Travel guide: China 🇨🇳
Beyond the megacities, China's vast national parks and reserves are her best-kept secrets yet.
Good things to know
- The currency is Chinese Yuan (RMB)
- China has extended a unilateral visa-free policy to 43 countries. Please check the latest info before your trip.
- China has its own tech ecosystem:
- Payment: AliPay is the easiest for foreigners to set up compared to WeChat Pay. The society is largely cashless, and you can pay through QR code everywhere
- Taxi: Didi
- Map: Amap (Gaode map)
- Takaways: Meituan or Elema
- Tipping is not expected
- It is generally advised to avoid travel during the two national holidays due to the huge domestic crowds (1-7th May and 1-7th Oct)
- High-speed rail is very convenient, and the tickets are linked to your passport. Contact us if you need help buying train tickets.
Beyond megacities: wildlife and nature travel in China
China is often celebrated for its buzzing megacities — but beyond the urban skylines lies a world of wilderness with abundant wildlife. From snow-capped mountains to tropical rainforests, China’s national parks and nature reserves are its best-kept secret yet. There is an ambition to build 49 parks covering 272 million acres by 2035, surpassing the current US National Park network.
Why Go Beyond the Cities?
- Spot wildlife in their natural habitats, incl. many endangered and endemic species
- Experience ecosystems ranging from tropical rainforest to high-altitude plateau
- Discover landscapes that inspired Chinese art, poetry, and legend
- Learn about different ethnic communities along the way. China has 56 officially recognised ethnicities, each with its own unique culture, customs, and cuisine.
Qinghai
Nestled on the north-eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai is a land of snow-capped mountains, shimmering lakes, and rich cultural heritage. Here, nature exists in its purest form, and our Qinghai wildlife safari is designed to showcase both the diversity of plateau species and how they survive and thrive in some of the harshest habitats on Earth. On our safari, we will track the elusive snow leopards—the queen of the snow mountains, the totem of the plateau.
Qinghai also offers a vibrant mosaic of cultures. Tibetan, Hui (Muslim), Mongol, and Han communities each contribute their own traditions, festivals, and flavours, which you will experience as you journey across the region.
Yunnan
Tucked away in China’s far southwest, here the snow-capped Meili Mountain meet lush tropical rainforests, and ancient towns stand alongside vibrant ethnic cultures. Its year-round spring-like climate makes it an ideal destination to escape the summer heat and the biting winters.
Our Yunnan safari will take you trekking through its rainforests in search of the Skywalker hoolock gibbons, hornbills, and a wealth of other local flora and fauna.
With 26 ethnic groups, Yunnan is one of China’s most culturally rich regions. Each community has its own traditions, costumes, and cuisines, making every journey here an encounter with something new and unforgettable.
Check out Kodama Travel's China Tours