There is only one reason that I can't give five stars to our SmarTours tour. It seemed a bit odd that an experienced tour company could fail to mention and consider that this tour took place during one of two "Golden Weeks" in China wherein about 70 to 80 million Chinese tour all of the big tourist places, causing crowds about two to three times normal. Alas, we never got to see Tienanmen Square because our bus couldn't get to the place; and we spent a good portion of our visit to the Terra Cotta Warriors squashed flat against the walls by the massive crowds. Everything else about our tour was first rate from our tour guide Ma; to how he and our bus drivers found ways to make everything fun and interesting; to the good nearly all Chinese food; to great free bottled water; to our hotels; our great fellow tourists; and all our tours. Pack light; and have a good time if you go to China with SmarTours. Just don't go the first week of October!