Jasmine's China Adventure Tours

Jasmine at the entrance to the Dongzhulin Yellow Hat Monastery, near Zhongdian.

About Jasmine

My name is Zheng Ou, but please call me Jasmine. I am the owner of Jasmine's China Adventure Tours. In fact, I guide most of the tours myself! I want to tell you something about my tours, and about me, so you will know why you should choose Jasmine's China Adventure Tours to introduce you to China.

My tours are specially designed for people who want to travel more freely, and more adventurously, than most tourists. If you want to see the real China up close, meet its people and taste its authentic local specialties, my tours are right for you.

I keep the size of my groups small, no more than 12 people. That means we have the flexibility to wander through old neighborhoods and back streets, even visit the homes of local people, to see the real life of China. We can eat at small, family-owned restaurants to taste the authentic Chinese cuisine, and linger in night street markets among the intriguing food stalls, where there are many kinds of small dishes and snacks to try. If you're adventurous enough, you can sample many new and delicious things, like the Moslem snacks of Xi'an, the stuffed chili peppers and fermented beans of Moon Hill Village near Guilin, the fried onion cakes of Lijiang, even the ultra-spicy Sichuan hotpot, which you can wash down with the local rice wine! This is one of the things my guests like best about their trips.

Village at the foot of the Great Wall.

Jasmine welcoming her group to a village at the foot of an unrestored section of the Great Wall. (Photo courtesy of Michael Redfern, Louisville, Colorado)

My tours avoid big buses and over-stuffed itineraries. Although we visit the "must-see" sights, we also have plenty of time to get off the beaten track, where the real China can be found. You will have time to walk through bustling street markets, wander through country villages, absorb the serene atmosphere of an ancient temple or monastery, or linger on an alpine meadow beneath the towering Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. I take you to remote and scenic places many tours don't reach, such as the small fishing villages on the shore of Lake Erhai, the mysterious rock carvings of the Shibaoshan Grottoes and the picturesque villages and farmer's fields of Guilin and Yangshuo. We will explore these areas on foot, on a bicycle, from a boat...the way the local people do.

I bring a strong commitment to personal service to my tours. I always inspect every restaurant and food stand we visit for freshness and sanitation, so that we may really enjoy the local cooking. I also carefully check the local conditions, particularly in remote areas. I arrange meetings with local people and translate for you so you can talk with them. I do everything possible to make sure you have a safe and wonderful trip.

How can I do all this? As you can tell from my name and photograph, I am Chinese. I was born in Kunming, in Yunnan Province. I grew up and went to the university in Beijing, majoring in English and Economics. Of course, I am fluent in Mandarin and also speak some of the local dialects. After university, I worked as a tour organizer and national guide for one of the first-class travel services in China. I organized and guided dozens of trips for foreign friends throughout China. In 1993, I married my husband Paul, an American who took one of my trips, and moved to California. My family still lives in Beijing. I go to visit often and keep in touch with all the big changes going on there. Over the years, I have met and become friends with many local people in all of the places we visit in China. They are very glad to welcome us into their homes and share their lives with us. Our visits to my friends have brought a special joy and understanding of Chinese life to the people on my tours. As you can see, I am very proud of my country, its people and its great beauty, and I am very eager to introduce it to you.

Family-owned restaurant with local flavors, Old Town Lijiang.

Please explore further to find out more details about my tours. I am looking forward to seeing you in China!

C.S.T. Number 2034611-40

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