Posted on Wed, 14 Sep 2011
Private Tours Through China With The Kids
If you think China is just for adults with an appreciation for history or ‘Grade AA designer’ goods, here’s a spot of good news for you. The China Guide, a tour agency, customises private family tours in China with an English speaking guide to bring you and the brood around. Which means that if you want to travel but just don’t want to do the research, they’ll do all the planning for you.
What’s most heartening to hear is that as parents themselves, The China Guide owners Peter Danford and his wife Jane frequently travel around China with their four kids in tow, so they know the ups and downs of travelling with small people. It is with this insight and experience that they plan and personalise itineraries for their clients.
So what do they recommend for Beijing with the kids? Tobogganing down the Great Wall, fishing for trout, taking a cycle rickshaw ride through the hutongs and shopping in the Toy Market! In the evening, there’s the Kungfu Show and Acrobat Show to watch if the kids are not tired out by then. Outside of Beijing (and no doubt for older kids), they suggest Yangshuo for its rural environment and activities including cycling, bamboo river rafting (top), caving and hiking. Not confined to Beijing, they are also able to customize children friendly expeditions to destinations like Tibet, Yunnan, Shanghai and Xi’an.
I like the fact that in their information provided, they appreciated that hotels were a particularly important consideration when travelling with kids, so they offer accommodation that includes budget suites (though I prefer luxury suites anytime!) and serviced apartments with full kitchens and washing machines (all important with messy children around).
They state that guides appointed to lead family tours are ‘child friendly, patient and fun’, and the drivers are ‘safe’. Adjustments can be made on the go to suit the family needs at the time, melas are in ‘quality local restaurants’ and there is no factory shopping stops. Yay!
For details: www.TheChinaGuide.com
Credit: Pictures courtesy of The China Guide
