1 independent reviews for China 2 week holiday by rail
Reviews for China 2 week holiday by rail
Jane Newman review 19 Oct 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Visiting the rural areas was best for me. Seeing the Great Wall north of Beijing (not the most touristy area) on our way to Chengde. Chengde, especially Putuo Zongcheng Temple, was fabulous and there were fewer people. Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang was well worth the visit as was the Shaolin Temple for the martial arts performance (despite it being packed with tourists). The visit to Tianmen Mountain was excellent and a big shout out for our guide Lucas who steered us away from the crowds of Chinese and Korean Tourists. Staying up on Huangshan Mountain in the new hotel after the tourists left was fantastic (and once again our guide helped time the trip for the least busy periods). Wuzhen was also beautiful (a must) and once again our guide Joy timed our trip so well. She was fun to be with and super informative.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I booked private guides for two of us with the local team, referred via Responsible Travel. Our trip manager Sylvia Ye was the most attentive manager I have come across in all my travels, I chose this tour company because of all the operators referred, Sylvia listened to my requests and adapted our tour to what we wanted. The other referrals just gave standard packages. As a bonus the company was a lot cheaper. I had constant access to Sylvia so everything went super smoothly. To other travellers be warned, all the sites are packed with tourists so a good guide is essential. Only one minor downside was the hotel in Huangshan, I would definitely request another hotel although trying to order in the hotel restaurant after our guide left turned out to be fun. I didn't download WeChat but I would if I visit another time. A VPN sim is essential too.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think by visiting these sites we help with the local economies especially in Chengde (not Chengdu) eating locally was a great help in these poorer communities. Regarding environmental impact I think far too many tourists are on the mountains and this is a big problem for tourism in China as it may be a deterrent to foreign visitors over time.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Really great guides and service.Holiday Reviews
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