We Believe China Deserves
to Be Seen Slowly

ChinaInsider grew out of a decade of guiding international visitors through the Yangtze Delta. After thousands of hours on the ground, our guides know things no guidebook carries: which teahouse the locals actually use, which gate at the Forbidden City has no queue at 8 am, which silk vendor in Suzhou sells to the trade. That insider knowledge is what we sell — and it cannot be replicated by an app or a group tour bus.

We noticed something consistent over the years: the travellers who got the most from China were the ones who slowed down. Who sat in a teahouse instead of rushing to the next temple. Who asked their guide to explain the calligraphy on the wall. We built a company around creating the conditions for that kind of travel — small groups, guides chosen for knowledge and warmth, itineraries with genuine rest time. A particular focus on travellers over 60, a group who, in our experience, bring the most to China and get the most back from it.

Today we run private tours across Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, and Yunnan, with new destinations in development. Every enquiry is handled personally. Every itinerary is built from scratch. We are not a booking platform. We are a small team of insiders who love what we do.