Looking for China Tour
 

My husband and I (in our 60s) are looking for a tour of China for 2017. We would like to combine typical tourist sites (Beijing, Great Wall, Xian) with some out of the way places and maybe a boat tour. This would be our first tour - we're typically independent travelers. I looked at the Overseas Adventure Travel tour itinerary - it looks interesting but 3 weeks feels like a bit long for an organized tour. Also, I want to be sure to eat local food, not just Western tourist fare.

Any recommendations of reputable tour operators and specific tours? We would be happy with an active tour that has some downtime.

I appreciate your replies!

There are many threads here on the subject of tours in China. Most advising against using a tour. If you want less visited sites and authentic food you will be much better off on your own. And I once traveled with OAT - never again.

Ditto thursdaysd (except that I never traveled with OAT).

Here's a recent thread about some of the issues:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...r-228924-2.cfm

Use one of these agencies to book your private arrangements , guides provided, or to take a small group tour. China Advocates based in San Francisco, Insider Journeys and Authentic Asia, both located in Colorado. I have traveled with two of them and am about to book with the other one. Excellent companies.

I used China Culture Tours for a private tour and was very happy with the tour guides and arrangements.

I booked my own hotels so I could use points. The arrangements were seamless and the tour guides very good.

http://www.chinatours.com/?gclid=CNX...FYk6gQod__wHcw

Grace Wang was very accomodating and very easy to contact at any time. I would use them again.

Peace, Greenie

I gave the wrong link above. Here is the correct link.

http://www.chinaculturetour.com/cust...FdY2gQod08MKLA

Peace, Greenie

You don't say what time of year, which can make a difference on where to visit.

Here's what we did: We visited Beijing and Shanghai on our own, and went on an 8 night guided tour to really get away from it all and visit a prominent national park as well as a few very obscure sights. On our tour we ate almost exclusively at places with no English. The tour was with a car, driver, and guide. We flew into Lanzhou and drove to Bingling Si, Xiahe, Langmu, Jiazhaigou, Huanglong, and Songpan. This was not a pre-arranged itinerary.

I might do it differently a different time of year.

There are many fascinating sites in the Gansu Province, and I am very interested in visitng the Hunan Province. The Guizhou Province has a great cusine that is very difficult to find outside of China. We went south of Lanzhou, but I would be tempted to go north on a fitire trip.

I am not sure if the company we used is still in operation (it was Silk Road Adventures, but there are several companies with that name). Rainbow Tours in Beijing and Jessie Lu's Yangshuo Travel Guide are super reputable. Lots of great opportunities to get off the beaten track near Guilin and Yangshuo.

The important thing to remember about China is that it is not only a huge country, but everything in it is huge too. For centuries they built vast temple complexes on top of mountains, and carved huge statues in the side of cliffs, and there is no end to the fantastic places you can visit that very few people from the West ever see. Aside form The Great Wall, there are no true 'must visit ' places. There are magniifcent sites in every corner.

Check out China Plus.
Their tours are relatively small (usually 8-10 couples).
The only negative, in my opinion, was too many stops for shopping.
Otherwise, they do a great job ( at least they did in 2006).

There are similar threads about the same topic:

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...-for-china.cfm

independent travel in China is good for young people, organized tour is also a good choice(worry less).

That sounds ageist. I traveled independently in China (solo) in my late fifties, and I would not hesitate to do it again in my late sixties. Organized tour is not a good choice in China, and often not a good choice anywhere.

Your remarks, beijingman, are insulting to all the older people here who travel on their own. China is one of the worst places for organized tours, and I myself will never take one again. I abhor gift shops, propaganda (in China), perpetually late fellow travelers, and westernized group meals.

I find all of Asia, and especially China, so easy for the independent traveler. I took both of my young adult sons, and it was a breeze, other than them arguing about what to see. The concierges at the hotels helped me plan a trip that had sites of interest to both of them, and tirelessly responded to my emails for a year. We took planes and had drivers, but others here have traveled on trains, so there are many options.

I fully agree with CalLady...Beijing guy is all wet. In 1984 your only government allowed entry into China was with an organized "invited" tour.
...so back then we lucked out with a very efficient tour
with a company called Pacific Delight. The infrastructure was a mess but I daresay we enjoyed that introduction immensely. No Western food to contend with, fairly decent accomodations except for occasional rats. It was a month long and we covered a goodly portion of the country. Aircraft were Soviet or US DC3's...landing on a dirt runway in KUNMING purported to be an old Flying Tiger runway was exciting..lack of seat belts for everyone was not!

But this whet our appetites and we were determined to go it alone when it was finally allowed. Aircraft improved greatly, everything was smooth and in 2007 (in our 70's)
we had a marvelous adventure. IT CAN BE DONE AS MOST ANYONE ON THIS THREAD WILL AGREE.

Another voice against tours in China and noting that independent travel there is surprisingly easy.

Here are some threads that provide more information:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...a-572632-2.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...r-journeys.cfm

Yes, planning is a good idea.

"Of course, hiring a local English speaking guide for one day trip is also a good idea."

IMO, that is rarely true. YMMV.