Are you looking for the best China tours?
Although it may be hard to define what constitute best China tours, certain elements are important in your search for best China tours.
When a tour company engages in aggressive pricing, be prepared for lots of corner cutting. A cheap tour dilutes your experience in so many ways. They include putting you up in shoddy hotels away from the city centre, feeding you cheap meals in tourist restaurants, marching you through tourist traps every day, and, worst of all, using incompetent but cheap guides.
If you want the best China tour experience, be sure to go with a tour company that guarantees well-trained professional guides, good meals served in decent restaurants, centrally located first-class or luxury hotels, a well crafted itinerary that is reasonably paced so that you won’t be exhausted at the end of the trip. More importantly, thoroughly check out the company to ensure that its reputation is beyond reproach.
Based on the large amount consumer reviews on Laurus Travel’s China tours, you can rest assured that this is a company you can completely trust. Once the trust factor is taken care of, you’d probably want to know which of their China tours would work best for you, hence our Top 10 Best China Tours List:
Best China Tours – Top 10 Trips & Itineraries
1. Classic China by High-speed Train (25 days)
Shanghai – Suzhou – Tongli – Qufu – Beijing – Xi’an – Chengdu – Chongqing – Yangtze Cruise – Yichang – Wuhan – Guilin – Hong Kong
Embark on this 25-day odyssey through the heart of China, where ancient traditions harmonize with cutting-edge modernity, and each city tells a tale woven into the fabric of a nation steeped in history. This “Classic China by Train” itinerary is a captivating journey that transcends time, offering an immersive experience that showcases the best of China’s cultural heritage, breathtaking landscapes, and dynamic urban centers.
This leisurely paced grand tour takes in China’s most popular destinations stringing together a collection of spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition to well-known highlights such as the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army and the Yangtze Three Gorges cruise, the itinerary features Tongli (water town), Qufu (hometown of Confucius) and Chengdu Giant Panda Research Centre.
For added comfort, inter-city travel is exclusively by high-speed train, thus eliminating air travel-related hassles such as intrusive security checks and frustrating flight delays. Travelling by train also allows you to see the countryside and mingle with locals.
2. China Odyssey Tour (19 days)
Beijing – Xi’an – Chengdu – Yangtze Cruise – Yichang – Wuhan – Guilin – Shanghai
Explore ancient sites in Beijing and Xi’an, admire nature’s beauty in Guilin, sail through the majestic Three Gorges of the Yangtze, savour authentic Chinese cuisines of different regions – this China tour package gives you all that and much more! Trip highlights include the Forbidden City and the Great Wall at Mutianyu in Beijing, Terracotta Army in Xian, a 3-day cruise down the mighty Yangtze, hiking through terraced rice paddies and a day cruise on picturesque Li River in Guilin.
3. Essential China (14 days)
Shanghai – Beijing – Xi’an – Guilin – Hong Kong
Embark on a journey of opulence and discovery with this luxury China tour, meticulously crafted to redefine your travel experience. On this tour you’ll immerse yourself in the grandeur of China’s rich cultural tapestry while indulging in the epitome of luxury and comfort.
This fast-paced luxury China tour is a perfect choice for the time-pressed looking for a well-rounded introduction to both the traditional and modern China. Trip highlights include the Great Wall at Mutianyu, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Terracotta Army and a day cruise on the picturesque Li River in Guilin.
4. Imperial China with Tibet (26 days)
Beijing – Xian – Chengdu – Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse – Chongqing – Yangtze Cruise – Yichang – Wuhan – Guilin – Shanghai
Explore China in depth with expert guides handpicked by the owners of Laurus Travel. This trip includes 6 days in Tibet and 3 days on a Yangtze cruise in addition to a long list of famous attractions such as the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army Museum, Chengdu Giant Panda Research Center, and a day cruise on picturesque Li River in Guilin.
This is a physically demanding endeavour taking you to locations as high as 5,020 metres (16,470 feet) above sea level. Travellers prone to altitude sickness must take precaution.
5. China Discovery (16 days)
Beijing – Xi’an – Chengdu – Chongqing – Yangtze Cruise – Yichang – Wuhan – Shanghai
This popular small group China tour features China’s top three tourist cities plus a first-class cruise through the mighty Three Gorges on the Yangtze River. Trip highlights include the Great Wall at Mutianyu, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and the Terracotta Army.
6. Silk Road Adventure (18 days)
Beijing – Xi’an – Dunhuang – Turpan – Urumqi – Kashgar – Shanghai
The network of overland trade routes collectively known as the Silk Road, a term coined by German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen in 1877, was established during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) of China. It stretches from the eastern terminus of Chang’an (present-day Xi’an) all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. On this exotic Silk Road China tour we retrace the footsteps of Marco Polo to explore the glorious past of the fabled Silk Road. Trip highlights include the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army, Mogao Grottos and the scenic drive from Kashgar to Karakul Lake on winding Karakoram Highway whose route overlaps one of the many paths of the Silk Road.
7. Tibet Adventure (14 days)
Shanghai – Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse – Lhasa – Chengdu – Hong Kong
Embark on a journey of discovery with this luxury tour, meticulously crafted to redefine your travel experience. This fast-paced tour is a perfect choice for the time-pressed looking for a well-rounded Tibet adventure. Trip highlights include Potala Palace, Yamdrok Yumtso (lake), Gyantse Fortress, Tibetan family visit and the Chengdu Giant Panda Research Center.
This tour reaches points as high as 5,020 metres above sea level. Participants prone to altitude sickness must take precaution.
8. Southeast China (15 days)
Shanghai – Yellow Mountain (Huangshan) – Wuyi Mountain (Wuyishan) – Longyan – Xiamen – Guangzhou – Shenzhen – Hong Kong
Featuring high-speed rail for inter-city travel, this unique itinerary boasts a collection of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, both natural and historical, while offering you a deep insight into China’s modernization of the past four decades. This tour includes strenuous hiking at multiple locations; travellers with mobility issues (hip or knee surgery etc.) would not be able to keep up with the group.
9. China Panorama (26 days)
Beijing – Xi’an – Chengdu – Lijiang – Xianggelila– Kunming – Chongqing – Yangtze Cruise – Yichang – Wuhan – Guilin – Shanghai
Combining China’s most popular cities with exotic Yunnan Province and a first-class Yangtze cruise, the well tested itinerary gives you as complete an introduction to China as possible in 26 days. Westerners began to pay attention to Yunnan around a century ago when National Geographic magazine published a series of articles and photographs on the area. It is believed that those articles and photographs inspired James Hilton to write his famous novel “Lost Horizon”. Visitors to Yunnan today never fail to be awed by its stunningly beautiful landscape, rich biodiversity, and intriguing tribal cultures.
This thrilling vacation tour visits places as high as 3,500m (11,500 feet) above sea level. Travellers with known history of altitude sickness should take precaution before going on the trip.
10. China Delight (12 days)
Beijing – Xi’an – Chengdu – Shanghai
Filled with cultural and natural wonders, this luxury vacation package is designed to delight! Highlights include the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army and the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
A recent customer’s review copied from Google Reviews
There are lots of customer reviews on Laurus Travel’s China tours
Our family of five adults just returned from the 12 day China Delight Tour to Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, and Shanghai. This is the first touring vacation we’ve done, and I would highly recommend it. One perk was that we were the only ones for half of our tour, a single traveler joined us for the first half then we had a private tour the rest of the way.
Each city tour guide was fantastic and personable. They shared their city’s history in interesting ways, taught us Chinese phrases, and made sure we were well taken care of at each delicious restaurant (there was always plenty of variety of dishes). The sites were iconic, and just as described in the Laurus literature. We actually asked to do some shopping and received good recommendations on where to go and how to bargain.
The hotels were all high quality with amenities like fitness rooms and pools, and massive breakfast buffets with eastern and western choices. One little quirk is that none of the beds came with a top sheet, just a comforter. So, if you prefer a thin top sheet for sleeping, bring your own. Also, it is hot in China in June, temps were in the 90s and humid each day. But, this is the timing that worked best for our group so we dressed lightly and made the best of the weather.
Travel by bullet train and plane between cities went smoothly, our guides helped us get to the correct gates and lines. They’ve been leading groups for years and know how to make things go smoothly for guests. We can’t say enough great things about our trip and Laurus Travel.
