At Global Highlights, we are dedicated to curating premium, high-quality private tours that cater to a variety of travel preferences. Whether you are seeking a family adventure, planning a romantic getaway, celebrating a milestone, or simply looking to check off items on your bucket list, we are here to make your travel planning seamless and enjoyable.
We believe that your trip should be a reflection of your ideas and requirements. That's why our experienced 1:1 travel advisors will carefully consider all your needs, offering comprehensive expert advice and engaging with you to design the perfect itinerary.
During your trip, you will receive 24/7 support from a dedicated team. This team consists of your local tour guide, our customer care manager, and your travel advisor at Global Highlights. Together, we will ensure that your journey is smooth, enjoyable, and unforgettable.
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Global Highlights began from China Highlights, Operating since 1998

The roots of our company trace back to 1998 when China Highlights was founded by Victor Shu. His vision was to revolutionize travel in China by offering private tours tailored to individual interests and budgets. This marked a departure from traditional mass-group tours that barely scratched the surface of the country's rich cultural tapestry.
Over the past two decades, China Highlights has become one of the leading tour companies specializing in customized and creative tours of China. We proudly serve over 10,000 satisfied clients annually, and our exceptional client reviews on TripAdvisor reaffirm our commitment to excellence.
China Highlights has also been a pioneer in several aspects of travel.
- We were the first travel company in China to provide private tailor-made tours, ensuring each traveler's unique needs are met.
- We embraced the convenience and security of online payments early on, becoming the first company in China to utilize PayPal.
- We abandoned shopping commissions and placed a strong emphasis on providing authentic travel experiences, allowing our clients to immerse themselves fully in the destinations they visit.
- As trailblazers, we introduced travelers to local restaurants, enabling them to savor the diverse flavors of China.
Our success and the appreciation shown by our clients propelled us to expand our horizons. Many travelers who experienced our exceptional service in China expressed a desire for similar quality travel options in other destinations. As a response to this demand, we launched the Asia Highlights website in 2016 and Global Highlights website in 2018. After carefully curating travel experiences and handpicking destinations, we ventured beyond China to help our loyal clients explore the beauty of diverse regions.
Learn more about how we've evolved over 20 years.
Clients Who Traveled with Global Highlights

Our clients are the inspiration behind our efforts to create life-changing experiences. We cater to a wide range of clients, including those celebrating special occasions like weddings, birthdays, graduations, honeymoons, and retirement. Our passion for discovery fuels our dedication to crafting unforgettable journeys for each and every unique individual.
Here are some reviews from the clients who traveled with Global Highlights, China Highlights, and Asia Highlights. We sincerely hope that you will soon join our family of satisfied clients and allow us to create a beautiful journey tailored just for you.
China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.


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Wonderful tour in Hangzhou
We had a wonderful time in Hangzhou thanks to China Highlights and especially to our guide Derek! He has done a great job making us confortable! He is very professional and friendly and he taught us a lot of stories and traditions about China!! We highly recommend him for your future visit in Hangzhou More
Giulia F,
Aug 2023
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Der Partner für eine individuelle China Reise
Die Agency (in unserem Fall vertreten durch Tutu Sun) hat für uns eine perfekte Reise organisiert. Sehr gute Kommunikation im Vorfeld der Reise und vor Ort. Zu 100% verl?sslich, immer pünktlich und an jedem Ort sehr freundliche und engagierte Guides. Wir k?nnen eine Buchung bei diesem Unternehmen absolut und uneingeschr?nkt empfehlen. In Beijing hatten wir mit Herrn Chen 3 interessante Tage inklusive einer sehr spannenden individuellen Wanderung auf der grossen Mauer. More
Jeanne K,
Aug 2023
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China Highlights & Roger Li great service
The company and Roger Li in particular have been very responsive to customizing our China trip. They provided us clear instructions, full information and helpful links to facilitate the planning of the trip. More
Linda Folsom,
Aug 2023
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Fantastic private tour
We had an excellent trip; we did the 3 day (4 nights) tour and our guide Wendy made it an exceptional experience. She was so informative and planned our itinerary so well - even though the attractions are very busy in the summer season, Wendy made sure that we did our best to avoid the crowds. The sights are beautiful and it is absolutely worth travelling from the bigger cities. Tianmen mountain was the highlight of the trip! We are so glad we booked a private tour. Hotel was also excellent. More
Ailin C,
Aug 2023
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Beijing Tour
Bruce was an amazing guide and very knowledgeable. He got me past ALOT of long lines fast and knew all the best places to go to take pictures! Also provided good recommendations for additional activities! If you get Bruce you’re in good hands! More
Anthony L,
Aug 2023
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Excellent service- heart warming experience
We contacted China Highlights on a private tour trip to Yunnan , China. Since this is our first time to Yunnan, we also contacted a few other travel agencies. Not all replied but Amber Zhao from China Highlights was one of them. She replied ( on Whatsapp/emails) within a few hours after I sent my inquiry. After a few correspondences, she proposed a very detailed itinerary- thoroughly professional. However, after reviewing all the proposed itineraries/costs from those who replied, we decided to go with a Yunnan-based agency. We informed Amber of our decision, expecting that she will be upset but to our surprise, her reply was very professional & supportive. Part of her reply: “Thank you for getting back to me. I completely understand your decision to proceed with a local Yunnan travel agency for your upcoming trip. Yunnan is a beautiful province with a rich cultural heritage, and having a local guide can greatly enrich your experience there..... I hope you have a wonderful time in Yunnan. Wishing you and your family a safe, pleasant, and meaningful trip filled with lasting memories. May you have fair weather, smooth travels, and find warm hospitality everywhere you go” We will definitely contact Amber/ China Highlights for our next China trip on another province. Thanks so much, Amber. More
EL N,
Aug 2023
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Another excellent trip with China Highlights
Another wonderful four-day section of our tailor-made three week China Highlights trip, this time in the region around Guilin, Yangshuo and in the Longji rice terraces with our friendly guide Chase. The 4-hour Li river cruise on a 4-star boat, the bamboo rafting - which our guide kindly got us by queueing from 4am onwards - hike to Moon Hill, bicycle river trip and Liu San Jie light show were all excellent, so was the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat hotel. The hike in the Longji rice terraces from Ping’an to another village, bamboo rice cooking experience and Baike Boutique Hotel with its great views were also all wonderful. We wished we could have stayed longer! More
Axel R,
Aug 2023
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One day trip to Shanghai with Martin
I liked beautiful riverfront with skyscrapers, especially in the evening. The garden is very nice, lots of walkways makes it feel really big. Thanks to the guide the schedule was very flexible. Instead of waiting in a huge queue for the tv tower we went to nearby skyscraper, we also were able to meet with our friends who also visited Shanghai on the same day. More
Dmitry,
Aug 2023
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Jasmine B
Quelle expérience inoubliable avons-nous vécue à Xian accompagné admirablement par Fanny ! Par la visite du quartier musulman, armée des soldats en terre cuite, la ville et ses remparts, un spectacle grandiose, etc., Fanny à toujours su nous emmener aux endroits parfaits pour notre famille. Avant d’arriver, j’avais peur que cette ville soit sans intérêt pour mon plus jeune enfant, mais Fanny et China Highlights ont proposé des activités variées pour toute la famille et Fanny savait comment naviguer dans les foules avec notre poussette et fut d’une aide précieuse avec les enfants ! Elle nous a aussi beaucoup aidé à mieux comprendre la ville et son histoire. C'était toujours intéressant de l'écouter. Le logement à Somerset Xindicheng était parfait aussi ! Merci pour tout ! Nous en garderons un mémorable souvenir. More
Jasmine B,
Aug 2023
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Ms Yeliz Wong acted as a very…
Ms Yeliz Wong acted as a very professional agent. All my questions were answered in short time. I am very fond of her More
Konorti Derazon,
Aug 2023
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Bucket list item achieved
In case you didn't know, ALL foreigners MUST be on an organized tour to visit Tibet. However, what was great about this China Highlights tour was that we were givenq the choice of what kind of hotel to stay in (3 or 4 stars), and though the days were planned, our tour guide gave us a lot of flexibility (on day seven he let us decide as group if we wanted to see another monastery... we had had our full by then!) and the evevings were always free. The culture, the scenery and the people of Tibet are almost indescribable, and I was moved so many times and in multiple places. That said, what really made my time traveling aacoss Tibet so fulfiling was our tour guide, E. Ten Zin. He dealt with seven different personalities with professional ease, communicated clearly what was happening at all times (there are multiple check points, so he needed to take our passports frequently), had an answer for every question and topic, and quickly learned what each of us liked and gave us more of that... I was quietly fascinated by some farmland, and E. Ten Zin took me aside, took my camera and said "you need a photo here". And when we arrived at Everest and she was hiding behind some clouds, he sat down, patted the ground beside him for us to join him and told us "just wait. You will see"... half an hour later, he was right, and Everest was spectacular. This was not my first time with China Highlights, and it won't be my last. Highly highly recommended. More
Simon Shikongo,
Aug 2023
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We had an amazing trip with China Highlights!
Kris was an excellent tour guide in Shanghai and flexible with our travel plans. Mervyn has impressive knowledge of history and culture in Xi'an and did a stellar job navigating the crowds of tourists seeing the Terra-cotta Army. Cactus brings a depth of historical knowledge to the tours that is super interesting, and she has great enthusiasm that makes the tour enjoyable. All our drivers were very good and helped ensure that we got from one destination to the next as safely and quickly as possible. The air conditioning in the comfortable cars during the exceptionally hot summer was appreciated, as well. Our itinerary included Shanghai, Xi'an, and Beijing, plus a few days trips such as a small water town outside Shanghai and the Terra-cotta Army outside Xi'an. We took high speed trains between all our destinations, and the China Highlights team did everything they could remotely to pre-arrange those logistics and also escorted us as far as they were able to at each train station. We traveled first class whenever the tickets were still available, and we stayed in quality hotels that were clean and centrally-located for most tourist activities in each city. It was maybe the greatest culinary trip of our lives. :) More
Brett N,
Aug 2023
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Wonderful Yunnan
The representative (Ms Maggie Jiang) assigned was responsive and customer service oriented. Our trip was well organised with quality tour guides and drivers. My family and I had a wonderful Yunnan experience. More
Molly,
Aug 2023
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We worked with Kimmi Huang at China…
All the drivers and guides in each city were excellent and really enhanced our experience.we had Jennifer in .Beijing, Mervyn in Xi’an, Chase in Guilin and Kris in Shanghai. If we travel in this region again, will definitely use China Highlights, thanks for an unforgettable trip! More
Rita Arment,
Aug 2023
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Wonderful two weeks in China
My mom and I visited China for two weeks using China Highlights and had Jennifer (Beijing), Mervyn (Xi'an), Chase (Guilin / Yangshou County), and Kris (Shanghai) as our guides. Our guides were knowledgeable about their local regions and very friendly. Each guide went above and beyond to make our experience memorable and special! Thank you, China Highlights! More
Annie,
Aug 2023
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Great two weeks in China with China Highlights
The trip included Shanghai where Kris was our amazing guide, Guilin and Yangshuo with Gary who did an amazing job at adjusting the schedule to meet our needs given the incredible heat, Chengdu with Helen who shared her passion for the Pandas with us, had fun in the peoples park with us and introduced us to the local opera which was fascinating and ensured we were able to taste amazing Sizhuan food without burning up! We then moved on to Xian with Jenny who ensured we got to the Terracotta army early enough to get an amazing view, took us to try our hand at making our own warriors, was very knowledgable about the history of Xian which was very interesting and lastly allowed us to try making dumplings which we all loved. Our final stop was Beijing. Ethan was our tour guide and he again did an amazing job ensuring we got to the Great Wall of China early enough to see the amazing wall without too many people and whilst it was still relatively cool, share his great knowledge of the Forbidden City and Summer Palace with us, introduced us to the Beijing Hot Pot and importantly ensured we were able to celebrate our sons 18th birthday in style and with his favourite Chinese food!! Thank you again for making our 2 weeks so special and we will for sure be back very soon. More
Sandra,
Aug 2023
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Kris from China Highlights in Shanghai was wonderful
We toured Shanghai with Kris from China Highlights as our guide, he was friendly, helpful and made the trip a lot of fun! He also went above and beyond when we traveled to my daughter’s birthplace helping to get information and connect with people from the orphanage where my daughter was adopted from.Highly recommend!! More
Rita A,
Aug 2023
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Personalized and very memorable!
Kris with China Highlights was friendly and personable during our trip. He told us the history of Shanghai in an interesting way, and gave us great recommendations to avoid crowds but still see the highlights of Shanghai. He also traveled with us to the city I was born and was very helpful in helping us communicate with locals. He made sure we had a memorable and very special experience. More
Annie A,
Aug 2023
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Another great China Highlights trip
Another wonderful four-day section of our tailor-made three week China Highlights trip, this time in the region around Guilin, Yangshuo and in the Longji rice terraces with our friendly guide Chase. The 4-hour Li river cruise on a 4-star boat, the bamboo rafting - which our guide kindly got us by queueing from 4am onwards - hike to Moon Hill, bicycle river trip and Liu San Jie light show were all excellent, so was the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat hotel. The hike in the Longji rice terraces from Ping’an to another village, bamboo rice cooking experience and Baike Boutique Hotel with its great views were also all wonderful. We wished we could have stayed longer! More
Axel Rudolph,
Aug 2023
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Superb tailored tour in exquisite place!
We were treated to the most amazing, full, tailor-made, unique & personalised tour of Guilin & Yangshuo over 4 days.. Our excellent guide Vincent went the extra mile to give us the best experience and included local, personalised activities & adventures, hidden gems off the beaten track! We had the best time, using every minute tfor both 'wow" & 'local' experiences and with helpful advice always. His helper Karpo was also amazing & helped us a lot, as did our driver Mr Tan. It all flowed effortlessly for us, while they were working hard behind the scenes! ..and also to meet our every need. We are so grateful. Thank you for showing us the best of Guilin & Yangshuo, & for looking after us so well, while also avoiding the crowds in high season. More
teresamk8,
Aug 2023
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We are crazy about creating life-changing experiences for all the world's unique travelers.
With over 20 years of experience in customized tours, we have developed a robust quality management system that ensures every trip we arrange is enjoyable and memorable.
1) We are committed to offering premium, customized private tours without breaking the bank.

Thanks to our strategic partnerships and efficient working system, we provide affordable options in most countries. With a budget of US200-300 per person per day for a private guided tour in countries such as China, Thailand, Egypt, etc.
Traveling to Japan, South Korea, Israel, Turkey, etc. costs 2–3 times this for a private tour.
2) We take pride in selecting guides who genuinely care about creating memorable experiences for our clients.

Our guides are locals with a profound understanding of your needs. They undergo regular assessments and updates to ensure they deliver exceptional service, continuously improving areas where they can excel.
3) To ensure your journey is stress-free, we offer round-the-clock support via email, WhatsApp, iMessage, and/or WeChat.

Throughout your trip, you will have the support of your local tour guide, our customer care manager, and your dedicated 1:1 travel advisor. This knowledgeable team is always available to assist you with any changes or emergencies that may arise along the way.
4) We provide a super-friendly cancellation policy.

We understand that plans can change, and we strive to accommodate our clients. To provide peace of mind, we offer a super-friendly cancellation policy. You can receive a 100% refund of any payments made to Global Highlights if cancellations are made up to 3 weeks before departure.
Meet Global Highlights' Team — We See People as Our Most Valued Asset

What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional service and creating extraordinary travel experiences. Our team at Global Highlights consists of approximately 100 dedicated individuals. Within our team, 75% are female members who understand the unique needs of parents and children on family trips.
Many of our team members, including our founder Victor Shu and CEO Steven Zhao, have been with China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights since their graduation. This longevity has fostered a highly cohesive team and a persistent commitment to delivering top-quality travel services.
Victor Shu: Founder of China Highlights

Victor was an experienced English-speaking travel guide in the 1990s. He loves hiking and likes to travel off the beaten paths. With a dream of providing authentic travel experiences in China, he started China Highlights in 1998.
Now, he is the founder of a local church in Guilin and works there most of the time.
Steven Zhao: CEO

Steven joined China Highlights right after his graduation in 2004, first as an SEO trainee, followed by a time in sales, then as a project manager, our marketing director, and other roles before becoming the CEO.
He is a history fanatic, who believes that the future lies in the past, and most present-day challenges can be answered with historical wisdom.
Steven is also a travel enthusiast, who likes taking his history books to travel destinations and exploring the profound historical culture behind them. His last trip was along the Silk Road into Central Asia and Iran.
The company is his passion. He even met his love in the office, and they continue to work and travel together.
Karen Yang: Chief Manager

Karen, now the mother of two kids, joined China Highlights in 2003 when she was in her last year of college.
Karen is good at setting up performance standards and procedures, which makes China Highlights' and Asia Highlights' business advance in a positive way. The amount of people traveling with Asia Highlights in 2022 has exceeded that before COVID (in 2019)!
Lissy Xu: Marketing Manager

Lissy was first a German-speaking travel guide. After that she launched the German brand version of China Highlights. She was the first one to come up with the idea of expanding our tour service to other Asia countries besides China. In 2016, she founded the brand Asia Highlights.
Lissy loves traveling and meeting new people. Getting lost in the local streets and lanes is her favorite thing to do during a tour.
She is a cancer survivor and the mother of two kids. She believes that persistence and travel lead to a better life. Now, she is working with the team to expand our service to Africa and the Americas.
Thank you for considering Global Highlights as your trusted travel companion. We are excited to embark on this incredible journey with you! If you have any questions or would like to start planning your dream vacation, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Our team of travel experts is here to assist you every step of the way.
Why Travel with Global Highlights (98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+)
- Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
- Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
- Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.