Short answer: A lot of travel in China runs through Chinese-only apps, WeChat mini programs, phone calls in Chinese and checks that a foreign passport struggles to pass. Those are exactly the jobs we take on. Tell us what you need on WhatsApp or by email, and we'll do it for you or tell you plainly if we can't.
We're a small local team in Yunnan. Most readers plan their trip on their own with our guides and notes, and message us only for the parts that get stuck.
What foreigners get stuck on, and what we do
| The job | Why it's hard from abroad | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Jade Dragon cable car | Sold only in a Chinese WeChat mini program, released at 20:00 seven days ahead, with a face scan; sells out fast | We try for your tickets at the release with your passport details, and handle the refund if the weather closes it |
| Train tickets | 12306 checks foreign passports by hand, which takes 3–5 working days; foreign cards are often declined | We book the seats with each traveler's passport details |
| Other bookings in mini programs | Many sights, tea mountains and local buses take reservations only in Chinese apps | We book where a passport is accepted, or tell you the other way in |
| Calls and messages in Chinese | Guesthouses, drivers, restaurants and scenic areas mostly answer only in Chinese, often on WeChat | We call or message for you: whether a guesthouse can register foreigners, luggage, a pickup time, a table |
| Alipay and WeChat set-up | Passport checks, foreign cards that won't link, accounts that get restricted | Send us screenshots and we'll help you find where it's stuck |
| Is it open? | Closures for maintenance, rockfalls or new rules are announced in Chinese | We check before you travel |
| Drivers and guides | Hard to vet from abroad; cheap tours add shopping stops | Licensed drivers and English-speaking local guides, with no shopping stops |
| Halal meals | Halal restaurants are easy to miss if you can't read the signs | We look up halal places near your hotel and plan meal stops on driving days |
Checked in October 2026. Rules for tickets and apps change; we tell you what applies when you ask.
What stays with you
- You go through the gates yourself. Real-name tickets are checked against your own passport, and some places scan your face too. We can book your seat, but we can't go in for you.
- Sold-out is sold-out. In busy seasons some tickets run out in minutes. We'll try, and we'll tell you honestly if it didn't work, with a plan B.
- Visas are yours to apply for. We can point you to the official rules for your passport, but we don't arrange visas.
- We never need your passwords. Don't send us app passwords, verification codes or full card numbers. For bookings we only need each traveler's name as in the passport, passport number and nationality.
How it works
- Tell us what you need. The job, your dates and how many of you are traveling.
- We reply with what we can do and what it costs, before we book anything. Asking is free.
- We do it and send you the details: the booking, the time slot, the Chinese names to show your driver.
