For Independent visitors to China
Tell us your cities and days. We send a 1-on-1 PDF route — not a tour template. Survival Kit prep is included so payments and data work on day one.
From $99 · Survival Kit included with the PDF
Already know the cities? Use the Kit and the guides. Hire us when city order and days still aren't clear.
Old lanes, quiet cafés, neighborhood food, and the corners only locals name — not a group-tour checklist.
Why this exists
China opened more doors for independent travelers.
The guides multiplied — and contradicted each other.
I've lived on both sides of that gap.
Destinations
First-city bases plus one regional loop — then shape the route in the itinerary planner.
Capital history, hutongs, and a practical first-city base for many arrivals.
Transit hubs, riverside neighborhoods, and a smoother start for first-timers.
Terracotta warriors, city walls, and a strong Silk Road history stop.
Food, pandas, and a calm pace before heading into Sichuan or Yunnan.
Rainforest to snow mountains — the usual first independent loop, without a tour bus.
Karst rivers, countryside stays, and classic south China scenery.
River bridges, night skyline, and a vertical city that rewards extra days in southwest China.
Quartz-sandstone pillars and park days — a scenery stop after a first-city base.
Pearl River arrival city, Cantonese food, and a practical start in the south.
Why us
We sequence cities, pace, and what to skip into a PDF you follow independently. If Alipay fails on the ground, we walk through a backup during business hours — not a 24/7 concierge. See what’s in a custom itinerary →
Pre-trip planning is the core. Optional on-trip help is available Mon–Fri 9AM–9PM China time when plans change.
Paid itineraries take no hotel or OTA commissions — a clear service fee, with invoices. Some free guides include labeled affiliate links (same price to you).
Included with planning
Visa, network, payments, maps, bookings, and insurance — the Survival Kit checklist included with partner planning, and free to use on its own.
Step 1
Select your passport country for a quick visa-free signal — then open the full checker for stay length and transit rules.
240-hour transit may apply if you have a confirmed ticket onward to a third country. A standalone mainland trip still needs a visa.
Open full visa checker →Step 2
eSIM for mobile data on landing. Add a VPN only if you will use hotel Wi-Fi or a local SIM.
Trip.com's SKUs are usually cheaper than Airalo's for the same days and data — see exact prices before picking. Some links are affiliate. eSIM guide →
NordVPN is what I use in China (slow connects on some hotel Wi-Fi). ExpressVPN is simpler — I have not used it as my daily China VPN. Some links are affiliate. VPN guide →
Step 3
Finish wallet setup at home — many shops expect a QR code, not a foreign card alone.
Start with Alipay for most foreign visitors; add WeChat Pay as a backup. Payments guide →
Step 4
Google Maps is unreliable on the mainland — learn Amap before you need an address in Chinese.
Prefer a hub overview? Maps hub →
Step 5
Use Trip.com in English with a foreign card for the pieces that hurt when left late.
Lock night-one hotels early; reserve popular sights with the passport you will travel on. Trip.com links are affiliate. Hotel guide →
Step 6
Hospitals often expect payment first. Buy travel medical cover (with evacuation) from a provider you trust before you fly — we don't sell policies.
Prefer a hub overview? Insurance in the Survival Kit →
Prefer a full checklist? View the full Survival Kit for China →
Itinerary planning
Share cities, days, and pace. After we confirm scope, you get a ready-to-follow PDF in 48–72 hours. The request is free, and this is not a tour.
Guides
Six practical picks to start — or jump into a topic hub for the full map of guides.
Common questions
Custom itineraries, plus the visa, payments, and prep questions first-timers search before they land.
Survival Kit
The survival prep that comes with partner planning — payments, maps, data, and booking checklists, so you are not improvising at the airport.
Get Free Survival KitStart with featured reads, or switch tabs to browse by topic hub.
Guide
Dali's best area depends on your pace: convenience in the Ancient Town, quiet mornings on Erhai's west shore, or a slower village stay. Here is how to choose, and what to confirm before you book.
Guide
Trip.com's China eSIM reviewed: exact 7-day and 15-day plan prices, whether ChatGPT and Google work on mobile data, 5G labeling, and who should buy the Airalo plan instead.
Guide
A practical Dali travel guide for independent visitors: where to stay, how long to spend, what to skip, and the China travel systems to set up before you arrive.
Guide
Apps asking for a Chinese ID number and name? Tourists cannot get a 身份证. Switch to 护照, copy your passport photo page, and never borrow someone else’s ID.
Guide
A practical order for independent China trip planning: how many cities, high-speed rail as the backbone, rest days, and when a local PDF route is worth paying for.
Guide
Popular China sights often require timed, real-name reservations — not to block foreigners, but to control crowds. Check booking, passport, and time slots before you go.
No. You get a PDF route to follow independently — not a guided package or group tour.
What’s in a custom itinerary →DIY is fine if city order and systems already make sense. Pay for a local PDF when dates are real but the route still feels like too many cities — or you want pace and skips sequenced for you.
Itinerary planning hub →Custom itinerary details →Early bird from $99 by trip length. The request is free — we confirm scope and fee before you pay.
Request a custom itinerary →It depends on your passport. Many nationalities qualify for short visa-free stays or 240-hour transit — confirm before you book.
Check your visa path →Yes — many tourists can, once setup and identity verification are done. Don’t wait until you’re at a checkout counter.
Alipay setup guide →Not always on mobile data — but a VPN is still useful backup for hotel Wi-Fi and laptop browsing.
Do you need a VPN? →Usually not well enough for day-to-day travel. Plan on a local map app instead.
Maps that work in China →Yes — just choose foreigner-friendly stays and keep your passport ready for real-name check-in.
Hotels for foreigners →Short trips: eSIM or roaming is usually enough. Longer stays may need a local SIM for SMS codes.
Best eSIM options →Mostly mobile-first — apps do the heavy lifting, cash is backup.
Payments hub →Yes — prepare the digital basics first and independent travel becomes much easier.
Independent travel guide →