Tour of China:advice on Tour Operators

Pollycat

Hi
I'm looking for a bit of advice, please.
We hope to book a tour of China towards the end of this year, to definitely include Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Yangtze Cruise and Guilin.

After spending ages looking through websites, I've found the following companies who offer tours that seem to suit our requirements:

Voyages Jules Verne
Archers Direct
CTS Horizons
China Tours
China Holidays
Travelsphere
Cultural Tours
Emperor Tours
Oriental Travel

Has anyone had experience of any of these companies?

I've not included the obvious ones like Kuoni or Hayes & Jarvis but would also be grateful for any feedback on tours through China by any of the 'big' companies.

Thanks
Polly

Sam_Bee

Have a look at Wendy Wu & Audley travel as well if you're not looking for group tours. Both have specialist china experts and decent brochures as well.

mystic_trev

I've only done one package Tour in the last twenty years, and that was with Voyages Jules Verne six years ago, they were very good. I know several people who've toured China with Exodus Travel and rate them very highly.

Pollycat

Thanks guys.

I've looked at WendyWu website and there's some tours on there that look good.

Exodus Travel has one tour that would be good, but the next departure date is April 2009 and we wanted to do the Yangtze Cruise before the 3 Gorges Dam is completed in 2009.
I've bookmarked the website though as they do Cambodia/Vietnam and that's next on the list.

Audley Travel' website looks good but as they are 'tailor made' I need to do a bit more homework on places we MIGHT want to visit before asking for a quote.

Regards

mystic_trev

Pollycat wrote: »

I've bookmarked the website though as they do Cambodia/Vietnam and that's next on the list.

I backpacked around Cambodia without any problems a few years back.

On my way to see the Ashes in Australia, end of 2006, I wanted to do a short Tour of Vietnam. The guy I was traveling likes to have most things booked up in advance, so I used a Local Travel Agent in Vietnam. A Car, driver and Guide, including one internal flight and one overnight train. Three meals a day and a decent Hotel for 9 days - £300 each !!!! I can really recomend these people, and they will organise your Cambodia trip too, if you wish.

http://www.vietnamopentour.com/english_pro/option_tour/Lights_of_Vietnam_STOP15.htm

nearlyrich

We went to all the places on your list with Archers last May, we are not usually package tour people but we felt it was really well organised and great value for money. PM if you have any specific questions...

Voyager2002

A couple of comments on your proposed itinerary:
1. most people find a Yangtze cruise rather a disappointment. There was a time when passing through the Three Gorges was a great adventure (and rather dangerous) but that was before channels were dug through to make shipping safer, which was before any of us were born. Nowadays, there is not that musch special about the trip or the landscape, although spending time in comfort on a luxurorious boat is always pleasant. Sad to say, luxury does not come cheap (even in China) and a cruise that is affordable is unlikely to be that comfortable. Anyway, the best part of such a cruise is a boat ride through "Little Three Gorges" and this can be done as a day trip from Yichang;
2. you plan to visit Guilin rather than Yangshuo. Guilin has a nice park and some interesting history, but is really not all that special. It is worth visiting as a base from which to see the amazing khart hills landscape nearby, regarded by the Chinese as being the most beautiful on earth. Yangshuo is right in the middle of those hills, and is smaller, more relaxed, and has a tourist industry that is more about giving good service than about charging high prices. I have spent time in both, and actually had a good time in Guilin, but prefer Yangshou in virtually every way.

poe.tuesday

I did a 10 day tour with jules verne and it was fab, great value for money and very well organised, we did the river cruise and I loved it but that was why I was going there in the first place was to see the three gorges before it was dammed.

Pollycat

Thanks for all your helpful comments.

Voyager2002
After reading your comments about the Yangzte cruise, I did some more homework and after reading a number of reviews on different websites we're now not at all sure that we still want to do the cruise.

Guilin v Yangshuo (Yangshou?) - I've also read views that coincide with yours. The alternative tour that we're now looking at (that doesn't include the Yangtze cruise) has 2 nights in Yangshuo.

Thanks again
Polly

janey07

Hi guys
Can any of you well travelled moneysavers recommend Tour Operators who can organise flights from the UK, 3 days in Tokyo (hotel only) followed by 2 weeks on a guided tour in China. Many thanks

Pollycat

Hi Janey
Take a look at the websites of the companies that I mentioned in my original post.
A lot of them do tailor-made holidays.

I think (after spending ages reading about different tours) I like the look of CTS Horizons.
I sent for their China brochure (they also do holidays to the rest of the world), it came very quickly and reads well.
It says CTS Horizons is the London branch of CTS which was established 1928.

I asked the same question as in my original post on several other websites and got 3 recommendations for Archers, 1 for VJV, 1 for Travelsphere & 1 for Kuoni.

Regards