China Tour from the UK

Serving British citizens to discover the real China with our private guided tours!

Book your China tour directly from Great Wall Adventure Club to save your China tour cost. By dealing with us, you save the "middle man" charge without seeking China packages from your local China tour agent in San Francisco.

Try our world-famous Great Wall adventure and experience the real Great Wall! This is probably the first thing you want to do during your China travel!

Because we believe in top-notch service and client satisfaction, there will be NO mandatory shopping stops for programs. We guarantee there will not be detours to shops, markets, etc. during your trips. While this may result in slightly higher prices for these tours, we firmly believe that it is worth it in order to bring you the best Great Wall experience possible (mandatory shopping stops are common among many other Chinese tour agencies), while also saving you valuable time during your once-in-a-lifetime China trip.

China, which has recently become the second largest economy in the world, boasts of a long history of over 5,000 years with a diversity of cultures and minority groups plus the numerous amazingly beautiful sights, both natural and man-made. With its awesome beauty and mystery, China remains one of the top tourist destinations in the world, and a trip to China from America is now as convenient as ever.

When to go:

China is a vast country with wide-ranging climatic conditions, so a decision about the best time to visit should be based on the regions you plan to tour and the kind of weather you enjoy.

High seasons in China:

Labor Day (May 1, 3 days duration)
National Day (October 1, 7 days duration)
University Holidays: Summer holiday (June-September) and Winter holiday (January-February)

Many Americans plan a trip during high seasons. However it is not always the best choice. During high seasons tickets for trains, planes, as well as accommodations at hotels are hard to obtain, as great numbers of people travel during these times. It is highly recommended to join an organized tour if you must travel during high seasons, as doing so will certainly relieve you from the difficulties of obtaining tickets.

Compared with high seasons, the low season couldn't be a better choice for traveling. They offer you the following merits:

> Saving money. In low seasons, the related costs will be much lower than during the peak seasons. Entrance fees, travel ticket prices, and the goods sold in the places of interest will all cost less.
>Saving time. Low seasons offer you a more tranquil environment rather than a noisy, crowded place. It may take several hours to take a photo during peak time, while in low seasons you can enjoy yourself in the beautiful scenery without any interference.

Autumn: Normally, the most comfortable season of the year is early autumn (September to early October). During that period, temperatures are reasonable throughout China (about 50-72F).

Spring: Spring can also be delightful with the average temperatures roughly the same as in autumn (about 50-72F). The best way to deal with weather unpredictability is to wear layered clothing that will make you comfortable in both chilly and warm weather.


Where to go:

Going to China for traveling, you will have a plethora of destinations. In many ways, China is very similar to America. Large mega cosmopolitan cities, wonderful natural beauty, and rich cultural and historical sights are just some of the ways they are comparable.

The most popular destinations in China: Beijing, Shanghai and Xian are the most favorable Chinese cities to visit. Beijing, the capital of China, is the center of the country's political, economic, cultural and educational center; Shanghai is a well-developed metropolis with prosperous economy; Xian, the ancient capital of 13 dynasties, possesses abundant amounts of historical heritage.

Hangzhou, Suzhou, Guilin, Lijiang, Jiuzhaigou, Sanya, Tibet and Xinjiang are other popular destinations. Hangzhou and Suzhou boast beautiful water towns, lakes and gardens as well as a favorable climate; Guilin, Lijiang and Jiuzhaigou are famed for their unique natural scenery, and characteristic ethnic minorities' culture; Sanya in Hainan Province is China’s version of Hawaii; Tibet has mysterious religious beliefs, vast grasslands and the world’s highest mountains; and Xinjiang attracts tourists by its various ethnic minorities and numerous historical relics along the Silk Road.

National Festivals:

China has numerous nationalities and each nationality has their own festivals. Should you be a Chinese culture lover, come to China during the time the festival you wish to see is happening.
Nearly each Chinese festival has its own legend and history. Please explore more details about Chinese festivals and determine your trip itinerary based on your favorite ones.

Flights from America to China:

When arranging your flights, keep in mind that you will usually arrive in China on the day after you depart from your home city, as you will cross the International Date Line. In the case of Asiana and some of the Dragonair flights which leave around midnight, you will arrive in China on the third day.Airlines offering flights to China include:

United Airlines, Air Canada, Delta, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Dragonair, Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Swiss Air, Continental Airlines, American Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.

For the best discount on flights from America to China, it is extremely helpful to check such discount sites such as eLong.com, Expedia and Orbitz.

If you are encountering difficulties fitting flights into your schedule, a useful alternative is to fly to Hong Kong (via Cathay Pacific). From here, there are numerous connecting flights to various destinations in mainland China.

Chinese visa:

Most American visitors to China will only require a tourist visa (known as an L visa) which will allow them to travel freely in most parts of China as tourists or to visit or accompany Chinese family members.

Requirements for Chinese visa:

1. Applicant's US passport with at least 6 months remaining validity and available blank pages for visa;
2. One truly completed Visa Application Form (Form V2021A). If someone else is travelling with you shares the same passport, or if you are applying for a visa in a country or territory other than the country of your current nationality, you should fill out the Supplementary Visa Application Form (Form V2021B) Please fill in every column of the visa application form, using "N/A" if not applicable. If the visa application form is not filled out completely and legibly, this can cause a delay in processing or refusal of the requested visa.
3. A recent passport-size color photo with white background stuck on the visa application form

How to apply for a Chinese visa:

You can come to the Chinese Embassies, Consulates and other Chinese diplomatic missions to submit application in person; if you can't come personally, you can entrust someone else, a travel agency or a visa agency to act on your behalf. Applications by mailing are not acceptable and will be refused at most of Chinese embassies or consulates. No appointment is required. It regularly takes 4 working days for processing. For express service, additional fees of US$ 20 will be charged per visa for second or third working day releasing. For rush service, additional fees of US$30 per visa will be charged for the same working day releasing.

Great Wall Adventure Club will send you an important invitation/confirmation letter to endorse your visa application.

Our China tour packages were on Wall Street Journal

2010 was the year of the Shanghai World Expo, and Great Wall Adventure Club was dedicated to being the worlds #1 Expo tour agency. With our “Shanghai World Expo Travel and Package Tour” we had given our clients the beset World Expo experience possible while showing them more of the China that has brought so much acclaim and fascination to this country. Our Shanghai World Expo Tours came recommended by The Wall Street Journal in the article about Shanghai World Expo ("Shanghai Aims to Attract the World "). "For those booking their own flights, a package from Great Wall Adventures includes hotels, airport transfers, Expo tickets, guide and private car and driver; three days and two nights, $1,398 for two." (As of March 18, 2010).