Honest pros and cons of traveling independently vs joining group tours in China?

I’d recommend skipping group tours as long as you get fully prepared. There’s one main reason: you’ll have far more freedom to explore authentic local experiences at your own pace. This is possible because China is an extremely safe country, which we all know is true. You can also cut down on travel costs this way.

Independent travel gives you full flexibility to change your schedule.

Group tours handle all transport, tickets and language barriers for you.

Solo planning takes many hours of research before your trip.

Tours often stick to rigid timetables with unwanted shopping stops.

Independent travel works best if you enjoy organizing your own route.