9-Day Poetic Journey Through the Water Towns of the South Yangtze

Upon arrival in this vibrant city, Shanghai, your private guide will be waiting for you at the airport to lead you through the hustle and bustle of the city directly to your comfortable hotel. After unpacking, take a walk along the Bund or nearby neighborhoods while the sunset is still visible, and feel the unique charm of this city.

After breakfast, you will visit the Shanghai Museum, one of China's earliest world-class modern museums, housing 120,000 precious artifacts and serving as a testament to Chinese art spanning 5,000 years. As you wander through the various exhibition halls, each artifact is like opening a door to the past.

Next, we proceed to Yu Garden, hidden in the bustling downtown area of Shanghai. This 460-year-old private garden is a treasure of Shanghai's traditional culture. Classical buildings, beautiful rockeries, serene ponds, and winding corridors constitute moving scenes. Don't forget to try authentic Shanghai snacks and check out handicrafts on the snack street near Yu Garden.

After lunch, we come to the Bund, one of Shanghai's most famous attractions. Take a leisurely walk along the promenade along the Huangpu River, enjoying the architectural scenery on both sides. The Bund is a center of commerce and culture during the day and transforms into a dazzling sea of lights at night.

Finally, we head to Shanghai Tower, the world's second-tallest building. Take the world's fastest elevator to the observation deck at 561 meters above ground to overlook the spectacular views of the entire city.

If time permits and you're still energetic, you can also visit the French Concession, known as the "Paris of the East." This historic district is the most fashionable and exquisite microcosm of Shanghai. It boasts not only romantic streets lined with plane trees but also many elegant cafes and restaurants awaiting your exploration.

Today, you will take a half-hour high-speed rail journey to Suzhou, the heavenly city famous for its classical gardens and water towns.

Our first visit is to the Lingering Garden, one of China's Four Great Gardens. The Lingering Garden is not only renowned for its exquisite architectural design but also represents the pinnacle of Suzhou's classical garden art. Stepping into the garden, you'll find its buildings, rockeries, corridors, pavilions, ponds, and trees standing in the best positions, neither too crowded nor too scattered. The most incredible thing is that from different angles in the same place, you can enjoy different landscapes.
After lunch, walk leisurely along Pingjiang Road, where the canals flow quietly on both sides, and the quaint buildings coexist harmoniously with modern life, making people instinctively slow down and savor this rare tranquility.

Next, we will visit the most historically significant site in Suzhou, Tiger Hill. This small hill, only 36 meters high and covering about 3.5 acres, has many historical relics, some dating back 2,500 years. Notable attractions include the Yunyan Pagoda, a seven-story tower with a history of over 1,000 years and a tilt similar to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Sword Pool where King Helu of the Wu State tested his sword, where he buried his treasured sword about 2,500 years ago. Tiger Hill is also a great place for walking, enjoying natural scenery, and experiencing local customs.

After the tour, you will be driven to Hangzhou (about 1.5 hours). Upon arrival, the local guide and driver will meet you, escort you to your hotel in the city center, and assist you with check-in procedures. Have a pleasant evening!

When in Hangzhou, the first attraction to visit is the picturesque West Lake. It is Hangzhou's landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a leisurely 45-minute boat tour to enjoy the serene lake views, ancient pagodas, traditional arched bridges, tree-lined paths, beautiful hills, green islands, and lush gardens. After the boat tour, take a leisurely walk or ride a sightseeing bus around the famous attractions surrounding West Lake, such as Su Causeway, Bai Causeway, Broken Bridge, Solitary Hill, Fish Viewing at Flower Pond, and Curved Courtyard among Lotus. You can hop on and off the sightseeing bus anywhere along the route to save energy.

Next, we proceed to Feilai Peak. Legend has it that Feilai Peak flew from India to China to spread Buddhism. There are over 300 Buddhist sculptures on the riverbanks, hillsides, and in the grottoes, dating back over 1,000 years, making them a precious mural treasure in the entire Jiangnan region.

Then, continue to the adjacent Lingyin Temple, which has a history of nearly 1,700 years and is one of the oldest and most popular temples in Hangzhou. The temple complex of Lingyin Temple is magnificent and antique, nestled among dense trees, offering a charming, serene, and solemn atmosphere mixed with a strong Buddhist aura.

Finally, visit the Huqingyu Tang Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum. Here, you can observe closely how pharmacists dispense and package traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for people who come to buy them, feeling the charm of traditional Chinese medicine.

After today's visit, you will be taken back to your hotel in the city center of Hangzhou. Have a pleasant evening!

After breakfast, we will drive to Meijiawu Tea Village for a relaxing morning. Surrounded by mountains, vast green Longjing tea fields with neat lines and beautiful curves create a breathtaking fairyland. Meijiawu Tea Village is the birthplace of West Lake Longjing tea, known as "China's best tea." Here, you can learn about traditional Chinese tea culture, watch how tender leaves are processed into exquisite Longjing tea, and enjoy elegant tea art performances. If the weather permits, you can also pick tea leaves with local tea farmers and experience the processing work.

[Experience Tip] Visiting local tea farming families to experience tea picking, tea frying, tea ceremony appreciation, and Longjing tea tasting requires an additional fee.

After breakfast, take the morning high-speed rail from Hangzhou East Railway Station to Huangshan. The quick and comfortable train journey takes only about 1.5 hours to reach Huangshan North Railway Station. Upon arrival, your private guide and driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel in Huangshan City.

After a short rest, we will head to Tunxi Ancient Street, which has a history of 900 years. This 1.5-kilometer-long and 7-meter-wide street, paved with chestnut-colored stone plates, consists of one main street, three cross streets, and eighteen alleys. The buildings along the street feature white walls, black tiles, and exquisite carvings, showcasing a distinct Huizhou style. As you stroll along, you'll find many shops that have been family-run for over a century, selling various unique items, from inkstones and brushes to local tea and Mao Zedong medals. Don't miss the opportunity to taste local delicacies such as hairy tofu,shaobin (baked sesame cakes), and smelly gui fish.

There is also a treasure trove of in-depth understanding of Anhui's rich history on the ancient street—the Tunxi Museum. Here, you can appreciate at the collection of Ming and Qing dynasty furniture, exquisite porcelain, and exquisite Huizhou carvings. Special emphasis is placed on the "Four Treasures of the Study"—brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, which are the cornerstones of Chinese calligraphy and painting. Due to the long history and superior quality of Anhui's "Four Treasures," they enjoy international fame and are favored by many scholars and artists.

Have a good rest for the night, and tomorrow we will head towards Mount Huang.

Today, we will explore the stunning Huangshan Mountains, located in Anhui Province and spanning 1,200 square kilometers. Renowned as the "most beautiful mountains in China," Huangshan boasts granite peaks, unique rock formations, ancient trees, hot springs, waterfalls, and over 1,500 species of plants.

After breakfast, our tour guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel and drive approximately 80 kilometers (1.5 hours) to the foot of Huangshan. To save energy and time, you can take the park bus directly from the foot of the mountain to Yungu Temple and then take the cable car to the upstream scenic area of Huangshan - Beihai Scenic Area. Walk up to the towering Shixin Peak (1,668m) to extend your view to the distant sea of clouds, and then hike for about 40 minutes to Paiyun Pavilion to overlook the dreamlike Xihai Grand Canyon. Walking down the stone steps, you will reach the deeper part of the canyon, admiring the Avatar-like towering rock peaks, immeasurable cliffs, peculiar stones, and resilient pine trees.

Generally, energetic hikers will take about 3 hours to hike from Paiyunge to the bottom via the First Ring and Second Ring and then return to the starting point. For beginners, children, and elderly tourists, you can decide the length of the hike based on your physical condition. Generally, the First Ring takes 2 hours and the Second Ring takes 2.5 hours. A monorail cable car is also available at the bottom of the canyon for tourists who prefer not to walk back up.

If time and energy permit, you can spend about an hour exploring Tianhai Scenic Area, enjoying the sunset at Guangmingding (1,840m), the second-highest peak, visiting the incredible Flying Rock, and then return to the hotel for a good rest.

(Note: From December to late March of the next year, the Xihai Grand Canyon is usually closed due to cold weather and heavy snow. Please contact us anytime to adjust your itinerary.)

Get up early to admire the magnificent sunrise over Huangshan. Our recommendation is to watch the sunrise at Qingshuangtai, just a few minutes' walk from Beihai Hotel. On a clear day, you can clearly see the golden rays of sunlight piercing through the mist and the rock peaks towering above the ever-changing sea of clouds. After watching the sunrise, return to the hotel for breakfast.

Then continue your wonderful exploration of Huangshan: visit the famous Liming Pavilion, Lion Peak - Stone Monkey Watching the Sea (1,690m). Walk along the wooden plank road to the cable car station and take the cable car down the mountain.

Your driver will be waiting at the foot of the mountain to take you back to Huangshan City for lunch. You are free to explore the surrounding areas and enjoy the hot springs for the rest of the day.

Enjoying hot springs is the best way to relieve fatigue after mountain hiking. Huangshan Hot Springs, a renowned resort and health spa with a history of over a thousand years, is built along the mountain and features over 15 pools with different scents and functions. The hot spring area itself also has resort-style hotels, allowing you to enjoy a comfortable stay after sightseeing and soaking in the hot springs.

(Note: The Huangshan Hot Springs area is currently closed for maintenance. We will update the information once it reopens.)