China Express - 8 days

Customer Reviews

• TL

  Tanja

  · October 1st, 2024
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  I found both the program and the tour guide on site very good. Everything was very well organized and the tour guide was very well informed, helpful and friendly.
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  On The Go Tours commented on this review

  Thank you so much for sharing your feedback!
  Trip date: September 2024
• CR

  Clelie

  · July 21st, 2024
  It was a great tour, we saw so many things we wouldn't have seen if we had been traveling by ourselves! The days were very busy but the guides made everything simple and their suggestions/alternative plans were relevant. The food was delicious and the hotels were comfortable.
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  On The Go Tours commented on this review

  Thank you so much for sharing your feedback!
  Trip date: July 2024
• S

  ScottTews

  · April 29th, 2019
  What an amazing tour of china, we visited the great wall twice, the forbidden city, terracotta warriors, overnight train from Beijing to Xian and tasted some wonderful local food with some night time entertainment. Would recommend this tour to anyone.
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  On The Go Tours commented on this review

  Thank you so much for the wonderful review!
  
  Trip date: April 2019
• 

  Siobhan

  · November 9th, 2018
  This is a well planned and well-run trip. On The Go's partner in China has all the details planned out well in advance and their guides are prepared and very knowledgeable. On arrival to the airport, I was met by my guide in the airport who gave us a brief welcome and introduction to China, he also provided us with timing and familiarisation document so we knew what to expect from the next 6 days. We then took our complimentary transfer to the hotel. The hotel we were in was by the Olympic park so there was plenty to see and do after we arrived. Day 2, we met early and headed out. Our guide Leo was Chinese but his English was fantastic and very easy to understand. He kept us in the loop about what to expect, our timings and even gave the toilets star ratings - essentially helping us out on which ones had 'western' style toilets and which were squat loos. This was of invaluable help to many of the ladies on the tour- its a small touch but made travelling easier! He also taught us some very basic Chinese as most people do not speak English. Only small things like hello, how are you and thank you. But again, they help you navigate the country a little easier and its always polite to know how to say Thank You in the local language. Our guide also helped us with what to order when we arrived at restaurants so that we got to sample the best of the local area (each area in China is famous for a different dish). If you are not a fan of Rice and Noodles there are very little options for alternatives so if you have a specific dietary requirement remember to let them know in advance and possibly bring some snacks with you too. There is a lot to see and do in Beijing and whilst the Beijing days are very busy, you get a lot out of them, you get to see the most famous sites, sample local food, have a hilariously funny and enjoyable rickshaw ride (possibly my tour highlight!). We opted to not do the Pearl market (which is not full of pearls but rather a local clothing & goods market) and instead headed across the road was a really nice park and temple. Our guide showed us how to get the entrance and recommended the visit and he was absolutely right. If your a fan of a bargain the Pearl Market is amazing - but after a busy couple of days we rather enjoyed the slower pace of temple life. We visited two sections of the wall and the guides local knowledge proved invaluable here again. He advised us on the first section we visited, which way was the quieter way to go so you could enjoy the wall without masses of crowds, and again the next day ensured we were up and out early to get to the wall for opening time so we could enjoy almost private access to the wall. After about 2 hours the place was rammed with people, and we were all very happy with the early start to get the most out of the wall. The overnight train - whilst not being the most comfortable, was clean, we wree provided with linen and slippers and there are facilities with western toilets. There is also a hot water machine which our guide used to make us all a cup of Jasmine tea in the morning. On arrival into Xi'an we went for early check-in at our hotel so we could all freshen up, then went out to visit the wonderful city of Xi'an. Across from the hotel is a great tea market that I highly recommend. As its local nobody hassles you and if you need help, the locals are super friendly and will do their best to help you. The ride around the city walls was good fun, but there is also a walking option for those who are not bike confident. When we departed our trip some of the group were headed to Chengdu, some to Shanghai on longer versions of this trip. We were catching a flight so the tour company arranged another guide to collect us and take us to the airport. She then helped us check in and navigate security, acting as a translator for us. This was a service above and beyond what I was expecting as I had expected only to be picked up by a taxi and dropped off. This personalised service was fantastic and made the whole process easier. Normally I am a solo traveller, and I've been all over the world, but i couldn't recommend this tour enough. We got so much out of only a few days and we did so much more by being part of a group- from Tea experiences to skipping long queues it was worth every penny. Additionally, many tourists sites have minimal signage in English so having a guide with you means you get an explanation of what you are looking at, the context and the history which made the experience much more enriching.
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  On The Go Tours commented on this review

  Thank you for posting your feedback and photos!
  
  Trip date: October 2018
• BC

  Brenda

  · October 11th, 2018
  Leo was brilliant with the right balance of history, geography and social skills
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  On The Go Tours commented on this review

  Thank you kindly for the feedback!
  Trip date: September 2018
• MC

  Murray

  · August 24th, 2016
  I travelled with On the Go on the China Express tour and had an absolute blast! Normally I am the type of traveller to "go solo" and do my own thing and have my experiences that way. I must admit, I would never have seen half the things I would have compared to doing it with On the Go. Each day is brilliantly organised, you get to make friends with the people you travel with from all over the world, but there is not too many people that you feel like a sheep. China is the kind of country where have a local tour guide really enhances your whole holiday as well. Organising something as easy as a taxi yourself requires you to know Chinese, you cant just show them an address. You get to learn a lot more about the culture, history and see some really interesting places which are more local than what a guide book can tell you. I would highly recommend On the Go, my whole trip was flawless, the ground staff couldn't be more helpful and it was a great way to see one of the most interesting countries in the world without feeling overwhelmed.
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  On The Go Tours commented on this review

  We are so pleased you enjoyed your stay!
  
  Trip date: March 2016