Essential China

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

1 | 2

• 

  Merlyn Pauley

  ESSENTIAL CHINA

  

  Written May 2011

  Excellent short trip to China covering the main attactions but also giving some free to do the other activities. 

  Read full review

  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Walking the Great Wall

  Seeing Cormorant Fishing at night on the Li River.

   Hong Kong at night

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Excellent, went out of his way to ensure everyboby had a great time. Also worked hard to ensure the trip ran very smoothly, solving problems as they occurred with out a fuss.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Just go for it!!

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  If you want to see alot of China at a reasonable price and your short on time, this is the trip for you.

   
• 

  Matthew Osborn

  ESSENTIAL CHINA

  

  Written January 2011

  A good trip that gave you an insight in to China and it's history. A fantastic place with warm friendly people, should definitely be one for the bucket list. 

  Read full review

  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  The Terrecotta soldiers were incredible and totally breath taking, we went over a Chinese national holiday so it was on the busy side.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  The group I was in was fantastic and I met some simply wonderful people, all of whom bonded well. Unfortunately the group leader, although knowledgeable, had a drink problem which meant on two occasions he was late meeting the group, one of which was by an hour or so after which time the group had arranged their own activities as they weren't willing to wait any longer.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Don't let my comment put you off, the trip was excellent and covered most of the main sites.

   
• 

  Bela Gor

  ESSENTIAL CHINA

  

  Written October 2010

  A great trip if you are short of time and want to see some of the 'highlights' of China or if you want to tack on a few extra days in Hong Kong. 

  Read full review

  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Walking along the Great Wall of China on a beautiful Autumn day and then taking the tobogan down. Late September and early October is definitely a good time to go (later Beijing can be freezing as we discoved the next day. Temperatures can plummet overnight)

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Our group leader Mark was something of a worrier. He became very anxious if any of the group did not want to participate in a group activity. He also didn't seem to understand the concept of 'free time' and tried hard to organise our free time for us. I think he'd had a bad experience of 'losing' one of his group in the past - but that didn't stop him leaving one of our number behind at the airport! He was sweet natured but it was occasionally like being on holiday with your mum - for example when he rang our hotel room in Hong Kong at ten past Midnight to make sure that we'd got back safely from our night out. We were in bed but unfortunately for his nerves some of the group had decided to stay out until the early hours!

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  This is not a relaxing trip. The flight is long and the time difference great and there is no time for a recovery day. There is also a lot of travelling (two overnight trains and a flight) which means that there is little time to catch up on sleep - especially if you want to get the most out of your evenings and there is a lot to do at night in China and Hong Kong. Beware, however that Hong Kong at least is not cheap (£6 for a beer but you do pay for the view).

  I recommend going in Autumn but if it is late Autumn/Winter but be aware that temperatures can drop suddenly. Take warm clothes for Beijing as well as lighter stuff for further south.

  I would also recommend booking your own flights or asking Exodus for alternatives as the flight back from Hong Kong to Beijing and Beijing to London is unnecessarily long and requires a 5am start from Hong Kong. Direct flights are easily availabe from Hong Kong and if you aren't London based consider flights that change in e.g Amsterdam or Paris. We flew back to Edinburgh with KLM which was a lot more comfortable than China Southern on the way there and I understand China Airways.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  If you have the energy do consider some of the optional activities. I don't recommend the Acrobats Show in Beijing - not really worth the money but the Water Show in Yangshou is amazing (although I was torn between this and Cormorant Fishing).  Do cycle the city walls in Xian (a bit bumpy but not scary as it is wide and flat with not too many people and this comes from someone who fell off her bike and on her face earlier in the year in Sri Lanka) and the cookery and calligraphy classes in Yangshou were great fun.

  Also - don't worry about eating street food. These were some of the best meals we had (and you can be as adventourous as you like - fried scorpion anyone? or not) and quite safe as everything is cooked in front of you or by yourself at such high heat. China is not, however, the place for the committed vegetarian or squeamish. Everyone was, however, really friendy and welcoming even with the language barrier.

  Exodus Response

  I would like to thank Miss Gor for her useful feedback. I am not sure what Mark was doing ringing peoples rooms after midnight as he is one of our experienced leaders, but he has had a gently reminder that he does not need to be this over protective. Flight times and airlines on our trips in 2011 do vary so please check upon booking for flight times, however KLM do offer good flights for non London based airports, which our sales team can book.

  Nick Nikolsky - Trip Manager

  
  

  - Exodus Staff

   
• 

  Nona Wilson

  ESSENTIAL CHINA

  

  Written May 2007

  As always, Exodus tours are well organized and well paced. Our guide Mark was friendly, knowledgeable and had a good sense of humor, kept us on track and on schedule, but I never felt rushed. We had lots of time to explore and relax. We covered a lot of ground in 10-11 days but overnight trains and one flight to next destinations maximized our sightseeing time.  

  Read full review

  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Most inspirational has to be The Great Wall.  No matter how far we walked there are still miles and miles and miles ahead undulating over mountain tops far into the distance and then there is the construction of those miles of walls without "modern technology".

  Loved the contrast of the huge modern architecturally interesting buildings in Beijing, wide roadways and random driving situated next to the hutong communities.

  Loved that buildings centuries old are preserved and restored, so that we can glimpse into the past while seeing the future.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  As said previously, Mark was excellent.  Well organized and flexible. Willing to arrange group dinners or side trips if we wanted them. He went out of his way to help individuals needing assistance - finding the pharmacy, making sure  we had the information  we needed to catch flights home, etc. thanks, Mark!

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Great way to see "Essential China". Made me want to go back and see more! If you travel in May you won't need much in the way of warm clothing, but bring an umbrella just in case (didn't need the raincoat I brought).

   

1 | 2