4 Kiwi-Led China itineraries 2026-27 · NZD $3,399-7,999 · Auckland-based · Visa-free for NZ passports
100+ Years Heritage
Century of Excellence Since 1928
Auckland Local Office
Local Support When You Need It
Direct China Operations
No Middlemen, Best Value
50,000+ Happy Travelers
Trusted by Kiwi Families
Most NZ travellers narrow down to one of our four flagship China tours within the first 15 minutes of browsing. Here's the at-a-glance comparison — all prices in NZD, all include Auckland return flights, hotels, English-speaking guides, and most meals.
| Tour | Days | Cities | From (NZD) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tale of Two Cities | 10 days | Beijing + Xi'an | NZD $3,480 | First-time visitors who want imperial highlights |
| Best of China | 15 days | Beijing + Xi'an + Hangzhou + Shanghai | NZD $3,880 | Classic 4-city loop covering imperial + modern China |
| Shanghai & Surroundings | 10 days | Shanghai + Suzhou + Wuxi + Hangzhou | NZD $3,399 | Comfort travel, lower flight fatigue, water-towns culture |
| Silk Road Discovery | 18 days | Xi'an + Dunhuang + Turpan + Urumqi | NZD $7,999 | Repeat China visitors, history depth, off-beat regions |
Prices are per person, twin share, lead-in. Final pricing depends on departure date and cabin choice. Connecting domestic flights from Wellington / Christchurch / regional NZ to Auckland are quoted separately.
Every CTS China tour from New Zealand falls into one of two collections. The difference is hotel category, group size, and pacing — not the headline sights (both visit the same Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, etc.).
| Aspect | Discovery | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| From price (per pax) | NZD $3,399 | NZD $4,800 |
| Hotels | 3–4 star city centre | 4–5 star premium |
| Group size | Up to 24 | Max 16 |
| Pace | Active sightseeing | Relaxed with free time |
| Meals | Daily breakfast, most lunches | Daily breakfast + most lunches + select dinners |
| Best for | Value-conscious first-timers | Premium experience, smaller groups |
When you can travel matters as much as where. October is universally the best month, but NZ school holidays and personal preferences shift the calculation. See our deeper Best Time to Visit China guide for region-by-region detail.
| Month | Weather | Crowds | Recommend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar–May | Mild spring, 15-22°C | Moderate | ✅✅ Top pick |
| Jun | Warming 22-28°C | Moderate | ✅ Good |
| Jul–Aug | Hot 32-38°C, humid | High (school holidays) | ❌ Avoid if possible |
| Sep–Oct | Mild 18-25°C, clear | Moderate–high | ✅✅ Best month |
| Nov | Cooling 12-18°C | Low | ✅ Good, quiet |
| Dec–Feb | Cool 0-12°C (north) | Low (avoid CNY) | ⚠️ OK if you don't mind cold |
Avoid Chinese Golden Week (1–7 October) and Chinese New Year (late Jan / early Feb) — domestic travel surge. October dates outside the first week of October are ideal.
Why book a China tour with a China-specific specialist instead of a general NZ travel agency? Here's the honest comparison. Both can work — but the trade-offs are real.
| Feature | CTS Tours NZ | Generic NZ Operators |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland office | Yes, 25 years in NZ | Often Australia-based |
| NZD pricing | Yes, locked at booking | Sometimes AUD with FX markup |
| Direct China operations | Yes (CTS group founded 1928) | Usually re-sold via brokers |
| TAANZ bonding | Yes — NZ payment protection | Varies — check before booking |
| In-country English guides | CTS own guides every city | Often contracted local guides |
| NZ school holiday awareness | Yes — Kiwi-led booking | Generic global calendar |
CTS is backed by China Travel Service — the pioneering China travel brand established in 1928 — with our New Zealand operations running Kiwi-led China tours for 25 years. We understand what Kiwis love about travel: authenticity, value, and expert guidance. Our China tours are designed for New Zealand visitors with direct return international flights from Auckland (AKL) — the only NZ airport with direct service to mainland China — transparent NZD pricing, and help with China entry rules including the current visa-free window for NZ ordinary passport holders (see our guide for eligibility and what to carry). If you are based in Wellington, Christchurch or regional New Zealand, our team arranges a connecting domestic flight to Auckland for the international departure; the connecting leg is quoted separately at additional cost on top of the headline tour price.
Whether you want a first-time highlights loop (Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai), a deeper regional journey (Yunnan, the Silk Road, or the Yangtze), or a short stopover bolted onto business travel, our Auckland-based consultants quote in NZD, explain what is included, and stay with you from enquiry to touchdown back home.
Same routes as our standard product pages — October spotlight pages add campaign context and dates.
Most CTS journeys begin in Shanghai or Beijing after your direct flight from Auckland. From there you can head to imperial landmarks, ancient capitals, river landscapes, and modern megacities — all with English-speaking guides and hand-picked hotels.
New Zealanders often ask for a mix of iconic sights and breathing room. Routes that combine Guilin or Zhangjiajie with Shanghai or Chengdu give you dramatic landscapes without sacrificing comfort — sensible driving days, time for coffee or a wander, and guides who understand Western expectations around meals and rest.
If you are travelling as a family or a small group, tell us how you like to move: we can lean toward earlier starts and free afternoons, or denser sightseeing with built-in recovery days.
Seasonal timing: see best time to visit China for month-by-month notes. Entry rules for NZ passports are summarised in our China entry guide for New Zealanders.
Non-stop flights from AKL to Shanghai or Beijing. No multi-city connections.
All prices in New Zealand dollars. No hidden currency fluctuations.
CTS team based in Auckland. NZ office hours. Kiwi expertise.
Since 1928, taking New Zealand travellers to China. Trust & reliability.
Clear advice on the China visa-free window for NZ ordinary passports (30 days; confirm dates and documents before travel).
Payment plans available. Direct debit from NZ bank accounts.
Curated for New Zealand travellers
Journey along China's ancient Silk Road from Xi'an to Urumqi across 18 days — exploring the Terracotta Warriors, Bingling Temple grottoes, colourful Danxia mountains, Mogao Caves, the Flaming Mountains, and Heavenly Lake.
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.
Discover China's most breathtaking natural landscapes across 16 days — from Shanghai's urban charm to the karst peaks of Guilin, the pandas of Chengdu, the ancient riverside beauty of Fenghuang, and the dramatic "Avatar" mountains of Zhangjiajie.
How long should you spend in China? For most NZ travellers, 10-15 days hits the sweet spot — enough to see iconic sights without rushing, and matched to common NZ school holiday windows.
7-10 days
Two cities, focused on highlights. Best for first-time visitors who want a taste of China without long PTO.
Tale of Two Cities (Beijing + Xi'an) →⭐ 12-15 days
The Kiwi sweet spot — three or four cities, breathing room for jet lag, and time for at least one day trip or river cruise.
Best of China (15 days, 4 cities) →18+ days
For repeat visitors or those wanting to go beyond imperial highlights — Silk Road, Yunnan, Tibet, or extended Yangtze cruise.
Silk Road Discovery (18 days) →Not sure which itinerary fits? Browse by the trip style that matches what you're after.
🚢 Yangtze River Cruise
Chongqing → Three Gorges → Yichang. Slow travel, premium ships.
🌶️ Sichuan Region
Pandas, hotpot, monorail through buildings. Chongqing vs Chengdu.
🏯 Great Wall Focus
Mutianyu, Badaling, Jinshanling — which section, which time of year.
🛡️ Terracotta Warriors
Xi'an gateway, history depth, museum vs site planning.
🏜️ Silk Road
Xi'an → Dunhuang → Turpan → Urumqi. Off the imperial highlights trail.
✈️ Family / Multi-gen
Private tailor-made tours for couples, families, special interests.
Practical planning guides for Kiwi travellers, written by our Auckland-based China specialist Baker Gu.
Ready to explore all our China collections?
View All China Tours →CTS proudly serves New Zealand with expert China travel advice and local support.
Everything you need to know about traveling to China with CTS
Have more questions?
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Our Aotearoa-based team is ready to help. Let's plan your perfect China journey.
