New Zealand's China Specialists · Since 1928
Ancient dynasties. Electric cities. Misty mountains.
The China that takes your breath away — we'll take you there.
Direct operations · Small groups · Authentic access
Years in China
Kiwis Shown China
Handcrafted Journeys
Destinations Explored
We don't just know China — we live it. Our team has spent years on the ground so you don't miss a thing.
Founded in 1928, we've been taking travellers to China longer than most airlines have existed.
Our own offices and guides in China mean no middlemen, no surprises — just seamless travel from day one.
Small groups, local guides, off-the-beaten-track stops. The China that most tourists never get to see.
This season
High demand right now — our strongest recommendations for October and November, backed by our ad spend and the routes we're promoting first.
Trending · Limited October departures
October-ready from Auckland — Beijing's Forbidden City, Great Wall, and hutongs, then high-speed rail to Xi'an for the Terracotta Warriors. Many NZ leisure trips can use China's visa-free entry (confirm before you book); published group departure in October as listed on this page.
Trending · Limited October departures
October-ready from Auckland — Yangtze Delta loop: Suzhou gardens and Shantang Street, Wuxi lakeside sights and Three Kingdoms City, Hanfu and afternoon tea in Xinshi water town, Hangzhou's West Lake and Longjing tea, then Shanghai's Bund. Visa-free entry may apply for many NZ trips (confirm dates); mid-October departure published.
Trending · Limited October departures
Two of China's most talked-about cities in one 10-day trip — futuristic Chongqing's neon cliffside skyline, the famous monorail through a building, and UNESCO Dazu Rock Carvings, then laid-back Chengdu's giant pandas and teahouse culture. Connected by bullet train. Departs 1 November.
20+
Years
Our Expert
With over 20 years of experience in the Chinese travel industry, Baker Gu is our lead specialist. His deep knowledge of China's culture, history, and hidden gems ensures that our clients receive authentic and unforgettable travel experiences.
Baker has traveled extensively throughout China, from the bustling cities to remote villages, building relationships with local communities and gaining insider access to unique experiences. As our lead specialist, Baker designs our most exclusive tours, ensuring that every detail is carefully crafted to provide the best possible experience for our clients.
Learn MoreDiscover
Home to the Great Wall and Forbidden City
Home to the Terracotta Army and ancient city walls
A modern metropolis with skyscrapers and historical landmarks
Famous for pandas and Sichuan cuisine
Famous for its karst mountains and Li River scenery
Inspiration for Avatar's floating mountains
Our Tours
A 17-day journey through China's greatest imperial and cultural treasures — from Beijing's Forbidden City and the Great Wall to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, a Yangtze River Three Gorges cruise, and the dazzling skyline of Shanghai.
The ultimate 27-day China experience — from the Great Wall and Forbidden City to a Yangtze River cruise, giant pandas in Chengdu, the Li River in Guilin, classical gardens of Suzhou, West Lake in Hangzhou, and vibrant Shanghai.
Fifteen days from Beijing's Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Great Wall and hutongs, by high-speed train to Xi'an's Terracotta Army, then by air to Hangzhou via Puyuan's fashion ancient town, West Lake and Longjing tea, finishing in Shanghai before your return via Beijing.
Yunnan by air via Beijing — Erhai and Bai culture around Dali (including Shuanglang and “Santorini” viewpoints), Lijiang's Lashi Lake and Shuhe, then overland to Shangri-La through Tiger Leaping Gorge, Songzanlin Monastery, and Napa Lake before returning to Auckland via Beijing.
See our current Spotlight tours above, or browse all China Discovery tours.
33 reviews from New Zealand travellers
Claire & Tom Mackenzie
Wellington, New Zealand
The visa-free entry for Kiwis (it came in mid-2024) made booking so much easier than we ever expected — no embassy queues, no paperwork, just flights booked and off we went. Baker's itinerary was brilliantly paced: three days in Beijing (Forbidden City, hutong evening walk, Great…
Tour Customized by: Baker
Tour: China Discovery — A Tale of Two Cities
Michael & Bev Larsen
Dunedin, NZ · Oct 2024
Great Wall at Dawn, Terracotta Warriors After Lunch — Incredible
As Dunediners, we're no strangers to spectacular scenery — but nothing prepared us for standing on the Great Wall with mist rolling through the valleys below. Lisa matched that moment perfectly with our private guide at the Terracotta Warriors pit two days later. The scale is genuinely hard to believe until you're standing in front of it. The Xi'an Muslim Quarter lamb skewers and pomegranate juice were the perfect ending to a brilliant day. Ten days, two ancient capitals, zero complaints.
Fiona Hewitt
Auckland, NZ · Mar 2025
Solo Kiwi Traveller — Visa-Free Entry Made This Finally Happen
I'd been putting off China for years, mostly because of the visa process. Then visa-free access opened for NZ passport holders in mid-2024 and I had no more excuses. Baker sorted the rest: a great small group for the Beijing–Xi'an itinerary, a private morning at the Wall before the tour buses arrived, and a Xi'an family dinner that turned into a two-hour dumpling lesson. I've been talking about this trip non-stop since I got home. The no-visa thing genuinely is a game-changer for Kiwis.
Simon & Kate Brennan
Christchurch, New Zealand
We've done a fair bit of Asia, but Shanghai & Surroundings completely redefined our benchmark for a well-designed tour. The contrast between the futuristic Bund skyline and the classical gardens of Suzhou made us feel like we'd moved through 1,000 years of history in two days. Li…
Tour Customized by: Lisa
Tour: China Discovery — Shanghai & Surroundings
Graham & Shirley Voss
Hamilton, NZ · Aug 2024
The Bund at Night Is Worth the Long-Haul Flight Alone
We knew the Shanghai skyline would be impressive. We didn't expect it to stop us mid-sentence. Baker timed our Bund walk perfectly — the lights came up as we arrived and the entire Pudong skyline reflected in the Huangpu River. Suzhou's Humble Administrator's Garden the next morning was a completely different kind of beauty: quiet, intricate, centuries old. NZ travellers can now enter China visa-free (from mid-2024), which made the whole booking process incredibly smooth. Worth every cent.
Rachel Donohue
Tauranga, NZ · Feb 2025
Suzhou and Hangzhou Are Hidden Gems — Don't Sleep on This Tour
Everyone talks about Beijing and Xi'an, but honestly? Suzhou and Hangzhou stole the show for me. The canal streets of Suzhou after dark, the silk market, the traditional garden tea ceremony — it felt like stepping into a classical Chinese painting. Then Hangzhou's West Lake and the Longjing tea plantations up in the hills. Lisa had everything seamlessly organised. As a solo Tauranga traveller, I felt looked after every single day. Coming back for the Tale of Two Cities next time.
Josh & Amy Tanner
Auckland, New Zealand
We nearly booked Beijing instead. So glad we didn't. Chongqing is like nothing else on earth — a neon-lit mountain city where the monorail literally passes through a skyscraper (the Liziba station is completely insane), the ancient Hongyadong stilt houses glow over the river at n…
Tour Customized by: Baker
Tour: Fire & Fuzz — Chongqing × Chengdu
Mel & Chris Orton
Wellington, NZ · Nov 2024
The Liziba Monorail Through a Skyscraper Is Real — And We Rode It
I sent a video of the Liziba station to my mates back in Wellington and none of them believed it was real. The Line 2 train literally passes through the middle of a residential block — completely extraordinary and totally normal to locals. Chongqing itself is a vertical city built on clifftops above the Yangtze; watching the fog roll in over Hongyadong from the riverbank at night is something I'll never forget. Chengdu was the perfect counterweight: quieter, greener, with the giant pandas as the absolute highlight of our kids' lives.
Bec Connelly
Queenstown, NZ · Mar 2025
Hotpot, Pandas, and a City Built on Cliffs — This Route Is Fire
Baker recommended Chongqing & Chengdu when I called asking about Beijing, and honestly — thank you. Chongqing was a revelation: the city climbs up the hillside in layers, the food is extraordinary (Sichuan hotpot will make your eyes water in the best way), and the Dazu Rock Carvings were a genuine surprise that most tourists miss. Baker had everything dialled in: small group, guides who actually live in these cities, and perfect balance of guided time and free evenings. Chengdu pandas on the final morning sealed the deal. Absolutely coming back.
All Reviews
Margaret & John Patterson
Auckland, New Zealand
We've clocked up plenty of air miles, but this China Signature tour was genuinely in a class of its own. Baker arranged a private tai chi session on the Great Wall at sunrise — just the two of us, no crowds. As Aucklande…
Date of Experience: Feb 2023
Tour Customized by: Baker
You May Be Interested in This Tour: China Signature Imperial Heritage
Sarah & Tom Williams
Christchurch, New Zealand
We were quite nervous going to China for the first time, but Lisa had everything sorted before we'd even packed our bags. The itinerary was perfectly paced — enough to see the iconic highlights without feeling herded. Th…
Date of Experience: Oct 2022
Tour Customized by: Lisa
You May Be Interested in This Tour: China Signature Grand Tour
Paul & Linda Foster
Dunedin, New Zealand
We wanted our 50th to be something extraordinary, and Baker exceeded every expectation. A surprise intimate dinner in a lantern-lit Beijing courtyard, a private calligraphy lesson in a hutong, and thoughtful upgrades thr…
Date of Experience: Apr 2024
Tour Customized by: Baker
You May Be Interested in This Tour: China Signature Imperial Heritage
Andrew Sinclair
Napier, New Zealand
The Signature Grand Tour showed me a China I didn't know existed. Staying in a restored courtyard hotel rather than a chain, having dinner at a local family's home in Xi'an — these aren't things you find in a standard pa…
Date of Experience: Jun 2023
Tour Customized by: Baker
You May Be Interested in This Tour: China Signature Grand Tour
Helen & Bruce Donaldson
Nelson, New Zealand
Baker arranged access to a small Buddhist monastery that doesn't appear in any guidebook. That one morning — the incense, the chanting, the monks sharing tea — changed how we approach every trip since. We're a retired co…
Date of Experience: Mar 2022
Tour Customized by: Baker
You May Be Interested in This Tour: China Signature Imperial Heritage
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Resources
Beijing, the heart of China for over 3,000 years, seamlessly blends ancient imperial grandeur with contemporary urban dy...
Xi'an was the capital of thirteen Chinese dynasties, including the Qin, Tang, and Ming. It is one of the world's oldest...
Shanghai is China's largest city and a global finance hub. About twenty-four million people live here. Skyscrapers sit n...
Est. 1928 · China Travel Service Heritage
Let our specialists craft your perfect itinerary — backed by nearly a century of direct China operations.
