Customer Stories
Customer Stories
After customizing tours for an average of well over 10,000 customers per year since 1998, we still uphold our original vision of creating custom trips. We believe travel is a personal journey. It should not follow the crowds, and it should be about what you want and what you like.
We are happy that our over-20-year commitment to personal service has been recognized by our customers. We are more than happy that we have helped them create their own travel memories and stories and deepen their understanding of Chinese culture and China today.
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One Night in the Snowfield
Unlocked Menu for Ben from the UK
Ben is a big fan of camping. His original plan was to do camping in Hailuogou. However, Hailuogou was closed to foreigners at very short notice due to some COVID-19 cases appearing.
Without any delay, we arranged camping in Bipenggou as a perfect alternative. Our guide Lucy is also a camping enthusiastic. She prepared all the professional equipment to make a special hotpot dinner for Ben as a big surprise. That was a night to remember.
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Saving Thanksgiving
Unlocked Menu for Laura’s big family from the US
We had such a great time in Xi’an thanks to our tour guide, Windy, and all those at China Highlights. They even flew In a Thanksgiving turkey and had it cooked for us at a 5-start hotel because our American family was sad to be missing out on that this year. The director and his wonderful wife even hosted us at his home for Thanksgiving. They really went the extra mile!
Laura planned a big Thanksgiving family trip to Xi’an with us. Everyone was having a great time but with only one big regret: no turkey! Our travel expert Alisa and customer manager Wendy called all the Western restaurants and 5-star hotels in Xi’an to check if they served turkey. They were either closed due to the pandemic or simply didn’t have it on their menu. We understand how important a turkey is to American Thanksgiving.
It was time to be creative! Wendy bought a big fat turkey online and mailed it directly to the home of Mr. Tian, who is the director of our local office in Xi’an. Mr. and Mrs. Tian invited a chef from a 5-star hotel to cook the turkey for Laura’s family. It was probably the most special Thanksgiving feast Laura’s family ever enjoyed.
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Flying on Wheels
Unlocked Menu for Kailash and Runqi from the US
Spent 3 days cycling with Chris in Yangshuo. Fantastic experience. Chris knew all the best routes so that we did not have to worry about where to go, what to pack, etc. He gave us a behind the scene experience of Yangshuo without tourists, and great food from kitchens of people that grew their vegetables in the garden. We had fruits as we cycled along – oranges and strawberries – direct from the tree / shrub.
The cycles were in good condition we did about 300km over 3 days and Chris altered the plans based on our interests and desires. We even got local sweets … he is great, spoke great English, was very supportive and helped us avoid tourist traps all along 🙂
What does it feel like to cycle over 200 km in a day? No one knows better than Kailash, who is a busy man, but also a very able cyclist in his spare time. He planned a 3-day cycling tour with us and said he would like to ride over 200 km on the first day.
To guide the route and provide the best possible service, our professional cycling guide Chris put himself through 7 days of intense training before the tour. Runqi accidentally got hurt during the tour, and Chris’s professional first aid saved the day.
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The Embrace of the Jungle
Unlocked Menu for David and Kassi from the US
The trip was an eye opening tour of Xishuangbanna and southern Yunnan. We learned a lot about the area, the people, and cultures that made up the southern tip of Yunnan, an area we wanted to explore. We loved hiking through the jungle, eating traditional dishes, and trying things such as eating banana tree stalk. Our hiking guide was fantastic! He was showing us the virtues of the banana tree and how you can survive off it in the jungle. As we hiked he would pick out certain plants, mushrooms, and fruits that were edible and we would try them as we moved along. Another part of the trip we loved was learning about the tea farms and the process of making tea. We loved making our own tea cakes and trying various vintages.
David and Kassi were looking for a special hiking route. They’d hiked along a gorge with a raging river and in terraced fields with mushroom houses. For them hiking is a sacred way to connect with the essence of a destination they visit. They were looking for something new. What about a hiking in a rainforest?
Our professional hiking guide Leo and a local villager Koda accepted the mission. Knowing the rainforest like the back of his hand, Koda has lived in the rainforest all his life.
The hike turned out to be a great adventure… Together they hiked trails shaded by great trees, explored corners where no man had ever been before, and cut down a banana tree to taste its sweet core like a local would do. A sumptuous local lunch in the rainforest capped the trip for David and Kassi. We were so glad they enjoyed it!
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Little Princess’s Birthday Cake
Unlocked Menu for Elizabeth from Estonia
Guilin, Yangshuo. Fantastic vacation! Well organized, including really nice surprise for the birthday child. Many thanks to @China Highlights and to our guide @Chasen!
Read His Story:
Elizabeth was about to have her fifth birthday during her family trip in Guilin. Our travel expert Lily noticed this during the trip planning, so she discussed with our team: how to give Elizabeth a special birthday surprise. No little girl can say no to Elsa! Ms. Chen, the director of our local office in Guilin asked the bakery to work overtime to make a Frozen-themed cake, and our driver Mr. Huang delivered it to our guide Chasen in Yangshuo. All the efforts were worth the happy smile of Elizabeth. Our customers’ “little princess” enjoyed some of the most beautiful scenery on her trip while eating cake with her family.
Travelers Love China Highlights
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I was all cosy and snug asleep by 9pm with a fully belly courtesy of our hot pot chef Lucy. Now sitting outside while Chef Lee cooks a delicious breakfast. Yesterday was a unique and incredible experience. Lucy and Mr. Lee are THE BEST. They are great guides and I’ll definitely be returning for more China Highlights tours.