Ask a QuestionA senior tour in China should be enjoyable, thus, it’s really important to get everything settled in advance. How to plan a China tour for seniors? You may want to know the best time to visit China, top destinations in China for seniors and plenty more useful tips. Read through this China travel guide for senior travelers to easily start your planning.
For most senor-friendly cities in China, the best times for visiting will be from April to October, but the exact best month varies from different cities you plan to visit. Generally speaking, sceneries during spring and summer will be the best.
You could avoid July and August for the hot weather in summer. Meanwhile, as these two months are during the summer vacation of students, it will be crowded in most cities as well. Since you have more flexible time, you can definitely choose your travel date among the best seasons.
The Great Wall in Beijing
Notice:
Better to avoid these periods since the price for accommodation and transportation will be more expensive and it’s crowded everywhere.
Considering the transportation and senior-friendly attractions, here we carefully selected some worth-going cities for senior travelers. You can choose your favorite cities and start your wonderful tour in China.
Li River in Guilin
Beijing, as the capital of China, is a must-visit city for all varieties of travelers, no matter what kind of tour you want to have. Historical sites like the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Summer palace are all good options. Don’t miss authentic Beijing Roast Duck.
Xi’an, being the ancient capital for several dynasties in Chinese history, is a great city for you to learn Chinese history and culture. Except for Terracotta Warriors and Xi’an City Wall, you can also visit Mount Huashan for magnificent mountain views.
Shanghai, a city where you can see how China has developed through decades, should be on your travel list. Night views in Shanghai will be more than fascinating, taking Huangpu River Cruise is highly recommended. Xiaolongbao is worth-trying as well.
Guilin, well-known to the world for the particular karst landscapes, is very suitable for a leisurely senior tour in China. Li River, Yangshuo, Longsheng and plenty of local parks in Guilin provide you all sorts of options to experience both beautiful natural sceneries and splendid culture.
Chengdu, the hometown of giant panda, is a place you can’t miss if you love the cute pandas. It will be enjoyable to have a cup of tea in a characteristic teahouse, and Sichuan Opera is also excellent to watch during your trip in Chengdu. By the way, Sichuan Cuisine is really delicious.
Hangzhou, with profound culture of tea and silk, will be an ideal option if you tend to have a cultural tour in China. West Lake is the most representative landmark of Hangzhou, you can either take a stroll or ride a boat, the beautiful sceneries around won’t let you down.
Xi'an City Wall
Except for cities above, there are still more good places in China for senior travelers. Read Top destinations in China for senior travelers. And you can consider other places like Zhangjiajie, Hong Kong and Guangzhou according to your interests.
Your travel length depends on how many cities and specific attractions you want to visit for this time, usually you may need 2-3 days for one city. Most senior travelers prefer to spend one week or so for the first trip to China, basically for 3 cities. Of course, you can add some days if you want to visit more places in China.
The Bund Shanghai
Recommended Schedule for reference:
China is very easy to get to, and the best way is to take plane. There are many entry cities in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hongkong, you can choose the most convenient flight according to your needs. You’d better book your flight ahead of time to make sure the price is not so expensive.
For transportation in China, we suggest you take bullet trains, rather than plane. It will be more comfortable to travel around China by bullet trains from city to city, those trains run fast and smoothly, which are quite suitable for senior travelers.
Bullet Train
Even though public transportation in China is convenient and well developed, metro is not available to take in every city of China, it’s better to take taxi than bus. Meanwhile, because of the large population in China, it’ll be crowded no matter on metro or bus. And that’s the reason why we recommend private tours for seniors, a private car with air-conditioner will be the best, with no worries.
►Suitable clothes. Check weather in China before packing and make sure you bring enough clothes to change. A pair of comfortable shoes is very important.
►Insurance. Buy insurance and take the documents with you, keep the contacting number in your bag.
►Medical records. Have a body check before traveling if possible, and bring your medical records. Also carry your medication if necessary, or essential medicine for emergency use.
►Copies of all your documents. Keep some copies in your luggage, such as passport, visa and other important documents.
Accommodation
How to choose an ideal hotel? Location is the key. For senior travelers, areas around city center will be better, for convenient transportation and more choices for eating, shopping and other activities. Then, check the hotel facilities, or let us help you with it, our travel consultants know the most suitable hotel based on your own conditions.
Dining
The most important thing is to know your own dietary conditions well before you travel to China, to make sure that your stomachs won’t get upset. There are plenty of delicious food in China, including authentic dishes, local snacks and street food, and there won’t be a problem when the food are well-cooked.
Hot Pot
Group Tour vs Private Tour
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
| 你好 | Nǐhǎo | Hello/Hi |
| 再见 | Zàijiàn | Bye/See you |
| 谢谢 | Xièxie | Thank you. |
| 不客气 | Búkèqi | You’re welcome. |
| 对不起 | Duìbùqǐ | Sorry |
| 请问卫生间在哪里？ | Qǐngwènwèishēngjiānzàinǎlǐ? | Excuse me, where is the restroom? |
| 多少钱？ | Duōshǎoqián? | How much? |
Learn more about Survival Chinese Phrases.
To be honest, for senior travelers who are planning a trip to China, it’s better to have a private tour, rather than traveling on your own. A private car and customized schedule will be more comfortable and enjoyable. Don’t worry, China is easy to travel around, you just need to have a completed guide for preparation. View our sample tours below to get some good ideas for your travel plan.
Our Customers in Forbidden City
From $ 1670
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