This was our first tour and we were extremely impressed by the organisation and the standards. The size of our group (19) was not overwhelming and allowed us to get to know our fellow travellers well. Our guide Jason was absolutely outstanding at his job. He was caring and knowledgeable with a good sense of humour, which added to the experience. 

Ancient Empires of China & Japan
This a fairly fast paced tour but a good way to see the best of the two countries in a short time.
Hotels were generally good but located out of town so not much nearby. All hotels had WiFi and kettles, and most had fridges. The schedule was pretty full so there was little free time to wander round alone for shopping, drinks etc - especially in China. However there was usually a small general store nearby for snacks and sundries.
Guides in both countries (Ian in China and Nao in Japan) were knowledgeable and spoke good English. There were optional activities in China at each place we stopped - they were all excellent but you need to budget for them (about £30 each person per event). The advice in Wendy Wu regarding AliPay and eSims are worth reading. I used a Holafly eSim - great in China but not such good coverage in Japan. I was able to use my social apps normally in China via the eSim.
In China, as part of the tour, the local guides will take you to "approved" stores attached to varoius cultural activities such as silk making; teracotta army, jade factory etc etc. Be prepared for a hard sell (I guess the local guides get a cut); the prices are very negotiable and if you want to buy something there you should aim to pay 40-50% (or less if you are a good haggler) of the initial asking price
Alipay is universally accepted and is the easiest way to pay, although Mastercard was accepted in larger premises. Cash was also widely accepted.
Food was ok - nothing too extreme although the veggies suffered a bit from lack of choice, especially in Japan. Fortunately they ate fish, otherwise it would have been an austere diet for them.
Be prepared for some long days with plenty of walking and a bit of stair climbing. And a lot of eating - the tour caters for 3 meals a day !

Amazing holiday from start to finish. On top of the stunning sights and experiences of China the whole trip was so well organised and we were exceptionally well looked after at all times. Special mention goes to Ryan our national tour guide who went well beyond in every way while always being so friendly, caring and approachable. Along with the local guides he also helped us get a real sense of living in modern China as well as an introduction to its history and language.

We did almost all the optional activities too which were all good value and excellent.

We cannot recommend this trip, Ryan and Wendy Wu highly enough - thanks to all!

N.B. This holiday is more active than it might appear with a lot of walking and early starts to pack so many wonderful experiences in. This was perfect for us but some less able did struggle a bit at times and opted out of some activities

Really helpful with Cheryl who was very happy to discuss my needs and booking process. Her enthusiastic personality confirmed our excitement at doing the China tour - confirmation email came through quickly and she explained what we need to do nearer the time regarding visas.

As Above

First class advice and information over the phond .

Excellant trip, and great guide Jason/Yang.

From start to finish the tour was a show stopper. Every day was a highlight and more. Stop, and pinch yourself, you are in China. Travel further West and you arrive in Lhasa. What a fantastic city and experience. And then fly back into China to continue your adventure. Between all the major sights you get to experience every day life and marvel at the river and landscapes.
Our accompanying National Guide was brilliant throughout the trip and each Local Guide was friendly and very knowledgeable. This trip was additionally made exceptional by my fellow travellers. We had a fantastic time.
Would I do it again? Yes I would.

I have been in a holiday in Cambodia and Vietnam through Wendy Wu at the beginning of Ocyober. It was an amazing holiday and both local guides: Tai in Cambodia and Thiep in Vietnam have been very knowledgeable and helpful. Everything was taken care of, from transport, visiting various places to hotel rooms and meals.

The trip was one in a lifetime as we visited so many places, learnt about the local culture and history. What I liked the most was doing activities with local people and learning about their life. Food was good maybe too much, especially in the evening.
Overall a fabulous trip!

The whole tour was amazing packed with a variety of things and experiences. The guide Jacky on our China and Tibet went the extra mile to make our tour exceptional. The food was amazing such a variety of flavours. There was one day when we had a very late internal flight the guide did his best to give us a variety of experiences while we waited for our flight at 22.00hrs. I think it would have been better to have had an earlier flight. This is my first holiday with Wendy wu I will definitely book again. Although the admin staff at the office really need to be mote professional and have a "yes I can help "attitude rather than making it feel it really is inconvenient for you to call us.

As Above

Very helpful and professional. Quickly obtained all the information and prices I needed to help me decide the type of tour I wanted.

The Silk Road Explorer tour by Wendy Wu is highly recommended to all those interested in history (with contemporary relevance), authentic experiences, enchanting places, good food, and…ancient and contemporary China. This trip has exceeded my expectations, offering essential experiences and information about the important places along the Silk Road, but also comfortable transportation and accommodation, and quality food. The trip was well organized by the tour leader and benefitted from the knowledge of local guides.