Local SIM cards are available but will be subject to standard Chinese govt restrictions. If you purchase a roaming package with your regular, home provider then you will be able to access Google, Facebook, IG etc. However, the popular local chat app, WeChat is useful for contacting your local tour-leader.

See our Yunnan tour details post for info on SIMs, social media, payments etc. WeChat.

China is largely cashless although most payments are made through phone apps rather than bank cards. A cash reserve is useful in case of connection issues but ATMs accepting most standard, Western bank cards are common.

See Yunnan tour details for info on the very useful local payment app, AliPay.

Incorporating a wide range of climatic zones, from the subtropical south to the foothills of the Himalayas, Yunnan's weather is correspondingly complicated. Avoiding extremes, our tours are therefore scheduled for spring and autumn months.

Our China small group tours are perfect for single travellers with small, escorted groups and many family-style communal meals creating the impression of travelling with a group of friends rather than a typical tour group. There are no compulsory single supplements but if you don’t want to share, then single room supplements are available.

You can book any of our Vietnam and China tours with or without return flights from the UK. These include direct flights to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines or via Bangkok with, for example, Thai, Emirates or Qatar. Due to fluctuating rates, ‘with flight’ prices on the website are a guideline only and we’ll endeavour to find the best prices and routes for you.

China has no compulsory inoculations for European or North American visitors.

A useful resource for travel health info is the Travel Health Pro site.

You are required to pay a 10% deposit on booking your tour with the balance due no less than 60 days before departure. There are no surcharges for credit or debit cards and most major credit cards are accepted.

Tipping is always discretionary although local staff do appreciate gestures for their work and efforts. It is difficult to give exact guidelines before a tour as tipping does depend on the group size and length of the tour, but you can find further info and recommendations on the relevant, tour pages.

Our policy is to select, where possible, smaller, boutique-style hotels and resorts which fall into an approximate 3-4* category. All are ensuite and include air-conditioning where appropriate.

Approximately half of the meals are inclusive with the idea being to provide a tour of Yunnan's cuisine at the same time as you discover the country's landscapes and historic sites. Larger towns offer a wealth of choice so you'll also have time to do your own thing and even have a change from rice and noodles should you prefer.

Yunnanese cuisine offers a wide range of vegetarian and vegan options while many of their classic fish or meat dishes are readily adapted and tofu, in various forms, is ubiquitous.

Absolutely, Yunnanese culture and people are easygoing and tolerant with regard to both foreign visitors and each other. However, many areas remain conservative and overt displays of affection - of any orientation - are not typical of local mores.