How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Our leader was great, a local to Xian, he had organised a wonderful tour. Nothing was too much trouble, and a great calm manor. Also very knowledgeable about where we were going. 

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

You will not find a better valued trip to China out there right now. You actually have a lot of flexibility on this tour as many things are optional so you can fill the days with as much or as little as you want. Also try the local cuisine, you have made it all the way to China so avoid the fast food places and experience the real Chinese cuisine. (Your Tour Leader can always point you in the direction of a good restaurant)

Do you have anything else to add?

If you want to see China without spending thousands or you can’t take several weeks off work then this is the ideal tour. 9 days and you see 4 cities, Beijing, Xian, Suzhou and Shanghai. This includes the Great Wall and Terracotta Warriors. Very busy tour ends with a few days to relax in Shanghai.

 

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

He was fine, my first tour so nothing to compare to his knowledge was good and without him I don't think many people would be able to get from Beijing to China using only public transport!

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Pack light this is a busy trip and only uses public transport which you can imagine is a busy and overcrowded. Once you have finished days sightseeing don't go to bed!  Get out and soak up the local bars, restaurants with the locals.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

To be honest fairly poor, and not up to Explores' usual standard. She was too bossy and did not comprehend that some of us were seasoned travellers and really liked to mix with the local people.  Her choice of restaurants to eat in were too touristy and so you did not get to try true authentic cuisine(we gave up after 2 meals)

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"Enjoy the train travel and do mix with the locals in the restaurant cars-its great fun.
Go to pit no. 1 last at the terracotta warrior site(not first as our guide suggested)to really appreciate the magnitude of this great find. Do try the Yang Yang restaurant in Suzhou-full of locals and good cheap food & beer and if you are adventurous try the'exotic' night food market in Beijing for some real culinary delights!"

Do you have anything else to add?

I highly recommend this trip for a quick 'fix' of China highlights.The hotels are of a good standard even though this is a budget trip.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Tour leader was local and still finding her feet.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Be aware there is little privacy on the sleeper trains. Although the Chinese people are very sensible and polite. It didn't cause us a problem and we had fun interacting with locals as they practiced their English.

Do you have anything else to add?

In the Spring the Cherries are beginning to blossom and there are fewer tourists. Although it was cold and there was a couple of very wet rainy days.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Tour leader was still fresh and naive to the requirements and abilities of an explore group. She was learning that we can and will travel on public transport and dont mind a lower standard of hotel in a prime central location.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"Take plenty of change for transfers and site visits not included in itinerary. Get a beaker with a filter for drinking jasmine tea hot and cold. beakers and tea are available almost everywhere for cheap prices. Hot water is free at most locations.
Be prepared for a lack of privacy on the sleeper train. Tracksuit or modest pyjamas are useful for sleeping in. "

Tour starts in Beijing. What a super location we had down a Hutong. Food wasn't included but it was a highlight seeing the baker covered in flour bringing out the freshly steamed buns for our supper. Temple of Heaven was a highlight, it is a public park and full of activities. Got fantastic pictures of a keep fit class with gymnastic ribbons. The lady of 70 years plus was swanly graceful and for a chap I was mesmerised by the psychadelic spirals of ribbon. In Xian I highly recomend a walk round the city wall. During one afternoon we were able to look down on all that Chinese culture. Pop concert, opera, band practice, temples and even the city driving school. At the terracotta warriors we were awe struck. Well worth enduring the factory shop on the way. At the museum there are 3 pits of warriors. Highly recomend like LP travel book. Do Pit2, Pit3 then Pit1. Trust us this builds you up and makes a good plan. Photographs are ok inside the pits but don't use a flash. It makes the soldiers (real live ones) quite lively and they shout alot at flash camera friends. Shanghai is or can be a crush. Be ready to experience some real culture if you decide to stroll the city on a saturday afternoon. Because so does everyone else in a 50 mile radius. You will not get a photograph on the bund without and arme, hand or torso across it. Enjoy the crush, this is pure China culture at its busiest. Some good tips to enhnce your enjoyment. Everyone around you seems to drink alot of jasmine tea. Every supermarket can sell you a cheap sipper beaker with a filter inside. This is used for making up your tea and you can carry it with you and even top it up on the move. Boiling water is available at station, airports and on the trains. You cn also use the facility if you choose a 20p pot noodle for dinner on the train. Watch out for money exchanging? If you plan to change cash for RMB/Yu'an then be prepared for big commission at B de Ch or be prepared for good rates but long waits at a bank. Also the european notes you exchange must be pristine to pass the elctronic forgery testing. Trust me when I say half my clean pounds sterling were rejected by 3 different forgery machines. Cash points are frequent but not all of them accept all the cards. I also heard that the bank of China charged £4 every ATM transaction but cannot confirm it. Go out there and immerse yourself in Chinese culture. It does contrast our Euro culture so best to jump in and enjoy.