My mom and I booked the two day Beijing Tour Package just about a week before our holiday. Not only did we find the prices on Chinatour.net to be significantly cheaper by comparison, but the company and tour guides came highly recommended by friends. We were able to see just about every hot spot in Beijing in only two days, and our two different guides were excellent - very friendly, knowledgeable and spoke great English. Having all of the transportation taken care of for us was definately a perk as well, and booking with a bus tour was a great way to meet some new people. We were even able to book an Opera through the company and they dropped us off right at the Theater!
For the amount of time that we got to spend at the Great Wall (which was the highlight of our trip of course). We spent the majority of the morning driving, visiting the Tomb and the Jade Factory plus a long lunch that by the time we made it to the Great Wall. Our guide give us two hours (including the time waiting in the long line for the cable car, the ride up the mountain, the time at the Wall and waiting in the long line for the return cable car) - but still not the ample amount of time that I wanted to spend climbing and exploring the Wall! Additionally, we were not informed prior to the tour to bring money along for the \"extras\" not included. What they did not tell us was that the only option for the Great Wall was the cable car (due to time restrictions), but it was going to cost an additionally 80 RMB per person. On top of that, during these two days, we visited the Jade Factory, a Silk Factory, and a Pearl Market, where we were not only given an informational (and interesting) presentation, but then followed around by sales people to sell the products.
Tipping is not the standard in China, but it was awkward when they said, \"You can tip if you want...\", then waited for the tip.
Overall, we had a great trip, lots to see and a lot of information learned! I will recommend this tour company.
We are a leading travel company based in Beijing China, we serve more than 40000 travelers from worldwide every year. As one of the biggest supplier in China, we partner with agencies worldwide. We were endorsed by New York Times Travel Supplement as a reliable China travel agency. more..
[4 of 5 Stars!]
