Tea plays a huge part in Chinese culture and represents one of the country’s earliest links with Britain, dating from when the East India Company established the tea trade from Shanghai. This tour takes you down the East Coast of China to search for the origins of the great British “cuppa”, stopping off at some of the country’s key tea producing regions along the way. Learn about many different kinds of tea, and the production methods behind them, as well as meeting some of the local tea farmers. First you will travel from the fertile lands around Shanghai and Hangzhou, home to the famous West Lake and celebrated for the quality of its green tea, to the mysterious Yellow Mountain, where you will find several of China’s most famous and sought after teas. From here journey south to Wuyishan, a lesser visited part of the country, but the origin of Da Hong Pao, the most expensive tea in the world. Venture further south again to the prosperous coastal province of Guangdong, stopping in Chaozhou where you can explore ancient villages and sample the oolong tea this area is celebrated for. Finally, finish your journey as the tea merchants of old would have done, in the Cantonese city of Guangzhou in the Pearl River Delta, once the departure point for the famous tea clippers en route back to the West laden with treasures. Get to grips with the urban tea culture here, and reflect on the wonders you have seen over the past two weeks.
Highlights
- Uncover the Shanghai city with the history monuments
- Explore Hangzhou city and its beautiful west lake.
- Discover the fmous green tea area in Hangzhou, Huagshan, Wuyi
- Explore the wondrous Yellow Mountain
- Discover Hongcun village, UNESCO world heritage site in Huangshan
- Visit the beautiful city of Chaozhou and Quangzhou
Itinerary in brief
Day 1: Arrive in Shanghai
Day 2: Shanghai on foot and by public transport (B,L)
Day 3: Shanghai – high-speed train
to Hangzhou – West Lake (B,L)
Day 4: Green tea sightseeing around Hangzhou (B)
Day 4: Hangzhou – High-speed train
to Huangshan (B)
Day 6: Huangshang – Hongcun Village (B,L)
Day 7 : Huangshan trek to Taiping Houkui
Tea Farm (B,L)
Day 8: Hongcun – high-speed train
– Wuyishan (B,L)
Day 9: Wuyi Mountain Reserve (B,L)
Day 10 : Wuyishan – high-speed train
to Chaozhou (B,L)
Day 11: Chaozhou – Phoenix Mountain (B,L)
Day 12: Chaozou – High-speed train
to Guangzhou (B,L)
Day 13: Guangzhou by public transport
& walking (B,L)
Day 14: Guangzhou – Departure (B)
Upon arrival at Shanghai Pudong Airport you will be welcomed to China by your private English speaking guide, and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Shanghai.
After breakfast pick up at hotel and you will set out together for a guided tour of Shanghai. Firstly, take the short walk from your hotel to the Bund, lined with fine colonial buildings from its 1930's heyday when the city was occupied by European, American, and Japanese banks, trading houses, clubs, consulates, and hotels. These buildings have been restored as a showcase of the city and are spectacularly lit up at night. Continue on foot to the old city and the Yu Gardens. Within the past turbulent century much of Shanghai's old quarters were destroyed; however what remains gives an interesting insight into Shanghai's past. The Yu Gardens date from the 16th century, and are a wonderful mixture of pavilions and corridors, small hills, lotus ponds teeming with goldfish, bridges, winding paths, trees and shrubs. After looking around the gardens you will have time to visit the adjoining market or sip tea in the tea pavilion.
Enjoy a dim sum lunch in a local restaurant, and then hop on the metro to visit the former French Concession. This area was established for the French population of Shanghai, resident from 1849 to 1946, and the leafy streets still retain a European air. Spend some time walking along the pleasant streets before jumping back on the metro to Renmin Square where you can visit the Shanghai Museum. Set in a newly designed building in the 'People's Park', the Shanghai Museum is China's foremost collection of exhibits dating from Neolithic times. The bronze collection is considered the best in the world, with other first-rate exhibits of sculpture, jade, calligraphy, painting, and Ming and Qing dynasty furniture and minority art. Afterwards, you can walk along Nanjing Road back to your hotel. Overnight in Shanghai.
This morning you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the railway station to catch your high-speed train to Hangzhou. Board the high-speed G1347 train from Shanghai to Hangzhou. The train departs at 09:51 and arrives at 10:50. On arrival in Hangzhou you will be met and transferred to your hotel to check in. This afternoon you can take a short cruise on Hangzhou's West Lake. Originally a shallow sea inlet, due to the laying down of silt this six square kilometres (1483 acres) of water became the famous West Lake. With hilly peaks on three sides it has been an attraction for centuries and it is small wonder that it was a favourite imperial retreat. After your cruise you will continue to Gongchen Bridge, an impressive stone 3-arch bridge spanning the Beijing – Hangzhou Grand Canal. The Grand Canal was the prosperous trading route for commodities including tea, which has connected the north and south of the country since the 6th century. Overnight in Hangzhou.
Hangzhou is famous for the quality of its green tea, which is noted for its flavour and health giving properties, and that tea culture is an intrinsic part of Chinese life. This morning you will visit Longjing Village, where you will be able to see the fertile hills where this tea is grown and be given demonstrations on brewing as well as having opportunities for tasting. Later visit the Linyin Temple (Temple of the Soul's Retreat). Built in AD326, it is set in the hills above the town and affords good views of the region. Finally you will also visit the National Tea Museum, the only museum in China dedicated solely to tea.
This morning you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the railway station to catch your high-speed train to Huangshan. Board the high-speed G1509 train from Hangzhou to Huangshan. The train departs at 09:49 and arrives at 13:13. If you have ever seen a traditional Chinese painting of mountain scenery, you have probably been looking at Huangshan. The Yellow Mountain is known as being the 'most beautiful mountain in China', and this afternoon you will ascend Huangshan by cable car, taking in the breath-taking scenery along the way. After checking into your hotel on arrival at the summit you will have time to explore the wondrous Yellow Mountain. There are the options of easy walks or more challenging routes. Visit Brush Pen Peak, Lion Peak, and the West Sea Grand Canyon. If the weather is fine you may be lucky enough to witness the spectacular sunset from the Cloud Dispelling Pavilion.
Arise early this morning for the chance to see the magical sunrise emerge through the surrounding misty peaks from the viewing platform located a few minutes from hotel. Late morning you will descend the mountain by cable car. On arrival at the base you will be transferred by car to your hotel in Hongcun Village. After checking into your hotel you will be taken on a brief tour of Hongcun Village. This UNESCO world heritage site is the image of picturesque ancient China, and was used as a filming location for Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’.
This morning you will be driven back to Huangshan to embark on a 1.5 hour trek around the mountain to visit a maker of the famous Taiping Houkui Tea, a green tea recently named the ‘King of Teas’ and one of the Top Ten teas in China. Learn about the processing of this famous tea, and sample some for yourself, before trekking for 1 hour back to rejoin your driver. You will then be transferred to Tunxi, where you can spend some time shopping and exploring the city’s Ancient Street. Return to your hotel in Hongcun later this afternoon.
This morning you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the railway station to catch your high-speed train to Wuyishan. Board the high-speed G1673 train from Huangshan to Wuyishan. The train departs at 10:31 and arrives at 11:44. On arrival in Wuyishan you will be met and transferred to your hotel to check in. This afternoon you will visit Xiamei Ancient Village, the starting point for the Ancient Tea Road. For over 300 years tea caravans took red tea from Wuyishan to Europe and Russia. As a major trading point, tea merchants constructed many houses here, and a lot of these ancient buildings remain very well-preserved today.
Now you have passed from the land of Green Tea to Oolong Tea, as Fujian Province is the traditional Oolong Tea producing area, and today you will spend some time in the Wuyi Mountain Reserve, home to some spectacular scenery, and the birthplace of rock oolong tea (Da Hong Pao), the most expensive tea in the world. Richard Nixon was famously presented with a box of Da Hong Pao by Mao Zedong on his visit to China. Climb Tianyou (Roaming in Heaven) Mountain for gorgeous views of the surrounding area, and punt along the Jiuquxi (Nine Bends) River on a bamboo raft. Overnight in hotel.
This morning you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the railway station to catch your high-speed train to Chaozhou. Board the high-speed D2325 train from Wuyishan to Chaoshan. The train departs at 08:35 and arrives at 13:35. On arrival in Chaoshan you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Chaozhou to check in. This afternoon visit a teapot making master to learn about the craft and culture of teapot-making. Afterwards, take a walk around the nearby area, and see the Xiangzi Bridge. Said to be the first moveable bridge of its kind in the world, this bridge is celebrated as an important cultural relic in China’s history, and remains an impressive sight today. You will also visit the ancient city wall and some other local sights.
Today you will spend a full day visiting Fenghuang (Phoenix) Mountain. Phoenix Mountain is said to be the birthplace of Oolong teas, and the Fenghuang Dan Cong (Single Bush) tea is unique among China’s oolongs. During the course of the day you will visit a tea farm, where you will meet some of the local tea farmers and learn about their processing methods, as well as having the chance to sample some of the unique oolong tea produced here.
This morning you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the railway station to catch your high-speed train to Guangzhou. Board the high-speed G6319 train from Chaozhou to Guangzhou. The train departs at 10:22 and arrives at 13:10. On arrival in Guangzhou you will be met and transferred to your hotel to check in. After checking in to your hotel you have some time at leisure to relax and spend some time getting to know the historical city of Guangzhou.
Today you will set out on a guided tour of Guangzhou, undertaken by public transport and on foot. After breakfast your guide will collect you from your hotel and you will walk across Shamian Island. This little island in the Pearl River was split between the French and the British in the 19th century, and the European architecture still remains. Today it is a tranquil spot, perfect for wandering around, or stopping at one of the local cafes. From here, take the metro to Chen Clan Academy, an interesting old residence which now also serves as the Guangdong Museum of Folk Arts & Crafts. From here you will walk around 2km to Liwan District, home to the traditional Xiguan Ancient Houses. These houses were traditionally built in a very distinctive style with grey bricks, and they are fast disappearing as Guangzhou develops. However, many are being preserved, and offer a window into the past and the lives of the wealthy people who once lived there. Lunch will be taken in a traditional tea restaurant where you can properly experience the Cantonese tradition of ‘yum cha’, a meal made up of tea and dim sum. After lunch you will take the metro to Beijing Road, where you can spend some time shopping, sampling some more local snacks, and visiting a traditional teahouse. Walk to the pier and hop on the local Water Bus on the Zhujiang River. A 30 minute ride will bring you to Guangzhou Tower Pier, from where you can catch the metro back to your hotel on Shamian Island.
After some time at leisure in Guangzhou you will be transferred to the airport in time to board your flight home.
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Tour includes:
- Local English speaking guide
- Accommodation in sharing room with daily breakfast
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Entrance fees for all visits as mentioned in the itinerary
- Meals as indicated (B = breakfast ; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
- High speed train : Shanghai – Hangzhou; Hangzhou – Huangshan; Hungcun – Wuyishan; Wuyishan – Chaozhou; Chaozhou – Quangzhou
- Boat cruise in Hangzhou's West Lake.
- Mineral water
- Government taxes & service charge
Tour excludes:
- China Visa
- International airfare and departure taxes
- Meals, if not specified in the itinerary
- Early check in/ late check out
- Drinks and meal not mentioned
- Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone, drinks … etc.
- Personal travel insurance
- Gratuities/ Tipping
- All other services not specified in the itinerary
