Especially designed for North American travelers, the Classic China Series features three inclusion-rich itineraries that give an insider's perspective of China's must-see attractions with default access to expert-led tours at key sites, and local-life immersion activities such as street food tours.
Award-winning luxury travel company WildChina has launched new small group set departure journeys to address the gap in quality group travel offerings for first time visitors to China. Especially designed for North American travelers, the Classic China Series features three inclusion-rich itineraries that give an insider’s perspective of China’s must-see attractions with default access to expert-led tours at key sites, and local-life immersion activities such as street food tours.
“Currently, the market only offers travelers two choices. Either luxury tours that focus on 5 star comforts but don’t offer much in the everyday local experiences that make modern China fascinating. Or, mass-market tours of 25 to 40 people being herded factory-style from attractions to tourist shops to sub-standard local hotels.” says David Tan, Head of Growth Initiatives.
“Most tours also run outdated routes. China is changing so quickly and attractions that were once outstanding do not always remain that way.” says Tan. “For example, since the damming of the Three Gorges, the quality of the Yangtze River cruise has really been impacted. Yet many operators continue to include the cruise in their core program. Our new Classic China Series presents a luxury tour that’s activity rich, immersive, comfortably capped at 12 passengers, and optimized to showcase China’s most current travel highlights. Given China is often a once-in-a-lifetime destination, WildChina believes it’s crucial we introduce our guests to only its highlights, and not its disappointments.“
The three itineraries are themed to cater to different interests, but all cover the top must-see China sites for North American travelers – the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, and Shanghai Bund skyline. ‘Palaces and Pandas’ adds on a Sichuan excursion for animal enthusiasts to meet and feed pandas. ‘Monuments and Mountains’ ventures to the scenic karst hills of Guilin to satisfy outdoor and adventure seekers. ‘Family Fun’ features special activities designed for kids including a treasure hunt in the Forbidden City.
A multiple winner of Travel & Leisure and National Geographic Traveler awards for Tibet, Silk Road and Shangri-La journeys, WildChina has harnessed its 14 years of experience in authentic luxury China travel to create its new Classic China Series. Founder Mei Zhang sees WildChina as being uniquely positioned for raising the bar on China luxury group travel.
“I started WildChina to bring China’s remote and inaccessible gems to visitors so they can experience the real China outside of the tired tour bus routes. Recently there has been an increasing demand from the market for our style of authentic travel experiences within the big cities too and we are well poised to service this.” says Zhang.
“We’re passionate about showing visitors the China we love as locals. We avoid overly commercial activities, skipping the touristy pedicab rides through the hutongs in Beijing to take guests exploring by bike or on foot, just as the locals do. We include VIP access to the key sites we visit by default, so guests can get away from the crowds and experience the serenity of the Forbidden City the way the emperor did with a private tour of his quarters. This is a small detail, but it makes a world of difference. We also throw in an all-inclusive program of optional activities in each city, ranging from taichi workshops to cooking classes, so that travelers can follow their hearts on the road without needing to open their wallets. We’ve been tailoring private FIT trips for a long time, and we’re delighted now to be able to bring that element of bespoke travel to our small group offering as well.“
Trips depart on a seasonal schedule starting September 2014 with guaranteed bi-weekly departures through Spring, Summer and Fall for ‘Palaces and Pandas’ and ‘Monuments and Mountains’, and through Summer for ‘Family Fun’. Itineraries guarantee no commissioned shopping and dining, and accommodation in international standard 5 star hotels such as the Peninsula, Shangri-La and Ritz Carlton. Classic China itineraries are also available for FIT and private groups.
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