Reviews

We purchased the Silk Road Explorer trip in February 2024 at the destination show and we are a group of 5 friends from UK. We met at the airport and was really looking forward and excited for the flight to Xian transit at Beijing airport. When we landed at the airport we had to fill in transfer forms and there was a long queue of travellers at passport control. We only had one hour to catch the connecting flight to Xian so we missed the late afternoon flight. That caused a lot of anxiety and we were rushing at the airport looking for information. The staff at the counters were very helpful and we managed to catch the late evening flight to Xian. We would have like to leave London on an earlier flight to give more time for transit.
There were 18 of us in the group and our national guide was Hoffman Huo. We felt very safe in his care and nothing was too much trouble. He provided us with information on each day of the iternary of the places we were to visit . He was always at the back counting and making sure that we get on the train and coach safely. We were his family and felt sad when he waved us off on the last day. Well done Hoffman and we hope to get a guide like you on our next trip to China.
We have enjoyed this long journey on the Silk Road. The places on the iternary were historical , educational and interesting. The sceneries of the sand dunes on the desert and changing colours of the mountains were spectacular. The highlights were the art gallery at the Magao caves and the camel ride at the Gobi desert. What a great experience!
Well done Wendy Wu and staff for organising this amazing trip .
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A very well organised tour with a very competent , friendly and conciencious tour guide. The local guides were very enthusiastic but their limited English stifled their communication skills. The hotels and restaurants were excellent and our transport and drivers both of a high standard. The trip content gave us an in depth view of China ,proving it has more than The Great Wall, although the two sections we climbed were very impressive if somewhat knackering!

A great trip on every level - itinerary, expert guide, food, accommodation and transport.

The national guide was exceptional- Gary Guo - and made us feel cared for and safe throughout the whole month. The trip was a mixture of fun, excitement, interest, and we had a great group. However - for me the limit is 17 which is what our group was. I would not want to do a trip with more than that number.
It was graded as a 2 and I think that was about right so I never felt over extended.

The basic arrangements were very good, our guides were excellent & knowledgeable. Our tour manager, Gary, was VERY attentive and had a good grasp of English and British humour.
My fellow travellers were a mix of Aussies, Kiwis and Brits - a good mixture and very convivial company
The itinerary covered what you might expect when going to these far out-of-the-way places - we did not feel that we had missed anything - and if you have been to China already (recommended) you will be surprised at the new sights and scenes
The food was excellent/very good all the way through with Gary ensuring that we tried a mixture of the local cuisines available. He also noted what we ate and what we ate less of and was adjusting the selection of dishes provided on a daily basis.
Wendy Wu's staff and arrangements are first class, and I would recommend this tour to anyone who has been to China already and wants to branch out into something a little different, so as to get a more balanced experience of China and its different cultures and landscapes

This is a demanding but fascinating tour that covers large distances by high speed trains and coach. The rewards are considerable. There are some remarkable historical sites, notably the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang and the caves at Kiizil. There is also some fine scenery, in particular the Heavenly Lake near Urumqi, and the visits to the Great Wall in the far west and near Beijing. The hotels and the food were excellent as was our Tour Leader, Betty.

This was a great tour which visited some of the lesser known parts of China

A very well designed and managed trip full of enriching experiences. The national guide was highly competent and resourceful, making everything go smoothly in a most friendly manner. This was my first experience of Wendy Wu and I don't expect it to be my last.

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good national and local guides; good hotels; good tour content.
Optional tour to Norlang Kha and Bajiao Village should be inclusive.The 4.0am rise to visit Danxia National Park at sunrise was unnecessary as the colours in the strata were barely visible until the sun was well up.The Kuqu Canyon should be an inclusive tour taken on the journey to Kuqa town.The Subashi ruins could then be visited en-route to Aksu - a much better use of time for travellers and the coach driver.

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Wendy Wu tours are value for money.

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The Silk Road Explorer is an amazing tour. The trip of a lifetime. The National Guide, Mark Wang, was brilliant. He understood our group and it’s prferences, went well beyond the call of duty to make sure we had the best experience. The local guides were also helpful and informative. We could never have put together such a great series of daily experiences ourselves. We really would recommend Wendy Wu for the overall experience and the efficient problem free service.

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It may not have been the cheapest choice of tour operator but it was totally value for money; so many different experiences, good food, comfortable hotels and spectacular service from the guides.

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Going with a tour company like Wendy Wu always gives you a good service, quality hotels and local guides but the main reason this tour was so outstanding was due to their national guide David He who was was with us for 12 hours a day or more on some days for a total of 26 days and always maintained a balance between professional service and being a good companion along the way. He had a very good command of English and could relate well to western humour.

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I chose this tour as it provided a well planned and varied itinerary of the Silk Road in China from Xian to Kashgar over 3,000km with 13 different hotels in 26 days, 4 bullet trains and and two internal flights plus 3 meals a day and local door to door transport and local guides but what made it so enjoyable was having an excellent national guide David He who was with us all the way to smooth out any difficulties.

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The tour was well and efficiently run

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The tour was well and efficiently run

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Tom, as National ******, is a major asset to the company. He was constantly cheerful, he sorted out emergencies and problems, he checked to make sure everyone was happy, he did everything he could to make the tour run as smoothly as possible. We were 'Toms' family'. Don't lose him!
In general the local guides were good, but too often their Chinese accents were so thick they were difficult to understand. However, with one of the guides, even though his English had mistakes, his accent was good, so he was much easier to understand. There is also a general feeling that they must give value for money, which means that they talk too much. It is difficult to take it all in at once. It is quite all right for them to be quiet from time to time. They need to decide what are the most important points, concentrate on those, and only give the other details if asked for them.

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The route chosen was good, using overnight trains to cover distances excellent, the standard of hotels was perfectly acceptable. But since I am unlikely to go back to that part of China, I would have preferred to visit more places and to have had less free time, which at times seemed excessive.