By : Minnie-Online.co.za

As great as South Africa is, it's a very young country compared to a lot of other nations out there and simply doesn't have the same historical appeal as, say, some Chinese monuments that date back to a few hundred years B.C. (like the Great Wall). That's why I've been saving money for a China travel tour and am now looking into all the different packages available.

Ordinarily, I would make this kind of journey alone or with a friend. In fact, I've never gone on any group tours anywhere, except for class field trips and so forth. But because of the language barrier, things are a bit different this time around. I have serious doubts as to how well I would fare trying to make it around Beijing or Shanghai on my own. I obviously wouldn't be able to read the language, and I'm not sure how many survival Chinese phrases I'd be able to learn between now and my holiday. So going on a China travel tour with a group makes sense as far as convenience goes. At least there will be a guide who knows the language and the various sightseeing locations, thereby eliminating or greatly reducing the chances of getting lost or running into other minor problems.

Anyway, I've been checking for discount China travel tour packages online and like what I've seen thus far. Many of the packages include journeys to top sightseeing destinations like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, as well as countless temples, shrines, and mausoleums to important emperors. All in-country transportation and lodging is included in these packages. So are a number of meals. After crunching some numbers, it seems as though a group China travel tour would be much cheaper than making the same arrangements for one or two people. Since I need to save money any way I can, I'll probably go the group route.

Another thing I'm going to look for prior to booking a specific China travel tour is the inclusion of free time. I don't want every single hour of my trip to be accounted for in advance by some random agency. I'm sure there will be some things that I want to do or see on my own, away from the rest of the group so I'll definitely need that kind of freedom built in to the schedule.

I do have to iron out a few other details before embarking on my adventure, including getting a tourist visa to allow me to enter the country legally. But otherwise, it appears that I'll be able to find an affordable China travel tour package that will allow me to experience a culture that dates back thousands of years. I can't wait!