Frequently Asked Questions

Often not. Citizens of 50 countries can enter visa-free for short stays under unilateral visa-free policies, and travelers from 55 countries qualify for 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit when connecting to a third country or region. In the first half of 2026, 77.7% of all foreign visitors entered China without a visa.

Hold a passport from one of 55 eligible countries, arrive from country A, and depart to country or region B (not back to A) with a confirmed onward ticket within 240 hours. You may stay in designated provinces and cities — including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Changsha/Zhangjiajie — without a visa.

Yes via the 240-hour transit route. The United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia are all on the 240-hour eligibility list. Unilateral visa-free entry (no onward ticket needed) currently covers most of Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN nations and others — but not yet the United States.

For unilateral visa-free entry: just a valid passport (usually 6 months remaining) and an arrival card. For 240-hour transit: passport plus a confirmed onward ticket to a third country/region, declared at the transit counter on arrival. We send a pre-arrival checklist with every booking.

Visa-free entry lets you travel independently — no tour required. Many travelers book our private guides and drivers for part of the trip and explore on their own the rest. It's your trip; we just remove the friction.

Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept foreign cards now. We help every client set this up on Day 1 so your phone pays for everything. For internet, get an eSIM or roaming before arrival; we send a setup guide with each booking. Google services are blocked in China, so we pre-load offline maps.

Spring (Apr–May) and autumn (Sep–Oct) are mildest and clearest across most regions. Summer is lush but humid in the south; winter is cold up north but excellent for Harbin and quiet sites. We'll recommend timing per route.

Short city breaks start around $260 per person (2 days in Beijing) up to roughly $470 (4 days, Chengdu). Our classic 3–9 day routes range from about $320 to $1,290. Longer tailor-made journeys of 10–14 days typically land between $1,500 and $3,000 per person, depending on hotel level, season, group size and internal transport. Every quote is itemized line by line — no lump sums, no surprises.

Tipping is not customary in China and nobody will chase you for it. If your guide and driver did great work over several days, a small tip (roughly $5–10 per day for the guide) is appreciated but never expected. Our guides earn fair salaries with no commission pressure, so tips stay genuinely optional.

Both. Most itineraries run fully private (just you, your guide and driver). Several routes also offer small-group departures capped at 6–8 travelers. Every listing states its format clearly.

Always. Every tour is a starting point. Tell us what to change — add a city, slow the pace, swap a hotel, accommodate dietary needs — and we rebuild it at no extra planning cost. Unlimited free revisions before you pay a deposit.

A 20% deposit (PayPal, Wise or card) confirms your trip; the balance is due 30 days before arrival. Free cancellation up to 45 days out, with a transparent sliding scale after that — full terms are written into your quote.

Private guide, private vehicle and airport transfers, all pre-booked entrance tickets, and (on most tours) hotels and listed meals. International flights, visa fees (if any) and personal expenses are not. Every quote itemizes each line.