Great package and a good way to see the important sites if you only have a short time. The private tour or small group is best value with a driver and guide to see the city sites. I cannot say enough about the guide....she was fantastic! Very interesting, spoke good English. The van clean, large, with an excellent driver as well. I was especially happy the second day to have the same guide, so much more personal. We add a tour to the tea factory as time allowed, the route and schedule was very accomendating for me to carry my one bag and catch a taxi to the airport for my flight out; once again the tour guide and drive where very accomendating. The lunch is provided was better the second day after the Great Wall, the first day the containers where left open, not really a big crowed for lunch, which allowed everything to get cold. The other two ladies I met on the tour had the same impresson and all-in-all the tour was excellent and great value!..
We enjoined the coach tour both days and found it an excellent way to see the high spots in just 2 days. On the first day there were just the 2 of us in a car with our guide Cynthia who was excellent. Very informative and good English which was great. Both the car and driver were of a high standard and on this day we did the Forbidden City, Summer Palace part of the 2 day tour. On the second day we had another 2 travelers with us in an excellent mini-bus with again a good driver (this is always important but even more so in Beijing with the driving style and the amount of traffic). This day we did the Ming Tombs and Great Wall. Overall we found the tour to be excellent value. My suggestion would be for a tour such as this, don\'t just go with what is being pushed by the hotel you are staying at. Search the web and you will invariably find what you need at a far better price by dealing direct...
Great way to see the important sites if you only have a short time. Although we booked the value group tour, on the first day we ended up having a private tour with a driver and guide to see the city sites. I cannot say enough about our guide Rita....she was fantastic! Very interesting, personable and spoke excellent English. The car was a clean, large, newer model with an excellent driver as well. On the second day we were only a group of 4. Unfortunately, this guide was less able to speak English and gave up even trying to have us understand her half way through the tour so we just talked to the other couple touring with us.... a little disappointing as we would have liked some in depth info about the Great Wall. When none of us wanted to go to the silk factory she took us to a Chinese for 20CNY foot massages which we did end up enjoying. Again the van was newer and clean. We found the food on the first day at the pearl factory not good but had a great meal near the jade factory on day two. All said the tour is excellent value!..
Booking process very easy and prompt. Called as promised the night before by the guide to arrange collection the next morning. Collected on time for the first day by the guide, Maggie. The tour covered all what was mentioned with some interesting side visits. Maggie was very good and explained all parts of the tour well with many interesting facts mentioned as the day went by. Well worth the price and I would recomend the private tour if you do not want to be part of a group and get more time to visit the places you want to see. Lunch on the first day very good but the second day not so good but was informed choices are limited near the great wall. Only a minor point and did not harm my thoughts of the overall tour. Would recomend......
Our tour guide Forest and Cindy were fantastic. The trip was very well planned and very enjoyable. Forest was very knowledgable and pure fun to speak with ! Our group had a very good mix of tourists (from France, Brazil, India, US, London). This makes the trip even more interesting. I will recommend this to my friends...
I just did the 2 day tour at the end of April and had an EXCELLENT trip! On the first day we actually did the Ming Tombs and Great Wall, unlike the itinerary specified. Our guide, May, was great. She gave us information on the sites we were seeing, Beijing, and China as a whole. She also gave us a bit of insight of what it is like to live under China\'s communist government- very interesting. The group I traveled with only had 3 people in it, and we lucked out because there were only 2 other people on the first day and it was just us on the second! The bus showed up on time both days and the lunch was pretty good! Overall I would say that it is a great tour to see the main sights in Beijing. I feel like I got a decent amount of time at each location and really experienced the area. You definately get your moneys worth. However, like the other reviews have mentioned, you do have to sit through a few stops at factories/stores that will try to sell you overpriced souvineres. Just bare with it and before you know it you are on to the next sight! Another note: if you are one who would like to spend a large amount of time at any particular sight, this tour is not for you, unless you have the time to go back and do it again later. Like I said earlier, I feel like I had enough time at each area (1-2 hours) and got a good taste of all of the main sights, however, if you would rather spend more time on fewer sights, the coach tour will just frustrate you with the time limits. Good luck and enjoy!..
Dear Sirs We really enjoyed our 2 day tour of Beijing. The guide (Mary Wong) on day one was very friendly, helpful and knowledgeble and her English was excellant. Peter, on day two was good as wel. Although his English was good, his accent was a little harder to understand. He was also very friendly and helpful and knew his background history. We loved the sights and the even the factories. The only downside was the prices in some of them were quite steep and in the teahouse the salesperson was a little pushy in her promotion of the products. She was quite upset when we declined to buy. We would defenitely recommend the tour to others..
We booked the budget coach tour, 2 days, they changed the schedule so we visited the things in the city the first day. Our tour guide was just so-so. She explained many things for another Tawainese couple that was with us in Chinese, but spent less time explaining for me and my Korean friend. We went thorugh the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven, and we finished in the afternoon, she gave us time to take pictures along the way. It was a good price, and very convinient way to see everything in two days however. As far as the second day, my Chinese friend joinded us and the size of our group grew from 4-to 8 people. It was much better. We went to the great wall, and the tour guide gave a lot of good information on the bus ride. She was a little friendlier, and she gave ample time to see everything. I did not feel rushed. The meals on both days were so-so, and the tour took two shopping stops on the first day and the second day. I like to visit the pearl, jade, and clusiote factories, as the pieces are pretty, but to high priced. The tea shop was beautiful, but also high priced. Overall, this package is a good value, and convienient to see everything, i think the experience can depend on your enthusiam of your tour guide. I would reccomend it to someone else to do it, and would also tell them what to expect...
We booked the 2 day private tour through Tour Guide China and could not be more pleased. All the arrangements were made and finalised within one day and the service was very quick and polite. Our tour Guide, Rita, was excellent! We could not have asked for a better Guide. She called the evening before our tour to confirm the adress of our Hotel and arranged the time off the pick-up. She took us to all the famous places in Beijing and was very informative and helpfull. Always ready with a good answer if a question is asked and always a story to tell. Her English was excellent and we had a great time seeing the sights of Beijing with her. The sights in Beijing were amazing and so interesting, it was truly two days I will never forget, from the Forbidden City, to the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven and also the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs, it was truely amazing. Rita also introduced us to some shows that we might like witch we appreciated so much. She took care of all the arrangements and even dropped us at the venue always making shure that we make our way back to where we want to be. I encourage anyone to work with Tour Guide CHina, the y made shure that we had an unforgettable time and their prices ansd service is the best. Thank you very much, we will always remember our Beijing experience..
we enjoyed the two day tour package. we had arranged hotels by our own and had booked this tour through internet. since were strict vegetarians, the first day, we carried some snacks and managed. But on the second day our tour guide Cindy helped us to to get some food to our like. both the guides (May and Cindy) on two days provided us with details of the places visited and entertained us with some legendary stories connected to these places. if someone ask for our opinion, we would be glad to suggest this package which has value for money...
In general we enjoyed the tour.But it would have been nice to know in advance that the schedule was reversed and on the first day we went to the great wall and on the second day we toured Beijing sites...
We booked the Budget Coach Tour 2 days package. Arrived at Beijing on October 23, the wheater was friendly about 17 degree Celcius. Later in the evening the tour guide was left a message asking us to call him for confirmation of the tour of Beijing sightseeing tomorrow morning. Instead of Mark Lin (the tour guide) found us the next morning, we did find him when he just came over to the hotel\'s lobby. He was surprised that we are not the westerner as he thought before and wondered if we did not find him. Mark Lin is a good tour guide, he accompanied us during the tour to Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace. The driver hopped on and of the 8 tourists by mini van in traditionally reckless way. During this 1-day tour, we have the lunch break at an urban chinese restaurant and place of shopping (manufacturer and the pearl factory), beside there are also side shopping at Summer Palace painting shops. Tour ended by 6 o\'clock in the afternoon. By 9 p.m., David, our next day tour guide, left a voice message and called us again by 11 p.m. told us that his driver will pick us up the next morning. The next day, the wheater is a bit chill - it is drop to 10 degree Celcius in the beginning of the day. Again the driver did not find us, he was just standing at the hotel\'s lobby whilst we have been waiting for about 20 minutes in the lobby\'s sofa. Finally, I found the driver after looking around his mini bus outside the hotel for which David had told me the bus\' police number. David was just join with us in the bus at the latest tourist pick up point. We were 13 peoples together and starting our trip to the Ming Tomb. David explained to us the history, the people, the food and the then to be of Beijing in 2008. It was remarkable and excellent one. We did tour to jade factory slipped in the tour before lunch time. We arrived at Badaling (the Great Wall) around 11 a.m. after having lunch at the big restaurant contagious located at the Cloisonne factory. Although it is a big restaurant but do not expect the outstanding foods, it was just a simple traditional Chinese meal. All of us were went up to Badaling highest point by electric train with buckle for every passenger in its own little train. Be prepared for a jacket since up there in the Great Wall the temperature was much lower than below the hills. At the end of the tour, we were all brought up to the silk manufacturer. Today\'s trip was exhausting all of us. It was finished at 7 p.m. and only the driver sent us back to the hotel. David accompanied his most \'have\' clients to the acrobatic show. Overall the 2 days tour package is worth for the money $50 per person. However, for anybody who looks for more leisure and detail information on tourist attractions it might not meet its expectation. Though, it is very helpful for the tourist with limited stays in Beijing. Go get it the chance before the price is rocketing up in line with the 2008 Olympic Games...
My wife and I booked a private car 2 day Beijing tour on 20th & 21st Oct. We had avery pleasant guide named Sophia Heim and also a very accommodating driver. We thoroughly enjoyed the tours and would recommend the service of the above company. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable in the history of Beijing and China. Most importanly she spoke good English. Sophia was very punctual in picking us from the hotel she never once rushed us through any of the sights. We could not ask for a better service. I give this tour 100 points and would recommend it highly. Ken & Donisia Porter Perth, Western Australia..
Booked via the internet and all worked fine. Great Wall/Ming Tombs Tour I was very fortunate in that whilst I booked a small group tour I was the only person so the tour was able to accomodate my needs and interests. The GReat wll was fantastic and tour guide informative. In some ways te MIng Tombs was a litle disappointing - did not see the underground tombs, which I may have exoected. Jade Tour was a requirement but personally did not need to do. Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heavenly Kingdom, and Silk Factory Tour This day tour was proabably a little ambitious and thus there was no free time to wander off and explore. This would have been particularly useful, particularyly at teh Summer Place which was a walk-through and did not actually get to see the inside of the newly renovated Palace at all. Guide was informative; collected at the time stated. Lunch meals okay. Carol, Mebourne, Australia, 16 and 17 October 2006...
The tour guide was very good. He made sure that we were completely informed of the important sites that we could see and asked us what we would like to do within the scheduled trip, so we had the opportunity for a little flexibility in the tour. He told us many interesting stories about Beijing and the sites. He was able to answer any question about the sites. He even booked a show for us and told us about it, and chaefuered us there too. We had a very enjoyable trip with a small tour group...
The tour was very nice. My husband, I and our little 2 years old daughter spent 2 wonderful days in Beijing. The guide was very kind and helpful and very kind to our daughter. First day we travelled with other 5 people, and second day only with 3, so it was very comfortable. Our guide advised us a kung-fu show in the evening and went with us to the theatre to make sure we are in time and in place. It was really nice. We liked the tour and our guide very much. Thank you for excellent time in Beijing...
This is the best tour I have ever joined, so far. You get to see the best of Beijing in 2 days and the lunches were all superb!!! I just could not forget Jerry, our tour guide, who is very knowledgeable and polite and pleasantly conversant in English. She also helped me get my wallet back along with her co-tour guide, when I lost it in the Great Wall. I never expected my trip to be that exciting and pleasant. I will not hesitate to book with ChinaTour.Net again whenever I visit China again!!!..
Given the complexities of the public transport system and the terrible traffic in Beijing, doing a guided tour is by far the best way to see the major tourist sites. The highlight was the Great Wall. Even on a hot, smoggy day the Wall and its surrounding countryside are very special indeed. The low-light was the visit to the Ming Tombs...
This tour is very good for people who have only a couple of days in Beijing. It manages to cover most of the notable spots worth visiting in the city, although in a little hurried manner. I must add though that our bus was very comfortable and our tour guides spoke very good english and were very pleasant and helpful. All in all, it was a good experience...
I had a great time on this tour. Definitely worth the money. The group was small, so I felt I was given more attention. My tour guide, Kitty, and my driver was also great! Very good English, Kitty. I also enjoyed the tours of the factories. The lunches were good, too. Just make sure that you bring a bottle of water, since the places allow you only one glass full per person, but all you can eat food and all you can drink tea. Great work! I recommend this tour...
The 2-days private tour was great and exceeded my expectation. The driver and the tour guide were very nice and friendly. I think it's well worth the money. Our tour guide even helped us book the Kung-fu show in the evening. I recommend the Kung-Fu show if you are looking for something to do in the evening besides Karaoke...
I really recommend this tour. The guide was friendly and very informative. The bus driver in the first day, however, drove like crazy. In the 2nd day, the driver was very good. It is necessary to ask for a good driver, or we may have to suffer roller coaster driving. The trip was very enjoyable. The Tian An Mhen square and the forbidden city may be good for first visit only, not recommended for retun, for it was too tiring and a bit too boring to walk. The Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace were all great and heavenly. The foods were deeeeeleeecious...
The 2 day Beijing Tour 26 and 27 April 2006 was very easy going and enjoyable as there were only 8 people in our group. Each day wasa very full and we had plenty of time to see or do things of interest. The day to the Great Wall and Ming Tombs was particularly good as our tour guide 'Jackson' was a mine of information and humorous stories. Very good value for money! Frank Parsons Canberra Australia..
The tour was good but be noticed: 1. There is a lot of forged bank notes in China so dont use currency unless you really have to. 2. The traffic to Great Wall is very bad so the pick up time was very early - 7:30am. 3. The Palace of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace are both under renovation so there was something that could not be seen especially in the Summer Palace...
