About Wander China
We are a licensed inbound tour operator registered in China. We have been running tours for international travellers since 2006, and we are still small on purpose.
What we are
Wander China is the trading name of Aba Prefecture Kalong Travel Service Co., Ltd. (阿坝州卡龙旅行社有限责任公司), a legally registered inbound tour agency in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. We have held a tourism business licence since 2006 and operate as a domestic company serving international travellers — which means we are on the ground, contracted locally, and answerable to Chinese regulations rather than a branch office of an overseas brand.
That distinction matters more than it might sound. When you book an inbound trip through a reseller in another country, the company that actually holds your hotel bookings, your guide, your vehicle and your entrance tickets may be one your organiser has never met. With us, that company is the same one you have been talking to.
How we work
Small groups, on purpose
Twelve guests is the ceiling across all of our itineraries, and most of our departures run smaller. It is the only way to run a coach, a guide and a restaurant booking without something feeling like a conveyor belt.
A local specialist in every destination
Every city has its own licensed guide, and that guide lives there. The Xi'an guide knows which gate the coach groups queue at; the Yangshuo guide knows when the light hits the karst. Between cities your vehicle and driver stay on the plan — what changes is the specialist, not the standard.
Plans that can still change
Our published routes are starting points. Hotels, pace, cities, number of nights — all adjustable, and re-priced, before you commit. Many of our guests change the route at least once.
Details from people who were there
Which entrance is quieter, which museum is worth the queue, which hotel has a lift big enough for a suitcase. Our guides write this down as they go, and it goes into the itinerary.
What is and is not included in a quoted trip
Included
- All scheduled attraction entrance fees
- Accommodation as specified in the itinerary
- Meals listed in the daily programme
- English-speaking or bilingual local guides in every destination
- Private vehicle and driver, and all inter-city transport
- Airport and railway station transfers
Not included
- International flights
- China visa fees and travel insurance
- Personal expenses: shopping, laundry, phone calls, tips
- Single room supplement
- Anything not named in the itinerary
Tax of 6% applies to the total cost. We show you the line-by-line breakdown before you pay anything.
Who we work with
We run both directly for individual travellers and small private groups, and through travel agents and tour operators in other countries who send their clients to us. In every case the same company does the work and the same licence covers it.
The team behind your trip
We are a small company on purpose. Our core management averages more than 15 years in China's inbound travel industry, and the names below are the people who sign off on your itinerary, not a stock photo.
Dingfeng Zheng
Oversees long-term strategy and global resource integration, and leads the top-level design and risk control for large government and corporate projects.
Hai Wan
Secures high-priority reservations for vehicle fleets, luxury hotels and scenic-spot tickets, and manages relationships with tourism authorities and industry associations.
Chunyi Mao
Chief architect of our Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism wellness journeys, and the person who turns cultural resources into itineraries that actually work on the ground.
Peng Hao
Responsible for ground-handling teams across seven major regions, guide training, emergency response and full-process quality tracking.
Richard Zheng
Handles international partner development and tailored solutions for overseas travellers and agencies, and stays with each enquiry until the departure date.
Huabin Bao
Coordinates end-to-end inbound service execution, itinerary changes and day-of-travel logistics for international guests.
Industry recognition
We are not a new entrant. Five separate industry bodies and rankings recognise the company, and two of them are voting positions rather than marketing badges.
Top 100 International Travel Agency in China
Top 20 Travel Agency Brands in China
Key Partner of the China Tourism Association
Council Member, China Association of Travel Services
Outstanding Service Team
7 directly affiliated regional operation centres
Our registration details
Registered name
Aba Prefecture Kalong Travel Service Co., Ltd.
阿坝州卡龙旅行社有限责任公司
Unified Social Credit Code
91513228725521452K
Tourism Business Licence
L-SC-U00018
Registered address
No. 95 Zheng Street, Luhua Town, Heishui County, Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China
Legal representative
Zhang Tao (张涛)
Registered capital
RMB 500,000
Before you travel: the things people ask us first
These four questions come up in almost every first enquiry, from travellers in Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy. Here are the short answers, and the longer ones on the linked guides.
Visa and entry requirements
Entry rules depend on your nationality and change periodically, so we never send you a generic checklist. Tell us your passport country and we will confirm the current position against the official source, then prepare your invitation letter and the supporting documents our operators ask for. Many travellers in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy are eligible for visa-free or visa-on-arrival access, but the length and conditions differ by passport. Read the visa guide →
Getting around China
You will not need to navigate China's transport system alone. All inter-city legs in our itineraries are by high-speed rail or domestic flight, and every arrival and departure includes a private door-to-door airport or station transfer. A dedicated vehicle and chauffeur are on hand for the whole trip, so the only decisions you make are about lunch and evening walks. See how we move you around →
When to come
September to November and March to May are the sweet spots across most of China. Beijing is clear and cool, the Silk Road desert in Dunhuang is at its best, and Sichuan's mountain colour turns in October and November. July and August are hot and humid in Chongqing, Chengdu and the Yangtze region, and the National Day holiday from 28 September to 8 October is the busiest and priciest fortnight of the year. The full season guide →
Paying in China
Most visitors arrive with a card that does not work in a Chinese market stall. We set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with every traveller before departure, linked to a bank card they already hold, and we walk through both on arrival so nothing about day one is a surprise. Cash still works, and we keep a float with the guide for group meals and small tickets. How to pay in China →
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I book a China tour?
Can you tailor an itinerary for us?
Is your tour really shopping-free?
What group size do you run?
How do I pay, and when is the balance due?
What happens if I need to cancel or change dates?
Who we plan for
Our guides work in English as standard, with French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Korean available on request at no extra charge. That means we build real itineraries for travellers from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the Gulf states and beyond — and we work to the rhythm each market expects, whether that means a slow morning after a long-haul flight or a packed extra day that fits inside a short annual leave window.
Australia & New Zealand
UK & Ireland
Singapore & Southeast Asia
United States & Canada
Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy
Japan, South Korea & the Gulf
What that looks like on the ground
Licences and awards are worth checking, but they do not tell you what happens on the day your flight is delayed at 11pm. These do.
Come and talk to us
Whether you are planning eighteen months out or three weeks out, we would rather have a short conversation early than a complicated email later.
The places our guides take guests to
Twenty years of running groups through China has one advantage: we know which photographs are worth pausing for. These are the sites on our itineraries, and the reason we built the routes around them.
Ready when you are
Tell us your dates and group size, and we will send back a draft itinerary within 24 hours.
Start Planning