Heidi Jiang

Tsung/Song/Neo and James were absolutely great guides.
Personally, I would have preferred three days each in Beijing and Shanghai. Given how wonderful the Zhangjiajie National Park experience was, I wouldn't need the Li boat ride.

My worst day was in Zhangjiajie. I was supposed to explore the "downtown" but I don't think I ever found it. The Tower was OK but it was Sunday and stores were closed and I still don't know that it was in the "downtown." Something said to get to the airport three hours before departure; I got there four hours before but only needed 15 minutes to get to the gate. The plane was two hours late, so I spent an unneccessary 6 hours at a boring airport. In general for me, 1-1/2 days in Zhangjiajie would have been enough. In general, I was misled about that part of the trip.
In general, China is awesome and the trip was a wonderful introduction.

The trip was well conceived and coordinated. The level of reliability was very high for on time meetings, timely information, and delivery as promised (sometimes more than promised).
Heidi did a great job of creating the itinerary and coordinating every single detail including help with the visa process.
Amongst the guides, the standout guides were Justin (zhangjiajie) and Rose (Shanghai). They went beyond their brief, were very flexible and quick in adapting to our requirements, and went out of their way to make us feel comfortable.
The quality of the hotels that we stayed in was excellent. The cars provided in all locations (except Beijing) were comfortable and the drivers very good. The car in Beijing could have been bigger - it was too cramped especially for my daughters who were sitting in the third row.

What could have been better? We would have liked to receive more proactive suggestions from our local guides on what places to visit after our day with them was over. Only when we questioned the guides intensely, did they come up with suggestions. I am surprised that places like Datang Everbright in Xian were not on our itinerary or even suggested. There are so many places in each city that are worth visiting and should have been a part of the suggested list.

Activity Review

Dujiangyan Panda Base Volunteering Day Trip

Chengdu

I did not like this activity. The volunteering work isn't much really and feels very inconsequential. Much ado about nothing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Quality of food here was very average. We did not like the lunch served at the Panda base.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When I think about this trip, the first thing that comes to mind is the incredible level of planning required for a 12-day trip in China for my wife and I. Planning our trip through KimKim was an incredibly smooth and stress-free experience. The initial setup was simple, and we were quickly connected with our local China specialist, Heidi, who was an absolute pleasure to work with. She was responsive, accommodating, and consistently offered thoughtful solutions that made our itinerary even better. Heidi made me feel like I was her only client, while also going above and beyond to create an unforgettable experience for my wife and I. I was unfamiliar with how accessibility works in China, but Heidi handled every single detail flawlessly. From coordinating transportation between hotels in different cities, to selecting ideal locations to visit, arranging private tours, and ensuring smooth drop-off/pickup at airports and train stations -- nothing was overlooked. We literally felt like royalty the second we got off that plane as Heidi thought of everything. One of the standout aspects of the trip was the thoughtfully designed itinerary. Each day included planned activities, but there was also flexibility built in for leisure time.

What made this trip so special wasn’t just the destination, but was how personal and thoughtfully curated every moment felt. Traveling in a new country can sometimes feel overwhelming, but with KimKim everything was handled so professionally that we could simply relax and enjoy the experience. That level of organization made traveling around the country very easy.

At every step we felt safe, comfortable, and well looked after by the excellent bi-lingual tour guides. The tour guides made this journey extraordinary, especially Emma (Beijing), Kathy (Xi’an), Ethan (Zhangjiajie), and Autumn (Shanghai). Thanks to them, we enjoyed our China adventure and now have very fond memories that will last a lifetime. The tour guides would come and get us from our hotels and bring us back to our hotels. They would check in with us daily to make sure we knew where we were going and had any questions. They were all knowledgeable, warm, and clearly excited to share her culture and stories with us as well as learning about our culture (especially learning about our county’s slang). Their enthusiasm made the experience feel much more personal and engaging. Their warmth and good humor even outshined their obvious depth of knowledge and skill of communication. Every guide made us feel like we traveling with a family member. They selected fantastic restaurants throughout each city where we could enjoy authentic local food without worrying about our dietary needs. Every recommendation was spot-on. They were so much fun to spend time with!

And I would be remiss not to mention the hotels KimKim selected, which elevated the trip even further. Everywhere we stayed, we felt less like guests at a hotel and more like we were being welcomed into someone’s home. Also, all of our drivers were excellent as well—professional, safe, and reliable.

As this was our 2nd trip with KimKim, all the arrangements made by them have always been 100 reliable, including accommodation, transportation and activities. Overall, this trip exceeded every expectation. The itinerary was the perfect blend of city action, historical insight, and natural wonder. Overall, KimKim, especially Heidi, made our China trip feel personalized, well-supported, and wonderfully memorable. Highly recommended them for anyone seeking a well-organized, locally informed travel experience.

Activity Reviews

Half Day City Tour with the Yu Garden

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zhangjiajie Park Tour - Grand Canyon with glass bridge

Zhangjiajie

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day Tour with Golden Whip Creek&Ten Mile Gallery & Baofeng Lake

Zhangjiajie

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Suzhou and Tongli Water Town City Tour

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Zhujiajiao Water Town with Boat Ride

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marvel at the Picturesque Landscape in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie

Quality of Experience

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

Chinese dumpling dinner

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Tang Dynasty Show (1hour)

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

See the Terracotta Army

Xi'an

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Temple of Heaven

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day with Great Wall and Changling Tomb in Beijing

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Picturesque Summer Palace

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Peking Duck Experience

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Beijing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was seamless from planning through departure. We had a great time and would highly recommend using KimKim for a China trip. Our guide, Alan, met us at the airport, even after our flight was delayed 5 hours. We needed to take a sick child to get medicine at the hospital, and he helped navigate and translate the whole time. Alan and our KimKim Planner, Heidi, mentioned they always support the human needs of their clients first. Because of this, help at the beginning of the rest of our trip was a breeze. We were able to change the date of our rest day to make up for the late arrival. We thoroughly enjoyed the rest of our activity, including the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Hutongs, and the Vegetable market. Because of our schedule change, we had a second guide, Jim, who was helpful for our last day of exploring. We had full service the entire time, from lunches curated to our needs, to pickup and dropoff at the airport. This experience was a truly all-inclusive easy way to relax into China!

We just got back from our China trip and wanted to say thank you to Heidi from KimKim for putting everything together so well. Traveling across multiple cities can be complicated, but the whole itinerary flowed really smoothly and made the experience easy and enjoyable.

Each stop had something memorable. In Beijing, walking through the Forbidden City and visiting the Great Wall were real highlights — so much history, and you can really feel it when you’re there. Xi’an was another standout, especially the Terracotta Army. It’s one of those places that’s even more impressive in person than you expect.

Chengdu was a different kind of experience — visiting the pandas outside the city was a lot of fun and definitely worth it. And then Zhangjiajie… that was probably the biggest surprise for us. The scenery in the national park is just unreal. Photos don’t really do it justice.

Shanghai was a complete contrast — very modern, very energetic. The skyline and the scale of development there really stood out.

The hotel accommodations throughout the trip were great — comfortable, well-located, and made it easy to relax after long days. The logistics between cities (both trains and flights) were also very well handled. Every transfer was smooth, and what we really appreciated is that each guide stayed with us all the way through the train station or airport, right up to the security checkpoint, which made everything stress-free.

We also want to mention the guides, because they made a big difference. Candy in Beijing, Key in Xi’an, April in Chengdu, Ethan in Zhangjiajie, and Sophie in Shanghai (with help from Linda) were all excellent. Everyone was knowledgeable, helpful with translation, and always looking out for us.

On top of the planned itinerary, each guide gave great personal recommendations — places to eat and extra things to see that we wouldn’t have found on our own. Things like the Muslim Bazaar in Xi’an, the Tibetan street in Chengdu, Peking duck in Beijing, and even checking out silk-making in Shanghai added a lot to the trip.

Overall, we had a great time and really appreciated how everything was organized. Thanks again to KimKim for arranging such a memorable trip.

Our trip to China was truly spectacular, the Great Wall totally met our expectations and to visit it during snowfall made for a uniquely beautiful experience. Xi'an is a lovely, warm-hearted city that we really enjoyed strolling through. Our excellent Xi'an local guide Coco was very well paced and knowledgeable. She had a cheerful, welcoming personality, and was happy to answer all our questions about the old city. She shared so much of the city's interesting history with us, adding even more to our feeling of awe. In the scenic area of Guilin, our local guide, Fei, was very eager to share the beauty of her home with us, ensuring we went to all the best spots. Chongqing, our last destination on the trip, totally blew us away with its futuristic cityscapes. Our local guide, Yudy, was so energetic and excited to introduce us to all the mesmerizing sights of Chongqing. Yudy spared no effort in ensuring we did all we wanted to do and made our Chongqing experience so captivating that we would love to return. Of course, our local specialist, Heidi, was such a great help every step of the way, checking in to make sure all was well and that we were making all our transfers successfully. We are so happy with how the trip turned out!

In Beijing, Edward was professional, attentive, punctual and knowledgeable on our tour of The Forbidden City and The Great Wall. We have no complaints about him and would unhesitatingly recommend him for future tours.

In Xi’an, Coco was an absolute delight. She was charming, a sweet personality and extremely knowledgeable on our tour of The Terracotta Warriors. We were sorry to have spent such a short time with her.

In Luoyong, the energetic Lili joined us in our 1hour exercise at the kung fu school and was knowledgeable of the tour of the Shaolin Temple and the Pagoda Forest.

In Guilin, Fei was down to earth and we quickly bonded with her. She was friendly, helpful, talkative and looked after us well.

Finally in Chongqing, the unforgettable Udy was funny, entertaining, engaging. We took great delight in touring Chongqing city with her and were sad to say goodbye.

Coordinating this trip with Heidi was seamless and she helped us to curate a wonderful and unforgettable customized experience.

I would like to thank and commend Heidi who made my very complicated trip very seamless. I just cannot fault anything . Everything was managed professionally and allowed for flexibility when I wanted to change tickets hotels etc
This trip would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication from
Heidi the best
Xi’an : Shannon she went over and above her guidelines
Chengdu: Ricky thorough entertainer
Chonging : Yudi fun
Zhanziaje : Justin hardworking and dedicated
Shanghai : Shiuli flexible

They ensured that everything was meticulous . This was indeed the most memorable trip made thanks to Heidi and her team
This is my 3rd time using them and I will continue to do so

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hyatt Shanghai

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zhangjiajie Tianmenshan Wyndham Garden Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ISEYA HOTEL (Chongqing Jiefangbei Flagship)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hyatt Chengdu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xian

Xi'an

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Zhujiajiao Old Town

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Shanghai with Yu Garden and the Bund

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Highlights in Shanghai

Shanghai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Revel in the Splendor of Zhangjiajie - Huanglong Cave and Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon (Including Glass Bridge)

Zhangjiajie

This can be done the same day as the cave and forest

Quality of Experience

Food

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

Tianmen Mountain – Skywalks, Cliff Roads & Heaven’s Gate

Zhangjiajie

Exceptional but very tiring

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Stylish Tour in Chongqing

Chongqing

We didn’t get to do this

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chongqing City Highlights One-Day Tour

Chongqing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shu Feng Ya Yun Sichuan Opera

Chengdu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy a Spicy Sichuan Hotpot Meal

Chengdu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panda Encounter and People’s Park in Chengdu

Chengdu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Tour of the Treasures of Ancient China: Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Ancient City Wall

Xi'an

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