Stay away from this agency.
In September 2025, we began planning our trip to China together with the agency. Communication via WhatsApp was smooth at first, and they accommodated our individual wishes. However, small mistakes kept happening, which we initially overlooked. The first serious issue came when we made the final payment: due to fluctuating exchange rates, we were asked to pay an additional 250 dollars because the contract specified an amount in yuan. With the trip just around the corner, we didnât want to argue and accepted the demand.
Most of our drivers and guides were good, though some spoke hardly any English. Without a translation app, youâre truly lost in China.
Our schedule was extremely tight. As firstâtime visitors, we expected the agency to include reasonable breaks or shopping opportunities. Instead, we had to negotiate those directly with the guides on-site.
Everything went more or less fine until we were sent on a Yangtze River cruise, which turned into a major problem. The agency had not informed us that the third person in our group would have to share a cabin with a complete stranger because every bed had to be occupied. We only learned this when checking in. We were then âgranted permissionâ to stay together in one cabinâthree people in a small room on a riverboat, with indoor temperatures consistently around 27â30°C and an air conditioner that hardly worked. Nobody on the ship spoke English. Internet was extremely weak, making translation apps unusable. Even on the included excursions, none of the guides spoke English, so we couldnât participate. We were essentially stuck on the ship for almost four days. Discussions with the agency led nowhere; they showed no understanding at all. And since the ship was fully booked, there were no alternative cabins available.
The next issue involved our domestic flights. Although we had 30 kg of luggage included with Emirates, we had to pay hundreds of euros in excess baggage for the two domestic flights because only 20 kg had been booked. Again, the agency had not informed us.
Flight tickets, train tickets, essential informationânone of it was proactively provided. We had to ask the guides or explicitly request everything. We rarely received more than a brief âsorry.â
None of the agencyâs drivers spoke English. Without a guide present, you were completely unable to communicate.
Traveling by train in China involves airport-like security checks. If your power bank isnât China-certified, it is confiscated immediately. Liquids over 150 ml are also not allowed. Were we informed? Not at all. We lost our power bank, hairspray, and styling mousse at the checkpoints.
The final issue came in Hong Kong. Our suitcase was damaged, so we tried to explain to the driverâusing hand gesturesâthat we needed to buy a new one. He took us to a mall that was on the way to our final destination. After about 20 minutes, we were back in the car. Shortly afterward, the agency contacted me, stating that we would be charged a half-day fee for that short stop. That was the breaking point for us. After another pointless discussion, I blocked the agency on WhatsApp. A few days later, they emailed us, demanding we get in touch and settle the issue, otherwise they would cancel the driver who was supposed to take us back to the airport. By then, we had already arranged an alternative, and we finished our trip without the agency.
My conclusion: Stay away from this agency.