China Travel Agents

My husband and I recently had the incredible opportunity to visit China, and it truly exceeded all expectations. From ancient history to breathtaking natural landscapes, this trip had everything we could have hoped for and more. I want to thank Lisa for helping us put this amazing trip together through KimKim. She was so helpful and patient with us.

Highlights of the Trip

The Great Wall of China was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Walking along this historic wonder, we couldn’t help but be amazed by its sheer scale and beauty. The panoramic views from the top were unforgettable, and standing on such an iconic piece of history was an emotional experience.

We visited Chengdu to see the adorable pandas—and they definitely lived up to the hype! Watching these playful creatures in their natural habitat was a highlight of the trip. The conservation efforts here are truly impressive, and it was a joy to witness their charm up close.

In Xi’an, we were fortunate enough to see the Terracotta Warriors, a monumental archaeological discovery. The sheer number of life-sized statues and the detail in each one was staggering. It’s amazing to think that this army was created over 2,000 years ago to protect China’s first emperor in the afterlife.

One of the most stunning natural attractions was Zhangjiajie National Forest Park—the inspiration for the floating mountains in the movie Avatar. The towering sandstone pillars surrounded by mist create an ethereal, almost otherworldly landscape. It’s a photographer’s dream and a must-see for nature lovers.

Finally, Guilin was a peaceful escape, with its surreal limestone karst mountains and tranquil Li River cruises. The views were unlike anything I’ve ever seen and felt like something out of a dream.

Cultural Immersion

One of the aspects of the trip that stood out was the incredible cultural immersion. We had numerous opportunities to experience China’s rich traditions and daily life. Whether it was a calligraphy lesson, a traditional tea ceremony, or learning about the history behind local markets, we were able to connect with the culture in meaningful ways.

The people of China were warm, welcoming, and eager to share their stories. Our guides were exceptional—they were incredibly knowledgeable, personable, and made sure we felt comfortable and engaged every step of the way. They took the time to answer all our questions and ensured we had a smooth and enjoyable experience.

We want to thank all our guides: Zhang Yaping (Amy - Beijing), Ma Jun (MJ - Xian), Xiao Tuanming (Nancy - Zhangjiajie), Lin Xue (April), Owen (Guilin) and Vivian (Shanghai). You were all wonderful to get to know and helped make the trip memorable.

Food: A Culinary Adventure

The food in China was another highlight of the trip. Every meal was a delightful adventure! We had the chance to try authentic dishes that we’d never seen in the U.S. The flavors were bold and varied, from the spicy Sichuan cuisine in Chengdu to the savory dumplings in Xi’an. I particularly loved the Peking duck in Beijing—crispy, tender, and simply delicious. The variety of textures and flavors in Chinese cuisine was incredible, and I came home with a newfound appreciation for their culinary traditions.

Overall Experience

All in all, this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip that I will never forget. The sights, the food, the culture, and the wonderful people I met along the way all made this an unforgettable adventure. The expert guides and well-curated itinerary ensured that we didn’t just see China—we truly experienced it.

If you’re considering a trip to China, I wholeheartedly recommend it. Kimkim can help you design the best trip. I can’t wait to return someday!

Activity Reviews

Beijing – Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City,Temple of Heaven with Peking Duck Lunch

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking along the Majestic Great Wall, Summer Palace

Beijing

We had a great day to visit the wall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit a Local Family and Learn to Cook Homemade Dishes

Xi'an

This was an enjoyable experience. The family opened their home and we had a lovely time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Xi'an: the Terracotta Army and Muslim Quarter

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Shanghai with Yu Garden and the Bund

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class in Yangshuo

Yangshuo

This was extemely fun! Well worth it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marvel at China's Most Picturesque River - Li River

China

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Scenic Countryside in Yangshuo by Cycling and Rafting

China

We didn't get to cycle but the rafting was very fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Chengdu: Pandas, Wuhou Shrine,Jinli with a Hot Pot Lunch

Chengdu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Beauty of Longji Terraced Fields and Learn to Make Bamboo Tube Rice

Guilin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Revel in the Splendor of Zhangjiajie - Grand Canyon and Tianmen Mountain

Zhangjiajie

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marvel at the Picturesque Landscape in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Xi'an City: Ancient City Wall and Drum Tower

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of our guides were very good and spoke English well. They were each proud of their individual provinces and well informed about the history of the region. All worked hard to be a good guide and make happy memories for us. The choice to stay in 5 Star hotels was worth the price for the luxury but the Guilin Hotel was a 3.9 star in my opinion. The drivers and cars were all excellent! It helped to have a free day in Shanghai after arriving so late. The hotels in both Xi’an and Shanghai offered free laundry equipment for self use.

Hotel Reviews

New World Beijing Hotel

Beijing

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MaxX By Steigenberger on the Bund Shanghai

Shanghai

The main problem was that the hotel had disengaged the cooling system in all the rooms. They offered an upgrade but it also had no cooling. The provision of a self serve laundry was exquisite. The location was excellent

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No cooling in the rooms

Wyndham Grand Xian South

Xi'an

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Guilin

The hotel is out of date and was a 3.9 star rating at best. The Guilin Shangri La was reviewed highly by some fellow travelers

Authenticity & Character

Change the advertised rating until it upgrades everything

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hyatt Chengdu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Victoria Cruise (Executive Suite)

It’s a typical cruise with pandemonium because of the large crowds and a la carte service and upselling of services throughout the trip. The executive lounge dining included in the executive suite price was excellent as the second floor dining room was overcrowded. The included excursions were not remarkable but Ghost City and Feng Du Show that night were good values. The food was just okay even with the upgrade to the 6th floor dining area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover the Forbidden City

Beijing

The crowd was overwhelming on the day we traveled, but the pictures from a friend who traveled the next day showed a much lower number of people.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tiananmen Square

Beijing

The crowd was overwhelming on the day that we went, but our friend who went the next day found it almost empty.

Quality of Experience

It was an historic experience, but nothing artistically or architecturally impressive. The crowds were stifling.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Mutianyu Great Wall(with round way cable car)

Beijing

The offer of the cable car was a game changer! Thank you very much. The distance away from the city also helped to mitigate the crowd.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Xian City Wall with Bicycle

Xi'an

Because of our age, we both have mobility restrictions so we chose to not do the bicycle tour. We did climb the steps successfully and were able to experience enough of the wall to be understanding the history and the architecture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Xi'an

The colors, architectural design, and the historical stories were intriguing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo

China

Our guide enthusiastically and patiently pointed out each point of interest that she felt that we would not want to miss including the view of the hills on the 20 Yuan Bill and interjected stories about each of those points of interest.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panda Breeding and Research Center

Chengdu

The crowds were overwhelming, and everyone was pushing to get a good photograph of the charming pandas. Our guide was adequate, but not outstanding. I don’t believe that there is anything that he could have done to help us get closer to the pandas for good photographs. I think that arriving early as we did probably helped us to see the pandas during their most active feeding time of the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The bund

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Temple of Heaven

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Summer Palace with Boat Ride and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony

Beijing

The access to the upper area was closed because it was a Monday, but this did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the palace grounds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Muslim Quarter

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yangshuo Countryside Visit

China

Our guide bravely accompanied two ancient and decrepit seniors on scooters which probably added years to her life, but subtracted years from ours. It was a delightful, fun and unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chengdu Kuan-zhai Lane

Chengdu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hutong Walking Tour in Dongcheng District

Beijing

We had gone to the most popular hutong Street the day before our tour so our guide took us to a different hutong area with a lake that was much nicer than the most popular street which was so packed with shops and food vendors. I would recommend that you take that Area as your first choice in the future.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Terracotta Warriors

Xi'an

Despite the presence of the crowd and our early arrival, our guide was able to successfully direct us to a visual access of the warriors that we had not anticipated. We had hoped to get closer to them on the ground level, but that access was restricted many years ago.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking dumplings

Xi'an

This was a delightful and unexpected highlight of our experiences in Xi’an. The guide knew the woman who lived in the place where we made the dumplings and noodles and the whole cultural experience was joyful and wholesome.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Train station Transfer (Chongqing)

Chongqing

Our guide went above and beyond her assigned duty to help us be comfortable, experiencing the brief time we had there and getting some dinner before helping negotiate the arrival onto the cruise ship. She was helpful with communicating with the cruise ship people who were adamant about things which they were wrong about.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shore excursion to Shibaozhai/Option of visiting Fengdu Ghost City (RMB295/p.p).

China

We were glad that we chose the option to visit ghost city, and hear the stories from our guide. I noticed that you did not give the option for reviewing the show that night, which was a mistake on your part. That show in the evening about the three kings was probably the most outstanding theatrical performance I have seen in my many years of life. It was very exciting and was not to be missed by other future visitors.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yuyuan Garden

Shanghai

It was a delightful experience with an excellent guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Private Tour: Longji Terraced Rice Fields and Ethnic Minority Culture

China

Our guide was patient and wonderful and lovingly presented this visual gift of the people and lifestyle of the area that is not usually seen by China tourists. The stories that the guide inserted were charming.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cruise pier Transfer (Chongqing)

Chongqing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam/Option of Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift (RMB295/p.p)

China

Honestly, it was a little boring and felt like it was something that the government wanted to make sure that we saw so that we noted how wonderful they were. It is outstanding that they provided mass transportation with escalators to the top of the hill. Without that, the whole trip would not have been worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shanghai Tower

Shanghai

It was a unique lifetime experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nanjing Road

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lingering Garden

Suzhou

It was very crowded and our guide was not lingering for pictures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rickshaw Ride in Suzhou

Suzhou

The guide expertly picked a friend of hers that she has used for years to provide a unique China culture experience riding through the alleys of the town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pingjiang Road

Suzhou

We had a wonderful cultural experience in a restaurant on the road. At the end of this three week tour, it was a little bit redundant unavoidably because there are so many roads and hutongs and Muslim quarter places that are very similar packed with food vendors and hawkers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tongli Water Town (with boat cruise)

Suzhou

To fill out the charm of the experience, our guide took us into several homes, which had been converted to museums before getting us onto the wonderful boat ride experience. She gave us a lot of history about the customs of the region. It was a quieter, more laid-back rural experience than we had had in other places.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisa our travel expert was wonderful. Everything worked like clock work and she checked on us daily and reminded us of our schedule and guide for the next day. When our flight to return home was 52 hours delayed from Shanghai she was in constant contact with us extending our stay at our hotel, planning a tour for our extra unplanned day and even having the guide buy snacks and drinks for us to have at the hotel.
Japan and China were beautiful places to visit. They were both very clean, people were friendly and there were lots to historical places and natural beauty to see.
All our guides and drivers were excellent.
Jason our driver to Hakone was just suppose to be our driver, but he helped us with all the tickets and told us where to go. He was more like a guide and spoke excellent English. He was very helpful and considerate.
Ken our guide in Tokyo was very good, knowledgeable and helpful, and his English was good. He was always early for our meeting times and took pictures for us.
Victor our guide in Kyoto and our trip to Osaka was great. He took us to extra places not on our itinerary and he paid for the entrance fees. He bought us drinks because the days were really hot. He took us to a place where we could buy souvenirs at cheap prices. He was very helpful, friendly, always early and spoke excellent Engish. Took pictures for us so we could be in them.
Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.
Johnson our guide in Xian had excellent English, was always early and was very helpful to my husband who is 82 to make sure he had places to rest when he was tired.
Lilli our guide in Chengdu had excellent English, was very friendly and helpful when I needed to buy some souvenirs. She bought us some snacks and was careful that my husband had places to rest when he needed. Always early for our meetings and helpful to take pictures for us.
Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.
Autumn our guide in Shanghai had good English, was on time, brought us bananas and Chinese knot souvenirs and helped us take pictures.
Vivian was our guide when our flight was delayed. She spent lots of time on the phone with the airlines and at the airport trying to get us on an earlier flight but unfortunately was unsuccessful. She was very friendly and had very good English. She was early when we met.

Hotel Reviews

The Knot Tokyo Shinjuku

Tokyo

The desk staff were friendly enough. The rooms were small but very clean. The restaurant staff were very friendly. The location was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was small but everything was very clean.

Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo

Kyoto

Desk staff was alright. Had to wait 10 minutes in line to get into breakfast. Clean and nice hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Forza Osaka Kitahama

Osaka

Desk staff not very friendly or helpful. Paid for breakfast but then ended up with an early flight. We had to leave 30 minutes before breakfast started and asked for a couple of croissants to take with us but were told no. Had a kettle in the room but no tea or coffee.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Could walk to the Osaka Castle.

Staff

Not friendly or helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dongfang Hotel

Beijing

Staff didn't even acknowledge me, only talked to the guide when we checked in. I assume they couldn't speak English. Elevators were very slow and always very crowded. Internet never worked while we were there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Xi'an Eastern House Boutique Hotel

Welcoming Staff and Cleaning Staff very friendly and Front desk staff alright. They had tea in the afternoon and goodnight soup in the evening. Gave us lots of water and had cold water. They let us in early for breakfast. Beds very hard and internet never worked.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to walk to sights to see.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jolie Vue Boutique Hotel

Guilin

Beautiful view from the breakfast area and great location to walk around. Staff was friendly enough but bed was very hard. Internet never worked. Room was nice with free soft drinks and juice in the refrigerator.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good places to walk around.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MinShan Lhasa Grand Hotel

Chengdu

Cleaning staff were very friendly and helpful. The front desk was alright. Bed was very hard and the internet never worked. The carpet in the room was stained and the bathroom sink was all cracked up, but everything looked clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sunrise On The Bund

Very nice hotel with good location. Staff helpful when needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near the Bund.

Staff

Helpful when we needed anything.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Had cold water in the refrigerator and also had sugar and creamer for tea and coffee. Room was comfortable and nice.

Activity Reviews

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Temple Tour

Kyoto

Enjoyed the Bamboo Grove.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Victor our guide in Kyoto and our trip to Osaka was great. He took us to extra places not on our itinerary and he paid for the entrance fees. He bought us drinks because the days were really hot. He took us to a place where we could buy souvenirs at cheap prices. He was very helpful, friendly, always early and spoke excellent Engish. Took pictures for us so we could be in them.

Transport

Driver was good.

Half Day Nara Park & Todai-Ji Temple

China

Really enjoyed seeing the deer and being able to touch and feed them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Victor our guide in Kyoto and our trip to Osaka was great. He took us to extra places not on our itinerary and he paid for the entrance fees. He bought us drinks because the days were really hot. He took us to a place where we could buy souvenirs at cheap prices. He was very helpful, friendly, always early and spoke excellent Engish. Took pictures for us so we could be in them.

Transport

Driver was good.

Yao Mountain (尧山)

Guilin

Beautiful views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.

Transport

Driver was very good. Always made sure we had plenty of water.

Full Day the Leshan Giant Buddha

Chengdu

Long drive from Chengdu but Giant Buddha was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lilli our guide in Chengdu had excellent English, was very friendly and helpful when I needed to buy some souvenirs. She bought us some snacks and was careful that my husband had places to rest when he needed. Always early for our meetings and helpful to take pictures for us.

Transport

Driver was good.

Hakone Exploration with Boiling Valley

China

Nice day trip from Tokyo. Enjoyed the boat ride on Lake Ashi.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jason our driver to Hakone was just supposed to be our driver, but he helped us with all the tickets and told us where to go. He was more like a guide and spoke excellent English. He was very helpful and considerate.

Transport

Visit Huaqing Hot Springs

Xi'an

Beautiful place but it was raining so really couldn't enjoy very well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Johnson our guide in Xian had excellent English, was always early and was very helpful to my husband who is 82 to make sure he had places to rest when he was tired.

Transport

Driver was good.

Half Day Imperial Palace East Gardens and Senso-ji Tour

Tokyo

Enjoyed but there was lots of walking involved.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ken our guide in Tokyo was very good, knowledgeable and helpful, and his English was good. He was always early for our meeting times and took pictures for us.

Transport

Driver was good.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Tokyo

Nice garden.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ken our guide in Tokyo was very good, knowledgeable and helpful, and his English was good. He was always early for our meeting times and took pictures for us.

Transport

Driver was good.

Full Day Kyoto City Tour (Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha)

Kyoto

Enjoyed the Golden Pavilion and Fushimi-Inari Taisha.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Victor our guide in Kyoto and our trip to Osaka was great. He took us to extra places not on our itinerary and he paid for the entrance fees. He bought us drinks because the days were really hot. He took us to a place where we could buy souvenirs at cheap prices. He was very helpful, friendly, always early and spoke excellent Engish. Took pictures for us so we could be in them.

Transport

Driver was good.

Experience Chengdu's Leisurely Lifestyle: Visit Wenshu Monastery and People's Park

Chengdu

Nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lilli our guide in Chengdu had excellent English, was very friendly and helpful when I needed to buy some souvenirs. She bought us some snacks and was careful that my husband had places to rest when he needed. Always early for our meetings and helpful to take pictures for us.

Transport

Driver was nice.

Hiking along the Majestic Great Wall, Summer Palace

Beijing

Always wanted to see the Great Wall and walk on it. One for the bucket list.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.

Transport

Driver was good but this was the only place we had a car instead of a van or SUV so it was not as comfortable.

Elephant Trunk Hill

Guilin

Nice view.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.

Transport

Driver was good.

A Glimpse into China's Imperial Past: the Fobidden City

Beijing

Always wanted to see the Forbidden City but we had to wait over and hour to get through security.

Quality of Experience

Had to wait over an hour to get through security.

Food

Food was good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.

Transport

Driver was good.

Day Trip to Zhujiajiao Old Town

Shanghai

Interesting town.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Autumn our guide in Shanghai had good English, was on time, brought us bananas and Chinese knot souvenirs and helped us take pictures.

Transport

Driver was good.

Explore the Temple of Heaven

Beijing

Another for the bucket list.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.

Transport

Driver was good.

Lama Temple — Biggest Tibetan Buddhist Lamasery in Beijing

Beijing

Interesting but you can't take pictures inside.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.

Transport

Driver was good.

See the Terracotta Army

Xi'an

Always wanted to see but it was very crowded so couldn't get pictures with us in them.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Johnson our guide in Xian had excellent English, was always early and was very helpful to my husband who is 82 to make sure he had places to rest when he was tired.

Transport

Driver was good.

Panda Encounter in Chengdu

Chengdu

Enjoyed seeing the Pandas.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lilli our guide in Chengdu had excellent English, was very friendly and helpful when I needed to buy some souvenirs. She bought us some snacks and was careful that my husband had places to rest when he needed. Always early for our meetings and helpful to take pictures for us.

Transport

Driver was good.

Marvel at the Li River: China's Most Picturesque River

Guilin

Beautiful boat ride. Not to be missed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Not much selection.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.

Transport

Good Driver

Hike along the Picturesque Yulong River

Yangshuo

Nice walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.

Transport

Driver was good.

Longsheng Full-Day Tour

Guilin

Nice views.

Quality of Experience

Long drive from Guilin.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.

Transport

Good driver.

Visit the Highlights in Shanghai

Shanghai

Nice city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Autumn our guide in Shanghai had good English, was on time, brought us bananas and Chinese knot souvenirs and helped us take pictures.

Transport

Good driver.

One-Day Shanghai Cultural Tour

Shanghai

We didn't really see much this day because the guide was trying to help us get an earlier flight out after our flight was 52 hours delayed.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vivian was our guide when our flight was delayed. She spent lots of time on the phone with the airlines and at the airport trying to get us on an earlier flight but unfortunately was unsuccessful. She was very friendly and had very good English. She was early when we met.

Transport

Driver was good.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would confidently rate it an 8 out of 10—truly amazing. It exceeded our expectations and left us with many wonderful memories. Below, we’ve outlined both the highlights and constructive suggestions, organized by location:

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🌍 Overall

Positives:

- The activities were engaging and well-suited to our interests.
- The itinerary offered a great balance—enough planned experiences during the day while still allowing time to explore independently.
- Almost all guides sent us a welcome message before meeting us, including a few key details that made us feel reassured and well-prepared.

Constructive:

- The agency could have provided a list of optional activities for our free time or instructed the guides to offer suggestions. We were the ones initiating questions about recommended places, shows, or things to do.

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🏯 Beijing

Positives:

- Our guide respected our personal space, allowing us to enjoy meals alone. He even gave us a small gift at the end of our time together, which was a thoughtful touch.

Constructive:

- We felt the guide could have shared more explanations and interesting facts during the visits. His English was limited, and although we initially gave him a good score, in comparison to other guides, we realized we may have missed out on important information.

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🏮 Xi’an

Positives:

- We had a wonderful experience with our guide, Susan. From the moment we met her, she greeted us with contagious positive energy and genuine warmth. Her passion for the job was evident in the way she shared fascinating and unique historical facts throughout the tour. Susan consistently found the best vantage points for us to view each site, ensuring we were always perfectly positioned to take in the beauty and significance of every location. She also offered us a goodbye present, which was a very kind gesture.

Constructive:

- We were disappointed with the hotel and its service. The staff didn’t speak English and made no effort to communicate. Thankfully, our guide was there to assist; otherwise, we would have struggled.
- For example, when I asked about the laundry service, a receptionist pointed me to another guest, who, despite not speaking English, kindly walked me to the laundry area.
- The room had a strong tobacco smell, even though it was supposed to be a non-smoking hotel.

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🐼 Chengdu

Positives:

- Our guide was extremely efficient. When, apparently, the hotel had only one night booked and we had an issue with the car, she immediately took action—even though it was already late in the evening. Her english was impressive.
- The hotel was amazing and very well located. The breakfast was immense and of extremely good quality.

Constructive:

- The car provided did not meet the luxury standards promised in our package. However, this issue was also handled efficiently.

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🏞️ Guilin & Yangshuo

Positives:

- The hotel was outstanding—breathtaking views, incredibly friendly staff, well-thought-out amenities, delicious food, and a warm farewell gift of fruit and biscuits. Truly 5-star service. We loved it and hold it very dearly.
- Our guide was very passionate about his job. He constantly shared insights about the places we visited and offered local treats like fruits and juices. He also introduced us to an amazing coffee shop, which we loved—especially since we’re coffee enthusiasts. We appreciated the agency’s thoughtful gesture of offering us coffee, which truly felt like home.

Constructive:

- During the river cruise, we were not placed in the premium area despite having selected a luxury package. We were left wondering why our tickets didn’t reflect that.

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🏙️ Shanghai

Positives:

- The hotel room was comfortable, with a good bed and a spacious bathroom.

Constructive:

- Upon arrival at the airport, we were greeted by someone other than our assigned guide. While this person was very friendly and engaging, we would have appreciated being informed in advance that our guide wouldn’t be meeting us.
- We were told by this person about the meeting time for the following day. Had we been in contact with our guide earlier, we might have opted to start the day sooner.
- I tried to contact our guide via WeChat, but he didn’t accept the invitation until we actually met.
- We didn’t feel the hotel met 5-star luxury standards. The breakfast staff seemed disengaged, and the food on the first morning appeared stale and lacked quality.
- The location wasn’t ideal—we had to walk about 30 minutes to reach the Bund.

That being said, although we’re pointing out a few less positive aspects, we absolutely loved visiting China — it truly surpassed our expectations, and everything ran so smoothly. The way the platform works made us feel reassured throughout, and Carol’s responsiveness was outstanding. We are seriously considering using KimKim for all our future travels.

Thank you again!

From start to finish we could not fault the level of service provided by kimkim. From our first enquiry right through to the end of our wonderful trip, everything was seamless. Lisa was very helpful and proactive in dealing with us and nothing was too much trouble to look into for us/answer. The guides and drivers in Beijing, Xi'An and Shanghai were all excellent and so keen to share knowledge and history of the area. The organisation was top class and we were never worried or concerned about any of the arrangements.

Hotels were great - all clean and in good locations.

One thing to note (as a UK visitor) that squat toilets are common there (most/many places also have western style toilets) and toilet paper is not (as a general rule) provided in public toilets - just one thing to be aware of

A fabulous trip to China - wouldn't hesitate to use kimkim again and have already recommended them to friends.

Hotel Reviews

Novotel Peace Beijing

Beijing

The hotel was in a nice area and conveniently located to walk to eating places and shops. The reception area/foyer and bar/lounge area were very nice. The room we were in was clean and spacious but more than a little "tired" looking, particularly the bathroom/shower area which was very rusted and as a result didn't look especially clean. Staff were nice, limited English but able to communicate. Good range of options at breakfast. Beware of the bar closing earlier than stated hours, it notes being open until 11pm but when we asked for a drink one evening at 10.30pm were told the till was already closed so we couldn't get one. Overall a good experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eastern House Boutique Hotel

Hotel was lovely, spotlessly clean, nice room, not the biggest room ever but more than adequate for our needs. Little or no English spoken by staff which did make things a little challenging sometimes but nothing that couldn't be overcome. We were not in the hotel for very long but we did like it. Breakfast was good.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sunrise On The Bund

Loved this hotel. Great location for being able to walk down and along the Bund and the hotel itself was beautiful. Room was lovely with nice toiletries in the bathroom and a nice easy chair in the bedroom. We ate dinner in the restaurant on the ground floor and very much enjoyed what we had. The staff were pleasant and friendly. The spa was also very nice - had a massage which was most enjoyable and a nice swim in the pool. Would stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was easy walking distance to water front

Staff

All friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Highlights of Shanghai with Yu Garden and the Bund

Shanghai

A fabulous day spent in Shanghai - view from Shanghai Tower was amazing, the Yu Garden was spectacular to see and the delicious dumpling lunch was also a highlight.

Full Day Great Wall and Olympic Park Tour

Beijing

Our stand out highlight of the holiday - it was amazing to be standing on/walking on the Great Wall. I am glad we were there early in the day, as it gets very busy, very quickly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

See the Terracotta Army

Xi'an

Loved seeing the Terracotta Army - the sheer scale was breathtaking. Would highly recommend.