Dunhuang, Xi'an, Xinjiang

I liked working with Sherry from the planning through the implementation of our trip. She remained involved in our progress even though she was on vacation. She called us when our flight was cancelled. She and Steven called the left luggage staff in Xi’an when we were all concerned about our connection. We really appreciated her care and attention to detail…

We had some wonderful guides. We loved having Uighur guides. We especially enjoyed Nurija – she is smart, forthcoming, helpful and interesting. We felt very fortunate that we met her and that she was able to spend more time with us. (Sherry encouraged her to change her schedule so that she could guide us to Turpan.) She helped us get a positive view of the opportunities Uighurs have in Xinjiang. We also enjoyed Mohammed in Kashgar although he is a little more cynical! He is a very interesting man. Korban was very good too.

We appreciated Steven’s flexibility and his personality. He was an excellent guide in Dunhuang. He told us he knew we did not want to go to a factory and he knew we would prefer a cold beer. He was right!

Jessica is a wonderful guide. She is knowledgeable and flexible. We were very glad to add the Han museum to our itinerary on the first day. It is a superb museum. She also arranged a dinner in the Muslim quarter for us that was very special.

Note from WildChina: For more information on our trips to Xi'an and Xinjiang, see Xi’an: The Weight of Ten Dynasties and Marco Polo’s Silk Road: Around the Taklamakan.

Sheila Botein, Jul 2010

Beijing

We had an amazing time. We are very happy that we used WildChina. Our guide, Shirley Wang (Leilei) was absolutely delightful, confident and very knowledgeable, attentive and also flexible, which we really needed.

Note from WildChina: For more information on our trip to Beijing, see Beijing: A Glimpse into the Past and Future of the Middle Kingdom.

Connie Howarth, Jul 2010

Tibet

Nyima was a wonderful guide. Very knowledgeable about the places we visited, Tibet's history and he possessed an in-depth understanding of Tibetan Buddhism. He was always very pleasant and attentive to our needs. We would travel with Nyima again, and would recommend him to our friends.

Note from WildChina: For more information on our trip to Tibet, see Soul of Tibet.

Craig Adams, Jul 2010

Beijing

Roger was most informative and had a good sense of humor. At one point we were scheduled to go tour the Hutongs, but an African dignitary’s tour had shut the place down. Without any hesitation, Roger made other arrangements and we went to the Summer Palace. The driver was amazing as well. He was on time, got us where we needed to go, even in the most congested times, and met us when we needed to be picked up.

Note from WildChina: For more information on our trip to Beijing, see Beijing: A Glimpse into the Past and Future of the Middle Kingdom.

Alice Sheridan, Jul 2010

Beijing, Lijiang, Longsheng, Shangri-La, Xi'an, Yangshuo

We had a wonderful trip to China, thanks to Gloria Guo for her assistance in planning the trip. The guides were excellent, very attentive and went out of their way to be helpful. The drivers were skilled and careful. All the arrangements, pickups and transfers worked like clockwork…

The itinerary worked very well for us, because it had a blend of guided experiences and free time. Highlights for us included hiking on the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, the Longsheng Rice Terraces and hike, and the Li River cruise and biking in the countryside of Yangshou.

Although we enjoyed Lijiang, it was really mobbed with tourists, which detracted somewhat from the experience.  As much as we loved the hotel in Shangri-La and found the monastery evocative, it was a long way to go for one major activity, as the town itself was not attractive.  If we were to do it again, we'd plan to spend a day at the nature conservancy park or skip Shangri-La altogether.

Thanks again for helping us have a fantastic experience.

Note from WildChina: For more information on our trips to these areas, see Chinese Treasures: Beijing, Xi’an, Yunnan & Shanghai and Essence of China: Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin & Shanghai. 

Helane & David Leta, Jun 2010