen anything like that before, definitely worth seeing it even under the rain (theater does not have a roof).
So many great pictures, so many great moments to remember!
mukas
Germany
- Reviewed on October 24, 2019
We really enjoyed our China trip organised by China Discovery. During our 14 days trip we had been to Beijing, Xian, Lhasa (Tibet), Chong Qing, Yichang and Shanghai, including a wonderful 3-day-cruise on the Yangtse River aboard the Century Legend Ship. Our consultant Riley was always quick to reply to our emails and helped us throughout the planning phase with her important tips and constructive suggestions. We are very happy with the service she offered to make our journey a unique and memorable one. The China Discovery website also has a very useful travel guide for China.
All of our local tour guides (Mark in Beijing, Kelly in Xian, Zhouma or Dolma in Lhasa, Diana in Chongqing, Nancy in Yichang as also Linda and Jack in Shanghai) were most cordial, friendly, knowledgeable, spoke good English and were punctual in picking us up from or dropping us off at the airport/train station/hotel. We had also been given their mobile numbers in advance to keep in touch, so getting a Chinese SIM card upon arrival would be useful. As we had a private tour, the guides were also flexible about departure times, where to have lunch and so on.
The entire tour and all transportation, including two train trips, two domestic flights and our Yangtze cruise, was well organised. Don't hesitate to ask for a tour without shopping stops if you don't think you'll like them. We enjoyed the lunch in different restaurants, and all the excursions provided by both China Discovery and Century Cruises.
You should be aware that if you want to pay the price quoted in CNY, the only option for foreigners is an international bank transfer, which is insecure and does not offer any kind of protection. Payments via PayPal or credit card, which have more protection for buyers in case something goes wrong, are only accepted if you pay the USD price which can however be several hundred dollars higher. It is therefore better and desirable for customers if China Discovery would accept payments in Chinese Yuan made by credit card.
That being said, we can still warmly recommend China Discovery to all tourists who are planning to visit China. You will get to see and experience this country in the best possible way with them.
JEAPIERRE
France
- Reviewed on October 22, 2019
The tour was very well orgnized by China discovery ( Jack Li) and very interesting
Xi'an with the terracota of course but also the city wall and the old city
Chengdu with the Giant Pandas
Xining , door to Tibet and Tibetan civilisation with the Qinhai lake and the so interesting museum
Lhasa with the Potala and other monasteries
Beijing at the end with the Great wall and the Tianshan etc,
Very good souvenirs!
Burnham4
UK
- Reviewed on September 23, 2019
This was an experience of a lifetime, professionally organised by Vivien of China Discovery and so well carried out by all the team we met. Starting in Shanghai we (party of 4) travelled 1st class on the bullet train to Beijing, Xi'an then Chengdu before a flight back to Shanghai. All travel and accommodation was included in the trip as well as private guides and comfortable private transport at each location. The hotels were all of a very good (4 star) standard with breakfast included and the several lunches we enjoyed were varied and delicious, easily coping with a vegetarian. The whole experience was so good it's difficult to pick highlights, though the Great Wall, the Terracotta army and the pandas at Chengdu are obvious must-do's and came up to all our expectations. But, there was so more than just these highlights. The visits to Temples, Pagodas, parks, monuments and museums combined expertly to give us a great insight into China's past as well as the experience of the modern, busy country that China has become, with the success of these visits mainly down to our guides whose level of English, knowledge and warmth made the whole trip so enjoyable. I cannot praise Vivien and the team highly enough - she was ever ready with help when organising the trip and stayed in contact throughout, helping us to re-schedule some items that were lost due to weather. Before we set off I was naturally anxious that all would work - there was no need for worry as everything worked perfectly. Thank you so much! If you are thinking of taking any type of trip in or around China, you can put your trust in China Discovery and you won't be disappointed.
John33486
USA
- Reviewed on August 25, 2019
I took a 2 week personalized vacation with Chendu Bamboo tours through China. I wanted to put some thoughts down to the TripAdvisor community as I had a lot of reservations going into it, and I hope my review will help clarify some of the items that I was uncertain of.
First, while I researching, I determined that I wanted to do a custom tour as none of the packages that I saw had everything I wanted. The towns I chose were Beijing, Xian, Dunjuang, Chendu, Guilin and Shanghai. I submitted inquiries to multiple companies and ChinaDiscovery came back to me promptly with a very comprehensive tour that was detailed and in line with my expectations. The scary part of communicating my requirements was that it had to be done mostly through email, although the Leo of Chengdu Bamboo was also quick to Skype call me to handle some of my more advanced questions.
If you decide to book a tour like this (and you are firmly in the middle class) this is and expensive endeavor. For you to pull the trigger, you can expect a number of big expenditures. First, you will need to put an initial balance down on the trip to reserve the reservation. That amount was placed through PayPay, and the Paypal account that I placed it to did not look anything like the business I was dealing with. It was a bit unnerving sending the money to such a strange account, but in the end, the transaction was fine and 100% legitimate. One point of confusion...you may research and book through ChinaDiscovery, however the invoice then turned into Chengdu Bamboo International Tours Co, Ltd. From a payment standpoint, this was fine. I found myself having fears about placing so much money to the this travel company which I only researched on the internet...but in the end, all my fears were unfounded and the execution of my trip was as perfect as it gets.
Expect to pay a few big expenses. In addition to the trip costs, you will also have some other big expenses. You will need to coordinate the buying of your international plane tickets, which I handled shortly after the deposit. If you are a US citizen, you will need to get a visa. In my case, the Chinese Visas costs about $160 per person for a 10 year visa, and to get it, you must carefully submit a form to the Chinese consulate in a designated region of the country. Because I delayed doing this, I needed to do expedited service. And because the form is brutal and requires you to send your passports to the Chinese consulate, I enlisted a visa expert (CIBT.com) in order to get in processed. Long story short, about $1K later, I received the last of the passports back from the consulate with about 2 days to spare. So plan ahead.
The final expense is that you will be advised (not mandated) to give them tips to the drivers and tour guides. You will find yourself wanting to give them tips for the great service they provide, but you should calculate 2 weeks and 2 persons a day, and understand that it will cost you hundreds of dollars or thousands of Yuan as part of your trip costs.
Last warning to give about going to China...you'll need cash. Only some (not most) banks and stores are hooked up to the Visa and Mastercard system. This means, (1) you may need to search for the right bank to get cash in China in order to withdraw funds and (2) the vendors that you'll see only will take your cash. This caused some stress the first couple of days as I had trouble finding a bank that worked.
Now...for the good stuff. Once prepping for all that, the trip that was designed by Chinadiscovery (or Chengdu Bamboo Tour Company) was pretty spectacular. The guides were beyond great, and did a truly amazing, amazing job of being everything you would want as a tour guide. Prompt, flexible, funny, sometimes motherly, sometimes brotherly, open, honest, kind, insightful, human, knowledgeable and ...simply great. Each one in each town was different...but each of them took such pride in their cities/country that you are given a great gift. The coordination of the planes, trains and automobiles was flawless and as we traversed our way around each city, we never missed a single connection, nor did our guides ever fail to meet us at our designated meeting points.
The hotels were as good as it gets as well. Breakfast was included in all hotels...some food good, and other food great. The hotels were within walking distance to all the good things. For Beijing, 15 min walk to the Forbidden City. Shanghai? 5 minute walk to the River and 20 minutes to The Bund. I could go on, but the accommodations were really good. Combine that with flawless execution of all travel arrangements, it made for a stress free trip. The lunches were all Chinese and again, and food ranged from good to great. They always gave our family of 3 too much food for one sitting, and I felt embarrassed about leaving so much food behind.
In Beijing, our guide took us through Tienanmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, The Great Wall, and Temple of Heaven (among other places). When she took us to the train station for our trip to Xian, she insisted in walking us down to our seat on the High Speed railway car. When I asked if that is the company policy, she said 'that MY policy' (to ensure her clients get to where they are going). Amazing. We reached Xian for a day and Zoe gave us great insights of the growing city, the crowds, and life in China. Then onto Dunjuang, where Lily and her driver rearranged the schedule to ensure that we saw all the Silk Road sites. The schedule changes included her and the driver starting at 6AM (after we were picked up at the airport 10PM the night before) in order to ensure we saw everything. Then in Chengdu, Cherry helped so patiently with my wife's shopping at the Panda sanctuary. And in Guilin, Kennedy was awesome describing the land and China's ethnic minority. The insight for the rice fields and rivers were wonderful. We ate probably the best Chinese food of the trip in the fresh country air. Then finally, to Shanghai, where Zack was truly a joy, and one of the friendliest and enjoyable people I have ever met in my life. The city of Shanghai was amazing, and my son enjoyed it tremendously.
Two things I would do over if I could. First, I would plan to take it in June, not late July. We had to compete with the rest of China, which has summer break at this time. As a result, the places were packed with China tourist going to the same sites, which made the crowds a bit much. Second, I would have also altered the trip to spend 1 less day in Guilin and 1 more day in Shanghai. Other than that, I would not have changed anything.
Bottom line...if you are planning a trip to China, I highly recommend planning it with Chengdu Bamboo and if you are lucky enough to work with Leo, you will not be dissapointed.
Jennifer H
USA
- Reviewed on August 23, 2019
Wendy Dan helped us plan our vacation. We added and subtracted from the vacation package. All of our guides were helpful, kind and informative. Mark our tour guide in Beijing felt like part of the family. We travelled with our 14 year old son and 17 year old daughter who were not always up for the challenge of the day. Each tour guide was engaging with the kids and helped to accommodate our needs as they unfolded. It was everything we read about and more.
Xi’an was a wonderful city with a beautiful nightlife for the entire family. Landscape, interactive lit up sidewalk, and a beautiful city park. The park has a rubber track to run, music pumped in and more landscape. Terra cotta warriors was overwhelming with the size of the site. Biking the ancient city wall was a must , fun and inexpensive.
Zhangjaijie was amazing and many unexpected parts. There are gardens within the park and monkeys! We spend a long time watching the monkeys swimming in the river. The town was easy to walk and we enjoyed shopping in the local supermarket.
Shanghai is an easy city and very modern. The Bund at night is a must. Seeing the sun set with the new Shanghai on one side of the river and the old on the other was unforgettable.
I loved every part of our trip. The suggestions that I gave to China Discovery was to provide a street map as I like to explore. The other tip I would suggest so to be aware that WeChat pay is the most preferred method of payment. We had cash which works but I was planning on Visa which was not taken at a few restaurants.
We saw many beautiful gardens, Beijing Olympic Park, historical sites, and modern cities. I wish I could list them all. I did a lot of reading and research before committing to the trip to China. We completely embraced the experience and hope more people take the opportunity to China. Highly recommend China discovery and a trip to China. Our whole family loved it.
Thomas G
USA
- Reviewed on August 10, 2019
I am a history major and I went to China to study ancient Chinese history. The tour guides were very knowledgable and would always answer my questions. It was by far my favorite vacation. Visiting the grottoes, Buddhist temples, museums, ancient fortifications, and cities were the highlights of this history major's experience. My favorite experience was visiting Pingyao ancient city. The walls were first built during the Western Zhou dynasty and the buildings are mostly from ancient China. I stayed in a hotel inside the ancient city, ate the local food, bought traditional clothing, and went to the bar at night. There are many bars that stay open late and some of the locals dress in traditional clothing. It felt like living in ancient China! If you are interested in shopping, there is a gift shop near the terracotta warriors museum that shows you how they are made. You can buy pretty much anything there from a replica terracotta statue with your face on it to furniture, pottery, and replica weapons. I bought a replica sword for 960 RMB and they shipped it to my house. There is also a silk museum in Shanghai where you can buy beautiful clothing. The local people were always very friendly, polite and interested in talking with you. I never felt nervous or disrespected during my stay. The tour guides will go out of their way to ensure you enjoy your visit. I would highly recommend China Discovery for anyone who is interested in visiting China. It is much nicer to have a tour guide show you all the fascinating things to explore and explain Chinese culture and history than visiting China without a tour guide and being blind to all these things.
Traveller88882013
Australia
- Reviewed on June 28, 2019
China Discovery, Chengdu - Travel Consultant Ms Rita Jiang organized this trip for me and my wife. We did not want to travel in a group as we wanted flexibility and comfort. Rita understood our needs and after much discussion, we started our trip on 17th May and ended in HK on 6th June where we spent 4 nights on our own. We stayed in 4 to 5 star international hotels except for two local hotels in the smaller cities. The difference is the level of hotel service in both types of hotels and the breakfast. We were in Sofitel, Intercontinental, Shangri La, Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Hyatt and even though our hotel nights were booked through China Discovery, I presented my loyalty hotel cards and had upgrades in some of these international hotels.
We were happy with the transportation provided (especially in the big cities) but do not expect good vehicles in the smaller cities. Some of the guides were brilliant but some were not so. This is expected due to tourism in each of the cities. We had flexibility in our tour and also food selection. We were provided with daily breakfast and some lunches but no dinners. This is fine as we could look for the food that we like (apart from just Chinese style food).
The internal flights were spot on and we had our seating always in the first few rows . Some of the train rides were very good (especially Beijing to Xian and Guilin to Hong Kong). The other train rides were not so comfortable. Would suggest requesting for First Class cabin but will cost more - nearly double.
Our guide checked us in for both flights and train rides. It was very easy and smooth. My recommendation is to ensure that you give notice to your receiving guide to hold up a card with your name and to make your luggage different from the rest. Send them a photo so they will know who to look for. We are Australians but we are Chinese looking. So misunderstanding can happen when the guide is receiving us.
Overall, we rate China Discovery, Chengdu - Rita Jiang very highly as she was very responsive to our needs even when we were on tour. She even did some last minute changes for us just to make us comfortable. If we do travel again to China in future, we will contact them again.
RagerRayboy
USA
- Reviewed on June 24, 2019
My wife and I recently completed a 22 days’ vacation/excursion in the People’s Republic of China. We arranged this voyage with China Discovery Tour Agency.(May17th-June7th, 2019)
Our journey throughout China included three air flights and four high speed trains.
We visited Beijing, the capital of The People’s Republic of China. Highlights in Beijing, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, the Great Wall (Mutiny Section), the Sacred Way, wonderful Kungfu Show, and a wonderful dinner of Peiking Roasted Duck at the Iconic Quanjude restaurant. We then traveled 4.5 hours by Fast train to Xian to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses excavation site then on to the Ancient City Wall and then in the evening attended a wonderful Tang Palace Dance Show. We then traveled 3 hours by plane to Lhasa, the capital of TIBET. Then from TIBET back to China to the city of Chengdu (2 hours by plane) to visit the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and also enjoy the relax atmosphere of the city’s Renmin Park. Then from Chengdu we traveled 1.5 hours by plane to Guilin, the most scenic city in China. We then drove about 2.5 hours to visit one of the most beautiful rice terraces in China…Longji Rice Terrace. What an experience hiking up on the edge of the mountain, including traveling up more than 900 steps in order to arrive at our hotel. Then the next morning more hiking up hill and steps to observe the spectacular view and to get a better understanding of the engineering developed many, many years ago to be able to cultivate rice at that high altitude. Later we visited Huangluo Yao Village and enjoyed a beautiful show by the Village Long Hair People. The following day we traveled back to Guilin and took a very relaxing sightseeing cruise 84 kilometers down the Li River to Yangzhou Town.
That evening we attended an amazing show directed by the world-famous director Mr. Zhang Yimou then the next day we drove back to Guilin and took a fast train (5 hours) to the the city of Chongqing (The largest city in Southwest China) to catch our cruise ship to take a 3 nights 4 days cruise down the Yangtze River, and during the cruise we had 3 shore excursions to visit different historic sites. After our cruise we then went on an all-day tour of the Three Gorge Dam. It is the largest dam in the entire world. After that we traveled by bus to to Yichang and took a fast train the the new city of Shanghai. Shanghai is less than 20 years. In Shanghai we visited the 400 year old Yun Garden, the Shanghai World Financial Center, the Nanjing Road, the famous BUND, Zhujiajiao Water Town, Tianzifang, Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory, and finally we attended an incredible Acrobat Show. Then on June 6thth we traveled back to Beijing by fast train (4.5 hours) and on June 7thth we departed China.
We have traveled to many different places all over the world during the past 21 years and I must say this excursion in China arranged for us by the very efficient, professional, and knowledgeable agent Wendy Dan of China Discovery was truly unbelievable. Simply put, Wendy Dan and all of the drivers and especially our English-speaking guides provided us with services way above our expectations. We indeed experienced a voyage of a lifetime.
During the past 21 years, we have traveled to the Middle East, North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, all over the USA and Canada, many places in Central America and South America, Western Europe, Northern Europe, Egypt and throughout the entire Caribbean and we have been fortunate to have a very good experience in each of those many places. China Discovery organized a 22 days’ tour along with its the very proficient, caring, and knowledgeable service providers (especially our private English-speaking tour guides) which has resulted in my wife and I having to tell the World that this trip compares with the best vacation we experienced in all of our travels during the past 21 years. We are very, very impressed with the overall beauty, safety, cleanliness, orderliness, and history we experienced at all of the places we visited. We are still amazed at the considerable level of development China has achieved during the past 35 years. Yes, put a visit to China, planned by China Discovery, on your bucket list.
Finally, my wife and I would like to express again our sincere thank you very much to Candy-Beijing, Maria-Xian, Dorjee-Lhasa, Kevin-Chengdu, Kennedy-Guilin, Charlie-Chongqing, Yichang- , Terry-Shanghai and Tina-Shanghai for your caring and professional service.
Awkwardtrip
Australia
- Reviewed on June 18, 2019
Ms.Lyn wang was very cooperative & professional right from the time of enquiry, booking & arranging the customized China tour for 12 days covering Beijing, Yangtze river cruise, Zhangjiajie & Shanghai. We really appreciate her for organizing the tour in a very professional manner. We were bit apprehensive initially as we booked directly without any tour operator from my country of origin. It was very wonderful & pleasant experience and we really enjoyed every moment of it.
All all tour guides were very professional & cooperative giving all the required info of the tour. Yangtze river cruise by “president No-7” was very good & enjoyed the way they organised.
Zhangjiajie is a must visit place with such a scenic beauty & we feel three days there would have been more justified to enjoy thoroughly such a natural scenic beauty spot. But the only disappointment was the hotel “Wulingyuan Hotel” arranged was close to the hills but the food was really bad & couldn’t eat at all. The least we expected that the breakfast could be to suit overseas travellers, but was really not up to any standard. Suggest you to recommend any other hotels for overseas guests.
In Shanghai, there was much free time left after covering all the listed places as per itinerary & suggest tour guide could provide some local shopping tips in China as in Nanjing road it was all expensive which are otherwise generally available in any other country. Don't miss Bund walk in the evening, the skyline under lights is most delightful to watch /gaze.
Overall it was very nicely organised & we really appreciate your professionalism for well organised tour. I certainly recommend "China discovery" tour operator & happy to avail for any future tours in china.
dougr203
USA
- Reviewed on May 20, 2019
I was in Beijing for a conference and decided to go to Xi'an for a day tour and visit the Terra cotta Warriors. I booked the Bullet train from Beijing to Xi'an as well as the tour through Lily Xu at china discovery.com. Lily was fantastic in getting the train booking and the tour set up. A driver met me at the train station and took me to my hotel at the W-Xi'an. The next day Joann my tour guide and driver picked me up at the hotel and drove of to see the Ancient Terra Cotta Warriors. It was about a 40 minute drive. The tour was fantastic and Joann did a great job. Her english skills were good and her knowledge of the history of Terra Cotta Warrior discovery was really interesting and helpful. after seeing the 3 Pits that were/are being excavated we toured the ancient wall surrounding Xian and went to the Muslim quarters that was one of my favorite places to visit. I highly recommend to connect with Lily at China Discovery and have here book you a tour if you are heading to China. She was exceptional and took great care of me. Even when I got lost at the train station I was able to connect with her on WeChat and she walked me through everything. I will definitely use her again.
Connector740452
USA
- Reviewed on May 8, 2019
Hello Jack,
We recently got back from our wonderful 19 days trip to China and wanted to take this time to thank you for preparing such an awesome itinerary for us. It was tailored to the places we wanted to visit Beijing, Xian, Lhasa,Tibet, Chengdu, Guilin, Yanshuo, Li River Cruise, Longji, Chongqing Yangtze River cruise, Yichang, Shanghai.
We enjoyed every single day of our tours to the maximum.
The treatment we received from all of our tour guides and drivers was excellent. We were always greeted on time at the airport or train station by our tour guide who promptly introduced themselves and also the driver. Very nice people always wanting to help and explain all the details about the place visited, their culture and traditions.
Hotels were beautiful, very comfortable and centrally located. Staff always ready to help if needed. We were very surprised with the beautiful gift waiting for us when we got to our hotel in Chengdu. I wished we had more time to go visit you in your office and personally thank you.
The very well planned itinerary was carried out to our expectations, never a missed placed to visit, and when it was time for our next destination, our tour guide had everything under control, from taking our bags to getting our tickets and making sure we were in the right place on time.
The Yangtze River cruise was very relaxing, excellent buffet and staff service. Our activity coordinator Rebecca, was great in keeping the activities going and letting us know which sceneries where coming up and what to look for every time. Nightly entertainment was very good also. The tours very very well organized and we really enjoyed them.
We loved every city visited and experienced different Chinese cuisine every placed we went. The restaurants and food was carefully selected always keeping in mind if we were allergic to any food or liked or disliked any hot spices.
We are very happy and it has been an amazing vacation and a learning experience. Will be happy to recommend your company and specially you Jack for all your help, patience and knowledge. We'll be happy to return to China to experience many other beautiful places we didn't get to see this time around.
Thank you very much for everything you did for us.
Idania and Alberto Mesa
Honora M
Ireland
- Reviewed on May 7, 2019
We have just returned from our holiday organized by Jack Li in China Discovery. This amazing tour lasted twenty days and we visited Beijing,Xi’an,Chengdu,Lijiang,Guilin, Yangshuo, Hangzhou and Shanghai. We found China Discovery to be an absolutely reliable tour company,responsible and very attentive. The service was of the highest quality- hotels,guides,drivers and all the restaurants attended and recommended. We have full confidence in recommending China Discovery for anyone needing a stress free holiday in China. In each location the guides were professional,enthusiastic and delighted to give us an insight into their community-history,customs,religions,fauna and flora. In fact each location was a highlight and we have a lifetime of unforgettable memories. We would like to thank Jack Li for customizing our tour and for taking such good care of us. It was a remarkable holiday made possible by the expertise and efficiency of China Discovery and its wonderful team.
Jet3465
Australia
- Reviewed on May 5, 2019
We were a little hesitant about booking via the internet as this was our first time to China but, after researching various companies (and reading great reviews), we opted to go with China Discovery for a 3 day (2 night) short trip from Hong Kong to Xian, specifically to see the Terracotta Warriors/Ancient City. A must-do for us was also to travel one leg of the journey via a high speed train.
Our travel consultant was Mr Wonder Wang who put together an excellent itinerary which allowed us to not only visit the Terracotta Warriors and Ancient City Wall, but also the Muslim Quarter, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanzi History Museum, along with the personal services of an English speaking guide and driver. Also included was a high speed train journey from HK to Xian.
We can thoroughly recommend the train from HK to Xian. There was one change of train (at Guangzhou) which we managed successfully. We had First Class Seats throughout. Snacks and drinks were complimentary at commencement, with opportunities to purchase snacks/beverages. There were a few stops along the way. The train travelled at speeds of up to 300 km/h, the ride was smooth, and we were able to enjoy the countryside.
Accommodation was at the Grand Mercure (Renmin Square, 4.5 star). Very comfortable and the staff very helpful. The meals on tour were excellent.
“Awesome” is the only way to describe the Terracotta Warriors and the rest of the tour, there was a lot of jaw-dropping! So much fascinating Chinese history to absorb.
Wonder provided excellent, friendly, FAST service. Our email queries were answered promptly and efficiently. We had endless inquiries, and he was extremely patient throughout the time we dealt with him. Our travel planning was a long, drawn out process (due to a family member's illness) and Wonder would have to be one of the best (and most patient) travel consultants we have dealt with.
Our tour guide, Vivian, was super-friendly, knowledgeable, very helpful and (also) patient. We had an amazing driver who safely negotiated the huge volumes of traffic, and had us back to the airport in good time for our flight back to Hong Kong.
Thank you, Wonder, for such arranging such an enjoyable and memorable time in Xian. And, thanks also to Vivian and our driver who looked after us superbly from the time we arrived until we departed.
We no hesitation in recommending Wonder and China Discovery for anybody wishing to visit China and requiring a personal, organized tour.
daniela1122
UK
- Reviewed on April 28, 2019
We've just come back from 2 amazing weeks in China booked through China Discovery based in Chengdu, our travel consultant was Johnson. We chose a bespoke tour taking in Beijing, Xi'an, Chengu, then a short river cruise on The Yangtze, followed by a night in Zhangjiajie and finishing off in Shanghai. We had the most amazing time. Johnson organised the trip and was very patient with our infinte changes to the itinerary,
Johnson arranged all the transport within China, hotels, and guides in each of the cities, all guides spoke excellent english, were really well organised and knowlegeable. Ruby (in Chengdu), Kimi (in Xi'an) and Johnson (in Zhangjiajie) were absolutely excellent and made our stay really special. Having a guide cuts down the queueing time considerably as tickets are prebooked for you and they only need to be picked up, in some places there are preferential queues for guided tours.
We travelled mainly by high speed train, which is by far the most convenient way of seeing the country. We were astounded by how efficient, clean and punctual the trains were. We also used the underground system of most of the cities we stayed in, we found them all easy to navigate, modern, clean and punctual.
We had 3 days in Beijing, we stayed at the Park Plaza: excellent breakfast comfortable and clean rooms, excellent location. In Beijing we saw the Forbidden city, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace and had a great day on the Great Wall, which is astoundingly impressive, coming down on the tobbogan was great fun. We were supposed to visit the Hutongs and have a go at some calligraphy, but unfortunately due to a mix of Beijing traffic, an early afternoon train to catch and the calligraphy person being called away, we were unable to do this last activity.
The second stop was Xi'an, we stayed at the Grand Mercure on Remnin Square, Less impressive than the other hotels in the square, but comfortable and excellently located. It was built in the Soviet era and had an air of faded grandeur. The Terracotta Warriors were breathtaking and we had a lovely time cycling round the town walls. Xi'an is a really pretty city by night with bustling markets and pretty lights everywhere. We took the opportunity to learn to make dumplings and have lunch with a local family. This was a great experience. It was in one of the super-modern high rise buildings that are ubiquitous, the host was a former guide and it was one of the best meals we had in the holiday. It was more a demonstration of how to fill the dumplings rather than a cookery lesson, but we enjoyed it nevertheless.
Next stop Chengdu, home of the pandas. We stayed in the Dorset Grand, the only way to describe the hotel is WOW! The highlight was the Pandas, we enjoyed Renmin park and the Opera. We mentioned to our guide that we wanted to try the local hotpot so she stayed with us into the evening to help us with ordering and show us how it was done.
The next stop was Chongqing, from here we took a 3 day cruise on the Yangtze on the Century Legend, which was a lot of fun and restful after the busyness of the previous week. Food was ordinary at best. The cruise had group excursions, which made us really grateful that we booked a private tour with China Discovery for most of the holiday (rather than a group tour with a UK based agency) as there was a lot of hanging around waiting for other people. The quality of the guides provided by China Discovery was also much higher. Breathtaking scenary and an amazing feat of politics and engineering.
Second last stop Zhangjiajie, the slow train was incredibly interesting, and it was the first look of small town, rural China we caught. It had a completely different feel from the other places we visited. As we got there we wished we had followed Johnson's advice and stayed an extra day. To sum the place up in one word: spectacular, we saw Tianmen Mountain and the Yellow dragon cave.
Finally a last few days in Shanghai, we stayed at the Sunrise on the Bund, a beautiful hotel, but not really on the bund. We were unlucky that there were night roadworks going on outside our window, but the staff did their best to mitigate their impact. Shanghai does not really need a guide, it is quite westernised and it is easy to navigate. The advantage of having a guide is that you will pack much more into the day. Again, we were grateful to have one of China Discovery's guides for one of the 3 days we spent here. As when we asked the concierge at the hotel for direction for a shopping centre, he arranged for a taxi to take us to a really hard sale place that made us feel quite uncomfortable. During the rest of the holiday only twice we had been taken to places where we felt in some way obliged to buy something, but it was not a hard sell, the trips were listed on the itinerary and we could have said we did not want to go there.
Overall it was a great holiday and we have been so impressed by the organisation and value for money provided by China Discovery and Johnson that we are planning to do a tour of Southern China in the next couple of years.
Tamsin1802
Australia
- Reviewed on April 27, 2019
When researching tours of China we found that China Discovery was the perfect company to book with as we were able to customise our own trip.
We traveled to multiple destinations within China where we had our own personal guides which made the language barrier a breeze as we were able to thoroughly enjoy ourselves with no stress. The guides had excellent English and local knowledge and showed us many things that we would have otherwise missed.
I would not hesitate to recommend China Discovery and our tour coordinator Wing Zeng. She was excellent at planing the whole tour for us, including the internal travel arrangements. I was also very impressed with how she kept in contact with us throughout the entire trip.
When traveling domestically in China, we soon noticed that there were no signs in English at the airports so we were very grateful to have our tour guides assist us with the flight check-ins.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in China and would definitely recommend this company to others.
Ex-Trekker
Singapore
- Reviewed on April 21, 2019
This is my first ever review for a travel agency! I needed a quick solution for a week long getaway with my 7 year old boy during his March holidays and after doing some research on the net, I decided to go with China Discovery. My son is very keen to visit the terracotta warriors in Xian and I thought why not start from Chengdu to see the giant pandas ( what else?) and hop over to Emei Shan and Leshan and then travel to Xian to see the famous terracotta warriors and mausoleum.
Vivian who coordinated the trip was extremely efficient and responsive. Everything went smoothly throughout the trip. For the trips in Chengdu and surrounding areas, Ruby was the guide. We were really impressed by her patience, altitude and her care. She brought us to some really great local restaurants that's not the usual ones catering to tourists.
Over in Xian we had Gin as the guide and I must say she's very knowledgeable and well versed in ancient Chinese history. All in all, I would definitely use this agency again for my next guided trip to China. Cheers.
Micahmoo1
New Zealand
- Reviewed on April 19, 2019
Great choice on our part to use China Discovery, we dealt with Johnston Wang in organizing our tour of China, always flexible to our requests and very prompt communications. Every detail was taken care of and the whole two weeks ran like a fine oiled machine, guides were amazing, always in the right place at the right time and flexible to our needs, special mention must go to Timo in Xian and Nancy in Chengdu, outstanding! , We managed to visit so many China sights in such a short time from Terracotta Warriors, volunteering with The Giant Pandas, cooking lesson at Sichuan Cuisine Museum Chengdu, a Yangtze river cruise, bullet trains plus much much more, the itinerary was amazing and the hotels and local restaurants for lunches chosen were second to none! Thank you China Discovery, the memories and friendships made will last a lifetime!
NorthStar769301
USA
- Reviewed on March 17, 2019
My husband and I were very, very pleased with the arrangements our online consultant Wing Zeng with China Discovery Yangtze River Cruise Tibet Discovery put together for us which was a 14 day trip. We flew into Beijing, experienced the Great Wall, the imperial palace, Xian, to see the Terra cotta warriors, cities in between, we cruised along the Li River and a 3 days cruise down the Yangtze River. Our trip ended in Shanghai. Yes, we too were a bit uncomfortable making arrangements online with such a distance away but Ms Wing put our minds at ease. Our experience was beyond our expectations starting with our tour sites and hotels. We were able to experience transportation that we don’t have in our area like the bullet train and subway. Our Guides, Mr Jean, Ms Alice, Ms Vivian, Ms Fay, and Zack were all fabulous at what the do. We would definitely book with this company again.
David R
South Africa
- Reviewed on March 13, 2019
Wonder Wang organised an incredible memorable tour for us. our ten day trip in China was faultless - from the minute we put our feet in China right up to our flight home we were cared for in every detail. our guides and their drivers were simply amazing. Forest in Beijing, besides being very knowledgeable was a caring and lovely human being. Avril in Shanghai and Vivian in Xian were excellent as well. Their English was excellent. Punctual, arranged great lunches and simply excelled in all areas. Wonder arranged lovely hotels in the best locations. I would highly recommend China Discovery to anyone who wants to travel in China. 110% all the way!!
Pam J
USA
- Reviewed on March 3, 2019
My son and I just returned from a seven day trip to Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai. The trip was booked with China Discovery and I would like to express my satisfaction and appreciation for a well organized and extremely enjoyable trip from beginning to end. The guides - Lindsay and Vivienne in Beijing , Timo in Xi'an , Laura in Shanghai were all organized, punctual, pleasant and professional. Everything went smoothly and we really enjoyed the 5-star hotel package. The food that was included exceeded our expectations for most of the time and the drivers were courteous and safe . Many thanks China Discovery for helping us to experience such a wonderful time.
Marianne M
New Zealand
- Reviewed on February 27, 2019
We chose a private tour as we wanted a relaxing trip, some time to ourselves, and flexibility. I arranged our 18 day trip through Catherine Liu (China Discovery, based in Chengdu). I made several changes to our itinerary, had many questions and a few concerns; Catherine responded quickly allying our concerns, providing more information, and making the changes requested. We travelled by air, bullet trains and private vans. All our guides were great, heaps of historic and local knowledge.
The Ice & Snow Festival in Harbin was on our bucket list, so expectations were high. Harbin is awesome: very friendly people, great food, stunning scenery, and didn’t feel as cold as we expected (due to the dry air, it felt 10 degrees warmer than it actually was – still cold though). I do recommend visiting the Snow Park towards the end on the day so you can catch the light show, it’s stunning. The second floor of the tourist information centre has some entertaining stuff to look at too.
Beijing was great! I do recommend going in the winter/off-season, as it is much less crowded. Our tour guide Eric was amazing; we loved his sense of humour, entertaining way of telling us about the history & chatty story titbits, and his enthusiasm was contagious. We were always either in awe or laughing. Unfortunately I started to get sick while in Beijing.
Xian was impressive, but unfortunately I got sicker. Catherine had kept in touch throughout, to see how I was, and arranged for me to visit the hospital with our interpreter. That was an experience I won’t forget.
We were so impressed with our tours, interpreters, drivers, and ongoing attention to detail (both pre & during the trip); we asked to meet Catherine when we were in Chengdu to thank her personally. The tour far exceeded our expectations, accommodation was great, and Catherine ensured my request for hotels with comfortable beds was met.
Thanks again to Catherine, our guides and drivers.
901debyv
USA
- Reviewed on January 28, 2019
My sister-in-law and I booked a three day tour of Beijing and two-day tour of Xian with China Discovery. Mr. Leo Li was our contact and he was extraordinary. He helped us with every detail of the tour, making suggestions and providing the very best tour I have ever experienced. He also made changes "on the fly" when we made changes and we still didn't miss anything! Our tour guides were also extraordinary. Candy, our Beijing guide, was an awesome young woman with incredible knowledge of the city, it's important buildings, art, history, food, and anything else we wanted to know. She was articulate, friendly, and full of exuberance. Our driver in Beijing was tireless in his difficult job of navigating the city and taking us outside of Beijing to see the Great Wall. Becky, our Xian tour guide, was also excellent. Despite her young child being sick with the stomach flu, she navigated us around this beautiful city effortlessly and explained the history of the Terra Cotta warriors with clarity and expertise. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this company for any length of tour required. When I return to China - and I will - China Discovery will be my tour guide of choice. Thank you Leo, Candy, and Becky for making this trip one we will remember forever.
KRISHNI p
Canada
- Reviewed on January 21, 2019
Our trip to China was awesome. I wanted to visit the great wall of china and it was in my bucket list for a long time . Customer service rep RILEY at china discovery helped me so so much in making my dream come true. I talked to many companies , but riley was very helpful and prompt. He was not only very informative he was patient and answered all my questions. He made sure all our needs were met. He took care of us and checked on us even after we left china. We started in Beijing and finished in Xian. Our tour guides Mr. Jean in Beijing and Mr. Ben in Xian were very good. They took care of all our need and beyond . The drivers were on time as well. All in all we had an Excellent trip. Thankyou so much Riley for making it all easier on us. Thankyou for taking care of all our needs and paying attention to every single detail.
martin j
UK
- Reviewed on January 10, 2019
I'm from England, in April 2018, I was looking for a tour of China and as most people do, looked at many differnt companies. I sent off ideas of where I wanted to go and the types of things that interested me. I came accross China discovery and to be honest, the reviews on this site were mixed. Some very good, some very bad. As I read on, it appeared that there were 2 companies running with the same name, this one in Chengdu, China and one in America. Reading through it seemed that it was the one in America that was getting the bad press.
I was also concerned about sending money to a company in Asia, anayway I did & needent have worried. Johnson Wang arranged everything, answered all questions etc, changed and rechanged my schedule and phoned me during the trip to check all was ok. Thanks Johnson.
I started in Beijing,went to the forbidden city. in all of these places,trains, planes, visitor sites, expect to que and have your bags etc searched and scanned along with visa and passports etc. You really need a full day to get round the forbidden city and visit the musems. I didn't want a trip that took me to the great wall and said there you go, pop up and be back in 30 minutes so told them I wanted to be out in the country so got them to arrange a 3hr walk on the wall at Jinshanling, quieter than closer options but out in the mountains & lovely. be warned, it is very steep up and down in places. This done, back to Beijing then more sights the next day before the bullet train to Xian.When you gou get off the train and go up the steps, make sure you know whether to turn right or left, big staiton.
All the guides, drivers were waiting for me on time at every location and spoke good english. Johnny was the guide here in Xian and very pleasant and informitive. As with most, I came to see the terracottas and wasn't dissapointed but be aware the 3rd chamber with the horse and carrage was heaving when I went, not comfortable, they need to limit numbers a bit. Hang Wang Tomb is a must and worth the drive out there.Shanxi museum also worth a look but give yourself a good 4 hrs +. I had 6 internnal flights in all, these are flexible in there timings and can and do change so expect that, if they don't, all the better but be prepared to be flexible.Next, Hotel Universal at Guilin with riverside room - good. Guides name was Dixon, again very friendy and informitive. From here I took a boat down the Lee river, about 50 miles of snaking river to Yangsou. Lovely little place, good hotel (new century) nice park to walk left side beyond car park. Also the water show - well worth the visit, outdoors, on river,at night, can get cold (or wet) so go prepared. About 3oo mostly locals involved alongside quality singers and good use of lighting. Next back to Guilin and flight to Kunming (Stone forest area but do go to the Ethnic Younan show, (minority tribes) not cheap but a wow) Dali -best for me + N hotel a wow, Guide here was Alice and probably the best. lovely woman, good knowledge and way with people. Lots of options here. Next flew to Chongching for 3 nights on Yangtze cruise, again, lovely views along the way. some of their optional trips on the cruise wern't so good but they are optional. You do notice the smog but it got clearer into my trip. Don't expect many locals anywhere, restaurants etc to speak english so use an app to translate menus etc. Also, the shops wouldn't accept western credit cards whilst I was there, this may change but check first. Food varies from province to province.
All in all I had an excellent trip, well looked after by guides and Johnny.
Marlene H
USA
- Reviewed on October 3, 2018
Our group of 8 travel friends was looking for a tour of the Chinese Silk Road. We knew which places we wanted to visit but we could not find any tour offered by a US tour company. After researching on the Internet, we took a chance and chose "China Discovery", based in Chengdu, China. We chose them because they would customize a tour for us and because of their excellent communication via email. I was lucky to have Mr. Wonder Wang respond and that was the beginning of many emails to set up our requested itinerary and work out all the details of which cites would fit into our 20 days schedule. We visited Beijing, Xian, Lanzhou, Jiayuguan,Dunhuang,Turpan, Urumqi, and Kashgar. We traveled by high speed train, by air, and in 35 passenger buses. Our English speaking guides were always waiting for us at each new destination and the bus drivers were great in the crazy Chinese traffic. The tour guides were flexible to make our days more efficient and to meet our needs. The food was very good and the hotels were better than I expected for the Silk Road.
It was a pleasure working with Wonder, it was so easy because he always quickly responded to my emails. He made suggestions on everything such as sleeper trains vs high speed trains, 15 passengers van vs 35 persons bus, hotels, and adjusting the schedule to fit our many requests. My favorite was letting us know that we could upgrade from second class train seats to first class for only $71 per person for all 3 of our high speed train trips.
See more reviews on Tripadvisor See all reviews from our guests
Amazing Xian Travel Stories
Here are selected travel stories shared by our valued customers who visited Xian and more stunning places. May these stories ignite your wanderlust and make you pack your bags and go! Or, you can click 2012-2024 Customer Travel Stories for more stunning stories.
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“Only You” - Couple’s Resounding 69 Days Private China Journey
Elie & Marie has successfully enjoyed their wonderful and romantic 10 week couple's private vacation and experienced a lot of interesting things in 32 destinations around vast China!
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- (69 Days) 2019.09.04~2019.11.11
- Beijing - Hohhot - Datong - Pingyao - Luoyang - Xian - Jiayuguan......Yunnan - Guilin - Xiamen - Hangzhou - Shanghai
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North American English Teachers’ China Trips to Visit Their Students off Internet
We customized three big group China trips for tens of VIPKid English teachers and their family members to visit Xian, Shanghai, etc. from Beijing and meet their students off Internet in China in 2019!
- VIPKid Teachers (USA/Canada)
- (9-21 Days) 2019
- Beijing - Xian - Shanghai - Suzhou - Hangzhou - Huangshan -... - Chengdu
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Winston's Couple Tour to 9 Cities around China plus Yangtze Cruise
Winston and his wife have traveled to many world places during the past 21 years and experienced the best vacation this time to explore China's west and east, north and south parts!
- Winston (USA)
- (22 Days) 2019.05.17~2019.6.07
- Beijing - Xian - Lhasa - Chengdu - Guilin - Longsheng - Yangshuo - Yangtze River Cruise - Shanghai - Suzhou - Beijing
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Cultural Immersion Trip in Ancient Capitals of China
William and his wife traveled to Huangshan and Zhangjiajie with us in 2017. This time they laid more emphasis on culture and history, so he went to several ancient capitals of China.
- William (USA)
- (11 Days) 2018.03.22~2018.04.01
- Beijing - Taiyuan - Pingyao - Xian/Luoyang - Dengfeng - ... - Mount Tai - Beijing
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Sucking Cultural Fragrance from Time-honored Architectures
Some top destinations like Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin, Tibet etc. are undoubtedly beautiful and amazing. But there are some other places will pleasant surprise you, like Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple...
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- (18 Days) 2017.09.18~2017.10.05
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Journey of Treasures - Hugging Nine Cities in Summer
In 22 days, we managed to see a far bit of the country. We started in Beijing had 4 days there and we went to The Forbidden City, go to the top and overlook Tiananmen Square which was amazing.
- Paul (Australia)
- 22 Days (2017.07.31~2017.08.21)
- Beijing - Datong - Pingyao - Xian - Chengdu - Guilin - Yangtze - Shanghai
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