Reviews

From our arrival in Beijing to our departure from Shanghai this was an excellent holiday with our guide, Betty, going above and beyond to make sure we had a fabulous time.
There were quite a few early starts - this isn't a trip if your idea of a holiday is relaxing with a good book - but there was so much to see!
In Beijing we saw Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden Palace, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Great Wall and more.
We then took a bullet train to Xian (amazing experience - totally smooth journey travelling at up to 250mph). We explored the city including the Muslim food quarter and the restored city walls and then went to the Terracotta Warriors.
The next day we took an early flight to Yichang and made our way to Maoping docks near the Three Gorges on the Yangtze river where we boarded the almost brand new Victoria Isabella. The weather was dreadful for our 4 days on the boat but the facilities and staff were excellent and we did get a few excursions.
We left the boat at Chongqing and went to the zoo where we saw pandas (a real highlight) and many other animals. A second bullet train took us to Guilin where we spent a night in the Waterfall Hotel (at 2030 every day a massive waterfall cascades down the outside of the building).
The next day, the sun came out and we took a boat trip down the beautiful River Li to Yangshuo. After a night there, we made our way back through the countryside to Guilin, seeing local people and the rice harvest.
After a second night in Guilin (a small but beautiful city) we took a flight to Shanghai, arriving in the early evening. A boat trip on the river Huangpu lets you see the Bund area with the most amazing lights display.
Our final day was spent exploring the city of Shanghai including the beautiful Yu gardens.
China is spotlessly clean. There are reasonable, free public toilets everywhere and the people are friendly (several conversation attempts via Google translate). There are security cameras and police everywhere and you are constantly asked for your passport but it never felt oppressive.

We did a 16 Wonder of China tour with a beautiful ****** Britney (Zhang Ru). Britney was organized, attentive, care, patient, knowledgeable in Chinese new and old histories and culture, above all she was lively and fun which made the tour full of laughter and joy. The Great Wall of China is magnificent, terracotta warriors in Xi’an is unbelievable til you see it, cruising on Yangtze River was beautiful with classic and optional shore tour, cruising from Guilin to Yangshuo on Li river was WOW factor, it took our breath away. We have already thinking of coming back to Guilin again just to sit back and enjoy the most beautiful scenery on earth. Shanghai the Bund is jaw dropping.

Absolutely fantastic, cram packed tour with so may contrasting places and experiences. Walking along the Great Walk and strolling round mountain tops where we stood above the clouds and looked down at the brown Yangtze where it met with its green tributaries. The deep crevices of the rift valley with its shafts of daylight poking through. We went under overhanging boulders and deep dark gorges. Such contrasting features.

We experienced the hustle and bustle of huge cities like Beijing and Shanghai and smaller towns like Guilin with a slower pace. We met Mr. Wong the fisherman, with his cormorants and asked him about his life, a way of life that's dying out as youngsters don't want to fish. They'd rather have city jobs.

I loved the .people's parks and the tea rooms with beautiful traditional music playing in one area and live singers backed by musicians in another part. Whilst visiting a rural settings just outside Guilin with its serene, tranquil, stunning scenery, we stumbled on a village wedding and were greeted with sweeties and peanuts as soon as we were spotted.

I will never forget the magnificent sight of the Terra-cotta army in their original burial sites and close encounters with a few of the warriors preserved in glass cases for closer inspection. And of course watching those lazy laid back pandas strolling around their grounds and leisurely climbing trees.

We went to four shows all very diverse and highly entertaining from the unique singing of the Beijing Opera, to the spectacular water show on the lake and then the jaw dropping acrobats and bikers in Shanghai.

Out on the streets and particularly in historic places, were lots of young ladies wearing stunning , traditional very evocative of a traditional Chinese culture. They were very beautiful.

There was so much more to see but I've already written more than I probably should.

Our tour guide, Alice was very professional with all the qualities necessary to keep us well fed, entertained, safe and well informed. She, along with Wendy Wu made this a trip of a life time. I loved every cram packed minute and crave those delicious banquet meals.

Absolutely amazing holiday. Wendy Wu takes great care of you from start to finish with everything included and a guide who stays with you on the whole trip. We started at Shanghai and then on to Guilin and Yangshuo which for me were the highlights of the tour. Then on to Xian and finishing up at Beijing. There were optional extras available and everywhere we went the food was excellent. I felt we did all the major sights and learned so much about the culture and life in China.

Wendy wu tour along with Sean our guide for the month.
Made this ultimate China tour memorable and will always carry in our hearts.
The scenery and destination stops, / nights were strategically co ordinated for the build up of dramatic beyond stunning surrounds. Reaching the roof to the world.
I sincerely hope this tour stays the same, and that if you can afford the time please choose ultimate China with Guilin and Yangzhou , the most beautiful places to which I will return to for further exploration

Ticked almost everything on the bucket list for China. It helped that all of guides were excellent and adjusted the tour based on the groups suggestions. Visited Great Wall, Bejing sites, Xian and the Terracota Army, Guilin and Li river Shanghai and much more. Great introduction to chinese food from the regions.

Very extensive, well planned, but exhausting tour. Little or no free time.
Up at 06:00 to 07:00 back to hotel ~ 20:00 to 21:00.

Great guide David, caring, conscientious & kind, nothing was too much trouble for him.

Would have preferred to visit Shanghai's colonial era streets than cross the river to the newly developed area.

Boat tour in Wuzhen would have been more interesting than in Suzhou

I'd have been happier had our tour ended in Xian

High points
1 Evening tour of Xian city centre, full of life, festive lights everywhere, older people dancing on a wide pavement, we all joined in, young singers busking, such a joyous atmosphere.

2 Three great shows,

3 Great Chinese cuisine throughout

4 Jinling Shihu Garden Hotel, Suzhou - beautiful hotel

Low points
1 Beijing first day, thousands queueing in 35°C heat to enter Tiananmen Square, a horror show ! two separate securety passport checks then a further face scan before we could enter. Could hardly see the square for people, who went on mass to the Forbidden City where the crush was even worse - an exhausting, utter waste of time. We'd have been better off looking at a move tracing the history with aerial photos etc in air conditioned comfort. A tour of the cities shopping or embassy area would
have been more interresting & enjoyable

2 Hotels in new high tech areas Chengdu & Beijing, remote from
city centres. Dull surroundings, not that we had much time to explore

3 Dinner at "Irish Pub" in Guilin. Very poor quality food compared with excellent Chinese cuisine throughout. To be avoided.

4 Waterfall Hotel in Guilin - only two functioning lifts for 33 stories. Very stressfull mornings not knowing when a lift would arrive & when one did
if there would be room to get into it. Otherwise a fine hotel, well located.

I think that's enough to be going on with !

An amazing full on experience that surpassed my expectations.
We travelled from Beijing to Shanghai escorted by our national guide Louis and a series of local guides. Our group of 14 (from Australia, New Zealand and UK) travelled by coach, boat, bullet train, high speed train and internal flights. Our hotels were of a very good standard, the food was plentiful and excellent but limited in choice for vegetarians.
Bucket lists were ticked at the Forbidden City, The Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors and let's not forget the Pandas.
Particularly memorable were a Drone spectacular by the river in Chongquin, a lakeside show in Guilin overlooked by the amazing illuminated Karst rock formations and the walled city of Xi'an as beautiful by night as it is by day.
China is an enormous country in the tiny bit we saw a country that although proud of it's heritage and ancient buildings does not dwell in the past. Parts of Shanghai resemble sets from a science fiction film - ultra modern, clean lines and very high tech.
My lasting memories will be of an amazing country with gracious, welcoming people. Would I go again - definitely if it wasn't quite so far away.
I ❤️ China

A fabulous tour incorporating all the key elements of China in one tour. It’s an action packed itinerary taking in all the key sites and carefully managed by your national guide, with local guides at each other main location to assist.

We had 24 on this tour group and everyone got on pretty well. Our National guide George took great care of us - he was super organised and his level of English was really impressive. He diligently catered for the various dietary requirements within the group and gave us rich insights into how China is. My last trip to China was in 1992 and the advancement is amazing! Certainly the standard of food and service facilities have improved massively!

There are several early morning starts but all understandable given that we had to cover vast distances using the various transport options - bullet trains, internal flights, cruise boats and we took a ride on the maglev train in Shanghai too! Beijing and Xian were amazing and stepped in history of course but beware that it’s full on with lots of walking as the sites are vast. The Great Wall is spectacular but that is pretty steep so those that are super for can get a challenge!

If would have been good to have a little break or chill day but we used the first day of the Yangtze River cruise to do this. The optional excursions are good - especially the acrobatics show and the night performance in Guilin if the weather permits it - go! We had a mini heatwave whilst we’re were there this March so be prepared and bring summer clothes!! Or buy some at Yangshuo!

Would highly recommend this tour and will definitely go with Wendy Wu Tours again.

Excellent trip. Britney, the tour guide was superb. Hotels were very good with Western and Chinese breakfast buffet. Very tasty Chinese lunch and evening meals.
Well organised visits to lots of iconic places such as Tianimum square, Great Wall, Terracotta warriors, Giant pandas.
Stunning scenery along the Yangtze river and especially in Guilin and along the river.
2nd tour I have done with Wendy Wu and would strongly recommend them.

Very exhausting trip but managed to see all the must see sights of China. I would have changed the schedule if I could to allow time to change and shower before going out to dinner. Also would have preferred 3 nights in Guilin rather than 2. to have avoided yet another hotel stop. 1 night in Guilin then an overnight in Yangshuo County and then travelling back to Guilin the next day. Be prepared for big crowds everywhere.

Totally excellent. The first few days were quite hard - relentless schedule to ensure we got the most from Beijing and Xi'an - before heading into the country. Slower pace on the river with Guilin the highlight. Returned to civilization in Shanghai. Unforgettable.

For those that are considering the "Glories of China" offering from Wendy Wu, but remain doubtful if a multi-centre guided tour, in the best hotels with inclusive meals is a bit too expensive. May I tell you, I thought the same thing before I booked. But I am so glad I went for it. The Tour was jam packed with things to see and do. 2x internal flights, a 4 1/2 hour river cruise. Bullet train and Mag-Lev train journeys. Going to the top a skyscraper in Shanghai and viewing the city lights at night from a river boat. What an amazing spectacle. You will experience the hustle and bustle of cities and the more sedate pace of rural life. You can catch a show or two, or three. And if you're worried about the food, the cuisine was second to none, with a few local delicacies thrown in. There was always plenty to go around. Then there are the tourist landmarks, The Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Yu Gardens, Xian city walls, The Terracotta army, Guilin Pagodas, and more. I came away wowed. And wanting to do it all again. Amazing!!

He care given by the representatives in each Ithaca were wonderful and Penny who travelled with us for our journey through China was exceptional.

Sam in Japan was most thorough and caring.

However, we did have a few niggles!

In China we were were not told in advance about the optional extra trips, which were not really optional as there was no alternative really. Having taken enough cash for our spending we had to find a bank or ATM to get more cash. We were not alone with this problem. Everything in Japan was included.

We cannot understand why the China rep in Guilin didn’t know about the World Cycle race that caused delays for our coach getting back to Guilin. She decided to try and walk us to another venue until the coach could leave our hotel, on a hot day with no footpath and lots of traffic. Most of our group were in their 70’s and 80’s…and it was very hard. After refreshments, transport was found and took us back down the hill we had walked up, back to the coach, which could now drive into the town!

Wendy Wu delivered a fantastic itinerary on their "Wonders of China" trip. It covered all the major cultural attractions in Beijing, Xian & Guilin travelling by plane, boat & bullet train.
Addison, our national guide , was brilliant in every way & is a great ambassador for his country, hometown of Xian & the Wendy Wu company. We became his 'family' for the tour & we all loved him. All the local guides in each city were very knowledgeable & helpful too.
The local cuisine throughout was a delight to the palate & we have been left with wonderful memories that will last forever.
The icing on the cake was our three day adventures in Tibet thanks to our lovely guide Yangte. My knowledge of Buddism has greatly increased & I have gained a great friend in the Himalayas.
Thank you Wendy Wu for your excellent organisation & help with the visa. You made it so easy & I will certainly travel with you again.