Travel Review: China Tour, Beijing, Xi'An, Yangshuo, Li River Cruise, Panda Research Center, Cooking & Tai Chi Classes 

Our China travel agency did a very good job of scheduling the trip and rescheduling when necessary. The guides in each location we visited were friendly and committed to being helpful.  There were times when the language barrier was an issue, but no more so than during other international trips. We underestimated the physical demands of the itinerary we had approved. The guides were very willing to accommodate and offered alternate plans. It would be helpful if our travel agency provided more details about the physical demands of the sites they propose. Example: We visited the Jinshanling Great Wall site.  It's a Trekker level site. We didn't read the description closely enough and we're not trekkers.  It was a beautiful, though much reduced climb.  By the time we left China we were exhausted and burned-out.  A slower pace, with less climbing would have been better (we're over 65 and in ok physical shape). 

An item beyond our travel agency's control - Domestic airline flights become less reliable as the monsoon season approaches.  We experienced several delays but were fortunate that they didn't jeopardize our schedule until we were leaving for home.  We missed our connecting flight to the USA because of a 4 hr delay in Beijing. Bullet trains were very reliable, clean and pleasant.  But we did not use them during the rains so don't know how much they suffer rain-delays.