Private China Tours from Dubai & the UAE (2026 Guide)

China is one of the easiest long-haul trips you can take from the UAE. Flights are direct, UAE passport holders don't need a visa, and the time difference is only four hours. With your own car, guide and a plan built around your family, it is also one of the most comfortable.

Why travellers from the UAE are choosing China

• No visa for UAE citizens. Emirati passports can stay up to 30 days per visit without a visa. Residents of the UAE follow the rules of their own passport: see our China visa guide.
• Direct flights. Non-stop flights connect Dubai and Abu Dhabi with Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, usually 7 to 8 hours.
• Only four hours ahead. Beijing is UTC+8 and the UAE is UTC+4, so jet lag is mild and a long weekend plus a few days works.
• Something completely different. Imperial palaces, the Great Wall, giant pandas, karst mountains and snow in winter, all a short flight away.

Flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi

• Beijing: the natural start for a first trip (Great Wall, Forbidden City).
• Shanghai: best for Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou and the water towns.
• Guangzhou: the gateway for Guangzhou, Guilin and southern China.

Fly into one city and out of another (an "open jaw") to avoid backtracking. For example, arrive in Beijing and fly home from Shanghai.

The best routes from Dubai

1. 5 to 7 days: Beijing and Shanghai, linked by a 4.5-hour bullet train. Add Xi'an for the Terracotta Army if you have 7 days.
2. 8 to 10 days: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai, plus either Zhangjiajie or Guilin for scenery.
3. 5 days, food and fun: Chengdu for pandas and Chongqing for the neon skyline.
4. 8 days, nature and old towns: Yunnan: Kunming, Dali and Lijiang under the snow mountains.

Not sure where to start? Read which cities to visit on your first trip.

When to go

• March to May and September to November are the best months for most of China.
• Summer is hot and busy in the big cities, but cool in Yunnan.
• Winter brings snow in the north, which many Gulf families love, and quieter sights.
• Avoid Chinese New Year and the 1 to 7 October Golden Week if you can. See the best time to visit China.

What a Dubai-based team does for you

• One conversation, in Arabic or English. You plan with us on WhatsApp, on your time zone.
• Your own car, driver and licensed guide for the whole trip, with guides who speak Arabic or English.
• Hotels from our hand-picked list, chosen for location, comfort and family rooms.
• Airport pick-up and drop-off, 24/7 support and a local gift for every traveller.
• Food your way: halal restaurants, family-friendly menus or whatever you prefer, planned into each day.
• No deposit. You pay 80% when you arrive in China and 20% when your trip ends. Cancelling before you arrive is free.

Practical tips before you fly

• Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your card before you leave. See paying in China.
• Many apps are blocked in China. We arrange a data plan so WhatsApp, Google and Instagram keep working.
• Download our list of essential China travel apps.

How we help

Tell us your dates, how many people are travelling and what you'd love to see. We reply on WhatsApp within 24 hours with a route and a free quote, and change it as many times as you like.

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