Wendy Wu Tours

On behalf of the entire team at Wendy Wu Tours, we wish to congratulate you on your new website. At a time where most research is being conducted on the internet we are confident that this website will only further enhance the knowledge and expertise provided by the China National Tourist office. We look forward to working with you and being able to show many Australian travellers the incredible beauty, rich culture and wonderful areas China has to offer.

Wendy Wu

Chairperson Wendy Wu Tours

It has been over 16 years since I took my first tour group to China. Although I did not know how that first tour would turn out, I had a feeling that it was to be the start of a great adventure for me that would continue on for many years into the future. And so it happened! I added more departures to my first tour, more itineraries, more parts of China, more countries in Asia and now more places in the world where our group tours are sold including New Zealand and South Africa in conjunction with our own offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, Sydney, London and New York. Wendy Wu Tours currently offers 47 fully inclusive group tours in almost every country in Asia. From the very start I listened carefully to everything the group members told me: how they liked to travel, what their expectations were, what should be included in the price and many other things that we include in all our group tours across Asia. How else was I to know what people would want for their holiday other than by talking and listening to them? The listening hasn’t stopped. We continue to encourage feedback from anyone who travels with us, and that feedback is translated into action when planning takes place for our next season of brochures.

We have added some new itineraries for 2011 to include places that our past passengers have said that they would like to visit. More importantly, we have made many subtle changes to our long-standing tours based on the feedback received from travellers over the past year. In 2011 we will offer you not only an exciting new brochure look and concept, but also the best value and best organised holiday to China that you are likely to find anywhere. These tours have been created from your very own ideas. If you are new to Wendy Wu Tours I hope that you will join us in 2011 and enjoy the Wendy Wu experience that has been enjoyed by thousands of others over the past 16 years. When you return I hope that you will also write to us with your impressions of your holiday and how we can improve it for the future.

Happy travelling!

Wendy Wu

Wendy Wu Tours - Experience a Different World.

Visit our website for up to date reviews and videos of our tours.

Your first time with Wendy Wu Tours is only the beginning - we trust that you will be coming back!

GREAT TOURS

Specialising in tours within the Asia region and supported by a team with over 35 years’ experience in the travel industry, we are able to present you with the very best each country has to offer. Our programmes visit everything from major tourist attractions to the hidden treasures in beautiful and fascinating rural areas. When combined, they offer a diverse mix of history, culture, scenery and adventurous experiences.

YOUR FIRST CONTACT

Our knowledgeable and well-trained staff are more than happy to provide you with detailed information relating to our tour products, advice on which itinerary in our extensive product range is ideal for you, or alternatively design a personalised itinerary based on your specific needs.

BEFORE YOUR TOUR

We will supply you with a travel guide that will include helpful information on currency, transportation, meals, recommended reading, and basically everything else you need to know. A detailed day-by-day itinerary and tour dossier arrives with your tickets approximately two to three weeks prior to your group tour departure date. You will also receive a phrase book to practice your language skills!

FULLY INCLUSIVE

Wendy Wu Tours prides itself on ‘no hidden extras’ and therefore all of our tours are inclusive of international economy flights, accommodation, meals, local guides, taxes and charges, entrance fees and visa fees for Australian passport holders. Please refer to the ‘Inclusions’ as outlined on the individual tour pages for more details.

VALUE FOR MONEY

Wendy Wu Tours has always thrived on its motto of ‘value for money’, which is reflected in our entire product range. We believe that this approach to group travel allows our customers to receive the very best prices by consolidating all the tour components into one cost effective package and transferring these benefits to our customers.

GROUP SIZES

All tour departures are guaranteed at the listed price operating with a National Escort subject to a minimum of 10 passengers travelling together.

OUR PARTNERS OVERSEAS

Our tours would not be as successful as they are without our solid working relationship with our local partners in Mongolia, Central Asia, Vietnam, South Korea, Tibet and Nepal, as well as the professionalism of our own offices and operations in China. With years of experience behind them operating tours throughout their respective areas, you can be assured that their local knowledge in operations, touring, guides and transport means our tours operate efficiently and smoothly. In addition they ensure that Wendy Wu Tours has a reliable presence on which you can always depend. Our local partners have an experienced team dedicated to the provision of personal service to all our customers throughout their network of offices.

OUR NATIONAL ESCORTS

One of the very special features of Wendy Wu Tours is the constant presence of our local National Escorts on all group tours with 10 or more passengers. Upon arrival at your destination your National Escort will be there to welcome you. The National Escort will accompany your group throughout the duration of your stay in their country, catering for all of your personal needs. Meeting strict qualification standards, they are amongst the finest professionals in tourism and make your Wendy Wu Tours experience all the more memorable. Local guides, who have specialised knowledge of their own areas, will also be with you in certain regions. It is in this way that Wendy Wu Tours’ representatives are on hand at all times to ensure a smooth and enjoyable tour.

TOUR GRADING

All tours are graded to assist you in deciding which itinerary best suits your personal liking. The gradings are outlined below with symbols which are also reflected on each tour page:

★COMFORTABLE PACED TOUR

Whilst you will encounter extensive sightseeing on foot and climbing of stairs and in/out of boats throughout the tour, these programmes are comfortably operated to appeal to most people. Generally these tours are shorter in duration and visit the mainstream tourist attractions.

★★MEDIUM PACED TOUR

These tours are not strenuous but do include several days where long periods of sightseeing on foot, climbing of stairs and in/out of boats, will be necessary. These tours are generally longer in duration and could involve long days of driving or overnight train journeys. Some programmes may also include easy trekking or a home stay.

★★★ACTIVE PACED TOUR

Refers to programmes where long periods of sightseeing on foot, climbing of stairs and in/out of boats, and physical involvement is necessary. These tours are generally longer in duration and could involve long days of driving or overnight train journeys. Some programmes may also include easy trekking or a home stay. These tours may travel to remote areas and areas of high altitude, reaching up to 5,000m. Accommodation on these tours may be in basic hotels or camps. These programmes require a good level of fitness.

AGE REQUIREMENTS

For smooth operations on the ground we do not allow children under the age of 12 years on any of our group tours. We recommend that families with children of any age take advantage of our independent packages, as this will give you more flexibility whilst on tour.

SINGLE TRAVELLERS

Many single travellers prefer to have a private room during their group holiday and a single supplement is charged in those circumstances. At Wendy Wu Tours we understand that many single travellers would happily share a room to avoid paying an additional supplement if they had a partner to share with. If you are a single traveller who is willing to share, Wendy Wu Tours will match you up with another like-minded single traveller of the same gender on your tour and neither of you will pay the single supplement. However, if we are unable to find another single traveller who is willing to share, Wendy Wu Tours will waive the single hotel supplement (rail and Yangtze River ruise supplements are additional and cannot be waived), thereby saving you the additional cost. For single supplements on the Yangtze River cruises please see ‘Boats'.

HOTEL RATINGS

Star ratings identify the standard of quality for hotels. Countries throughout the world adopt various classification systems for hotels in accordance with their chain name and the type of hotel; no international classification system exists. Typically, a 4 star Chinese hotel cannot be compared to a 4 star Australian hotel. Attempts at unifying the classification system have been made so that it becomes an internationally recognised and reliable standard. However, differences do exist in the quality of accommodation which plays an integral part in defining which hotel category certain accommodation fits into. Please be advised that all hotels used by Wendy Wu Tours are regularly inspected by our staff and our operators so that standards do not slip.

TRANSPORTATION

We have specially planned the travel modes of our tours with variety, comfort and enjoyment in mind. Coach travel, cruises, trains, rickshaws and flights are included to make your holiday more enjoyable, enabling you to enrich your ‘authentic’ Chinese experience. All coach travel is in comfortable, air conditioned vehicles. All international flights are based on economy class, mainly with Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas Airways, while all domestic flights within China are with reliable local carriers. All overnight train journeys are first class, soft sleeper compartments where each compartment consists of 4 berths. Although, where possible, we will always endeavour to keep group members together in the same compartment, there may be times where this is not possible. In this case, you may find yourself sharing with group members of the opposite gender and other travellers.Facilities onboard are simple with both Western-style and squat toilets. In some tourist areas taxi buggies have started operating and these are available at an extra cost if you do not wish to walk.

BOATS

Throughout our tours there are various boat cruises as part of our sightseeing. Depending on the location, the type and size of the boat used will vary. Single hotel supplements do not cover single cabins on the Yangtze River cruise as all cabins are twin share. Single travellers who wish to have a single cabin will need to pay a supplement to have sole use of a twin cabin. However, if you opt to share a cabin and you are not already matched up with another Wendy Wu Tours passenger the cabin allocation will be communally based and you may be matched up with a passenger from another group or of the opposite gender.

MEALS

All meals (excluding drinks) are included in our fully inclusive group tours from the group’s arrival until the day of departure, except where otherwise stated. Breakfast is a combination of local and Western food, usually served in a buffet style. Lunches and dinners consist of traditional local cuisine served as a banquet, with a wide range of specialties to choose from. Occasionally Western-style meals may be provided. Our schedule of meals is designed so that you can experience the local dishes, their individual flavours as well as the different ways they are prepared and cooked throughout the country you are travelling in.

YOUR NEXT TOUR WITH US

Once you have completed your tour, we hope that you will return to travel with us again. As a repeat customer of Wendy Wu Tours, you will enjoy a special VIP discount on your next group tour and early notification of new itineraries and destinations.

THE WENDY WU TOURS PHILOSOPHY

Our philosophy is to provide popular, comfortable, excellent-value tours to remote and exotic destinations. Our aim is to offer fully inclusive tours with the best price, best inclusions and first-class personalised service.