17 days from:
£2,199 to £2,299
including flights

Pandas & Warriors

Tripcode: FIC

Countries visited: China

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Our Clients’ Reviews

Average Review Rating: from 12 reviews.

Tessa Bramall

PANDAS & WARRIORS FAMILY HOLIDAY

Written August 2012
A great trip with a real insight into everyday life in China. We enjoyed the variety of activities from sunrise on the Great Wall to the cooking school, panda hug and market shopping. Generally the hotels were of a good standard and the food great.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Great Wall at sunrise, smiles on my children's faces after having a panda sit on their laps and hugging it. Having a free day in Hong Kong was good, the children enjoyed swimming in the outdoor pool at Kowloon Park. Haggling in the markets for absolutely everything was fun. The food at the banquets (lunch/dinner) was varied, but McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Starbucks were also welcome. We also enjoyed cycling on the wall at Xi'an, Kung Fu and calligraphy class, Birds Nest staduim, druming at the Drum Tower, Hutong visit. Cycling to Moon Hill in Yangshuo and the evening light show were unforgettable.
What did you think of your group leader?
Vivian was great, always chuckling along with us and her use of the phrase "snacks for lunch" gained momentum. Vivian organised another guide for us at the Shaolin monastry when she realised the first one wasn't making himself clear in his explainations. Her organisational skills were excellent and very caring.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Travel as light as you can because the airports and some railway stations are massive involving a lot of walking with your suitcases and we had a three hour border queue to endure going into Hong Kong. Be prepared for some early mornings and long days. The boat trip at Yangshuo is very touristy, a quiet early morning bamboo raft is an alternative. Take a torch for the early morning Great Wall walk and an umbrella each will come in handy for rainy days and sunny days when sightseeing. Be aware that Beijing and other cities are massive and there are hoards of Chinese at the main attractions and public transport may be busy and crushed, queues on the roads and at attractions. But you can also feel like a celebrity with many Chinese wanting to take pictures of you.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Some activities felt a bit rushed and we would have liked more time at the Terracotta Warriors to see all the exhibits, longer cycling on the wall at Xi'an and more time in Hong Kong. Exodus should make the flight back from Hong Kong direct to the UK and likewise the one into Hong Kong direct from Guilin and not into Shenzhen.
Matthew Heppleston

PANDAS & WARRIORS FAMILY HOLIDAY

Written April 2012
Exciting country, a great way to learn about a different way of living, excellent mix of culture, activity and "local" colour. Enjoyed greatly by the whole family, including 2 teenagers!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
One of many was seeing the sunrise over the Great Wall-5.30am start (optional).
We also found the pandas surprisingly enchanting. My daughter was delighted to have the opportunity to "hug a panda".
Having close contact with the local people-using non tourist restaurants and on one occasion eating in someones home.
What did you think of your group leader?
Awesome. Always enthusiastic, especially well organized and thoughtful, a positive influence on the dynamics of the group, creating a really good atmosphere.
Can't find fault with her at all.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Do it!
(also consider taking some sachets of powdered coffee, kettles and hot water boilers are everywhere, but Chinese coffee is quite different to the European type, which we did miss!)
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The only negative comment we have concerns the transfer from mainland China into Hongkong via Shenzhen airport, the border crossing was extemely slow, we left our hotel at 5.30am and did n't arrive at the Hongkong one until 13.30, then we started the orientation tour of the island, everyone in the group was extremely tired and this trip was to some extent spoiled by the travelling/immigration experience. A direct flight into Hongkong airport is definately worth considering.
Tania Wear

PANDAS & WARRIORS - FAMILY HOLIDAY

Written August 2011
A very varied holiday full of interesting experiences and some I'd rather forget.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The Great Wall was awesome and the Pandas were fantastic.
Yangshou was wonderful especially the cooking. Loved the bike ride too even though we got soaking wet.

What did you think of your group leader?
Keith was good and did improve throughout the holiday.
I didn't feel that he was experienced dealing with family groups.
He wasn't very flexible in Beijing. I thought there would be more organised optional activities in Beijing eg a diverted bus ride past the Birds nest would have been good. This should have been organised on the first day when we arrived at 6.30am with nothing to do and no hotel room until 11.30am. Probably not Keith's fault but this was not a good start to my holiday.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Pack light in bags or cases with wheels.
If going in Summer take an umbrella to use as a parasol.
I don't recommend this holiday for families with young children as the 5 hour train journey was very crowded and squashed. There was very little room to move and going to the toilet was an expedition. The fight to find space for our luggage was also an experience as was vacating 23 Chinese out of our pre booked seats. These people then sat and stood in the aisles with everyone else who could not get a seat.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The flight times need to be changed or the itinerary needs changing to match the flight times.
The trip notes are a bit misleading. Some things sound like they are going to be included but turn out not to be. The caligraphy and tai chi are only optional extras at Yangshou.
There was no tea pouring in Beijing and our guide was unaware that this was on our itinerary.
There is flying kites but it's not in Tianamen square and nobody else is flying kites.
The optional activities in Beijing were basically get in a taxi on your own- find your own way there and back. This would be OK if you are a young couple but to do this with a young family I think is a bit too adventurous. I am a single parent and would have liked the support of a group on optional activites. I thought the group would partake in optional activities with an organised bus and guide.
Given that we left Hong Kong without using our hotel room on the last night I can't see why this room couldn't be shifted to the first day so that there is a room to enter on arrival.Or change flight times!
Gareth Cook

PANDAS & WARRIORS - FAMILY HOLIDAY

Written August 2011
A full-on, cultural, historical and fun-packed introduction to China which, despite having returned some weeks ago, I am still processing. A real-eye-opener for our teenagers and ourselves; the Chinese really do everything on a massive scale from the endless courtyards of the Forbidden City, the rows and rows of Terracotta Warriors and the incredible Wall to the 6 ring roads and endless tower blocks of modern Beijing. A completely fascinating trip which we will all be talking about for a long time.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Hate to be a cliche but nothing can prepare you for the Wall, its sheer scale is incredible and when you consider when it was built without all of our modern engineering techniques, it really is an awesome achievement snaking over the mountain tops. The wall trek was greatly enhanced by the fact that we went to a quiet, less touristy section of the wall and saw very few other tourists. My 14 year old son said the Wall trek was worth the airfare alone!
The Teracotta Warriors are also quite incredible, so lifelike and the sheer scale of the excavation is astounding.
The Pandas are great and my younger son will carry the memory of being allowed to hold a panda for the rest of his life - he didn't stop grinning for days.
The cooking lesson is great fun and in the most beutiful location.
Finally, for me driving through the Karst mountains late at night as the peaks were bathed in moonlight was magical.
What did you think of your group leader?
Annie was fantastic, there is an enormous amount of organisation on this trip (just so relieved i wasn't doing it!) and Annie managed to shepherd us everywhere without getting stressed or rushing us. Her historical knowledge was quite astounding, I don't think there was a single question about Chinese history that she couldn't answer! Just everything you want in a guide, excellent English, calm, organised, caring and with a great sense of humour.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
There is a serious amount of travelling on this trip, they should subtitle it, 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles (and buses, trams, bikes, rickshaws and boats!) and personally I think children under 10 might struggle with the pace and having to transfer luggage through stations car parks etc. although this always depends on the child of course!. We had the most amazing time but were all seriously exhausted when we got home so book yourself an extra couple of days off for recovery!
Food was fantastic and vegetarians and kids were well catered for.
We went in mid-august and it was very hot and humid everywhere so take your water cans (and mini loo rolls)!
The extra excursions and shows were all great, kids loved the Kung Fu and I thought the show after the dumpling banquet was simply beautiful. The sheer scale of the Light Show in Yangshuo is jaw-dropping so make sure you have enough cash for the extras.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Exodus need to keep their trip notes updated, Annie told us that kite flying in Tiannamen square has been banned for 2 years! We tried to fly kites at the Temple of Heaven but to be honest I think it should be dropped from the itinery altogether, it wouldn't be missed.
This is a fabulous introduction to China with a great balance between Culture, History and stuff for the kids (perhaps a bit culture heavy for younger kids) - what an experience!
Alexander Humphrey
PANDAS & WARRIORS - FAMILY HOLIDAY

Written August 2011
This is less a family trip, more an 'adult' trip on which children are allowed. The tour covers a lot of ground and the schedule is pretty relentless. Having said that, our group had half a dozen children aged 7-12 and they all coped brilliantly. And we took away lifelong memories.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Adults and children alike loved the Great Wall. Contrary to the Trip Notes we didn't walk 10km, and we didn't need walking boots, but it was quiet and peaceful and spectacular.
Yangshuo was another highlight. We enjoyed the bike ride through the paddy fields, and the cookery lesson was loads of fun and in a beautiful location.
What did you think of your group leader?
Vivian was organised and efficient and her English was excellent. When there was an issue she dealt with it head on. She timed some trips well to avoid the worst of the crowds (pandas in the early morning, Terracotta Warriors over lunchtime).

We don't think she had much experience with children. In Hong Kong, after a long and hot transfer from Guilin, she said she would take us to the beach but there would be no time for the children to swim - there was very nearly a mutiny!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
As has been noted on other reviews, the Exodus Trip Notes are out of date:

Kite flying is forbidden in Tianamen Square, and our guide had no knowledge of the Gongfu tea-making in Beijing.
It is not possible to feed the pandas at Chengdu, though for about $100 you can have your photo taken cuddled up to one - a trump card for show and tell back at school!

We went in August, and we needed waterproofs or an umbrella.
Pack light. There's lots of travel and transfers, and a fair bit of hanging about waiting for trains, planes, or other modes of transport.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The rickshaw ride offered in Beijing as an optional extra is not worth the money, to put it politely. As an alternative we would recommend a visit to the Bird's Nest stadium.
Paul Wiltshire

PANDAS & WARRIORS - FAMILY HOLIDAY

Written August 2011
Brilliant sights, amazing memories and a range and depth of experiences that we couldn't have achieved if we'd been independent travellers. The pace is full on and it can be very tiring. Logistics could have been better. The "small group" worked well and fortunately we all got on - kids especially.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
For me it was entering the Forbidden City.

For Ewa is was the Summer Palace.

For Aleksander and Tomasz it was walking along the Great Wall.

For Victoria it was the group cooking session.

For all the kids it was hugging a panda.
What did you think of your group leader?
We liked our group leader. We thought he was pleasant, organised, spoke excellent English and coped well with the day to day hassles that inevitably crop up on a trip like this. He also (politely) encouraged the group to question its own prejudices; pointing out that a Chinese viewpoint was no less valid than a Western one.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you are visiting Beijing in the Summer its going to be hot and humid. When it rains the locals use umbrellas, not raincoats. We brought raincoats and we melted...Pack lots of socks, t-shirts and undies. If you try to travel light (like we did) you end up with a constant struggle to wash and dry. Laundry bills in the hotels are stiff and only get cheaper when you get down South and the washing gets done in the river...Don't travel with loose batteries. Chinese airports don't like them and have different views as to whether they should packed in hand baggage or in the hold. Buy your souvenirs in China, Hong Kong is not cheap any more. The leisurely bike ride is 24k there and back...Be prepared to carry your own luggage - everywhere! You don't need hiking boots for the Great Wall - sturdy trainers are fine.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Logistics could have been better. International Flights were with Air China - not Emirates. We got the impression that some of the internal flights had been rescheduled at short notice. This meant we had one really late finish (1.00 a.m.), one really early start (4.30 a.m.). Particularly frustrating was the stay in ChengDu. We arrived in town really late the night before and didn't get to the Panda Sanctuary until 10.00. We then left the sanctuary at 12.00 and had to hang around in town for six hours before heading to the airport. Travelling to Shenzen was presumably cheaper than flying to Hong Kong direct - but the hours spent travelling to and passing through customs wasn't time well spent. Traveling for six hours on the afternoon train to Xian was definitely an experience and managing to retain control of all our baggage while boarding and alighting through a mob of locals were definite highpoints. Trip notes were a bit flaky. Its £100 if you want to hold a panda, not £50. You don't get to feed one and the kids have to go in on their own - so mum and dad miss the moment (which lasts about two minutes). The hotel at the Great Wall isn't really that basic - rooms were all en-suite and all came with 120 channels of cable. Not all the kids activities were offered; no tea ceremony, no kung fu (unless the whole group hangs around for an hour), panda moment only happened because there would have been a riot otherwise!
Suresh Vijay

PANDAS & WARRIORS FAMILY HOLIDAY

Written August 2011
The itinerary was fantastic. China is a big country and the travel can be a bit hectic at times. Most of the locations were generally well chosen. The Shaolin temple was distasteful and tacky. It was nothing like what we had imagined and an overnight train journey to see it ,seemed so unecessary in the end.Totally avoidable and Exodus should probably remove it from the itinerary/replace it. Yangshuo was the absolute highlight. What a beautiful place! The Panda Reserve at Chengdu was another disappointment, but something unavoidable ,as the children do look forward to it.Hong-kong was quite a 'sterile' place generally except for the giant Buddha on Lantau Island.Immigration into Hong-kong was a nightmare and very stressful.Michael,our guide was absolutely great,very helpful,sociable and generally very friendly.The children enjoyed each other's company and had a great time together. We saw most of the highlights of China and it was a great educational experience for the children. They made lots of new friends as did the adults.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Too many to choose from!! Yangshuo stands out.
What did you think of your group leader?
Michael, our Group Leader,was fantastic. He was very cheerful, helpful and kept the group together very well.It was a challenging job which he carried out admirably.The kids liked him and he made our trip easier than it would have been.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Go for it. Great tour.
Haggle and shop in Xian and Yangshuo.
Visit Lantau island in HongKong and avoid Stanley market.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Fantastic tour. Would recommend to families with small children and teenagers (Our son was 7 yrs old and enjoyed it immensely).