The 6 Best Self-Guided Tours in China

1.Self-guided challenging hiking from Jinshanling to Gubeikou

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 14 reviews · 1 day Our pick

You’ll leave Beijing at 7am with a private driver, then hike from Jinshanling East through restored towers, forest paths, and the wild wall at Gubeikou. Expect steep steps, 8 kilometers of walking, limited trail support, and about 5 to 7 hours on foot. Liang and Jenny may assist through translation apps and WeChat.

“the Great Wall uiteraard. chauffeur was op tijd en gids was zeer geduldig en behulpzaam. leuke vent ook.”

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2.Wuzhen Water Town Self-Guided Tour with Private Transfer from Hangzhou

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $87Top rated

You get a private, air-conditioned ride from Hangzhou to Wuzhen with a local driver, then explore Dongzha and Xizha on your own. The service includes door-to-door transport, bottled water, and up to eight hours of driver service. Admission, a guide, and extra waiting time cost more.

“worked as a charm ! the driver was right on time for pickup and on time with pickup during the day. the experience was pleasant.”

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3.Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $79

Travel by private car from your Datong hotel, railway station, or airport to the Hanging Temple and Yungang Grottoes. Your driver, such as Mr. Li, handles the road and waits while you visit. You set your own pace, but you must buy Yungang tickets online in advance and pay cash, WeChat, or Alipay for the Hanging Temple.

“Great experience! We loved the sites. Our driver was very helpfull assisting us to enter quick and efficiently. Thanks for the safe driving!”

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4.Hong Kong Self-Guided Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · from $9Best value

This private self-guided tour gives you audio access to 15 Hong Kong sights, including Victoria Harbour, The Peak, Nan Lian Garden, and Tian Tan Buddha. Use the SoundCloud audio and Google My Maps route on your own phone, choose your stops, and explore within a flexible 72-hour window. Transport and entry fees are separate.

“Very good information about Hong Kong sites. It was well worth the small cost, and I could listen to it before during or after visiting.”

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5.Nanjing Self-Guided Day Tour with Private Car and Driver Service

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $71

You get a private air-conditioned car, hotel or railway-station pickup, and up to eight hours with a local driver. Visit Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum, Xiaoling Tomb, the Nanjing Massacre Memorial, or choose other city sights. This is a transfer service, not a guided tour, so bring a translation app and plan to explore independently.

“Just great. English speaking organizer and the great hospitality of the driver who also understands little english was a bonus.”

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6.2 Day Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou&Huanglong Self-Guided w/Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 3 reviews · 2 days · from $386

Travel from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou by high-speed train, explore the valley on your own, then visit Huanglong before returning to Chengdu. Sunny China Travel arranges private station and hotel transfers, scenic-area tickets, Jiuzhaigou’s excursion bus, and Huanglong’s one-way cable car and battery car. You pay separately for trains, hotels, and meals.

“I posti da visitare sono bellissimi, ma il servizio offerto è davvero pessimo una truffa per quanto pagato. Non danno niente che non possa essere organizzato in autonomia a prezzi più accessibili e con servizio più confortevole. Lunghe attese e personale scortese passi più tempo in stazione ad attendere il treno che altro. Spero di ricevere un rimborso in quanto farò un reclamo”

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