IMPORTANT NOTES
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THIS TOUR IS FOR ADOPTEES AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS ONLY, AGES 18 AND UP
Step off the beaten path and into the heart of Southwest China. From Chongqing’s neon-lit hotpot nights to Guizhou’s hidden minority villages, this Rooted Route is all about experiences you can’t Google and views you’ll never forget. You’ll hike to mountaintop drum towers, learn ancient crafts from master artisans, share hotpot with Miao and Dong hosts, and wander through centuries-old stone streets where time seems to stand still.
Guizhou is a world apart — even for most Chinese travelers — with landscapes that rival the best national parks and traditions that feel like stepping into a living museum. You’ll stand before the roaring Huangguoshu Waterfall, try your hand at centuries-old batik, and be welcomed into communities that rarely open their doors to outsiders. Add in night markets, costume photo shoots, and the world’s largest radio telescope, and you’ve got a trip that’s equal parts epic adventure, cultural deep-dive, and pure fun — shared with people who get why this all matters.
Please contact us if you have any questions. We are excited to make your dream trip a reality.
Experience the rich culture and natural beauty of Southwest China on this 11-day journey through Chongqing and Guizhou Province. Explore vibrant Miao and Dong villages, hike scenic rice terraces, and enjoy immersive activities like batik-making, traditional opera, and local cuisine.
Click on each day to learn more!
Welcome to Chongqing, the Foggy City and the undisputed Home of Hot Pot. Our guide will meet you at the airport and get everyone checked in for the night.
Tomorrow the adventure begins, but don’t waste a minute (if you can muster the energy). Fight off jetlag exploring all that downtown Chongqing has to offer before getting a good night’s rest.
Meals Included: all on own today
Spend the day diving into Chongqing’s bold flavors and lively streets. Between exploring the city’s unique riverside skyline and savoring authentic Sichuan meals, you’ll feel the buzz of one of China’s most dynamic cities.
Hot Tip: After dinner, we’ll check out Jiefangbei Night Market and Hongya Cave — a lit-up cliffside market and food hall that’s pure neon magic.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Sleep in or wake up early, wander hidden alleys, find a rooftop bar — today is yours to chase your own Chongqing adventure!
Possible stops:
Meals Included: breakfast
Step back in time in Ciqikou Ancient Town, where tea houses, cobblestone lanes, and artisan shops bring the old city to life. In the afternoon, we’ll hop a 2-hour bullet train to Guiyang, gateway to the wild and beautiful Guizhou Province.
Hot Tip: Try mahua (twisted fried dough sticks) while wandering Ciqikou — crunchy, sweet, and addictive.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
We’re traveling to Jichang Old-Han Village for a rare chance to learn Dixi (ground opera) from locals — a masked performance style that has survived for centuries. After a welcome lion dance, we’ll hike to Tianlong Village, a place of winding stone streets and ancient architecture that feels like a classic kung fu movie set. Dinner and a night market visit in Anshun will round out the day.
Hot Tip: The Anshun night market is known for changwang noodles (spicy pig intestine and blood curd — adventurous eaters only!) and grilled skewers. Yummm
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
We’re spending the morning with one of China’s top 10 folk artists and learning the traditional art of batik. Create your own batik piece to take home!
In the afternoon, we’re hiking around Huangguoshu Waterfall — China’s largest and most famous — before heading back to Guiyang for the night.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
It sounds a bit strange, but it’s too nerdy not to visit. Today, we get to check out the FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope), the world’s largest radio telescope! After we finish nerding out, it’s on to Kaili, heart of the Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, where we’ll share a traditional dinner of sour fish soup hotpot with local hosts! It’s hands down one of our favorite soups, but for the non-fish-lovers, there will be plenty of other traditional Miao and Dong foods to try, we promise.
Kaili is known for cold sour noodles — tangy, spicy, and perfect as a street snack. We cannot wait for you to try!
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
We’re traveling deep into the hills to Langde Long Skirt Miao Village, where we’ll be greeted with traditional block-way wine, learn to sing Miao folk songs, and play the lusheng (bamboo reed pipe). For those interested, we can try on traditional costumes for a fun photoshoot around the village before browsing Kaili’s bustling night market.
Hot Tip: At the night market, look for hóng táng cí bā (sticky rice cakes with brown sugar syrup) — a local favorite.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
More traditional crafts are in store today! We’ll discover and try your hand at the ancient art of tree-bark papermaking in Shiqiao. After a special lunch in a Miao family home, we’ll head to Huanggang Dong Village, where we’ll learn beautiful Dong chorus songs before arriving in Zhaoxing — the largest Dong village in China, lit at night by its five iconic drum towers.
In Zhaoxing, stroll the lantern-lit streets after dark for quiet, magical photo ops.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Today we’ll visit Tang’an Dong Village, home to the first ecological museum of the Dong people, before hiking two hours through breathtaking terraced rice paddy fields back to Zhaoxing. Spend the afternoon exploring at your own pace — this is our final night in the breathtaking Guizhou heartlands.
Hot Tips:
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch
Time to go 🙁
After breakfast, we’ll board a bullet train to Guangzhou for departures home — with new friendships, hundreds of photos, and memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Note: Guangzhou is not a required departure city. Let us know if you plan to head to a different city at the end of our tour and we can make that happen!
Meals Included: breakfast
*Subject to change, but only for better or equal level options
Please note: Tour fee assumes double occupancy in all rooms. Please add $400 to your tour fee if private occupancy is needed.
Howard Johnson Jiazhou Business Club Chongqing
Address: No. 88, Longhua Road, Yubei District, Chongqing, China
Address: Huangguoshu Street, Xixiu District, Anshun, Guizhou, 561000, China
Address: No.115 Ruijin North Road, Yunyan District, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550003, China
Address: No. 8 Ningbo East Road, Kaili, Guizhou, 556000, China
Zhaoxing Lake View Boutique Inn
Address: Dong Village Scenic Area, inside the Letter Drum Tower, Yutang road entrance, Liping, Guizhou, China
All in-country rooming and transportation accommodations are covered
The right outfits take time
Everything you need to know about that pesky little piece of paper
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We cap our Rooted Routes at 40 travelers. However, most tours are anticipated to be around 15-20 travelers.
On our Rooted Route tours, we welcome all adoptees (regardless of country of birth) and their significant others. If other family members are interested in traveling, please check out our other tour offerings!
Absolutely! If you need help with any additional trip bookings, we are happy to help.
Yes, you can, but please understand that unused tours are non-refundable and the cost of the Tour package is a fixed cost.
Please let us know in advance of your decisions so that we can confirm your preferences with your tour guide.
$3-6 or 20-35 RMB per day per person in your party for each tour guide. It is fine to tip in either USD or RMB currency. You should plan to tip $1-3 or 7-20 RMB per day per person in your party for tour bus drivers. To make tipping easier for your family, you can tip your guide & bus driver at the end of each city on the tour.
Yes. Because birth-country travel can be deeply emotional for many adoptees, each Rooted Route Heritage Tour includes a therapist who is trained and experienced in working with adoptees. They are available throughout the trip to provide support and guidance as needed. Please note that this support is supplemental and does not replace your personal mental health care or ongoing therapy.
What truly sets these trips apart is the focus on adult adoptee community. Traveling with other adoptees creates a unique environment where participants can build deeper connections, share experiences openly, and support one another throughout the journey. This shared understanding often leads to meaningful friendships, personal discovery, and a sense of belonging that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.
In addition, these tours are intentionally designed to be more adventurous, taking you to less-toured regions of China that we believe are especially beautiful, culturally rich, and worth exploring. Because of this, the itinerary includes more physical activity, flexibility, and a spirit of adventure compared to traditional heritage tours.
We do not currently have a summer Rooted Routes tour scheduled for 2026. However, we are exploring the possibility of offering one in 2027. If you’re interested, please let us know so we can add you to our interest list so you can be the first to know about future dates.
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China has no specific immunization requirements for entering their country and the U.S. has no immunization requirements for re-entry. This includes no requirements for COVID immunizations.
We recommend that you ask your personal physician, a travel/immunization clinic, and/or the Center for Disease Control about any vaccinations requirement updates or suggestions.
CDC website for specific recommendations.
Each traveler will need:
Please check your passport and the passports of each individual in your travel party to verify that all expire at least 6 months after your tour dates.
Due to the unpredictability of international travel, we highly recommend that you purchase international travel and medical emergency insurance. Visit our Tour Resources section for more information.
All of the hotels we will be staying at have in-house clinics for any mild medical needs. For anything more urgent, our guides are able to take you to the nearest hospital, if needed.
For any prescription medication, it is recommended that they be kept in their original containers in case of emergency. Make sure that you pack amounts slightly more than enough for the entire trip and have a plan for the drastic time change. For more information regarding medications in your carry-on or checked bags please visit TSA guidelines.
Yes, all of our tour guides will try their utmost to help ensure that all meals are safe for any dietary restrictions. However, due to cultural and culinary differences in China, we cannot guarantee anything and suggest taking caution and packing snacks if food allergies are severe.
Please mention any and all food allergies, dietary needs, or health concerns on your registration form. This will help our guides better prepare.
We also have translated cards available for common allergies or physical conditions. Visit our Tour Resources section to find these under “Travel Tips”. If you would like a translated card that is not yet listed, please contact us.
For in-China flights:
Plan to bring an additional $50-$100 if you are a heavy packer. You may lock your bag for in-China flights but you must leave your bag unlocked for your international flights.
For bullet train travel:
Your hotels on the trip will have laundry services available; however, with the quick speed of the trip, it can be challenging to get hotel laundry done in time. Plan on only being able to do laundry when you are staying at least 2 nights in a given city so that your clothes have ample time to dry.
Please keep in mind that hotel laundry services can be very expensive. Be sure to carefully review the laundry form provided by the hotel in regards to the price per item. There may be some opportunities to have your laundry done outside of the hotel in Chengdu and Guilin. These options could be cheaper. Your guide will be able to notify you if this service is available.
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A $200/traveler deposit is required upon booking. This deposit is applied toward your tour total and is non-refundable except under extenuating circumstances.
Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about this deposit.
Unfortunately, we are no longer able to provide free trip coverage for adoptees traveling on a heritage tour.
Your tour fee does not cover:
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As of right now, some orphanages still remain closed to visitors. Visits must be verified and approved on a case by case basis. Guangdong, Hunan, and Henan Province have remained hesitant, but most other provinces have re-opened their doors to visitors.
Let us know if you do want to visit your/your child’s orphanage on your birth city tour so that we can do some homework for you.
This tour is designed to be more adventurous in order to explore less-touristed areas of China. Because of this, you can expect plenty of walking, hiking, and navigating uneven terrain. If you have medical conditions or accessibility needs, please let us know so we can help you plan and ensure you have a safe and comfortable experience.
While the days are packed, we’ve designed each tour to include some personal time for you to explore the city to your heart’s content! We will provide recommendations on local restaurants, markets, and shopping opportunities for each tour.
Yes! We have intentionally created adoptee-only spaces throughout the tour for reflection, conversation, and community-building. While we believe these moments are a valuable part of the experience, participation is always optional, and we strive to make these spaces welcoming, respectful, and inclusive.
We are grateful to non-adoptee participants who honor and respect these adoptee-only spaces.
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*Please keep in mind that orphanage visits are not guaranteed and will be at the discretion of the orphanage.*
For an orphanage visit, you will need:
Yes, to everything except the orphanage visit itself. Pending approval of your Orphanage Visit Application, our guides can contact the orphanage for you, but the go/no go decision is ultimately up to the orphanage.
Your Orphanage City Tour costs (including hotels, flights/trains, transportation, guide services, etc.) will be calculated specifically for your trip.
Yes, we are happy to plan a Birth Province & Orphanage Tour itinerary for whatever length you would like! Additional costs will be communicated accordingly.
Although gifts are not required as part of the orphanage visit, if you would like to bring a gift, you can consider bringing small toys or school/art supplies for the children. You may also consider inquiring with the orphanage about any specific needs they may have. If you would like, you can purchase what is needed in China.
Gifts/donations are strictly optional.
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