China Golden Triangle Explorer – 9 Days

Traveler Reviews

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  Brittany

  June 22nd, 2026
  The highlights of the trip were definitely the history and the tour guides. They were knowledgeable, engaging, and...
  The highlights of the trip were definitely the history and the tour guides. They were knowledgeable, engaging, and did a great job bringing China’s history and culture to life. I learned a lot throughout the journey, and the historical sites were impressive. The food was also very good, with a nice variety of local dishes and experiences. My main criticism is the amount of travel time. I understand that some long travel days are unavoidable on a tour of this size, and I was fine with having one full day dedicated to travel. However, having two separate travel-heavy days made the itinerary feel more exhausting than enjoyable. I would suggest either shortening the stay in Beijing by one day or replacing one of the longer travel segments with a flight to make the journey more efficient and allow for more time exploring. Overall, this was a memorable trip with great guides, fascinating history, good food, and excellent accommodations at the beginning of the trip. With a few adjustments to the transportation schedule, it could easily be a 5-star experience.Show more
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  Traveled in June 2026
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  Tania

  May 31st, 2026
  We were not sure what to expect when we booked our tour but we need not have worried.The accomodation at our first...
  We were not sure what to expect when we booked our tour but we need not have worried.The accomodation at our first two hotels was excellent and the last hotel met our needs. The tour guides were knowledgeable and happy to meet specific dietary requirements for me,our itinerary was jamb packed, so a reasonable level of fitness was required.We felt safe and well cared for at all times. Tour guides were specific to each city so there was variation in approaches to optional extras on our tour.Overall the tour was budget friendly, great value and a good introduction to China.I would recommend it.Show more
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  Traveled in April 2026
  

  Reply from: Tomato Travel

  Hi Tania, Thank you so much for your lovely review and for sharing your experience with us. We are delighted to hear that the tour exceeded your expectations and that you enjoyed the accommodation, itinerary, and overall value of the trip. It is wonderful to know that our guides were able to assist with your dietary requirements and that you felt safe and well looked after throughout your journey. China is such a fascinating destination, and we're pleased that the tour provided a great introduction while offering plenty of memorable experiences along the way. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the different guiding styles in each city, as every guide brings their own unique approach and local knowledge. Thank you again for choosing to travel with us and for recommending our tour to other travellers. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you on another adventure in the future. Warm regards, Tomato Travel

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  Mike

  May 24th, 2026
  Fabulous value for the dollar. Knowledgeable guides and two of the three hotels were 5 star with third a very nice 3....
  Fabulous value for the dollar. Knowledgeable guides and two of the three hotels were 5 star with third a very nice 3. StarShow more
  Traveled in April 2026
  

  Reply from: Tomato Travel

  Hi Mike, Thank you very much for your kind words. We shared your comment with our team and the tour guides. We are glad to hear that you also enjoyed the hotels throughout the tour. We hope to welcome you again on one of our future tours. Thank you once again for choosing us. Kind regards, Tomato Travel Team

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  Philip

  April 30th, 2026
  Saw exactly what I wanted to see. Well organised with good guides. Hotels were 5 star
  Traveled in April 2026
  

  Reply from: Tomato Travel

  Thank you very much for your kind words. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and were able to experience everything you had hoped to see in Japan. If there is any future travel we can assist you with, please feel free to let us know. Kind regards, Tomato Travel Team

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  Lester

  April 21st, 2026
  It took a while to find our transfer but the initial impressions blew our mind. The accomodation was of a much higher...
  It took a while to find our transfer but the initial impressions blew our mind. The accomodation was of a much higher standard than we had anticipated. Our Beijing guide was superb with organisation and logistics but as a highly educated teacher failed to connect fully with the wider group on most levels. That said he was still very knowledgeable. XI'AN was fabulous from start to finish and Shanghai was simply Amazing. Both of our lady tour guides did a 5 star job and showed professionalism and patience. Many drew the conclusion that the tour should be run in the opposite direction. More time in Shanghai and less in Beijing. The section of the great wall we climbed was an hour of climbing and zero wall walking. Tourists don't care about view. A minimum 10 minutes of walking the wall instead of climbing steps would have made this a 5 star experience. Also, the tips expectation and subsequent allocation is a point of contention. Adding a service charge into the tour of an extra $200 instead of collecting "tips" would be much better and not piss off the clientele. The tour is worth every penny with service charge included so just do it that way. Putting this on the tour guides was a shit move the company. With one evening excursion per location $1500 AU for this tour was justifiable. The tour was brilliantly priced but with a few subtle tweaks, could have been 5 star incredible. That said, I recommend this tour to the budget conscious Traveller.Show more
  Traveled in April 2026
  

  Reply from: Tomato Travel

  Hi Lester, Thank you very much for sharing your feedback with us. We truly appreciate your kind comments and are pleased to hear you enjoyed many aspects of the tour. Your feedback has been passed on to our team for review. We are always looking for ways to improve our tours and guest experience. Thank you again for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again in the future. Tomato Travel Team

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  Philip

  April 21st, 2026
  Good tour to see the sights I wanted to see. Full on tour with not much downtime
  Traveled in April 2026
  

  Reply from: Tomato Travel

  Hi Philip, Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you were able to see all the sights you were hoping to visit. We hope to welcome you on another one of our tours in the future. Thank you again for choosing us. Kind regards, Tomato Travel Team

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  Noelia

  April 20th, 2026
  Overall the tour was good. However, we had some issues with one of the tour guides, Charly, who was good with...
  Overall the tour was good. However, we had some issues with one of the tour guides, Charly, who was good with logistics but was rude, opinionated, shouting, aggressive and didn't do a good job showing us the best of Beijing. The meal times were a bit of a mess and we ended up snacking here and there most days. The tour of the Great Wall was a disappointment. We were given 1.5 hours to climb a part of the wall and quickly come down, instead of walking on a different path were we could actually enjoy the views and the experience. The tour guide in Xi'an, Tina, was great, very knowledgeable and kind but gave us the wrong information about the platform where we were supposed to get our train to Shanghai. The tour guide in Shanghai was fantastic. She went the extra mile to make our trip memorable and gave us a good perspective of Shanghai in a very short time. The accommodation was top quality and the optional activities were okay. I think this trip should be rearranged and get one less day in Beijing and one more day in Shanghai. Also, the fact that the tips for the tour guides were mandatory were another disappointment. The pre-departure information says we can tip the tour guides if we are happy with their service and once there, the tour guides were meant to collect the tips for the agency. Not very professional, to be fair.Show more
  Traveled in April 2026
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  Veronica

  March 22nd, 2026
  Review for Tour Radar The great tour of China will be a blessing in my memories for life. Thanks primarily to the...
  Review for Tour Radar The great tour of China will be a blessing in my memories for life. Thanks primarily to the three incredible tour guides that kept our group safe, comfortable, entertained, and informed. Calvin introduced us to Beijing, showing us the magnificent Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City in the same day. There was so much to see, and he was thorough about the history and remained exciting to listen to. Even with an abnormal queue time, he kept the group in high spirits. I enjoyed hearing about the October Revolution, how it's remembered and how it continues in celebration. The moments of hiking up at The Great Wall, I will cherish for years. I just wish I could've continued after reaching the peak, another hour of walking would've been awesome. But I understand some people were waiting at the bottom for most the time. The jade factory was a good opportunity to acquire special gifts for family and also a piece of jewelry I wore for the remainder of the trip. Tempe of Heaven was surreal. The Summer Palace was calmly inspiring. Old Beijing Hutongs was a highlight for our group, some remarking the family dinner nearby as the best meal in China, especially the extra dish - Kung Pao Chicken! Calvin's humorous demeanor was a pleasure, and his serious teachings of China illuminated the history in what brief time he had with us. I had many questions and he answered them all brilliantly, with relation to his own life or based on his education. Like each guide his English is impeccable. One wish I had was that the guides would join us for the lovely meals, only if it was by their own choice. If it is a policy of the company to exclude them, I'd suggest including the guides for lunches and dinners when applicable. Just because their presence is so meaningful. Aria met us in Xi'an, the rain welcomed us too, thankfully she brought warmth to that wet day. Some of the group were eager to get home, but I'm so grateful that we carried on and visited the Muslim Quarter, thanks to the confidence of our guide. An awesome area to first visit in the city; the structural entrance, garden, side shops, and strong drum tower at the end combined. Later on the theatrical event with performers and a surprising variety of dumplings gave us time to appreciate sublime culture while resting and satisfying our appetites. The Terracotta factory/shop was a great souvenir stop, the artistic displays on the second floor felt more like an expensive sales area than an art gallery, still beautiful. The Terracotta Army and accompanying exhibits is unbelievable, the magnitude of work to build and history of the discovery was more than I expected. It helps an American like myself appreciate the history of ancient China, as well as the efforts by modern people to learn from their past. The Whisper audio devices were very useful there to keep the guide's valuable words while having freedom to explore. The Small Goose Pogoda I enjoyed for the sights, history, and calm feeling. My favorite part of Xi'an was the optional night viewings of Everbright City. In large part because of the joyful spirit and helpful accomodations of Aria. My favorite meal in China was also during that walkabout, a delicious assortment and exciting presentation. Our tour guide was right about the tasty noodles. The water-light show was also spectacular. Alyssa greeted our tired group of travelers in Shanghai, and once we were on the bus we started to realize how deeply she cared about her profession. I was the only attendee of the acrobatics show, and I felt it was similar to the Beijing acrobatics show, I enjoyed both even with a mild fever for the second. Alyssa was so thoughtful as to have food brought to me prior to the show, some delicious delivery, even when I ate like an idiot she helped me sort out my mess. My fever mentioned was also remedied thanks to our guide helping me discuss with a local pharmacist in their store across from the hotel. As I look through my camera roll to better recall our second day in Shanghai, I am stunned with the amount that we saw in nearly 12 hours. It felt like a week's worth of adventure in half a day's time. Strolling through the The Bund, seeing the architecture inside the banks in the morning made the eventual final event a full-circle moment. Seeing the first meeting place of the CCP was very interesting, I was thrilled to learn about it. Xintiandi and Nanjing Road offered chances to make some purchases our guide pointed out the perfect stores for me to visit. I enjoyed the visuals, but my one minor critique of Shanghai is how much is focused on higher end shopping. We took an elevator dozens of stories up to the top of a tower, and that was a sight to behold, but I liked the picture taking at the base of the buildings more. Alyssa pointed out some fun ways to capture the awe. The final event in the tour was a great way to end it, which was the night cruise viewing of the city. Such a peaceful yet exciting activity, observing the unreal skyline with a cool breeze let me reflect in the trip of a lifetime. During my reflection I appreciated how thoughtful and caring Alyssa was through our time in Shanghai. She went above and beyond her duties to guarantee we had the best time possible in an endless city. She was completely professional, but she was also willing to debate with locals on behalf of our group to make sure we got what would make us happy. She also took pretty pictures on our cameras for us. The day of our departure flights our guide had a rest day, and still they were in frequent contact to guarantee we had safe and efficient travel. Best, Arthur Saffo artsaffo.net | linkedin (802)578-7406 MFA in Interactive Media, 2021Show more
  Traveled in March 2026
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  Diarmaid

  January 19th, 2026
  Tour was really well organized from start to finish, tour guides were very informative and accommodating, it was a...
  Tour was really well organized from start to finish, tour guides were very informative and accommodating, it was a really great way to get a taster of China and I would definitely recommend!Show more
  Traveled in January 2026
  

  Reply from: Tomato Travel

  Hi Diarmaid, Thank you very much for your kind words. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our tour! We hope to see you again on other our tours in the future. We offer other destinations, such as Japan, South Korea, other South Asia countries. Also, we are happy to offer a customised tour as well. We look forward to welcoming you in the future! Kind regards, Tomato Travel

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  PABLO

  January 18th, 2026
  Everything was very well organized and exactly as agreed and informed beforehand. The service was excellent, all...
  Everything was very well organized and exactly as agreed and informed beforehand. The service was excellent, all schedules were punctual, and the itinerary was followed perfectly. Transfers, guides, and visits worked smoothly, making the whole experience stress-free and enjoyable. Overall, a very professional tour with great attention to detail. Highly recommended.Show more
  Traveled in January 2026
  

  Reply from: Tomato Travel

  Hi Pablo, thank you so much for your positive feedback. In addition to our China tour package, we also offer tours to to Japan, South Korea, and other Asia destinations, including customised tour package. We'd be pleased to welcome you on one of our tours again in the future! Once again, thank you so much for your support. Tomato Travel Team

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