12 Days Tea Journey, Shanghai-Suzhou- Hangzhou-Zhangjiajie

Welcome to Shanghai. After clear the customs, meet your friendly Shanghai guide and be transported to the hotel in a comfortable vehicle. Guide will help with check in. Rest of time is free at your leisure.

• Hotels: Central Hotel Shanghai, Four Seasons Hotel Pudong Shanghai, Grand Hyatt Shanghai

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Have you recover from the jet lag? Your Shanghai adventure starts! First stop is French Concession. Wander through the beautiful buildings, you may feel like in Paris because of the architecture style. Shanghai City God Temple is your second stop. City god originated from ancient Confucian rituals and evolved through Taoism as local guardian gods. After exploring the Temple, walk to Yuyuan Garden which is nearby. The art of relief, architecture construction and layout of Chinese garden is vividly presented to you. After lunch at Xiangyefu Restaurant, visit one of the best museums in China – Shanghai Museum. Then, go up to Shanghai's second tallest building - Shanghai World Financial Center to have a bird view of Shanghai. Later tour followed with a light-hearted wander along the Bund. Back to the hotel.

Optional evening activity: Era Time, Shangcheng Acrobatic Show, Huangpu River night cruise

Note: Shanghai Museum is quite crowded during the travel peak time. You may need to queue the line for some time. Discuss with your guide if you want to change the site.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Your guide will escort you to the train station in Shanghai for your train to Suzhou. Upon arrival, meet your Suzhou guide and be taken to visit Humble Administrator’s Garden. Known as one of the four most famous gardens in China, it is also the largest classic garden in Suzhou. Hop on a rickshaw through ancient streets where vividness of the local life is brought to you. Today’s adventure comes to an end with an exploration at Pingjiang Road Historic District - by far the most well-preserved area of Suzhou's ancient city.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: InterContinental Suzhou, Suzhou Marriott Hotel, Hyatt Regency Suzhou

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Biluochun green tea (harvest from late March to early April)

Biluochun green tea is produced in East Dongting Mountain and West Dongting Mountain (now Wuzhong District of Suzhou) in Taihu Lake. Drive for about one hour, you will reach Taihu Lake. Immerse yourself in the tea plantation surrounded by Taihu Lake and learn how the tea is made while participating in picking tea leaves, drying them and brewing. Lunch at a local restaurant is included.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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After breakfast, visit Panmen Scenic Area. Panmen Gate was built in succession during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and is the only intact water and land parallel ancient gate in China. Travel out of Suzhou city for 22km to visit Tongli Water Town. In Tongli, people has a close relation with water and it is believed that water is the soul of local culture. Ancient bridges connecting the two bands of the river are seen everywhere. A boat cruise is arranged for you to experience the local transportation. Lunch is arranged in town. In the afternoon, be transferred to the train station in Suzhou to take the train to Hangzhou.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Banyan Tree Hangzhou, Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake, Grand Hyatt Hangzhou

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After a night’s rest, drive to a local tea village where you will gain knowledge of dragon well tea. Wander through the undulating tea bushes and learn how to pick tea leaves for dragon well tea and how to brew it from a local tea farmer. Head over to Lingyin Temple and Peak Flown From Afar to find a peaceful moment. Enjoy a local lunch serves with tea related dishes. Step into China National Tea Museum, which is the only tea related museum in China. Leifeng Pagoda, a five stories tall tower with eight sides, originally constructed in 975 AD, but collapsed in 1924 and was rebuilt in 2002. Since then it has been a popular tourist attraction. West Lake is one of the best-known scenic spots in China. It is considered as a "Paradise on Earth". Board a boat to cruise the lake and enjoy its beauty. Be escorted back to the hotel.

Optional evening activity: Enduring Memories of Hangzhou

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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A day for you to rest or explore Hangzhou city on your own. Savour a moment of tranquility and explore every cranny and crook of the city. Free suggestions will be given to you from your experienced guide. In the afternoon, your guide and driver will wait for you at your hotel at the confirmed time to transport you to the airport for your onward flight to Zhangjiajie. Meet your Zhangjiajie guide and drive there and head to your hotel in downtown area.

Note:
Though cable car and shuttles are available, walking for at least 2 to 3 hours per day is needed. Leisurely paced tour is usually arranged. But, if you want a less-walking tour, or a fast-pace tour to as many sites as possible in a short time, please advise your tour advisor in advance to customise the best plan for you.

• Meals: Breakfast,
• Hotels: Sunshine Hotel & Resort Zhangjiajie

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Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area is the second national forest park in Zhangjiajie with trees toped karst hills, medicinal herbs and plants on the mountain. Take cable car up the mountain top and test how brave you are by walking on the transparent glass walkway on the sheer cliffs. Be amazed by magnificent Tianmen Cave (means the Heaven's Gate in Chinese). Weather in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is unpredictable. It rains a lot and sometimes it can get cloudy. Yet, an opportunity to capture surprising shots.

Note: There isn’t restaurant on the mountain, only some shops that sell snacks and instant noodles. Usually lunch will be arranged at a nice local restaurant after you finish the visit, which might be a bit later. You may bring some energy bars in case you are hungry.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Zhangjiajie Pullman Hotel, Zhangjiajie Qinghe Jinjiang International Hotel

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Located in the northwest of Wulingyuan, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park covers an area of 11880 acres with 97% forest coverage. Holding natural beauty like peculiar stones and winding brooks, this park is a labyrinth of nature and inspiration of Chinese painting. Huangshi Fort, named after a hermit Huangshi, which is 1080m above sea level. It provides the largest collection of marvelous spectacles and also the largest sightseeing terrace field above sea level in Zhangjiajie. Round way cable car is included. Jinbian Brook covers a distance of 7.5 km from north to south, winding across mountains and valleys. It takes about 2 to 3 hours to finish the whole hike.

Note: It’s going to be a long walk with only a few restaurant chains such as KFC available in the scenic area, so we suggest you to bring along some refreshments and energy bars. Your guide will take you to a nice local restaurant for dinner after the tour.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Tianzi Mountain includes more than 80 natural platforms to take in the magnificent scenery. You will take cable car up to enjoy the views. Be aware that it usually takes about 30 minutes to wait for the cable car. Yuanjiajie Scenic Area belongs to a part of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park with the famous Hallelujah Mountain. It is decorated by a beautiful valley, Golden Whip Valley, where you can spot wild animals sometimes. Bailong elevator is the highest outdoor sightseeing elevator in the world and provides a spectacular view of the Sandstone Peak Forest.

Note: It’s going to be a long walk with only a few restaurant chains such as KFC available in the scenic area, so we suggest you to bring along some refreshments and energy bars. Your guide will take you to a nice local restaurant for dinner after the tour.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is a natural wonderland combining mountains, streams, caves, cliffs, and forest. It is the landform museum of Zhangjiajie. You will visit the World longest & highest Glass Bridge and try the Sky Ladder. It takes about 3 hours to visit this Grand Canyon. After lunch, visit a local tea plantation and learn the history and tea processing. A special tea culture related dinner is included. Be escorted back to your hotel after dinner.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,

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Say farewell to your private guide and driver as your China tour ends today. Pack all your belongings and be transferred to the airport. Guide will help you with check in. Hope this tour is a memorable experience for you. Have a safe flight!

• Meals: Breakfast,

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