Best China tours and tour companies for 2018

1. Wendy Wu

Wendy Wu knows Asia and connects travellers with local guides for authentic experiences that you won’t find on other tours. With over 59 award-winning tours in China alone, Wendy Wu will make sure that you see all of China well.

• Best for: 40+, solo and group travellers
• Cost: High-end
• Our favourite itinerary: The Wonders of China tour is ideal for first-time travellers to China as it ensures that you see all of China’s main highlights in 16 days.

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2. Gate1 Travel

No stone is left unturned with Gate1 Travel's tours which are a well-curated set that include hotel stays, most meals, internal flights, sightseeing tickets and English-speaking tour guides. Tours are quite active and can include international flights, upon request.

• Best for: Active travellers, first timers
• Cost: Mid-range
• Our favourite itinerary: The 14-Day China with Chengdu & 3-Day Yangtze River Cruise tour takes the time to explore each city, with 2-3 night stays, and includes a relaxing cruise down the Yangtze over 3 days to finish off your trip.

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3. G Adventures

Explore further on your dollar with small group tours that keep costs low by offering a mixture of accommodation and transport to suit even shoestring budgets. G Adventures offers 20+ tours ranging from classic itineraries to more active and youthful ones.

• Best for: Adventure seekers, youth travel
• Cost: Low-mid range
• Our favourite itinerary: ISick to that budget with an 8-day Beijing to Shanghai adventure that won't cost more than $100 per day but lets you tick off highlights like the Great Wall, the Beijing Tiantan East Gate, Terracotta Warriors, Suzhou and The Bund.

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4. China Odyssey Tours

China Odyssey Tours focuses primarily on customised private tours around China that are tailor-made to fit your needs. From tours as short as a day to longer than three weeks, China Odyssey Tours covers all of the best areas in China and beyond.

• Best for: Age 11+, private/customised tours
• Cost: Mid-range
• Our favourite itinerary: We love this 12-Day China Tour because it includes some time exploring Hong Kong before moving onto other star cities and attractions in mainland China.

Top China tour companies for private tours

• Monograms: Travel independently but without all of the work as Monograms arranges accommodation for you and connects you with locals to experience each destination as a resident.
• Variants: Variants tours will take you to historic sites and natural wonders on short one- or multi-day trips in most parts of China.
• Odyssey Tours: All of Odyssey Tours’ trips to China can be customised for your budget, with tours ranging from two days to three weeks.

Top China tour companies for luxury tours

• Wendy Wu: One of the biggest names in China tours, expect professional guides, an extensive range of tour options and the best possible care and attention while away with Wendy Wu.
• Abercrombie & Kent: Jet journeys, cruises, small group or private tours, Abercrombie & Kent is a leader in luxury travel with over 20 tours from 3 days to 3 weeks in China.
• Uniworld: Travel in the lap of luxury on a Uniworld cruise. The boutique river cruise specialist offers 3 China cruise-tours which includes internal transfers, accommodation, some meals and excurisons.

Top China tour companies for cycle tours

• China Adventure Travel: As one of the largest adventure travel companies in China, you’ll find plenty of award-winning group and customised tours, with a large selection of cycle tours.
• World Expeditions: World Expeditions is a leader in adventure travel around the world, guiding small group tours across all continents including cycling tours.
• SpiceRoads Cycling: This tour company is dedicated to cycling-only tours in 30 countries around the world, focusing as much on the journey as the destination.