Frequently Asked Questions
Can you issue Letters of Invitation (LOI) for China Visa Applications?
We are happy to issue a Letter of Invitation and an official itinerary for customers who book a trip with us and pay a deposit.
Are special permits needed for travel to Xinjiang or for border crossings from neighboring countries?
There are no special permits necessary to travel in Xinjiang. The major cities and tourist attractions can be accessed like any other city in China. However, many out-of-the-way areas of Xinjiang may require a special permit to access. AWT has many years of experience obtaining special permits for our guests. Here is a list of some of the more common permits that are required:
Torugat Border Permit
We can arrange this permit in one day (for rush orders a few hours) for you or your group if you want to cross the border from China to Kyrgyzstan or Kyrgyzstan to China. To receive this permit our tour guide and driver must accompany you. Please provide us with the following information:
1) Full name (as listed on your passport)
2) Gender
3) Passport Number
4) Date of Birth
5) Nationality
6) Chinese Visa number and type of visa
7) Date of arrival or crossing at the border and number of people
Tibet Travel Permit
We can arrange this permit for you in 3-4 working days. If you want to go to Tibet from Kashgar, please provide us with your Chinese Visa and your Passport details. To receive this permit our tour guide and driver must accompany you.
Muz Tagh Ata Climbing Permit
This is a special permit for the Adventure tourists. We can get this permit for you and your group in 30 days officially. For this permit, we need all your passport and Chinese Visa details. Additionally we must provide the office with our official climbing itinerary.
K2 Base Camp Trekking Permit
This is a permit for trekking in this area. We must get permission from several different related offices to get the permit. It takes about 15-20 days. You will need to provide us with all of your passport and Chinese Visa details and confirmed trekking itinerary, which we will help you prepare. To receive this permit our tour guide must accompany you.
Rawak Ancient City (Hotan) Visiting Permit
It takes one or two hours to get this permit. To receive this permit our tour guide must accompany you.
Niya Ancient City Visiting Permit
This is one of the most costly permits to obtain. It takes about 3-5 days to get the permit.
Bayanbulak (Bayingolin) Traveling Permit
You will need this permit to visit Swan Lake or to stay overnight there. We can arrange this permit in one working day.
Can I exchange my money in Kashgar?
We are happy to provide this service as a convenience to our customers free of charge. We use the same exchange rates as published by the Bank of China and will provide you with a receipt for easy exchange when leaving China.
Do you book hotel rooms?
Because we are a licensed and registered tour company we can offer the best rates on hotels all across China. Our rates are consistently 30-35% lower than any other company. For hotels in Kashgar and throughout Xinjiang we are able to offer additional savings due to the long term relationships we have established with the local hotels.
Should we bring gifts for homestays? If so, what is good to give?
You are not required to give gifts, but it is very culturally appropriate and a much appreciated gesture.
If you want to keep it simple, you can pick up fruit or nuts from a local market before going to a home for a meal or homestay. If you know in advance there will be young children, you can buy some stickers or other small gifts for them too. (Ask your tour guide for suggestions.)
Some small things you can bring from abroad that make nice gifts: lotions, nice notebooks and pens, foreign currency (small coins or bills), etc...
Does AWT book plane and train tickets?
Yes. AWT can help you book domestic flights or international flights originating in China. If you want to book plane tickets on your own we suggest you view ctrip.com. For booking tickets through AWT, we request 100% non-refundable deposit.
AWT also books train tickets. Hard seats and hard sleepers are guaranteed with advanced booking. Soft sleepers may be difficult to reserve during busy seasons, but AWT promises to do their best to help you with your requests. AWT requests 100% non-refundable deposit for ticket purchasing.
Silk Road Ventures