Your first trip to China, sorted.
Tell us your dates and who's coming. A licensed local agency plans your route, books hotels, trains and guides, and replies within 24 hours.
- BeijingGreat Wall, Forbidden City
- Xi'anTerracotta Army, city wall by bike
- ChengduGiant pandas, Sichuan food
- Licensed local agencies
- Reply within 24 hours
- You pay the agency directly
Before you fly
Visas, payments, phones: the practical part
Short answers first, then the details. Checked against official sources in October 2026.
Do I need a visa for China?
As of October 28, 2026, ordinary passport holders from 50 countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and most of Europe, can enter mainland China without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges or transit.
Read the guide →How do I pay for things?
The easiest way to pay in China is Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a Visa, Mastercard, American Express or JCB card from home, set up before you fly.
Read the guide →Will my phone and apps work?
For most visitors a roaming travel eSIM is the simplest option: install it at home, switch it on when you land, and expect to pay about $10-15 for 3-5 GB or $35-38 for 10 days of unlimited data (list prices, October 2026).
Read the guide →Is China safe for tourists?
For most visitors, yes, with clear caveats. As of October 2026 the US State Department rates mainland China Level 2 of 4, "Exercise Increased Caution," citing arbitrary enforcement of local laws, exit bans and the risk of wrongful detention, while the UK Foreign Office does not advise against travel but warns about broad national security laws and exit bans linked to business disputes.
Read the guide →When is the best time to go?
For most first trips, the best time to visit China is April to May or September to October, when average highs in Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai run about 19-28°C (66-82°F) and there is less rain than in summer.
Read the guide →What does a trip cost?
Excluding international flights, a 10-day first trip to Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai costs roughly $470-790 per person on a budget and $780-1,350 mid-range, by our estimate from current train and flight fares, ticket prices and hotel price data.
Read the guide →Routes to start from
Each one is a starting point. The agency changes cities, days and hotels to fit your dates and pace.
Classic first trip
- Beijing4 nights
- Xi'an2 nights
- Shanghai3 nights
Spend four nights in Beijing for the Forbidden City and the Great Wall at Mutianyu, two in Xi'an for the Terracotta Army, and three in Shanghai with a day trip to Suzhou.
See the route →Family trip with pandas
- Beijing4 nights
- Xi'an3 nights
- Chengdu4 nights
Spend four nights in Beijing for the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, three in Xi'an for the Terracotta Army and four in Chengdu for the giant pandas and a day trip to the Leshan Giant Buddha.
See the route →Winter in Harbin
- Harbin3 nights
- Yabuli1 night
- Snow Town1 night
- Harbin1 night
Three nights in Harbin for the ice and snow parks, then a high-speed train of about 1-1.5 hours to Yabuli for a night of skiing, a 2-3 hour road trip to China Snow Town for a night in the village, and about 4-5.5 hours by road and train back to Harbin for a final night.
See the route →Your own route
Pick the cities and dates you have in mind, or none at all. A trip designer at a licensed agency in China builds the route around you and replies within 24 hours.
Plan my trip →Where first-timers go
Two or three cities is plenty for a first trip. High-speed trains link all eight of these.
BeijingImperial palaces and the Great Wall 
ShanghaiThe Bund, Pudong skyline and water towns Xi'anTerracotta Army and a bikeable city wall ChengduGiant pandas, hotpot and teahouse afternoons 
Guilin and YangshuoKarst peaks along the Li River 
ZhangjiajieSandstone pillar forests and cliff walkways 
HarbinIce sculptures, Russian-style streets, serious cold 
ChongqingHillside city of monorails and hotpot
This winter
Harbin Ice Festival 2026-27
Every winter Harbin, in China's far northeast, builds a park of lit-up palaces made of ice and snow. It usually opens in mid or late December and runs into February. This season's dates aren't announced yet; last season opened on December 17.
How it works
Free to ask. You book with the agency.
Tell us your trip
Cities, dates, who's coming and how much help you want. It takes about two minutes.
Get a plan and a quote
A trip designer at a licensed agency in China emails you within 24 hours, in English. Change anything you like.
Book with the agency
If it's right, you book and pay the agency directly. They arrange the hotels, trains, guides and tickets.
How we make money: Nihao Routes is free for travelers. When you book, the agency pays us a referral fee. We never take payments from you. More about how it works
About Nihao Routes
The short version: free to ask, a licensed agency plans and books, you pay them directly. How it works
Is Nihao Routes a travel agency?
No. We're an independent guide to traveling in China. Trips are planned, contracted and paid for with licensed travel agencies in China, which pay us a referral fee when you book.
What does it cost to send a trip request?
Nothing. Sending a request is free and you're under no obligation to book. If you book, you pay the agency directly for the trip.
Who replies to my request?
A trip designer at a licensed partner agency in China emails you within 24 hours, in English, with a suggested plan and a quote. You can change anything before you decide.
Can I get help with just part of my trip?
Yes. You can ask for a guide for two days in Beijing and nothing else, or for trains and hotels booked with no guide at all. Say what you need in the form.
Do I need a tour to visit China?
No. Many first-timers travel on their own with the help of a translation app and mobile payments, and our guides cover how. A local agency is most useful for tight schedules, families, older travelers and places with timed tickets.
Want a local team to plan it?
Tell us your dates and who's coming. A trip designer at a licensed agency in China emails you a plan and a quote within 24 hours. Free, and no obligation to book.