Frequently asked questions

We design private, day-by-day trip plans for Yunnan, Guangxi and Qinghai–Gansu, and offer WhatsApp support while you travel. Trip design starts at US$190. You either book the plan yourself or have our partner team in China book all of it for you.

We are trip designers, and we work with a licensed inbound travel agency in China. We plan the trip and coordinate it; when you want hotels, cars and guides booked for you, our agency partner contracts and invoices those bookings under its licence.

Essentials trip design is US$190 for up to 7 days. Signature trip design is US$250 for 8 to 14 days, in one region or two; longer trips are quoted before we start. The remote concierge is US$40 a day or US$350 for up to 10 days. The route check is free.

You tell us your dates, party, interests and pace. We reply by email with whether your route is realistic in that order, what will sell out first, and which service fits; if you would rather talk it through, we set up a Zoom call. There is no obligation to buy anything.

Essentials plans are delivered within 5 business days of payment, Signature plans within 10. We work by email; a Zoom call is there whenever you want one.

Yes, through our partner team. Our licensed inbound agency partner in China books the approved plan, with one quote and one invoice, and we stay on as your planner. You can also book it yourself from the dated booking list in your plan.

Between 7 and 11 am and between 7 and 10 pm China time, every day you are covered. For emergencies, call local emergency services first: 110 for police, 120 for ambulance.

We focus on the three regions we know first-hand. For a trip that adds Beijing, Xi'an or Shanghai at the start or end, we include the connection and basic city stay in the plan.

Usually, yes. US passport holders are not on China's 30-day visa-free list as of October 2026. A trip of up to 10 days can qualify for 240-hour visa-free transit if you arrive from one country and leave for a different country or region, such as Hong Kong, with a confirmed onward ticket. But the permitted stay area does not cover Shangri-La and Meili in Yunnan, the Detian waterfall area in Guangxi, or any of Qinghai and Gansu, so all three of our routes need a visa. See our visa guide for the step-by-step process.

Most payments are made by QR code through Alipay or WeChat Pay, which accept many Visa and Mastercard cards after you register. Set them up before you fly, carry a second card, and keep some cash for rural areas.

A travel eSIM or international roaming works in China and usually bypasses the block on Google, WhatsApp and Instagram, because data routes through your home network. Hotel Wi-Fi does not.

Hotels and trains work well, but restaurants, drivers and small towns often do not use English. A good plan, Chinese address cards, working payment apps and someone to message when things go wrong solve most of it.

Violent crime against visitors is rare. The US State Department rates mainland China at Level 2, 'exercise increased caution', mainly for arbitrary enforcement of local laws and exit bans. Read the current advisory before you book.

Gain height gradually, keep the first evening above 3,000 metres light, and drink water. Anyone with heart or lung conditions should ask their doctor before a high-altitude trip.

After the free route check, once you choose a service. We send a secure card payment link. The concierge is paid before your trip starts.

Full refund before we start planning. Half refund once planning has started but before the first draft. The design fee is non-refundable once the first draft is delivered. Concierge days are refundable up to 7 days before your trip starts.

Yes. Essentials includes one round of revisions and Signature includes two. Later changes, such as new dates months after delivery, are quoted before we start.