Comments below represent only a small fraction of our satisfied customers. We have many more ready to vouch for our reputation. If you need a reference, please give us a call. We take our customers' privacy seriously. For that reason, we remove information from customer testimonials that could lead to them being publicly identified. Upon receipt of your deposit, you'll be allowed to pick anyone from the list below as a reference so that you'll know we don't fabricate testimonials.

[In compliance with our privacy policy, the professor's name is not disclosed because there is probably only one Princeton professor with that first name and we don't want a stranger to track her down. However, the distinguished scholar is available as reference.]  

-----Original Message-----
From: cbxxxx@chpnet.org
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 9:35 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Southwest China Tour

This was a phenomenal trip which was well organized. The small group of 9 made it possible to move and hear at the same time. I certainly will recommend Laurus to those considering a tour of China.

Dr. Carl B, MD
Thornwood, New York

-----Original Message-----
From: Marc K---- [mailto:MARC.K----@haw---.com]
Sent: Friday, November 11, 2011 4:38 AM
To: 'info@laurustravel.com'
Subject: 25 days Splendid China Tour

We got back from our China trip last night. Just wanted to let you know the trip was wonderful. We enjoyed all of our guides and the hotels exceeded our expectations. Please feel free to use me as a US reference if necessary.

Marc K
Atlanta, Georgia

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan M
Sent: Tuesday, November 08
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour

I had a memorable tour to Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. This is the second time I toured China with " Laurus Travel " and I highly recommend this company. It provides excellent service and our guide... [editor: Susan and family rated their recent trip with Laurus Travel 5 out of 5 meaning the tour exceeded their expectations in very respect. Feel free to ask for her as a reference]

Susan M.
Vancouver, British Columbia

-----Original Message-----
From: Joanne H [address deleted]
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 2:54 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: 23-day Silk Road & Southwest China

We had a wonderful vacation. Our guides were knowledgeable, experienced, friendly, accommodating, spoke very good English ... we cannot say enough about how much we enjoyed their company and how they went above and beyond to accommodate any requests we had. We also found their suggestions for other activities very helpful. We had ten in country flights and every guide was at the airport to meet us when we arrived and also made sure we were on time for all our departing flights with luggage checked and boarding passes arranged. The drivers were professional and courteous, and we felt safe wherever we were traveling.

We traveled to China to enjoy and explore the culture and learn more about both historical and modern China. The local guides were very knowledgeable about the sites we toured and very good at answering our questions. We had lots of questions about life in China today, which many of the guides were happy to answer, and several of the guides were willing to share personal experiences about their life. We left China feeling we had made new friends.

Our tour was extensive covering a large area of China. Although we could only see a limited amount in the time we had available, we thoroughly enjoyed all the sites on the itinerary from ancient ruins and grottos in the desert, to the Forbidden City and Summer Palace, pagodas and temples, the Great Wall and Terra Cotta Warriors, the pandas and the Sunday morning animal market in Kashgar, the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Lijiang, Kunming, Shangri La etc. ... to the ultra modern Shanghai. China is indeed a country of contrasts and we found it all very interesting. We loved the diversity of cultures, exploring historical sites, shopping in local markets and eating in local restaurants.

Laurus Travel did an excellent job in making our traveling arrangements, ensuring that we were treated like 'special' people throughout our trip. Thank-you Laurus Travel for giving us a vacation experience we will always remember with great pleasure.

Joanne H.
Orillia, Ontario

-----Original Message-----
From: Jan Rig--- [mailto:janrig---@yahoo.com]
Sent: October 7, 2011 6:46 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Recent China Trip with Laurus Travel

Hi Alan & Heidi,

Our children did a lot of research online and found your company had the best reviews for trips to China so they purchased the 11 day China trip for my 60th birthday present as a surprise. We were most impressed right from the beginning with the emails and information sent through before we even left and our Tour Guides were wonderful, especially Su in Beijing, Tony in Xi'an and Anne in Shanghai. ...Our accommodation throughout China was wonderful with the hotels being clean and comfortable with very friendly staff and the breakfasts were superb - so much choice!

Our Tour Guides in-depth knowledge of the history of China, together with their sense of humour made our trip so memorable. They had so much patience and were willing to take the time to explain things and wait for us to take as much time as we needed to see everything. Su is a rare jewel and the very nicest person who is very proud of her country, its history and traditions and does Laurus Travel a great service, we would recommend her without hesitation to anyone travelling to Beijing.

The food at the restaurants that we were taken to was excellent & we enjoyed trying all of the local cuisines, also the two shows that we saw as part of our trip were very enjoyable and extremely professional....

We would not hesitate to recommend Laurus Travel to anyone wanting to travel to China and would certainly use you again if we get the opportunity to go back - there is still so much to see and do in China.

Once again thank you so much for such an enjoyable and professionally run trip.

Jan & Vince R.
Westbourne Park, South Australia
Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: Marshall & Linda [mfr----@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 2:24 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Odyssey Tour with Laurus Travel

Hi Julius,

We had a great time on our Odyssey tour, and we can't say enough about Steve Shi and how much he enriched our experience.

We especially appreciated his deep knowledge of Chinese history, fluency in English, diligence, flawless handling of travel details and transfers, sense of humor, patience, willingness to answer any question with thoughtfulness and candor, and--not least--his knowledge of the best restaurants in every city. And much more. As I said, we can't say enough. Just one example: At museums and other places we visited, Steve would take pains to direct our attention to what was important and supply historical context and details we might have otherwise overlooked. We often noticed that guides of some other tour groups offered only basic information and left people on their own. Steve made time for individual exploration as well, but we quickly learned that it was smarter to stay with him and his expert commentary.

It was a well-planned, expertly run tour by people with a deep knowledge of this fascinating country and the best places to experience it. From beginning to end, the tour exceeded all our expectations and gave us many memories we will always treasure. We will be happy to serve as a reference any time.

Best wishes,

Marshall F and Linda L
Chicago, Illinois

From: Bob and Linda [mailto:bltgb@---.com]
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 5:15 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Our compliments

Julius and Alan, we wanted to take this time to thank you again for another phenomenal trip to China. As you know, this is the third time we have worked with you on putting together a China itinerary. We wouldn't use anyone else. Your level of service and concern for our satisfaction and happiness with the accommodations, tours and itinerary is phenomenal. As you know, this trip we returned to four of the locations you arranged for us last year because we were so impressed with them and wanted to spend more time in each - Shanghai, Tongli, Hanghzou and Wuxi. The addition of Xi Tang was another winner. We so enjoy those water (canal) towns.

One of the things we have been very impressed with is the quality of the guides and drivers that you have arranged. Our guide in Hangzhou, Vincent, is one of the best we've ever had. Not only is he knowledgeable but he brings an artist's touch to his work. He plays the flute and he shared his artistry, as well as sampling of beautiful Chinese music, to several of our stops. His flute music was a wonderful distraction as we waited in line for one of our boat trips through the canals in Xi Tang. Not only were we thrilled with his musical talents but so were the others around us. He explained several important love stories of China, with accompanying music snippets on his iPad. That information was very helpful to us when we watched the water show on the lake in Hangzhou. By the way, you provided us with the very best two seats in the house for that show. I don't know how you did it but we felt very much like VIPs when were we were seated in our own box, the only one with a roof over it, where we were provided a snack box, bottled water and our own personal electric fans. It was very impressive.

Our guide in Wuxi, KiKi, was also very good. We're always impressed that all the guides you use are college graduates, generally tourism majors, with excellent command of the English language and knowledge of the local area. Kiki showed us the highlight of the trip that was the Fan Palace in Wuxi. The interior literally took my breath away. I must have taken 20 photos of it. That will always stand out as one of those magic moments in our travels.

The hotels you select are always amazing. They are all definitely 5 star and we are always impressed. That's saying something as we travel a lot and have stayed in some of the best hotels around the world. The quality of everything you touch is always first class and that includes the vehicles used. We had a fabulous roomy van for the first part of our trip that not only handled all our luggage but allowed Bob and me to stretch out and be really comfortable. Our driver from Shanghai to Hangzhou was excellent, Mr. Ho, had great command of the roads and was very personable.

What always impresses us is the flexibility and adaptability that your people show. We made numerous changes, both before and during our trip, to our itinerary that Alan graciously accommodated. We also emailed Alan during the trip to specify a certain room request in Tongli and ask a couple of questions and he responded very quickly and handled everything effortlessly. It's this level of service that's an earmark of Laurus.

Once again, thank you for making our trips to China so very special and affording us the ease of mind to know that everything, to the very last detail, will be handled extremely well.

Warmest regards,

Linda and Bob L.
Manhattan Beach, California

-----Original Message-----
From: Suzanne Cxxxx-Lxxxx [mailto:artlady3538@-----.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 8:47 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China trip

Dear Julius,

We just wanted to write and tell you how fabulous the China trip was. The country, is of course, more fascinating and complex than anyone could ever imagine but the real star was Steven! He is a true gem; kind and patient, generous of heart and spirit and endlessly efficient and cheerful ( he probably can leap tall buildings in a single bound as well!). In talking to friends who have gone to China with other groups, I am convinced that our experience was far richer and more unique, largely because of his expertise. Don't lose him!

Thanks again,
Suzanne & Rick L.
Chicago, Illinois

This China trip review was copied verbatim from tripadvisor.com. Please go to http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294211-i642-k4778052-China_tour_company_traveling_alone_Laurus_Travel_a_Gem-China.html for original post. The author is an attorney from New York. You may ask for her as a reference.

“ China tour company - traveling alone; Laurus Travel...a Gem ”
Aug 31, 2011, 1:56 PM

I'm writing to report in on my experience in traveling alone to China. Intimidated primarily by the language/ communications issues, I felt I needed a land package to see me through China (specifically, Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai). I've just returned from an 11 day package with Laurus Travel (out of Vancouver) - I found them on the internet - and through reviews here. I am writing because I wanted to share the particulars of what made my Laurus experience the best "group" travel I have ever had. First of all, I'm not an "on the bus/off the bus" kind of girl...so group touring can be off-putting. This was a totally different experience. There were 7 of us - enough to allow for a shared experience (something I very much wanted), but never so many that I ever felt that we were being "herded". And that smallness and the knowledge and flexibility of their guides made us able to adapt our visits to our interests. Laurus's model is that with groups over 10 an overall country guide is assigned...but if less than 10, no country guide...just local City guides. This left me a little concerned in advance of the trip - but my concern was replaced by nothing but praise. We were met at the airport in each city by a local guide and a driver extremely knowledgeable in their area - they were flexible, interesting and diverse. That changing of guides was a true positive aspect of the trip. They took us to their neighborhood favorite restaurants, ordered to our expressed tastes (the food was freakily good in each city!!!!) and NEVER subjected us to "tourist shopping trap hell". They went above and beyond in so many small ways. I know that they are in the hospitality biz...and so this should not be surprising - but even with that said, they went beyond the call of duty.

In Shanghai, the rest of my group went elsewhere and I had a Laurus provided guide and driver to myself...the agenda was changed to meet my interests - I wanted to see the Synagogue and Jewish section of town in lieu of the Planning Museum...and we did. VERY COOL - very special. The hotels were excellent (seriously excellent) and well located. One of the guides informed me that in China, Laurus is considered a very upscale touring company - and it showed in terms of the quality of our guides. We liked the mix of "on your own" time and touring time...we liked the physicality of the trip. Bottom line, this was a marvelous experience - exceeding my expectations in every way.

Amie G,
New York, New York

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2011 4:16 PM
Subject: 18-Day China Odyssey, left June 17, 2011

GUIDES
We were very impressed with all the guides; they were the great link between us and the wonderful country. If we HAD to choose one guide as the best, however, that would be David in Guilin. The ease at which he talked with us and his knowledge made our visit to Guilin especially interesting--and of course, the Li River trip was just great.

ACCOMMODATIONS
All the breakfasts and accommodations at the hotels were just great. The Yangtze Cruise ship accommodations were just okay, but the food and entertainment were great.

FOOD
Our guides took us to great restaurants where the locals ate, not to tourist restaurants. Many times we were able to choose our own food from the pictures in the menu, and that was certainly fun. As it turned out on those days when the tour provided both lunch and dinner we generally had too much food--although I don't know what you can do about it.

ITINERARY
I would change nothing. Everything about the tour was first rate! There were no hitches, except delayed flights, which is not Laurus' problem. In fact, our Beijing tour guide, Wen, was extremely helpful at the airport when we discovered that our plane to Xi'an was delayed with uncertainty about when it would depart. She arranged to book us on another flight and took us to another terminal at the airport.

We thought our Laurus tour (18-day Odyssey) was just fantastic. Everything about the tour (sites, accommodations, food, guides, etc.) were A++. My wife and I learned so much about Chinese history and culture. Our local guides were extremely knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. We spent a lot of time talking with them about life in China, and we felt they were all forthcoming and had interesting stories to tell. Our group was small and the intimacy no doubt helped provide a special experience. There are so many interesting things to see in China, this tour was a great overview, a great beginning. One of our guides made suggestions of where we might go on our next trip, and we hope someday to come back and go there.

Professor Fred G & Lisa G
San Diego, California

-----Original Message-----
From:  br----@shaw.ca
Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 5:56 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: 25 Day Imperial China, Tibet & Yangtze Tour

We have done a lot of international travelling, including ocean cruising and driving all through Europe and the US. We were reluctant however to try to see China on our own, so the Laurus Tour was our choice for this vacation. We are completely satisfied with having made that decision. The entire Laurus tour was managed on a first-class level. Guides, drivers, itineraries and accommodations were excellent; the tour exceeded our expectations and we would have no hesitation in recommending Laurus.

(as an aside, I know you say you won't divulge names, but we would have no problem with talking to anyone who might be interested in one of your tours.)

Brian & Maxine A.
St Albert, Alberta

-----Original Message-----
From: Adrianna D---- [mailto:adrianna.d----@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 10:49 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China Trip

Hi Alan,

I wanted to let you know what a wonderful trip we had. Jeff and Tony were terrific guides. They were sensitive to the boys' needs and even taught them a handful of useful Chinese words. Tony even helped me in various ways to order vegetarian meals, for which I am very grateful. And Jeff taught the kids to count to 10. The transportation was well-arranged and we loved our itinerary. The hotels were good overall (though the Sheraton in Xi'an lacked the pool it advertised on its website--not Laurus' fault, but the boys were disappointed not to be able to swim there). All in all, we were so happy we were with Team Laurus. I'd be happy to write a recommendation for your website, if that would be helpful.

Thanks again, and please let Jeff and Tony know our kids say: Ni Hou!

Regards,

Adrianna D and family
Maplewood, New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: Naveen B
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 6:06 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Recent China Tour

I just want to say that our trip with Laurus travel exceeded our expecations. Because of the small-group nature of the tours, it was really great to be able to change plans on the fly. For example, our flight to Beijing was delayed, so Steven (our guide) changed the order of sightseeing so that we would be able to see everything when it was open, without compromising time.

We also enjoyed our meals - because Laurus does not take you to the typical "tourist" restaurants, our guides would ask us what we would like to try, and they ordered items according to our tastes. At the same time, we were able to sample cuisines that were specific to the regions. Cantonese further south, home-made noodles in X'ian, and spicier flavors in areas known for such dishes. It was very nice.

Last, I want to stress to anyone that is concerned... unlike nearly all the other travel companies, Laurus truly is a "NO SHOPPING STOPS" tour company! We never stopped at touristy souvenir shops. Most of our tourist shopping came on our own time, at stalls and shops set up by local people outside the attractions. A few times we even asked the guides to take us to places to look for specific items, and they were happy to do so. They also happy to help negotiate for us as well.

Our trip went very smoothly, and I recommend Laurus Travek to anyone that wishes to have a hassle-free trip to China.

Naveen B & family
Atlanta, Georgia

-----Original Message-----
From: Deb T.
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 4:52 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China Tour

Overall, it was a fascinating and memorable trip. I loved it and I am still processing my thoughts and memories. Wow!

What I appreciated about Laurus was that you were able to find such knowledgeable and accommodating guides, the sites you chose for us to see were simply amazing, the hotels were top notch. Although we were travelling a lot during the two weeks, we did not get worn down - I think because we were so well taken care of.

Thank you to you and the entire team at Laurus.

Deb & Rod T
Calgary, Alberta

-----Original Message-----
From: Deanna S.
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 12:07 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour Feedback

We were referred to Laurus by a colleague who couldn't speak highly enough of the trip he and his wife had taken the year before, and we definitely were not disappointed. We've travelled quite alot to various places around the world, on cruises, on tours and on our own, and this trip met and exceeded our expectations - even though we can be especially picky about things like food and accommodations! Both were first-rate, as were the knowledgeable and patient guides, who had excellent skills in English and accommodated all of our questions and special requests. We would absolutely recommend this trip and Laurus to anyone.

Deanna S, LLB
Calgary, Alberta

-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy Thorn---- [mailto:thorn----@telus.net]
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2011 11:20 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Re: China Tour

Hello Julius,
Walt & I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our tour to China with Laurus. It met and exceeded our expectations. Howard Zhang, our National guide made our trip run smoothly and really gave 110% to the tour! He was so helpful and personable. All our local guides were also excellent, and we enjoyed our conversations with them as well as the wealth of information they gave us regarding the wonderful sights on our tour.

Thanks and we would definitely recommend your company and travel with Laurus again.

Sincerely,
Nancy & Walt T
North Vancouver, British Columbia

-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne G------
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 1:34 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour with Laurus Travel in April & May 2011

My wife and I completed the 21 day in depth China tour from mid April to May. Laurus travel provided an excellent itinerary. The accommodations were excellent in every respect.. It is very hard to project to a reader what a great trip it is. This will certainly go down as one of the absolutely best trips my wife and I have had... We would certainly recommend Laurus travel. The trip is above and beyond what we expected.

Wayne & Gail G
Kelowna, British Columbia

-----Original Message-----
From: Joyce E------- [mailto:je------@telusplanet.net]
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 8:40 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China trip

Hi Julius,

.... all we can say is that our trip was definitely "over the top" of our expectations!!!!. ... Your choices of hotels, restaurants, guides were just exceptional. Absolutely no complaints anywhere !!!! You can't do better than that..... PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO USE our name for any recommendations ...... We will be more than happy to share our great trip and "HIGHEST" recommendations.

Thanks for a wonderful holiday,

Joyce E.
Calgary, Alberta

-----Original Message-----
From: Don & Linda L----- [mailto:donlin.l-----@sympatico.ca]
Sent: Sunday, May 15, 2011 8:58 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China Tour

... just to let you know in advance that the trip was excellent in all respects, including: a. tour guides (Steven, Dana and Shirley): extremely knowledgeable, personable, helpful and very perceptive to the wishes of the travellers, b. hotels: excellent quality and service in all locations, c. dining: excellent choices for quality, service and a wide range of Chinese cuisine. We very much appreciate the service provided by Laurus, and would be happy to choose it again, or to recommend it to others.

Thanks very much for a very memorable experience.

Cheers,

Don & Linda L
Ottawa, Ontario

Excerpt from Kathy C's feedback received May 15, 2011:

The tour itinerary was a good balance between guided, hosted activities and independent free time. The value of the guided tours, meals and hotels was excellent. I would definitely recommend Laurus Tours to others wanting a comprehensive tour of cities in China.

Kathy C
Bakersfield, California

-----Original Message-----
From: Anne C------ [mailto:c------@sympatico.ca]
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2011 11:17 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Re: China Tour

We are safely back from our trip to China and can assure you we had an amazing time. You were right about running a "tight ship"--everything went as planned, and the only minor glitch of a delayed flight to Xi'an was dealt with by you and your team in a responsible and professional way, as we were put up at an airport hotel for a few hours to have a rest and some food while we awaited news of a revised departure time. We really got the "Royal Treatment" everywhere by your people!

All in all, we can say that China definitely exceeded our expectations as a tour destination and we honestly wish we could have stayed longer than three weeks and seen more things than we did. ... Congratulations on your well planned itineraries... Thanks again for all your help! Best of luck planning future tours for subsequent groups of travelers smart enough to choose Laurus!

Anne and Charlie C
Oakville, Ontario

-----Original Message-----
From: Janet I.
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 2:29 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com

Subject: China tour review

Hi Julius,

Our China tour was fantastic and certainly exceeded my expectations. All three tour guides were wonderful - enthusiastic, humorous, and knowledgeable. My favourite sights were the Great Wall (of course) and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, as well as the Terracotta warriors in Xian. The Shanghai acrobatic show was breathtaking. We were glad to be switched to the brand new Sheraton in Shanghai which was gorgeous.

It was an excellent tour full of great memories. Thanks again for helping us organize this, and I will definitely recommend the Laurus tour to my friends and contacts.

Sincerely,
Janet I., MD
Vancouver, British Columbia

-----Original Message-----
From: Fxxxxxxxxx, Doug
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 6:35 PM
To: 'info@laurustravel.com'
Subject: RE: China Trip

Our trip was wonderful. I have recommended Laurus to many people since our return. Everything was first class. The tour guides, particularly Howard, were all terrific. They were very informative, very helpful and good fun. I commend you for having small tour groups. I think that may set you apart from some of the other tours. You should keep that up. We happened to "luck out" with a particularly good group - all interesting and fun people. We became friends quickly. But it is much easier to enjoy the sites when travelling in a small group.

And the sites were all that we expected and more. China is a fascinating country. Its history, its culture and its politics are a wonderful study. We were absolutely thrilled to be on The Wall, to tour the Forbidden City, to see the Terracota Warriors......and on and on.

We also enjoyed our encounters with so many people as we toured. While our ability to converse with those whom we met was limited, we found ourselves posing in group pictures with many people who apparently had not met too many Westerners. It was delightful.

The hotels that we stayed in were also first class and helped to enhance the enjoyment of the trip.

Congratulations on the work your company does. My wife Pat and I will continue to recommend your company to all those that I speak to about out great trip.

All the best

Doug F, LLB
Winnipeg, Manitoba

-----Original Message-----
From: Andy L
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 12:21 PM
To: Laurus Travel Vancouver
Subject: China Tour

We really enjoyed the trip. We had Steven Shi as our tour leader and he was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable. He not only knew all the details of the sites that we were visiting but he also pointed our other interesting facts pertaining to Chinese culture and history. Steven also made adjustments to our schedule to avoid crowds and to accommodate our requests for unscheduled stops (like the Olympic venues.) We really appreciated the fact that he introduced us to his martial arts teacher in the hutongs who invited us into his home.

The hotels chosen by Laurus are very good and would be familiar to anyone who is used to the Sheratons and Hiltons in North America. The size of the tour group and the transportation arrangements were excellent. I can't help but feel sorry for the other tour groups that we saw that were so large that the guide had to use a megaphone and herd them like cattle to keep them moving.

Laurus was also very accommodating to customize the tours as needed... There are still other places in China I would like to see and I am looking forward to using Laurus again.

Andy L
Calgary, Alberta

-----Original Message-----
From: John and Dolores D
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2010 10:34 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour

We have done much international traveling in the past but mostly independent of a tour. Our experience with Laurus has convinced us that a small tour group is an excellent option. We do believe that having traveled in a group of only 10 people was a great advantage and we would avoid companies that put together large groups (25 or more). While we are aware that Laurus strives to book tours of 20 and regret for your sake that the number in our group was half that, we feel the smaller size enhanced our experience of China. No doubt the visits to local restaurants would have been rather more difficult and prolonged with a larger group. Also, the very personal attention from the tour leader and local guide would have likely seemed less so with a larger number. We do want to impress upon Laurus that we feel that our tour leader, Steven Shi, is a great asset to your company and in large part responsible for our having such an enjoyable trip. As a result, we would not hesitate to book a tour with Laurus in the future should we decide to return to China or if Laurus were to offer another destination of interest to us. We also would highly recommend Laurus to friends and relatives.

Dolores & John D.
Tucson, Arizona

 -----Original Message-----
From: Lawrence S [mailto:lorsxxxxxx@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2010 4:07 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Recent China Visit

Laurus Travel, Vancouver BC

Dear Julius and Heidi:

For over 40 years my wife and I have travelled independently in Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, usually renting a car and making all the plans ourselves. We appreciate the spontaneity associated with independent travel since, especially the flexibility to stay in one place longer if one finds it to be more interesting. With that background, we approached the prospect of a travel tour with the usual hesitations: Would we see what we wanted to see? Would we be forced to see what we didn't want to see ... for example, shopping expeditions? How articulate, informed and committed would the guide be? Would our fellow travelers be punctual and compatible? Would the low per-day cost after allowing for airfare be reflective of substandard accommodation and/or meals? Would we be nickled and dimed at every turn for tips or expenses not covered by the tour?

On all counts, our expectations were exceeded. Most importantly, we found your colleague and our tour guide Steven Shi exceptionally well educated--and passionate--about Chinese culture, politics, and history. His speaking style is engaging and quietly humorous, devoid of the embarrassing little claims and stories with which day tour guides have stretched our credulity over the years. In addition to his profound knowledge, he exhibited conspicuous enthusiasm, sincere personal warmth and disarming social skills in his interactions with tour group members. Our reaction to Steven was shared by all members of the group, who we found to be people we could identify with: interested and interesting people motivated to learn more about China and appreciative of the opportunity. Based on our research about the three cities we visited, the sites Laurus Travel had chosen for us to visit reflected our personal priorities. Moreover, the accommodations and meals surpassed our expectations by a large measure so that what Laurus Travel promised it delivered in every respect. We appreciated your pre-trip information and the opportunity to pay tips once up front through Steven so that, except for hotel incidentals, shopping we initiated and tipping Steven, we hardly touched money. Finally, we appreciated your efforts in the Vancouver office to secure last minute airline reservations that met our needs at low cost. It also impressed us that you were able to provide connections for three members of our group who wanted to end their visit to China by visiting the village they had left many years ago.

Thank you for your service.

Sincerely,

Professor Lawrence S
Davis, California

-----Original Message-----
From: Ruth Sxxxxxson [mailto:ruthxxx@shaw.ca]
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 3:57 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Thank you Julius and Heidi !

Sveinn and I were just thrilled with our holiday and loved China. My dream of walking on the Great Wall now realised, its now time to start dreaming about the next adventure !! I had high expectations before we left and those expectations were MORE than realised.....Laurus Travel deserves all the accolades it receives; I cannot say enough positive things about you and your organisation. Thank you Julius. All our senses were stimulated..sights, sounds, and smells etc. We were also physically, mentally ,emotionally and spiritually challenged. ( does that make sense ?) ! This all with the help and guidance of your tour guides 'par excellence'. I was aware that we were a good decade older than most of the group and hopefully we did not hold you back at all; I don't think so.
Thank you for all those ' extras ' done so quietly and sensitively, but did not pass un noticed. Our extra days in Shanghai and Hong Kong passed happily with no problems and we did help their economy !! I really hope and pray that we may join you again in the not too distant future..age and health permitting !! You gave us the holiday and experience of a lifetime for which I shall be eternally grateful. Wow ! is all I can say...

With our warmest wishes to you, Heidi and your family.

Ruth and Sveinn
Calgary, Alberta

-----Original Message-----
From: Ann Cxxxxx [mailto:axxxxxx@shaw.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:52 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: 17-day Classic China Tour with Yangtze Cruise

We recently returned from our trip to China which we found to be an incredible experience! The tour leader, Howard was outstanding. Local guides were knowledgeable and helpful. The hotels were all 5 star, however the river boat, MV Queen, was disappointing and not nearly 5 star accommodation. The variety and quality of the meals allowed us to experience regional cuisine which we enjoyed very much. Thank you for providing an adventure of discovery! We were excited before we went and Laurus and China exceeded our expectations. We would recommend Laurus to anyone.

Thank you,

Ann C & Eva M
Victoria, British Columbia

-----Original Message-----
From: Sharon S. 
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 5:07 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: RE: China Tour

I just wanted to let you know that we enjoyed our tour very much, and Bill and I were very impressed with Laurus. I have recommended you to others. If you need a reference, or want to have others contact me regarding Laurus, just ask.

Sharon S, LLB
Toronto, Ontario

-----Original Message-----
From: Lore Ruschixxxxx [mailto:lore_ruxxxx@accesscomm.ca]
Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2010 3:53 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Thanks for the great tour!

Hello Julius,

We wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our private China Discovery Tour (July 19-August 1). Thanks so much for making this possible for just the two of us. It was everything and much more than we had expected. From Shanghai to Beijing and every stop in between, the guides and drivers that met us at each airport were very knowledgeable and helpful and everything went without a snag. The guides explained all the things about this very different culture very well and were always willing to answer our many questions. Any requests we had were always fulfilled. The food they ordered was fabulous and very plentiful! Their introduction to China made it possible for us to comfortably travel on our own the rest of our time in China. From Elaine in Shanghai who got our Expo tickets for later in the trip along with good instructions on having a successful Expo day, to Huang in beautiful Guilin who bought us a CD of Chinese music, to Steve in Beijing who gave us thorough information and translations for the next leg of our trip and everyone in between they were professional and personable in every way. We found the pacing of the tour excellent with enough activity and rest time to make it an interesting and relaxing holiday. I have already, and will continue to recommend Laurus Travel to anyone travelling to China.

Lore Ruschixxxxx and Dennis Wxxxx
Regina, Saskatchewan

-----Original Message-----
From: Gail R. [mailto:grxxxxxx@live.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 10:34 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour

[below is an excerpt from Gail's e-mail. As with all the other customers who wrote us, Gail would be glad to act a reference for us]

I was impressed with the service you gave to us, and I certainly have been recommending your services to people in discussing their potential travels to China. I would travel with your firm on my next trip to China. Again, thank you for your assistance in making a memorable trip for us.

Gail R.
White Rock, British Columbia

-----Original Message-----
From:  taroxxxxx@yahoo.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 11:57 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour with Laurus Travel

... the guides all did a great job, and in our opinion their judgment calls were on target. We were very impressed with the staff and crew of the M/V Star on the Yangtze River Cruise. Our city guides in Beijing, Guilin and Tibet were knowledgeable, professional, interesting and extremely hard working.
In our opinion excellent value all the way around.

Taro R.
Anchorage, Alaska

-----Original Message-----
From: Sara Hxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2010 10:15 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour Feedback

Overall the trip was fabulous. All the guides were flexible, allowing us to adapt the schedule to see more or less and suggesting other sites we might want to experience. I also appreciated the consistent schedule without being left in "shopping" situations, which several friends experienced with other companies. I learned so much about your history, culture, life-style, beliefs and what you are facing in the future. It was an over-whelmingly wonderful experience. My daughter & I are looking forward to sharing with our students in school. Many thanks to Julian [sic] for working things out under the tight time-constraints we were under and for the excellent suggestions. Great hotels, great food, great guides. I will miss Steven & Jeff. Thank you for sharing your country & your lives with us.

Sara Hxxxxx
Riverside, California

-----Original Message-----
From: LINDA Jxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@rogers.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 10:21 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: great China trip

Hello,

I don't have a lot of time to write at the moment but just wanted to say we really thought our tour was outstanding. All of the guides were so very knowledgeable, answered any questions we had about China or their life there so we got so much by being on tour with them. Steven Shi was absolutely AMAZING as a guide-he deserves the very highest praise, but as I said the other guides were very superior as well.

Linda J
Toronto, Ontario

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Bxxxxx [mailto:rxxxxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 8:28 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: RE: China Tours with Laurus Travel

Mr. Yan,

Just a few words to tell you that we were absolutely pleased with the arrangements that you provided and organised for the Mowry Group Tours of March 2010. We congratulate you and your Team for your professionalism in organising our airport transportation and Tours. We also greatly appreciated the professionalism of the guides that were assigned to our Group. They were terrific for us. We would not hesitate to highly recommend your services and as a matter of fact, should we go back to China, we would deal with no other. There were no surprises. You and your people contributed to the success of our China Tours.

A special commandation to our Guide THANH who did a fantastic job on the HongKong, Shanghai et Beijing Tours. He really was extremely attentive to our needs, plus his in depth knowledge of the Chinese Heritage and Culture.

Salutations
Hélène & Robert Bxxxxx
Québec, Canada

From: Jennifer Txxxxxxx. [mailto:jennytxxxxxxxxxx@earthlink.net]
Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 6:27 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China Tour

We arrived home yesterday and I couldn't wait to tell you how satisfied we all were with this trip. The private tour you put together for our family of 12 exceeded our expectations in every respect. We enjoyed every minute of it and found your choice of guides and hotels particularly impressive. We wanted a luxury tour with no shopping stops. You delivered exactly that and then some. Throughout the trip we felt we were well looked after every step of the way.

We were concerned before the rip that we might have trouble eating Chinese food every day. After 3 weeks in China not only did we fall in love with but also became sort of connoisseurs of Chinese cuisine. We never imagined that the Chinese cuisine consisted of so many regional styles. The buffet breakfasts we had at the various hotels were among the best we've ever had anywhere in the world.

... I could go on and on. All in all, this was a remarkable trip and far exceeded our expectations. We recommend Laurus Travel without any reservations, just like my colleague who recommended your company to me. When we visit China again, you can sure that we will not go with anyone but Laurus Travel.

Thank you again!

Jenny T.
New York, NY

-----Original Message-----
From: Dxxxxxxxx, Terence [mailto:tdxxxxxxxxx@dxxxx.ca]
Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 10:24 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Recent China Trip with Laurus Travel

We were quite satisfied with the trip [China Golden Route in May], and have so told a number of friends. One of them is thinking of organizing a trip to China for about 8 persons next year, and I've passed your contact data on to him, together with my recommendation.

Terry Dxxxxxxxx
Calgary, Alberta

-----Original Message-----
From: Bev S [bevxxxxxxx@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 8:40 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour

our 21 day trip was wonderful....we researched many trips to china and could find no other that could offer such a diverse itinerary....from the gobi desert to the tibetan autonomous region...from hundreds of feet below sea level in turpan on the silk route to an elevation of 11,000 feet in zhongdian (shangri-la).. . the local guides gave us a good introduction to not only the chinese way of life but also the many minorities that live in the country including the naxi, uighur, and tibetan. with seven internal flights we were impressed by the efficiency of the local airlines.,the mindfulness of the drivers on the longer day trips,the quality of the hotels....but most of all we were so pleased by the planning and pacing of the trip...thank you all....

Bev & Hal S.
San Rafael, California

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike and Laurie M
Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 4:12 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Feedback on Recent China Tour

The 24-day Tibet and Silk Road tour was outstanding. It was very well planned, organized and offered an excellent opportunity to see so much of China in a short period of time. The guide we had at each stop was knowledgeable, accomodating and spoke English well. We would highly recomment this trip for those who want to see China for the first time and are physically able and willing to cover a lot of ground walking. This is a great trip for physically and mentally active people.

Mike and Laurie M.
Calgary, Alberta

-----Original Message-----
From: [e-mail address deleted for privacy}
Sent: Monday, June 7, 2010 5:15 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China Tour with Laurus

Hello Heidi,

The China Odyssey tour we just completed was awesome! The well planned itinerary was executed to perfection. In our opinion, Laurus Travel delivered far more than it promised. As seasoned travellers we know a lot of things could go wrong on a trip of this length regardless of the preparation work. And yet we never experienced any problem during the entire tour except one delayed flight. We could tell and certainly appreciate the amount of work done behind the scene to make the trip so wonderful. Our guides were all very good with the ones in Beijing, Shanghai and Guilin being truly outstanding. Please feel free to let us know if you ever need us as a reference. One other thing we wanted to share with you was that we spoke to many people travelling with other companies during the Yangtze cruise and they were all impressed that Laurus Travel has a no shopping stop policy. Some of the passengers told us they were marched through tourist stores almost every day. Thank you again Laurus Travel for a job well done!

Monica & Terry W.
Toronto, Ontario

-----Original Message-----
From: GCxxxxxxx@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, June 05, 2010 7:04 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Great Wall Hiking Trip

We recently returned from our Great Wall Hiking trip. It was absolutely wonderful. The guides, the itinerary and the accommodations could not have been better. Buddy was perfect and Elaine on the Shanghai portion was almost as good. Nice job.

Jerry & Kathy C.
West Warwick, Rhode Island

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 4:20 AM
To: Laurus Travel
From: Ken & Pam Gxxxxxx
Subject: China Golden Route Tour April 22, 2010

Steven Shi is a credit to your organisation, his personal interest in history, his enthusiasm and his extensive knowledge made travelling with him a pleasure. First rate tour, many many thanks from us. I would be delighted to write a testimonial letter, if you should wish. Great job, Great trip, Great fun. I would have no hesitation in recommending Laurus Travel to anybody. 5 Star. Thanks to Julius & all his staff.

Ken & Pam G.
Sydney, Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan B.
Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2010 1:50 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China Tour

Excerpt from Jonathan's feedback

Steven was a wonderful tour leader. He was able to answer every question about China we asked, and he knew the history and interesting facts of every location we visited. He told stories and gave history lessons every day. He took care of checking us in and out of the hotels and flights, and did a wonderful job of ordering different foods for us to try. He was the best tour guide we have ever had -- I wish he could be our tour guide for every trip we take! We were very very sad to say goodbye, he really became a friend by the end of the trip. He was worth way more than the suggested tip, so we went ahead and gave him way more than suggested. He was really worth it.

I am going to recommend Laurus travel to everyone I know who would ever want to visit China. I wish you all took care of tours in other countries as well -- our experience was that good.

Jonathan B, DMD
Chandler, Arizona

-----Original Message-----
From: JIBxxxxx@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 9:18 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China Tour

I am not sure if my first email made it to you so I will let you know again how much we enjoyed all the tours we took with Elwin & Judie. The guides were great but we must tell you that Steven in Shanghai and Beijing was excellent. He was so knowledgeable and took care of every detail. Hope you know what a great young man he is and how good he is at his job.

Sincerely,

Janice & Ira B.
Memphis, Tennessee

-----Original Message-----
From: Virginia [mailto:---@shaw.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 8:16 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Re: China Trip

Hi Julius,

We had a really great time. Thanks very much. I felt the trip was such a great bargain for what we got... When Ron and I go back to China, we will be sure to go through Laurus travel. Thanks again.

Virginia G.
Surrey, British Columbia

-----Original Message-----
From: Virginia [mailto:---@shaw.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 8:16 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Re: China Trip

-----Original Message-----
From: Nick J [mailto: stnickjxxxxxxx@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 7:54 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Private China Trip

Hi Julius and Heidi,

Our group of 18 satisfied travelers arrived home yesterday. Everyone agreed that we had a fantastic time in China and the price we paid, considering what we got, was a real bargain. The trip exceeded our expectations in every way.

We could tell that Laurus Travel operates to a standard far higher than its peers. You did not march us through any tourist traps (stores, factory showrooms etc) and the meals were genuine local fare in some of the best restaurants. Daily activities were expertly planned for the best use of our time. We found our local guides to be very knowledgeable, friendly and with good English skills. However, we reserve our highest compliments for our super competent and amicable tour leader Jesse Chang, who is such a wonderful person to be with. We were impressed with his English and more importantly his dedication to his work. His vast knowledge and intellectual capacity really blew us away. Don't lose him!

Thank you for giving us such a memorable trip. We will definitely use your company again if we go back to China.

Charlene and Nick J.
Honolulu, Hawaii

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