Frequently Asked Questions

JadeDays is the travel brand of Jade Days Pty Ltd, an Australian company registered in Sydney (ABN 74 698 382 142). We design and operate private, small-group journeys through China for Australian and international travellers who want to experience the country in depth, comfort and style — without the crowds of a large tour bus.

We are a founder-led team, and we treat that as a strength. Every journey we offer is personally researched and shaped by us, and because we work with only a small number of travellers at a time, you are never just a booking number on a spreadsheet. Being an Australian-based business also means you're dealing with a company you can hold accountable at home, while we take care of the complexity of China on the ground for you.

Yes. For everyday travel, China is one of the safest countries in the world, with very low levels of street crime, and international visitors — including Australians — are generally met with warmth and genuine curiosity. Every JadeDays journey is private and fully guided, so you always have an English-speaking guide and local support alongside you.

China is, of course, a different cultural and digital environment from home — and part of our job is to make that feel effortless. We handle the logistics, bridge the language, and prepare you for the practical differences (see the questions below on visas, internet and payments). Most first-time visitors are surprised by how smooth and comfortable the whole experience feels.

We always recommend reviewing your own government's current travel advice — for Australians, Smartraveller — before you book.

Booking with us is a conversation, not a checkout. You begin by enquiring about a journey; we then work with you to confirm dates, details and any personalisation until the itinerary is exactly right for you.

To secure your place and your dates, you pay an A$600 deposit — you do not pay the full cost upfront. The balance is only due closer to departure — about three weeks before you travel — once every detail of your journey has been confirmed and you're happy with it. In other words, the majority of your payment stays with you until your trip is finalised.

Full details of deposits, the balance schedule, accepted payment methods and our cancellation terms are set out in our Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policy.

You're never on your own. Every JadeDays journey includes an English-speaking guide and local support, and we stay reachable throughout your trip. If plans need to change — a delayed flight, a weather closure, or simply a gentler pace because someone isn't feeling their best — we adapt the itinerary around you.

We also strongly recommend that every traveller holds comprehensive travel insurance covering medical care, cancellation and disruption, and we're happy to point you to what to look for.

For most of our travellers, the happy answer is no. Under China's current visa-free arrangement, ordinary passport holders from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada and most of Europe can enter China for up to 30 days without a visa — which comfortably covers every JadeDays journey. The arrangement covers tourism, business, family visits and transit, and is currently in place until 31 December 2026.

If your nationality does still require a visa — travellers on a United States passport, for example — obtaining it is your responsibility and should be arranged well before you travel. We'll provide the supporting travel documentation you need for your application, but the application itself is submitted by you, or a visa service of your choice, directly.

One practical note: visa outcomes sit outside our control, so our standard Cancellation Policy applies in the usual way. If a visa can't be obtained, you're free to cancel within that policy's terms — but a visa issue doesn't extend or override the normal cancellation timeframes, so we recommend confirming your entry requirements early.

Entry rules can and do change. Before you book — and again before you travel — please confirm the current requirements for your passport with the official Chinese embassy or consulate, or your government's travel advice.

Yes. Every JadeDays journey is led by professional, [licensed], English-speaking local guides. Clear communication is at the heart of the experience — your guide is there not only to show you each place, but to interpret the culture, handle the day-to-day logistics, and make sure nothing is lost in translation.

This is one of the most common concerns for first-time visitors, and it's very manageable. In China, everyday services like Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook aren't accessible in the usual way, and most local payments run through mobile apps rather than Western credit cards.

We prepare you for all of this well before you go: practical guidance on staying connected, on how to handle money and payments day to day, and on what's worth setting up before you leave home. And because your journey is privately guided, your guide is right there to smooth over any practical moment on the ground — you're never left stranded by an app that won't load or a payment that won't go through.

Chinese cuisine is one of the real pleasures of the journey — far more varied and regional than most first-time visitors expect. Tell us about any dietary needs when we plan your trip — allergies, vegetarian or other preferences — and we'll build them into the planning and brief your guide before you arrive.

On the ground, your guide is one of your best assets: they'll communicate your needs to restaurants and kitchens at every stop, and in practice most needs are handled without fuss.

One honest note: China's food culture is wonderfully diverse, and while we and your guides will do everything we reasonably can, we can't guarantee that every detail of a dietary requirement will be met in full at every meal. If you live with a severe or life-threatening allergy, please travel prepared just as you would anywhere overseas — carry your usual medication and precautions, and make sure both we and your guide know about your condition clearly.

Because JadeDays journeys sit firmly at the premium end, you'll stay in [carefully selected, high-standard hotels] throughout, with the comfort and cleanliness international travellers expect. On sightseeing days we plan around quality facilities and travel in comfortable private vehicles rather than crowded public transport. China's major cities and tourist regions are modern and well-equipped; where standards vary more — for example in remote areas — we choose your route and stops with that firmly in mind.

It means your journey is yours alone. A JadeDays private small-group trip is just you and your own party — typically between two and six people who are travelling together. You're never combined with strangers or slotted into a larger coach tour. Your guide, your vehicle and your pace are dedicated entirely to your own group.

Each journey's pricing is designed to be transparent. In general, your journey includes [accommodation, private guiding, private transport within China, the listed experiences and entrance fees, and specified meals]. It typically does not include [international flights to and from China, your China visa, travel insurance, personal spending and gratuities]. The exact inclusions are listed on each journey's page and confirmed in your itinerary before you book.

Yes. Our signature journeys are a considered starting point, not a fixed menu. You can adjust the pace, swap or add experiences, extend your stay, or shape the trip around particular interests — and if you'd prefer something built entirely from scratch, our tailor-made planning does exactly that.

Yes to all. Our private format suits couples, families (including those travelling with children), small groups of friends, and older travellers who value comfort and a considered pace. Because every journey is private and adaptable, we shape the intensity, the walking and the daily rhythm around exactly who is travelling.

Our journeys are designed for comfortable, unhurried travel rather than trekking. A typical sightseeing day involves a moderate amount of time on your feet — historic streets, gardens and sites at an easy pace — broken up by private transfers, good meals and time to rest. Where a site involves a serious climb, such as mountain scenery, there is almost always a cable car or lift built into the plan.

Because every journey is private, the pace is genuinely yours: tell us about knees, hips, energy levels or anyone in your party who prefers a gentler rhythm, and we'll shape the days — and the walking — around you.

Booking is where our work really begins. Once your deposit secures your dates, we confirm the moving parts of your journey personally — hotels, guides and internal travel — and finalise the itinerary with you until every detail sits right.

In the lead-up to departure, we prepare you properly: practical guidance on entry paperwork, staying connected, payments and packing for the season, so nothing about China feels unfamiliar when you land. Closer to travel we run through the final details together, and from the moment you arrive, your guide and our team stay reachable throughout the journey.

Before you fly, we make sure the practical side of China is already handled: guidance on entry requirements and the supporting documents you need, help getting set up for connectivity and payments before you leave home, advice on what to pack for the season and region, and a clear picture of your arrival day — who meets you, where, and what happens next.

Much of this lives in our China travel essentials guide, which you receive alongside your own pre-departure notes. And if a question comes up that isn't covered, you simply ask us — that's what we're here for.