Do you have some Questions?
Accommodation
On our standard backpacking tours, all of the hostels are clean, air-conditioned or have fans, are safe, have good showers, internet, washing machines and most importantly, have real Chinese character. If you would like to stay in a private room though, that is absolutely possible as well as we have room upgrades available at the time of purchase.
Please note that while gender-specific dorm rooms are available in some destinations, there is a chance that your hostel accommodation will be mixed dorms.
There is Wi-Fi and computers available for use in all . You can also purchase a Chinese SIM card very cheaply to stay in touch and your Adventure Leader can help you with this. Alternatively, you can look into using an eSim provider such as Holafly.
If you would like to use a VPN while in China please set it up before entering Mainland China as most VPN sites are also blocked in Mainland China. Additionally, there is a free, but slower, VPN available in Mainland China which you can access by going to www.betternet.co directly on your device.
Chinese electrical outlets are 220 volt and use the US standard plug shape. This means if your country uses 110 volt outlets (i.e. the US) you need a converter for your devices. With that being said, most computer and phone chargers are equipped to use either 220 volt or 110 volt outlets, but please check your specific device to be sure.
All bedding – including sleeping bags and mats during Great Wall camping – is provided. However, if you need a pillow while camping make sure to bring your own!
The bags will be stored at the hostels where they are tagged and recorded. We have never had a case of anyone losing their luggage or having their luggage stolen so you can focus on having fun.
Yes! You can find full, up-to-date up pricing information on the ‘Upgrades & Extras’ section of your tour itinerary page. Simply email us on us.heygo@gmail.com at least 1 month prior to your departure, and we can get this organised for you.
Booking / Payments
All you have to do is email us with your full name at info@thedragontrip.com and send in your deposit (10% of trip cost) to guarantee a place in the tour of your choosing. The full amount will be due 70 days before your trip departure date. Once we have confirmed your deposit or full payment, then we will need your correct passport name, birthdate and passport number so that we can issue you your visa invitation letters and booking pack.
For all trips, a deposit of 10% of trip cost is required in order to confirm your booking, and the remaining amount is due 70 days prior to your departure. If you book on to our China tours less than 70 days prior to departure, the full balance will be due within 3 days of booking.
After making a booking on our website, depending on whether you are paying in British pounds or US dollars, you will need to send your payment to our British account, or US account. If you are paying to our US dollar account please make sure to let your bank know that you do not want them to use an intermediary bank and instead send it directly to the US dollar account at HSBC UK – otherwise you may be charged with a $25 intermediary bank usage fee! As soon as we see your payment come through we will issue you a receipt confirming it.
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Examples of this would include:
– Terrorist attack
– Civil unrest
– Earthquake/Tsunami
– Bad Weather
– Flooding
The Dragon Trip will only pay up to the original costs outlined in the itinerary, but will not pay any additional costs*. Our official policy is to charge customers for any extra costs and advise them to request reimbursement from their travel insurance provider. Payment to The Dragon Trip should be made before the company makes additional purchases whenever possible.
*Additional costs may include (but are not limited to) arranging new transportation or booking new accommodation for the group.
Please note:
Because this policy involves emergency situations, it is always on a case by case basis. Adventure tour managers reserve the right to make an exception to this rule if the group’s safety is in danger or a decision needs to be made immediately (i.e. the next train is about to depart and we need to quickly buy new tickets without consulting the group). In these cases, it is acceptable for the company to make purchases without receiving payment from customers in advance.
After their tour, customers can request reimbursement from travel insurance. Many travel insurance providers offer some form of “Bad Weather or Natural Disaster Coverage” which covers unexpected inclement weather or unexpected natural disasters. These are examples of relevant coverages included in most most policies:
- Trip Delay – generally from bad weather or carrier-caused delays. Trip Delay is reimbursement for meals and accommodations that you might incur if your trip is delayed for a covered reason. Trip Delay can happen at anytime throughout the trip. For example, you’ll be reimbursed up to the daily limit for meals and accommodations (to the policy maximum) if your departure is delayed for more than the number of hours required for a covered reason during your trip.
- Trip Interruption – you unexpectedly return home early from your trip. This reimburses you for your unused prepaid trip costs.
Yes, as stated below:
Total Payment Protection (topp) Policy cover.
In compliance with the UK Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 an insurance policy has been arranged with Travel & General Insurance Services Limited (t&g), to protect customers’ prepayments in the unlikely event of our financial failure and paid in respect of:
- Non-flight inclusive packages commencing and returning to the UK
- The ground handling aspects of packages where the customer is responsible for arranging travel to the destination offered in this brochure/literature/document/ on the website (subject to the terms of the insurance policy), for:
- a refund of such prepayments if customers have not yet travelled, or
- making arrangements to enable the holiday to continue if customers have already travelled
Customers’ prepayments are protected by a topp policy.
In the unlikely event of financial failure please contact the claims helpline on 0870 0137 965. A copy of the policy is available on request.
This policy is provided by Travel & General Insurance Services Limited (t&g), registered number 02527363 and underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Limited (Hiscox), registered number 00070234. t&g and Hiscox are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (number 113849)
Unfortunately, registration for our backpacker tours is closed 18 days before the departure date. You do have the option of arranging another trip as an independent traveller. This means that you will let us know where you would like to go, when you would like to go, and how many people you would like to go with and we will arrange all the Adventure Leaders, accommodations and transportation (all still at the most competitive price point). This is a much more flexible (and shorter) trip option, which many of our travellers do choose to do.
Food
One of the best parts of traveling in China is definitely the food! With its diverse mix of different cuisines, food throughout the country can be vastly different, but fear not- with literally thousands of options, China has something for everyone, even the pickiest or most adventurous of eaters.
Your Adventure Leader will always offer to take you for a group meal, where we go to a local restaurant, which we know is hygienic and has cheap and delicious food. These meals usually work out at 30 RMB (£3/$4.50) per person, but if you do want to eat cheaper, you can always grab a bowl of noodles or fried rice for around 10 RMB (£1/$1.50). If you are craving Western food, the hostels all offer affordable Western dishes like pizza and pasta for about 30-40 RMB.
Absolutely! With so many food choices, China can meet the needs of many individuals with many special dietary needs or requests. Simply speak with your Adventure Leader beforehand at the start of your trip who will help you find some alternative options (and possibly a new favourite dish).
However, please understand more specific dietary needs (e.g. Gluten-free diets) may require further notice to our team as there may not be a wide array of options available in certain regions within the country. If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to us!
Health & insurance
We require all our customers to have backpackers travel insurance when coming on the trip. We recommend purchasing a travel insurance that offers ‘Bad Weather or Natural Disaster Coverage’.
Please bring details of your travel insurance along with you, especially to your trip briefing on Day 1. In the event of an accident, we may need contact your insurance company on your behalf, so we will need the insurance company’s name and phone number, and your policy number. When it comes to who to choose, we’re big fans of World Nomads as a travel insurance provider.
The Dragon Trip aims to enter no areas with tropical diseases. However, like with any backpacking trip, we urge you to seek advice from a travel nurse before departing your home country.
- Yellow Fever: The only vaccine required by international regulations is Yellow Fever. Proof of vaccination against yellow fever is only required if you have visited a country in the yellow-fever zone within the six days prior to entering China.
- Dengue: This mosquito-borne disease occurs in some parts of southern China. There is no vaccine so avoid mosquito bites. Use insect avoidance measures at all times.
- Hep A: All travellers to China should be vaccinated.
- Hep B: Sexually transmitted. All travellers to China should be vaccinated.
- Japanese Encephalitis: Vaccination is recommended if you’re in rural areas for more than a month during summer months. Many of our travellers have done the trip without this vaccination. However, as a company we must urge you to take all precautions deemed necessary including the highest level of immunizations for safety reasons. But as we have mentioned, some choose to travel without this vaccination and so far we have not had a problem.
- Malaria: Generally, malaria is a high risk only in the areas of China that border Myanmar and Vietnam and we do not go to these places so it should not be a primary concern for you. However, as we mentioned above, we must advise you to err on the side of safety.
- Rabies: Don’t need pre-vaccination per se.
- Bilharzia/Schistosomiasis: Avoid swimming or bathing in fresh water where Bilharzia is present.
- Typhoid: All travellers spending more than a week in China should be vaccinated.
At its heart, the Dragon Trip is an adventure tour of China, but you can make your Dragon Trip as physically active (or inactive) as you want. Instead of hiking up Moon Hill, you could ask your Adventure Leader for a more relaxing activity like going for a massage!
Generally yes, but please do inform us of your specific requirements at the point of booking.
All of our Adventure Leaders have a fully equipped first aid kit with them at all times, but of course there is no harm in bringing your own small one along. We also advise that you bring your own antihistamine, anti-diarrhoea, and painkillers if you think you’ll need them. If you go via Hong Kong, you’ll have the chance to stock up on medication at the beginning of your trip.
All Chinese cities have hospitals and clinics in case of emergencies. With that being said, medical treatment is certainly more developed in the bigger cities, but regardless of where you are in China, medical treatment is available, and your Adventure Leader will always be on hand to help take you to a hospital if worst comes to worst.
Money
You will be able to withdraw money at an ATM in each city, and your Adventure Leader will tell you when the next stop on the Trip where you will be able to withdraw more cash is. We advise that you notify your bank that you will be travelling before you depart. As a note, many banks and cards do charge a foreign transaction fee when withdrawing money while abroad, so it will probably be cheaper to exchange Chinese Yuan (RMB) before you start your trip.
As a rough guide, 9 RMB = £1/US$1.30.
Food in China is very cheap. We advise you to budget 100-150 RMB per day for food in great local restaurants your Adventure Leader will take you to which we know are safe and tasty. If you want to eat cheaper than this you can, by eating more simple dishes like fried rice/noodles which come in at less that 10 RMB per meal.
As an example of prices of everyday items:
- Small bottle water: 3 RMB
- Basic Chinese meal: 30-50 RMB (80-100 RMB for a wider variety of choice)
- Drink in a night club: 50-100 RMB
- Beer in a restaurant/hostel: 20-30 RMB
- Taxi: (10 minutes) 30 RMB (taxi prices vary depending on the city, but are very cheap compared to Europe/North America)
Tipping in China is not customary and is not necessary. Of course, voluntary tipping is completely up to you, but in places like restaurants, bars or taxis it is extremely rare.
Visas
Visa requirements for China vary depending on your nationality and length of stay. Some travellers can now enter visa-free for short visits, while others will need to apply for a tourist visa in advance. We recommend checking the latest requirements for your passport and allowing around 1–2 months if a visa is needed. You can find this information out using this link.
For several European & Asian countries, China has a policy to stay up to 15-days without a visa! These countries include Germany, France & the Netherlands. We’re expecting more countries to follow soon, but always make sure to check if you need a visa or not to be absolutely sure. Upon request, we can adjust the duration of your tour to match with the visa-free policy.
For travellers from the United Kingdom, guidelines on applying can be found here.
If you require any of your documentation for application ahead of this timeline, or have any more detailed questions, please feel free to reach out to our team on info@thedragontrip.com.
Please note that some trips start in Hong Kong – you don’t need a visa for Hong Kong, but will need one for mainland China.
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