2017-06-07 Cynthia from Australia

Tourist nationality: Australia

Tour itinerary: Beijing, Xian, Shanghai

Tour Reviews:

In 2009, my wife and I used China Connection Tours to take a 3 week tour of the major tourist sites in China (Shanghai, Yangtze Cruise, Guilin, Xian, Beijing). We added Suzhou, Hangzou, and Luoyang to what was otherwise a fairly standard tour itinerary. Everything was wonderful.

This year we decided to tour China again. Instead of the standard tour sites we chose areas less frequently visited by western tourists. I contacted Cynthia of China Connection Tours and gave her the list of places that we wanted to visit (Chengdu, Mt Emei, Leshan, Jiuzhaigao, Xining (for Tibet Railway), Lhasa, Lijiang, Kunming, Zhangjiajie, and Huangshan). She put together several draft itineraries, and we discussed options re travel, sites to visit, hotels, and shows. No matter what I asked (via email), Cynthia would respond the next day with a very clear answer. 

The final tour was a 23 day tour. It was fabulous. In every location, we had an excellent guide who spoke good English and a safe driver with a comfortable vehicle. All the guides were anxious to please and were very accommodating when we requested schedule changes or special needs. All the hotels were very clean and comfortable, and most had western breakfast items on their breakfast buffet. Two of the tour guides mentioned that senior representatives from China Connection Tours visit their areas regularly to audit the services in that area. The cost of the tour was very reasonable.

I do not have any experience with other tour groups in China, but I see no reason to use any tour group other than China Connection Tours.