Do I need a visa to travel to China?

It depends on your nationality. As of 2026, China offers visa-free entry to ordinary passport holders from over 40 countries (including France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand) for stays of 15–30 days, with extensions announced through December 2026. Citizens of 54 countries are eligible for the 72-hour or 144-hour visa-free transit exemption if they have a confirmed onward ticket to a third country. For everyone else, a standard tourist visa (L visa) is required. We recommend checking the latest policy with your local Chinese embassy or consulate before booking, as regulations change frequently.

How do I get a China visa?

The process is straightforward but requires advance planning. Step 1: Determine your visa type — most tourists need an L visa (tourist). Step 2: Complete the online application form on the Chinese Visa Application Service Center website. Step 3: Schedule an in-person appointment at your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate (or use an authorized visa agent). Step 4: Prepare required documents: a valid passport (at least 6 months' validity and 2+ blank pages), a passport photo, proof of travel arrangements (flight bookings and hotel reservations), and a bank statement. Processing typically takes 4–5 business days for standard service, or 2–3 days for expedited. For visa-free eligible travelers, no application is needed — just ensure your passport meets the validity requirements.

Is China safe for tourists in 2026?

Yes, China is one of the safest countries in the world for tourists. Violent crime against visitors is extremely rare. Major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an are well-policed and tourist-friendly, even at night. Public transportation is safe and reliable. The main precautions are the same as anywhere: keep valuables secure in crowded areas, use licensed taxis or ride-hailing apps, and stay aware of your surroundings. China's extensive CCTV network and strict laws make it very safe for foreign visitors.

What is the best time to visit China?

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are ideal for most of China. These seasons offer mild temperatures, clear skies, and fewer crowds. Summer (June to August) is hot and rainy in the south but great for Tibet and northern grasslands. Winter (December to February) is cold in the north but perfect for Harbin's Ice Festival and Hainan's tropical beaches. For first-time visitors, April and October are the best months overall.

How do I stay connected in China? (eSIM & VPN)

We recommend getting a China eSIM before arrival — providers like Airalo and Holafly offer data plans starting from $5 for 1GB. Physical SIM cards are available at airports but require passport registration. For VPN access, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are the most reliable options for bypassing the Great Firewall to access Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and other apps. Download your VPN before arriving in China, as VPN websites are blocked within the country.

Can US citizens travel to China in 2026?

Yes, US citizens can travel to China. As of 2026, US passport holders need a tourist visa (L visa) for stays longer than the transit exemption period. The application process involves submitting your passport, photo, travel itinerary, and financial proof to the Chinese embassy or consulate. Processing takes 4-5 business days. We recommend applying at least one month before your planned departure. Direct flights are available from major US cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago.

What should I pack for a China trip?

Essentials include: comfortable walking shoes (you will walk a lot), a universal power adapter (China uses Type A, C, and I plugs), portable battery pack, any prescription medications, and a translation app. For connectivity, bring a VPN and eSIM. Pack layers if visiting multiple regions, as China's climate varies dramatically — from tropical Hainan to freezing Harbin. A small daypack, reusable water bottle, and wet wipes are practical additions for daily touring.

Travel Like a Local

Your Journey.Your Way. — Private China Tours Designed by Local Experts

Private China tours, curated experiences, and small-group adventures designed around you. Explore our China tour packages and dive into our China travel guides to plan your journey.

TOURS

China Tour Collection

Top China Tours: Curated Journeys & Authentic Local Experiences

From the imperial grandeur of Beijing to the misty peaks of Zhangjiajie, our China tours are more than itineraries — they are curated journeys that reveal the soul of the Middle Kingdom.

14-Day China Tour Package: Shanghai, Guilin, Yangtze River Cruise, Xi'an & Beijing

Tailor-made Travel

14 days / 13 nightsClassic Tours

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

14-Day China Tour Package: Shanghai, Guilin, Yangtze River Cruise, Xi'an & Beijing

Shanghai → Guilin → Yangshuo → Chongqing → Yangtze River Cruise → Xi'an → Beijing

THE LOCAL DIFFERENCE

Balance Shanghai's skyline, Guilin's karst scenery, the Yangtze cruise and northern China classics.

Flights, trains, cruise boarding, luggage timing and hotel changes are coordinated by the advisor team.

Private guide planningManual quotationFlexible hotels and pace

Price on request

Advisor-designed quote

Tour Details

11-Day China's Golden Triangle Tour with Yangtze Cruise

Tailor-made Travel

11 days / 10 nightsClassic Tours

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

11-Day China's Golden Triangle Tour with Yangtze Cruise

Beijing → Xi'an → Chongqing → Yangtze River Cruise → Yichang → Shanghai

THE LOCAL DIFFERENCE

Combine classic cities: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai with the slower rhythm of a Yangtze River cruise.

Highly competent local guides handle daily touring while transfers and cruise boarding are coordinated in advance.

Private guide planningManual quotationFlexible hotels and pace

Price on request

Advisor-designed private journey

Tour Details

8 Days China Golden Triangle Tour: Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai

Tailor-made Travel

8 days / 7 nightsClassic Tours

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

8 Days China Golden Triangle Tour: Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai

Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai

THE LOCAL DIFFERENCE

Explore the Forbidden City's grand halls and courtyards as your guide brings 600 years of imperial history to life.

Walk along Mutianyu's ancient ramparts and admire mountain views as your guide shares stories of this remarkable landma…

Classic ChinaFully CustomizableEarly Bird Discount

Price on request

Advisor-designed quote

Tour Details

Tailor-made Travel

7 days / 6 nightsHeritage & Culture

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

Beijing and Shanghai 7-Day Tour by Rail

Beijing → Forbidden City → Mutianyu Great Wall → Temple of Heaven → Summer Palace → High-Speed Train → The Bund → Yuyuan Garden → Zhujiajiao Water Town → Shanghai

THE LOCAL DIFFERENCE

You open with a Forbidden City and Great Wall tour, the imperial halls then the ramparts, before the rail link south.

A Beijing and Shanghai high speed train tour crosses between the two ends in about five hours, seats held for your part…

Private guide planningManual quotationFlexible hotels and pace

Price on request

Advisor-designed quote

Tour Details

19-Day Private China Tour: Imperial Cities, Natural Wonders & Vibrant Metropolises

Tailor-made Travel

19 days / 18 nightsHeritage & Culture

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

19-Day Private China Tour: Imperial Cities, Natural Wonders & Vibrant Metropolises

Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Leshan → Chongqing → Guiyang → Guilin → Guangzhou → Shenzhen → Hong Kong

THE LOCAL DIFFERENCE

Walk the same axis as Ming and Qing dynasties through Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, tracing the legacy of Ch…

Descend into the pit where Qin Shi Huang's stone army has kept watch for two millennia, revealing the remarkable scale…

Flexible paceHidden GemsCultural Salon

Price on request

Advisor-designed quote

Tour Details

25-Day Grand Tour of China: Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin & Shanghai

Tailor-made Travel

25 days / 24 nightsHeritage & Culture

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

25-Day Grand Tour of China: Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin & Shanghai

Beijing → Xi'an → Yichang → Chongqing → Chengdu → Dali → Kunming → Guilin → Yangshuo → Hangzhou → Suzhou → Shanghai

THE LOCAL DIFFERENCE

Hike ancient watchtowers and enjoy sweeping views of the Great Wall across the mountain ridges.

See Qin’s life-size terracotta army up close and uncover the story behind this ancient wonder.

standoutFully CustomizableEarly Bird Discount

Price on request

Advisor-designed quote

Tour Details

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Theme Categories

China Tours by Theme: Culture, Food, Adventure & Family Experiences

Not every traveler wants the same China. Some come for the adrenaline of hiking through Zhangjiajie. Others for the quiet rituals of a Chengdu teahouse, or the flavors of a midnight street-food crawl in Xi'an. Our China tours are organized by theme — so you can choose the journey that moves you, not just the destination.

Theme71 tours

MountainsActive daysBig scenery

Sanya · Sanya Hotel · Wuzhizhou Island · Yalong Bay · Yanoda Rainforest

Adventure

Mountain scenery, ancient towns, rail-linked routes, and more active touring days.

Scenery seekersView theme

Theme30 tours

PandasEasy pacingPrivate guide

Sanya · Sanya Hotel · cdf Sanya Duty Free · Atlantis Aquarium · Guangzhou

Family Tours

Panda-led, flexible, and family-friendly products across Chengdu and Sichuan routes.

FamiliesView theme

Theme7 tours

Local tablesHot potTea culture

Guangzhou · Shantou · Shunde · Chaozhou · Shanghai

Food & Culinary

Local tables, markets, tea culture, and regional flavors woven into China routes.

Food loversView theme

Theme110 tours

Historic capitalsMuseumsOld streets

Shenzhen · Window of the World · Splendid China Folk Village · Guangzhou · Huizhou West Lake Scenic Area

Heritage & Culture

Historic capitals, classical gardens, architecture, and culture-first city routing.

Culture-focusedView theme

Theme76 tours

Yalong Bay's widelocal guide times108-metre Guanyin rises

Sanya · Yalong Bay & Sun Bay Road · Wuzhizhou Island · Nanshan Cultural Zone · Tianya Haijiao

Photography

Published products in the Photography theme.

PhotographyView theme

Private China travel planning with rail and transfer logistics

10+ private planning

Large Groups / Corporate / Custom Planning / Dedicated Service

Custom China Tours for Large Groups & Private Teams

Planning a China trip for a larger group requires more than a standard tour. We design fully customized itineraries with group logistics, hotels, dining, transportation, guides, and special arrangements tailored to your needs.

15+ travelers, corporate groups, incentive trips, school groups, and private family gatherings.

Our team handles: Route planning, hotel selection, restaurant arrangements, private vehicles, multilingual guides, and special visit requests.

How it works: Share your requirements → Our travel advisors create a tailored proposal → Confirm details and proceed with booking.

Plan My Trip Ask a quick question

Explore China Destinations

Discover China’s Most Iconic Destinations & Hidden Gems

Discover China’s most popular travel destinations, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin, and beyond. Explore our destination guides to find the perfect experiences for your trip to China.

Beijing

China's imperial capital and a natural first chapter for China journeys, pairing the Forbidden City, Great Wall, hutong neighborhoods, food culture, and rail-ready onward routes.

City highlights

Choose the right Great Wall section around crowd level, walking pace, season, and photography goals.

Connect Forbidden City, Jingshan, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace into one imperial story arc.

Balance monument-heavy days with hutong walks, courtyard dining, noodles, snacks, and Peking duck.

48 toursFrom $29

Tours

Shanghai

The Paris of the East — Art Deco architecture, Michelin-starred restaurants, and futuristic skyline.

City highlights

The Bund at golden hour — Art Deco meets futuristic Pudong skyline

French Concession walking tour with a local architect

Water town day trip to Zhujiajiao or Suzhou

45 toursFrom $14

Tours

Xi'an

The ancient capital where the Silk Road began. Home to the Terracotta Warriors and 3,000 years of continuous history.

City highlights

Terracotta Warriors with an archaeologist guide

Muslim Quarter food crawl — 1,300 years of halal cuisine

Cycle the ancient city walls at sunset

38 toursFrom $55

Tours

Guilin & Guangxi

A Guilin tour follows the Li River through karst peaks to Yangshuo — with sunrise over Longji Rice Terraces and cormorant fishing on bamboo rafts.

City highlights

Cruise the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo past 20,000 karst peaks

Watch sunrise over Longji Rice Terraces carved 700 years ago

Try cormorant fishing with a local fisherman on a bamboo raft

23 toursFrom $40

Tours

Chengdu

Chengdu is Sichuan's relaxed gateway for panda mornings, teahouse culture, hot pot, Taoist mountains, Leshan, and private side trips across western China.

City highlights

Morning panda base visit planned around active feeding windows

People's Park teahouse, mahjong, and old Chengdu street life

Private Sichuan food route with spice-level control

42 toursFrom $44

Tours

Hangzhou & Zhejiang

A Hangzhou tour covers West Lake, Longjing tea plantations, and Lingyin Temple — China's most poetic city, just an hour from Shanghai.

City highlights

Pick Longjing tea leaves with a 4th-generation tea family

Boat ride on West Lake as sunset lights up the pavilions

Lingyin Temple's 1,500-year-old Buddhist grottoes

43 toursFrom $46

Tours

Explore All Cities

Traveler Reviews

Reviews from official public sources

Read selected Tripadvisor feedback and open Google Reviews from one place.

Review sources

Tripadvisor

4.9

Selected public traveler reviews

Read selected Tripadvisor feedback from travelers who planned China trips with Your Way Holiday.

Open Tripadvisor

Selected Tripadvisor reviews

Recent traveler highlights

James & Sarah Mitchell

United Kingdom · Grand China rail journey

Tripadvisor

“Standing on the Great Wall at sunrise with no other tourists in sight was the highlight of our China tour. The guide arranged a home-cooked lunch in a Beijing hutong with a family who had lived there for generations.”

Elena Rossi

Italy · Ancient capitals and Hangzhou

Tripadvisor

“We picked tea leaves with a family whose ancestors farmed Longjing for generations. The tea ceremony that followed was the most memorable moment of our China trip.”

Mark Thompson

United States · Classic China private tour

Tripadvisor

“Every guide felt like a friend who happened to know thousands of years of stories. The quiet Forbidden City experience was something we will never forget.”

Signature China Experiences

Discover Unique China Trips with Local Experiences

Explore China through unforgettable experiences that reveal the culture, flavors, landscapes, and traditions of each region. From private tea experiences and cultural discoveries to mountain adventures and local food journeys, every trip is crafted to help you experience China differently.

Beijing · Northern China

Badaling Helicopter Private Flight: A Luxury Great Wall Experience from Beijing

A private helicopter flight over the Badaling Great Wall with aerial views of ancient watchtowers, mountain ridges, and winding ramparts — a once-in-a-lifetime luxury experience departing from Beijing.

Explore This Region

Beijing · Northern China

Chateau Sanggan and Canaan Winery: A Private Wine Estate Tour from Beijing

A private wine-estate journey to Chateau Sanggan and Canaan Winery in Huailai, with vineyard tours, cellar access, professional tastings, and gourmet dining less than two hours from Beijing.

Explore This Region

Chengdu · Sichuan

Sichuan Embroidery Private Workshop: A Heritage Craft Experience in Chengdu

A hands-on private workshop with a master Sichuan embroidery artisan in Chengdu — learn centuries-old stitching techniques, create your own piece, and explore one of China's four great embroidery traditions.

Explore This Region

TRUST

The Your Way Holiday Difference

Why Travelers Choose Your Way Holiday for China Travel

More than a tour booking platform, we are a team of local specialists creating personalized China vacation packages with meaningful experiences, flexible itineraries, and trusted support. Our guides share authentic stories, local insights, and the China they truly know.

Born & Raised Local Guides

Every guide is a native of their city with deep family roots. They do not recite scripts — they share childhood memories, neighborhood secrets, and personal stories.

Fully Customizable

Adjust departure times, swap restaurants, add private experiences, or extend a day — every detail is shaped around your pace, interests, and energy level.

24/7 On-Ground Support

Our local support team is available around the clock via WhatsApp — whether you need a last-minute restaurant reservation or directions at midnight.

Transparent Pricing

The price you see is the price you pay. We itemize every cost upfront — entrance tickets, meals, transport, guide fees — with no hidden surprises.

Flexible Cancellation

Cancel or reschedule up to 48 hours before departure with a full refund. For multi-day tours, partial refunds up to 7 days in advance.

Award-Winning Service

Recognized by TripAdvisor, Travel + Leisure, and National Geographic. Our proudest metric is a 4.9-star average from over 10,000 guest reviews.

GUIDES

China Travel Insights

Expert Tips to Plan Your China Trip

From visa updates and destination guides to local food, transportation tips, and cultural experiences, our team shares practical insights to help you travel China with confidence and discover more along the way.

China with Kids

66 min read

China with Kids: Your 2027 Guide to a Stress-Free Family Trip

China is a great family destination: Great Wall, pandas, theme parks, high-speed trains, and family-friendly cities. The key is a relaxed pace, central hotels, and a route matched to your child's age.

Read article

2027/2028 US to China Travel Guide: Visa Application & Cross-Border Travel Handbook for American Visitors

Visa & Entry

18 min read

2027/2028 US to China Travel Guide: Visa Application & Cross-Border Travel Handbook for American Visitors

A practical handbook for American travelers covering China visa rules, visa-free transit, application channels, documents, costs, flights, arrival procedures, and common mistakes.

Read article

How to Travel to China as a US Citizen: Complete Guide for 2027/2028

China Visa

17 min read

How to Travel to China as a US Citizen: Complete Guide for 2027/2028

China expanded its 30-day visa-free entry program to British and Canadian passport holders in February 2026, making short private tours, family visits, and multi-city China routes easier to plan.

Read article

Best Time to Visit

11 min read

Best Time to Visit China: A Complete Guide 2026

A season-by-season planning guide covering weather, crowds, photography, budget, festivals, food, tea culture, packing, and trip length recommendations.

Read article

China Transit Visa 2026: Requirements, Application & Stopover Guide (Updated May 2026)

Visa & Entry

9 min read

China Transit Visa 2026: Requirements, Application & Stopover Guide (Updated May 2026)

A practical stopover guide explaining China G visas, 240-hour visa-free transit, route eligibility, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou transit rules, and documents travelers should prepare.

Read article

FAQ

Planning Your China Trip

China Travel FAQ: Everything to Know Before Your Trip

Find clear answers to common questions about China visas, payments, booking, transportation, timing, and tour arrangements. Plan your China trip with confidence before you arrive.