Grand Tour of China

Grand Tour of China - April 2025
This was an exceptional tour, with a wide variety of sight seeing to suit all tastes - cultural, natural, historical, shopping and so much more.
Our group of 15 ranged from early 50's to 80 and all managed the level of activity because there were options at each site based on ability. That said there are quite a few steps wherever you go in China.
We really felt that we'd been able to experience the culture (and sub cultures of each province) on this tour and it very much lived up to expectations. If you can take the time out to do this - absolutely would recommend.
It was very well organised and our national guide - Ryan - was brilliant, and the local guides (one in each location) added local flavour and information.

Some hints & tips if you're thinking about booking this trip
* Flights - If you can, upgrade to Premium Economy, it's worth it for the long flight. Also, check the flight times you're provided and make sure they're suitable. We ended up with a midnight flight home, and the tour officially finishes at breakfast on the last day, so we arranged a visit to the zoo ourselves, but otherwise we would have been hanging around at the hotel until collection at 7pm
* Packing - get out what you think you need then reduce by at least a third. All the hotels have laundry service and one even had self-service free washers/dryers and detergent provided. It's very casual, and sometimes you go straight to dinner from touring so you don't need clothes to change for dinner. If you can pack in a medium case (instead of large) you'll find it easier when you're moving around between locations, and packing cubes are a god send.
* Internal transfers - these were smooth, flights, trains and coaches. Train stations in China are like airport terminals, you're scanned on the way in (and your bags are too). Also don't get caught out like we did - on trains you're not allowed any pressurised containers over 150ml (and they will pick you up on it), so think deodorant, hair spray, shaving gel - travel size is best
* Staying connected - we used an unlimited data e-sim from Holafly, £60 each for 30 days. Worked like a dream. Some others used VPNs but these were patchy. Without either of these, even with hotel wifi you won't be able to connect to Google, What's App, Facebook etc
* Food & drink - We never went hungry. Breakfasts are mainly asian, but also some western options (fried/boiled eggs, toast, croissants). Lunch and dinner are all chinese, family service. You will eat a lot of rice, noddles. There was lots of fresh veg as well, and a fish eating veggie in our group was well catered for. There is limited choice for drinks, most of our group had local beers (about £1.50 on average per 500ml bottle), soft drinks you could have coke or sprite (or coconut milk/water). These again were about £1 for a 330ml can. Don't expect diet alternatives.
* Mindset - don't think of this as a "holiday" that is restful. Think of it as an adventure. Some days we walked over 20,000 steps, other days only 4,500. Some mornings we met in reception as early as 7am, others not til 9.30am. One flight meant leaving the hotel at 4.30am (as it was the only flight from that city to the next - one flight a day)! Temperatures ranged from early 30's to mid teens, and we were blessed with only two drizzly days. Some locations have high humidity. You also need to be ready to be considered unusual - a spectacle - by the locals. Not all the places visit have lots of western tourists. I don't think I've had my photo taken by as many people in my entire life as I did in these 4 weeks. From school children in a museum being fascinated with us, to adults in the street wanting selfies (or trying to take them on the sly) - go with the flow and you'll enjoy it.
* Crowds - some of the places we visit are very crowded (partly due to the increase in domestic tourism in China), and they don't have the same culture of queuing/patience as we might have in the UK. They travel in large groups, and are often very noisy (large tour groups using loud speakers), Our guides and the timings we had for visits made the most of trying to avoid this, but you do need to think differently when in a crowd if you want to get to "the front" to see something!
* Optional extras - the night tour in Xian is an absolute MUST, we did some of the evening shows and not others depending on how tired we were. If you're a train fan, the optional trip on the MagLev in Shanghai was worth it.

Fantastic tour of China. Well organised and delivered. Activity level was however higher than expected. The national tour guide Ryan was extremely professional and warm

Across the Great Wall, journeys unfold,
With Ryan, the guide, stories bravely bold.
Through ancient pagodas, and rivers so wide,
A tapestry woven, where wonders reside.

From bustling markets, to temples serene,
His knowledge profound, a captivating scene.
With whispered history, and tales of the past,
He paints vivid pictures, that forever will last.

The Terracotta Army, a silent parade,
Ryan's insights unveiled, a wisdom displayed.
The Forbidden City, a splendor so grand,
His expertise shines, across every land.

He leads with a smile, and a spirit so free,
Unveiling the secrets of history.
Through bustling streets, and whispering breeze,
Ryan, the guide, in China's embrace, he leads.

With each turning page, and each step on the way,
Ryan's passion ignites, and shines ever bright.
A master storyteller, guiding the way,
Across mountains and plains, in the light of the day.

From Shanghai's high towers, to Xi'an's old charm,
Ryan's guiding hand, brings smile and charm.
A tour de force, woven with wit and with grace,
Ryan's the greatest, in China's embrace.

Very polite and swift in answering questions.

They understood what we wanted straight away and were able to put the holiday together quickly

Excellent holiday. brilliant Chinese National guide Jason for the tour and an incredible country to visit

triip of a lifetime - great guides, wonderful and real insights into china old and new - a real eye opener

This tour covers all the key areas of China and is jam packed for the whole 26 days - so you need stamina ! It was well organised and our guide Alice was wonderful - no issue was too big or too small for her to help you with. The size of the group was 12 and was a lovely mix of like minded people all their for the adventure. I had never been to China before but found the people lovely and sightseeing amazing a really good mix for a holiday of a life time

Our tour.was made special by our guide David He, he ensured our hotel bookings, plane and train trips ran smoothly, resolved every problem without any fuss.
The information given by him were always clear, informative and good humoured.
When a couple of the guests fell ill he made sure they had medicine to take, David also made sure that the guests who had certain dietary requirements were well looked after.
The actual tour itself went very well, but we felt there were too many “optional” extras. If these optional extras were “so good” as expressed by the local guides, why were they not included in the tours., we would have been quite happy to have gone to them had they been included.
With tips and optional extras this added another approximately £500 of hidden costs. We would have preferred it if “all inclusive” meant all inclusive.
We would recommend this tour to people, but warn them about the optional extras. We were also lucky with the people in our group, we all happen to get on.

We had been to Hong Kong & Beijing before, but the Grand Tour was a whole new level of understanding of China. The trip organisation by Wendy Wu was faultless & our national guide, David He, was exceptional, showing patience & understanding where needed plus a great knowledge of China. He worked hard to satisfy Gluten / Veggy food needs – not always easy with this style of meal service. Local guides in each town were also really good. Hotels varied from good to great, with priority usually being location. The Yangshuo hotel, for example, was a bit older but we stepped straight out onto West St, and breakfast was simple but had an exceptional view. There is a lot of travel involved with 3 each internal flights & trains, but Chinese trains & airports put the UK to shame! Overall the food was at least good sometimes great. Breakfast did not always include a wide ‘Western’ selection but then we were foreigners in China - How many foreign breakfast options do UK hotels have? Bus management was brilliant – a snap of the electronic fingers & it was there. We had not done a ‘follow the flag’ holiday or used Wendy Wu before. We will definitely do both again. Thanks again David. 

If you are considering a long trip in China for the first time – lessons we learned:
> Grand tour lunch & dinner is 26 days of Chinese food, with set dishes, off a lazy susan except for a few packed lunches & the Yangtze cruise. Some of the dishes may not be to your taste – be flexible.
> You will need to handle your luggage – journeys involve suitcases + escalators + airports & stations
> Out walking at night in China - this is the safest I have ever felt either at home or travelling.
> Don’t think too hard about the tip pot, it just works, saving time & hassle.
> Alipay attached to your UK credit card is super quick & easy to use if you have an active phone.
> Install Wechat to contact family in case you cannot get Whatsapp to work – basically the same (Family will also have to install).
> VPN’s did not reliably work. But they do have 30 day money back warranty. I tried Express / Nord
> If your phone accepts e-sim, get one. Ours gave us access to Western websites with no VPN and always worked.
> You may be sharing China with lots of domestic tourists – check when their major holidays are.
> The Yangtze cruise was great & we are happy we did not upgrade either room or meal options. Upgraders were equally happy with their choice - do not worry about it.
Totally recommended.
Paul & Tracy

Grace was a fantastic tour guide who could not do enough for us.
The tour was very comprehensive and I feel that I know a lot more about China it’s people and culture now.
I’d certainly use Wendy Wu again.

All my questions were answered with confidence. My subsequent booking was simple and quick and was handled in a very friendly manner by Julia.

Arti delt with my enquiry efficiently and was very helpful