First trip to China? Your questions answered

Yes. Many countries, including the UK, Australia, Ireland, Italy, Belgium and France, can visit China without a visa for stays of up to 30 days. Regions like Tibet and Xinjiang require special permits to visit, but we don't currently visit these on our China tours, so you can explore with ease.

Major cities like Beijing and Shanghai are easier to navigate, with modern public transport systems and English signage making navigation straightforward. As you venture into more rural areas, like Guilin and Xi'an, aspects like the language barrier become more noticeable, but that's part of the adventure! Every region offers a unique glimpse into Chinese traditions, communities and way of life. 

By joining one of our small group tours to China, you'll follow a throughtfully curated itinerary, travel alongside like-minded explorers and benefit from all the in-the-know information from your expert tour leader.

This depends on your country. The likes of the UK and Australia don't require a visa to China for stays of up to 30 days. Luckily for you, our China small group tours run between 10-12 days. So, chances are, you'll only need a China visa if you're planning on staying for over 30 days.

We'll need a copy of your passport no later than 8 weeks before you are due to start your trip. This is so we can acquire the necessary supporting documents (confirming your itinerary and travel arrangements) for your visa application. 

Once we have your passport copy we shall process and pass on the documents you require 6-8 weeks before your trip, please be mindful of this when applying for your visa. If you require the supporting documents earlier than this, please contact us so we can arrange this.

China's climate is diverse due to its vast size, ranging from temperate in the north to tropical in the south. Summers are generally hot and rainy, especially in southern regional where tropcal downpours can occur year-round. In contrast, northern areas like Beijing experience dry, hot summers and very cold winters, with temperatures dropping to -12°C or lower!

The south remains milder in winter but can be humid. Spring and autumn offer more moderate and pleasant weather across much of the country. 

Our China Highlights tour starts in Hong Kong, which shares a similar climate: hot, humid summers and mild, dry winters. The best time to visit Hong Kong is during the cooler months with more comfortable temperatures for exploring.