Dear Karen Bernier ,
Greetings from Janet, Top China Travel. I am your personal travel consultant.
Thanks for your inquiry. I am pleased to help you planning your trip to China in next Apr or May, 2012.
Kindly notice that the most of the tour itinerary listed on our website is on private basis but not fix-departure tour, the same as 13 Days from-liriver-to-yangtze-river-cruise-tour which you interested. As I known, there is no an agent in China could run such kind of join-in tour. Therefore, I'd like to provide you the tour package price based on private transfer and private English speaking guide for your reference. I've work out a 13 days tour which cover Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Yangshuo Town, Chongqing , Yangtze River Cruise, Yichang, Shanghaiby using 4* ( First-Class ) hotels.
For the trip arrangements, I'd like to explain that why I provided you such kinds of trip arrangements:
1) It is said that no taste of the Quanjude Roasted Duck, no visit to Beijing. Therefore I recommend the Peking Roast Duck dinner seperately for your choice.
2) The hotels I included in the itinerary are all centrally located 4 star hotels with easy access to the city Center. Different location hotels have great difference in price although all they are same category. Because you would have more free time in the evening, therefore I suggest you to choose the centrally located hotels which you could also visit around by yourselves. But the hotel’s quality in mainland China is a little bit lower than European standard. Therefore you might find the hotel standard is not match your expected. So if you are expecting 3* hotel accommodation, therefore I do recommend you to choose 4* category. But if you would like to have the option of 3* or 5* hotel, please kindly advise me.
3) The tour is private tour for you, no one would share the space for you. Guide and van are private for you.
4) I only included the lunches en route in most of the days. China cuisine is very famous in the world, but normally the tourist meal would be arranged in the tourist restaurant. They make the food like assembly line, no characteristic. But their price is moderate. If you would like to try better food in some nice restaurants, you need to pay more extra cost. The taste of the food is better in the local social restaurants, and the environment is also more nice than tourist restaurant. The most important thing is, you could advise our guide what kind of food do you like to have for this meal, he or she would help you to order your interested food, if there is anything over the budget, you just pay the extra on spot. I think it would give you deeper impression for the food in China if you have flexibility in choosing the food but not set menu. If you would like to try better food in some nice restaurants, I recommended you to pay US$100/per person as extra cost to have food in the local citizen’s restaurant. The taste of the food is better there, and the environment is also more nice than tourist restaurant. The most important thing is, you could advise our guide what kind of food do you like to have for this meal, he or she would help you to order your interested food, if there is anything over the budget, you just pay the extra on spot. I think it would give you deeper impression for the food in China if you have flexibility in choosing the food but not set menu.
5) There are two famous sections of Great Wall in Beijing, one is Badaling Section and the other one is Mutianyu Section. Badaling is the earliest develped section of the whole Great Wall, it's not as original as before. Therefore I recommend you to visit Mutianyu Great Wall but not Badaling, you would see a more beautiful Great Wall when you visit Mutianyu although it cost a little bit more to visit there. (The way to Mutianyu is further than to Badaling).
6) Tipping is not compulsory but welcome in China. Because tipping, shopping and adding the shows which is not included in the itinerary is the main income of local guide. Tipping is highly appreciated if you are satisfied with their service.
7) The flights & time schedule included in the itinerary is not the final one, we would choose the suitable flight and train for you according to your itinerary before your arrival. It would depend on TCT's choice, but we would choose the flight which match your travel plan and make sure all the attractions could be visited on time.
8) The weather at the end of Apr and in the beginning of May is the best time for traveling China in a year. Neither hot nor cold. As you still not have exact arrival date, therefore I put my quotation based on using the American-managed Victoria Series Cruise, because they boat are daily departure only except Sat from Chongqing to Yichang. I would adjust my price when the exact arrival date is advised.
9) My quotation is excluded the round way international air fare. Because we do not have advantage in getting the competive price for international airfare. The air fare sold in the departure place is always more attractive than what is available in the departure place. Therefore I do recommend you to check it from your side.
A preliminary quotation with a suggested itinerary is attached to this email, please let me know if you have other interests you'd like to include, or if I have missed any of your stated requirements; I would welcome the opportunity to ensure that your itinerary is exactly what you want.
Hope the above is clear and helpful.
Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us.
Best Regards
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