Sichuan Tours & Trips

I was extremely fortunate to have Ying Ying and Ollie (her brother) as my guide and driver exclusively. It was truly a cultural and historical treat to visit no less than 12 ancient Chinese cities during the 14-day tour. I had the peak experience of the Tibetan plateau at about 3,600 m high and I was also on the three rivers that required the construction of the Big Buddha over 90 years during the Tang Dynasty to tame the river waters. I saw Leshan Golden Buddha, one of the four holiest Buddhist temples in China. Ying Ying was effectively bi-lingual and that made my tour alive. She could explain the history and culture of each place I visited in English effortlessly. One downside of this trip is that the route is following the trunk roads which made riding a bit dicey at times. I do miss the quite country road/cycling tracks where I am not harassed by heavy vehicular traffic. So I cut short the riding portion and increased the time for tourism and trekking. Ying Ying was meticulous in identifying the best food in each city for me to try, sans the mala flavored food which did not appeal to me. I had the best dim sum in Chengdu at a Cantonese restaurant called Chua Lam. The Chinese bar b que was also a highlight of my trip. I would highly recommend this trip to those who are adventurers and reasonably fit. Kudos to Ying Ying and Ollie who really spoiled me.

Shopping stops were too long and a waste of time (eg silk factory). Only 2 hours at the Great Wall was not enough not give the relevance to the place. That was a dissapointment

This tour around China was fantastic. It took a little getting used to at first but China was a very pleasant surprise. The guides in each city were lovely and attentive...Baijing in Beijing, Eric in Xi'an, Andie in Chengdu, and Brenda in Shanghai. Each city tour was thorough, engaging, and lots of fun. The accommodations were spectacular, four star hotels but they felt like 5 starts! Also, the lunches each afternoon were delicious! And so much food, more than enough for everyone! Top China Travel is very organized despite it being a huge company. Our guides made sure we were taken care of. The transfers and pickups were organized well so we were never too worried about getting lost or forgotten about. Even when I couldn't find my pickup on the first day, the tour company was quick to respond to text and reassured me. All the things we visited were interesting and I learned a lot. China is a beautiful country with a rich history and I would recommend this tour to everyone. Thank you, Top China Travel and my tour guides, for a wonderful and memorable trip!