Simon Foster - CHINA's Three Gorges & Xi'an

Confucius' Birthday(Sept 28th) – The Old Sage's birth is celebrated with elaborate ceremonies at Confucian temples around the country.

Moon Festival(Mid-Autumn Festival; Sept/Oct) – This festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon is at its brightest. Delicious but filling mooncakes are eaten and it's a popular time for a barbeque under the moonlight.

National Day– This week-long holiday celebrates the foundation of the People's Republic.

Organized Tours

If you have limited time, then an organized tour can help you get the most out of China, removing the hassles of booking tickets, finding accommodation and picking which of the country's manifold attractions to include in your trip. Tours can also help get you closer to the Chinese people. Tour leaders and guides should be able to facilitate communication and private transport will enable you to get to places that may otherwise difficult to reach. For potential routes see Suggested Itineraries .

However, the downside of tours is that you may feel shielded from the "real world” at times, they tend to be more expensive than independent travel and you might have to put up with group members, guides and even tour leaders you don't see eye to eye with. This said, as a tour leader for several years, my experience has been that most people feel they got the most out of their time and enjoyed being in a group. Meals in China, for example, are designed to be eaten in large groups and if you dine alone or as a couple your options are more limited. Possibly the best way to travel if you have money, but not time, is on a private tour where you and a few friends or family have your own guide and can tailor the itinerary to your preference.

When choosing a tour company, make sure you pick one that's suitable for you – don't let an agent make the decision for you; carefully read about the nature of the tour and what's included. The most disappointed guests I led were those who had expectations that were very different from those detailed in the brochure. All good agents have consumer protection insurance, meaning that, if the company defaults, you should get compensation; companies affiliated under USTOA(United States Tour Operators Association, www.ustoa.com) or IATO(International Association of Tour Operators, www.aito.co.uk – they also offer tours) are covered.

Recommended Tour Companies

The letters before the comma indicate which country the company is based in, although you can book a tour from any country and all companies will arrange tailor-made packages to fit your needs.

Luxury Tours

Abercrombie & Kent(US, www.abercrombiekent.com; UK, www.abercrombiekent.co.uk)

Absolute Asia(US, www.absoluteasia.com)

Audley Travel(UK, www.audleytravel.com)

Bales(www.balesworldwide.com)

Cox & Kings(US, www.coxandkingsusa.com; UK, www.coxandkings.co.uk)

CTS Horizons(UK, www.ctshorizons.com)

Hayes & Jarvis(UK, www.hayes-jarvis.com)

Imperial Tours(US, www.imperialtours.net)

Magic of the Orient(UK, www.magic-of-the-orient.com)

Virgin Holidays(UK, www.virgin.com/holidays)

Voyages Jules Verne(UK, www.vjv.co.uk)

Adventure Tours

Adventures Abroad(US, www.adventures-abroad.com)

The Adventure Company(UK, www.adventurecompany.co.uk)

Asian Pacific Adventures(US, www.asianpacificadventures.com)

Backroads(US, www.backroads.com)

Explore Worldwide(UK, www.exploreworldwide.com)

Freestyle Adventures(Taiwan, www.freestyleadventures.com)

G.A.P Adventures(US, www.gapadventures.com)

Grasshopper(www.grasshopperadventures.com)

Imaginative Traveller(UK, www.imaginative-traveller.com)

Intrepid(Australia, www.interpidtravel.com)

Sundowners(Australia, www.sundownerstravel.com)

Travel Indochina(Australia, www.travelindochina.com.au)

World Expeditions(UK, www.worldexpeditions.co.uk)

Agents in China

Choice Travel(www.choicetravel.cn)

CITS(www.cits.net)

China Odyssey(www.chinaodysseytours.com)

Specialized Tours

Many of the companies listed above also operate specialized interest tours; Grasshopper runs great bike tours through Bike Asia(www.bikeasia.com) as well as photographic tours. Both Backroads and World Expeditions run hikingand cycling toursand Intrepid operates culinary tours. Imaginative Traveller offers tours suitable for familiesand The Adventure Company has trips suitable for infantsover a year old. Other specialized companies include:

ACIS(US, www.acis.com) – educational trips for students.

Beijing Xinhua International Tours(China, www.tour-beijing.com/disability_travel/) – Beijing and China tours for disabled travelers.

Birdfinders(UK, www.birdfinders.co.uk) – operates a few birdwatching trips a year.

Birding Worldwide(Australia, www.birdingworldwide.com.au) – searches out rare bird species.

i-to-i(www.i-to-i.com) – two- to 12-week trips and volunteer placements, principally around Xi'an.

Kumuka Worldwide(UK, www.kumuka.com) – overland truck journeys.

Naturetrek(UK, www.naturetrek.co.uk) – wildlife-focused trips throughout China.

Oasis(UK, www.oasisoverland.co.uk) – overland truck journeys.

Saga(UK, www.saga.co.uk) – tours for over-50s.

Visas

Every foreign visitor to China needs a visa to enter the country and these must be obtained in advance(with the exception of arrivals to Hong Kong, Macau and Hainan Island), not at the point of entry as is the case with some other Asian countries. Visas can be obtained by either applying in person at the nearest Chinese embassy, through an agency or by mail (although this is no longer possible in the UK). Complete visa applications will need to include all required fees, a passport photo, a passport with at least one blank page, six months validity and possibly proof of onward travel. For all visa types you must enter within three months of the issue date. Standard tourist visas ( L-type) are the most common and are usually granted for 30 days to a maximum of six months. If you're coming here to work, you can apply for an F or Z visaand you'll need a letter of invitation from the company you'll be working with in China. To study in China you can apply for an X visaand will need a letter from the college where you'll be studying. Note that citizens of most Western countries do not need a visa to visit Hong Kong or Macau for periods of under a month. In Hong Kong you can easily arrange a China visa from a local travel agent or the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs – see Hong Kong for more.Wherever you get your visa, it will cost between US$30 for a single entry to over US$150 for a two- to five-year multiple-entry visa – check websites for the latest prices.

Chinese EmbassiesOverseas

Australia:39 Dunblane Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW (tel.02-8595-8000, www.au.china-embassy.org/eng/). Consulates, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.