It's the people...and in our case, Nora.
I just returned from a 2-week private tour with 3 other family members to Datong, Pingyao, Xian, Luoyang and Beijing. I could wax lyrical about the sights, food and transport but the 'wow' factor was Nora. Her speed and comprehensiveness of responses to our enquiries sealed the deal for us to make arrangements through China Culture Tour. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive as it was the first time using their services, notwithstanding the good reviews we read. I needn't have been because throughout our trip, I felt that we had 2 guides - the person who accompanied us at each stop, and a virtual one in the form of Nora who tracked our itinerary, kept close tabs on the progress of our trip and responded quickly and effectively to any changes in our plans. I have no hesitation to recommend China Culture Tour to anyone visiting China.