6 Days A Bite of Jiangnan Tour

Full Itinerary Day by day (Can Be Customized)

Day 1 Shanghai Arrival

Ni Hao! Welcome to Shanghai, the biggest metropolis of China!

Upon arrival, you will be met by local tour guide at the arrival hall of the airport/train station/port and escorted to check in your hotel in downtown by a private comfortable vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to relax. If you want to explore nearby, feel free to get some practical suggestions from your tour guide.

Optional Activity - Attend an entertaining Acrobatic Show, including breathtaking “balls of death” acts, chair balancing, hula hoops, juggling of benches, walking in the air, and other breathtaking performances (usually performed during 19:30~21:00).

Arrival Ideas: At present, there are many international and many domestic flights to and from Shanghai. Also, you can arrive in Shanghai city by taking a high speed train from Beijing (5-6hrs), Xian (6-7hrs), Huangshan (4hrs), and so on.

Day 2 Shanghai ( B, L )

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel to start your Shanghai exploration. Your first stop is Shanghai Museum, one of the Best Four Museums in China. This modern museum, with a round top and a square base which symbolizing the ancient Chinese perception of the world as "round sky, square earth", has collected many international-standard exhibits of bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, jade from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing dynasty. To help you learn about the history and facts about the relics in the museum easily, an Audio Explanation Device will be prepared for you.

Then you will take an interesting visit to Yu Garden, a shining star among all the ancient Chinese gardens in Jiangnan. This garden fully embodies the traditional design of Chinese architecture with jagged pavilions with elegant decorations, glittering pools with roving fish, and pine trees sprouting to the sky, all designed to refresh your mood and spirit. Adjacent to the garden is the Yuyuan Bazaar where you can savor tasteful local snacks and explore elaborate traditional Chinese handicrafts and art works. Next, you will drive several kilometers to enjoy a panoramic view of the modern face of Shanghai from the 100th floor (474m) of “the Eye of Shanghai” - Shanghai World Financial Center.

You will then be transferred to another popular landmark of Shanghai, Nanjing Road, a shopping paradise as well as a great place to take a wonderful walk to experience the modern atmosphere of the City. Lastly, you will stop at the Bund, originally a simple towpath for transporting goods but now transformed into a feverish trading district. You will stroll along the Bund, seeing and feeling the perfect fusion of Chinese and Western cultures while at the same time taking in the stunning Shanghai skyline with your own eyes!

Optional Activity - Take a relaxing Huangpu River night cruise to see the city’s most significant edifices and streets sparkling under the atmospheric cover of darkness (about 50 minutes).

Day 3 Shanghai - Zhouzhuang - Suzhou ( B, L )

Today after breakfast, drive about 70km to the beautiful water town of Zhouzhuang. Reputed as the No. 1 Water Town in China, Zhouzhuang is one of the “ten most beautiful towns in the globe” and “world charming water town”with a long history of over 1000 years, appealing sightseeing and authentic flavor of regions south of Yangtze River in China. Visiting Zhouzhuang Ancient Town, you can see 14 ancient particular stone bridges built in Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, multiple courtyards linking together on the winding water, more than 800 residents living by the river, etc. which is exactly the look of serene historic water town in east China. Besides the scenery, the special folk culture in Zhouzhuang will tell you about the real gem of culture in Wu area and the sole of this charming place. Famous attractions include the Double Bridge, Quanfu Temple, Zhang’s Residence and Shen's Residence, etc. (Optional Activity: take a boat to go through the canals to appreciate the fascinating scenery of water, bridge and local residences and listen to the old songs of the local sculler.)

After the tour, you'll be driven to Suzhou (about 0.5-1 hour), a city often dubbed the "Venice of the Orient", well-known for its traditional gardens and refined silk embroidery. Take an interesting visit to Lingering Garden, one of the Four Greatest Gardens in China as well as the perfect representative of traditional Suzhou Gardens. The Lingering Garden has synthesized almost all the classic features of Suzhou gardens. It is composed of residential areas, shrines, family temple and garden, making fully use of the changings between big and small, bend and straight, bright and dark, tall and low, tight and disperse, with the surrounding landscapes, such as trees, flowers, lake, sky, as backgrounds to create an ingenious system of space. Stepping into the garden, you will find the buildings, rockeries, corridors, pavilions, ponds and trees in Lingering Garden are all standing in the best place, neither too crowded nor too sporadic. The most incredible thing is that, in the same place, looking from different angles, you can enjoy different scenery. Making a step, you will get another feeling of another kind of scenery.

After visiting Lingering Garden, move on to next site - Shantang Ancient Street, a wonderful place for a relaxing walking. It used to be an important trade and culture center during Ming and Qing Dynasties, and now is famous as “the miniature of old Suzhou and the window of Wu culture”. Enjoy the ornate water-town style architectures, marvel at the bustling streets and savor at local snacks.

Day 4 High Speed Train to Hangzhou from Suzhou ( B, L )

In this morning, be escorted to take a high speed train to Hangzhou. Upon arrival, the tour guide and driver will pick you up at Hangzhou Railway Station, and then set out on today’s sightseeing in a comfortable, air-conditioned and private vehicle.

Firstly, spend the peaceful and less-crowded morning time to visit the iconic and World Heritage site of Hangzhou - the picturesque West Lake. Just as the famous traveler Marco Polo did and wrote: “A voyage on this lake offers more refreshment and pleasure than any other experience on earth”, you will start with a 45-minute leisure cruise to enjoy the tranquil lake views as well as the ancient pagodas, traditional arched bridges, tree-lined walkways, beautiful hills, green islands and lush gardens. After the cruise, disembark the lake shore to stroll leisurely on the famous Su Causeway and Bai Causeway, and explore the poetic sites around, such as Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon, Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond, etc.

After the West Lake visit, it is time to feast your month. You will go to have lunch in the most famous restaurant of Hangzhou Cuisine - Louwailou. It is also the place where the First Lady of the People's Republic of China, Peng Liyuan, gave a banquet to welcome wifes of presidents who attented the G20 Summit in September, 2016. Don't miss its specialties - West Lake Fish in Sweet Sour Source, Fried Shrimps with Longjing Tea and Dongpo Pork.

After lunch, move on to next site - Lingyin Temple, about 3km west away from the West Lake. With a history of nearly 1700 year, Lingyin Temple is hidden in the luxurious forest, and offers charming and peaceful landscape and impressive Buddhist culture. Next, extend your visit to the adjacent Feilai Peak, also known as Peak Flying from Afar, which flew to China to spread Buddhism from India according to the legend. It features in uncountable Buddhist carvings lining the riverbanks and hillsides and tucked away inside grottoes. 

Lastly, go to hunt for some local authentic snacks at the famous Hefang Street, such as xī hú ǒu fěn(西湖藕粉), māo ěr duō(猫耳朵), yóu duō ěr(油多儿), etc. This street is also a great place to take a leisure stroll to appreciate ornate Chinese architectures and experience local custom. Extend your food adventure to the Imperial Thoroughfare of Southern Song Dynasty which is also full of local delicious foods.

Day 5 Hangzhou - Shanghai ( B, L )

After breakfast, you will drive about 20 minutes to Six Harmonies Pagoda to see the masterpieces of ancient Chinese architecture. Climbing onto the top, you could have a spectacular view of Qiantang River and surrounding hills.

Leave Six Harmonies Pagoda, and go to take an interesting visit to China Hangzhou Cuisine Museum which was established to preserve traditional cooking heritage and inspire yong generation to cook dishes, also represents the uniqueness of Hangzhou Cuisine to the entire world.  Here in the museum, you will see hundreds of life-sized models of appealing food, including Buddhist vegetarian dishes, snacks eaten by canal-dwellers in the Middle Ages, and the delicate sweet pastries made in Hangzhou during the Song Dynasty, 800 years ago. The museum also run cooking classes for local people, street food fairs and special days for children to learn how to make tofu, cure ducks and pickle vegetables. (currently the cooking class is not available for foreign travelers). Month watering? Don't panic, because just beyond the galleries there's a huge restaurant serving many of the classic dishes from the exhibition.

After the tour, be escorted to the train station for your high speed train back to Shanghai (about 1 hour). Upon your arrival, you will be met by your guide and escorted to your hotel.

Day 6 Shanghai Departure ( B )

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel. First, you will pay a wonderful visit to Jade Buddha Temple, the site of the largest Jade Buddha in the world and numerous religious artifacts, ancient statues and Buddhist scriptures. This peaceful kingdom of Buddhism hidden among modern blocks and dominating mansions is a great place for a nice break in this very busy city.

Next, you will be transferred to Tianzifang which is touristic arts and crafts enclave that has developed from a renovated traditional residential area. It is the typical tourist attraction to appreciate the preservation of local Shikumen architecture. In this place full of rich flavor of life, you can leisurely stroll along the clean old alleys to watch the daily life of local Shanghai people, savor a cup of drink at the open-air café, and find some interesting things in the novel shops to feel the international feature mixed with real Shanghai culture.

In the afternoon, your guide will escort you to the airport for your flight to next destination or home.

The quotation for this trip is from Request Per Person

1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in 4-star hotel and traveling with our private tour in low seasons.
2. This price is subject to change according your traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2025.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1=RMB 7.00. The final quote is based on current exchange rate. It may change according to the currency fluctuation, while the RMB quotation will be remained the same.

How Our Teams Serve you at China Discovery

"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.

Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.

1-on-1 Travel Consultant

Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!

After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.

Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.

We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.

Local Tour Guides

Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.

Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.

Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!

Local Drivers & Vehicle

Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!

Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.

Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!

Comfortable & Homelike Hotels

In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!

The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.

If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.

Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.

Meals & Dining

We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.

The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.

There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.

All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!

Check What our delighted customers are saying about our services

Good morning, Tracy.

We have completed our travel in China. Thank you very much for arranging this wonderful tour for us.

You amended the itinerary 3 times according to our needs. One of the changes in the itinerary was your suggestion to add the Xingyi Fenglin Buyi Scenic Area which was an excellent recommendation. All of us enjoyed this beautiful environment, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city as well as away from the regular tourist crowds.

I understand that you wish me to provide our reviews and feedback. Here they are:

Tracy is efficient and very patient with us. Tour was very well arranged. Everything is good.

The following is what I intend to post on tripadvisor. My user name in tripadvisor is Hing2013:

“CHINA DISCOVERY - AMAZING 13-DAY PRIVATE TOUR Our group of 8 seniors have just finished a wonderful 13-day private tour to Guizhou and Guilin arranged by Tracy. From the first email, Tracy had shown her willingness to help. She had been courteous and efficient. All my requests were attended promptly. Sceneries in both Guizhou and Guilin are spectacular. Everything was well arranged. The guides and drivers in both Guizhou and Guilin were caring. Guilin guide Kenny was particularly knowledgeable. It was a wonderful and memorable trip and we all enjoyed the tour. We will book with China Discovery again and have no hesitation to recommend China Discovery to anyone who is interested in traveling in China.”

Have a good day!

Lena

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Lena‚ China, November 13, 2024

Hi Jack,

We had a great time on our trip thanks.

The trip went very well (apart from a rainy day in Pingyao), with no hitches.

Guides were all excellent, and took us to some great restaurants! All drivers were good as well - all punctual and drove safely.

Hotels were excellent, with the Beijing and Pingyao hotels standing out.

We had a great time and are sorry that it's over so quickly!

Many thanks.

Steve

Steve‚ Britain, November 12, 2024

Dear Jack,

We would like to thank you for the trip arrangement. It was very good and we had a wonderful time. Jessica, our guide, was very helpful and knowledgeable, and she took great care of us.

Thanks.

Warmest regards.

Sok Yong

Yong‚ Singapore, November 10, 2024

Hi Jack,

The tour was excellent and so were the guides (Michelle and Cecilia) and driver (Mr Wei). Both Michelle and Cecilia were knowledgeable and helpful and made our trip a memorable one.

Regards,

Lawrence

Lawrence‚ Singapore, November 9, 2024

Hi Leo,

Thanks for everything. I really enjoyed the Yunnan trip. Highly appreciated your tourist guides’ professional services. I will recommend your company to my friends. I definitely will come back again.

Ka

Ka‚ China, November 8, 2024

Check What our customers are saying about us on Tripadvisor.com

We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years

Han Meng

"Decided to choose China Discovery after reading great reviews on TripAdvisor and I was glad I chose them. Rita Jiang was my travel consultant and she was very patient with all my questions and changes..." read more »

Reviewed on November 16, 2024

Ken C

"Wonder has been great right from the start. Very responsive to emails and questions making the trip very easy. Everything was taken care. From picking up to hotels, tours and tour guides were well..." read more »

Reviewed on November 15, 2024