8 Days Treasures of Jiangnan China Odyssey Tour

Day 1 Shanghai Arrival

Airport or railway station pick up and check in hotel

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

Upon arrival, you will be met by a 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.

• The View of Lujiazui from the Bund, Shot by Our Guest Laszlo

Day 2 Shanghai - Hangzhou (B, L)

Today's highlights: Wuzhen Water Town

In this morning, you will be transferred to take the high speed train (1 hour) to Tongxiang to visit Wuzhen Water Town. Wuzhen with over 6,000 years old is one of the four great water towns at the region south of the Yangtze River and one of the ten most charming famous towns in China. Praised as the “last town resting on water in China” and a land flowing with milk and honey, Wuzhen is the top popular place to see the typical look of water towns in south China.

Upon your arrival, take your time to discover the West Scenic Area of Wuzhen, which is most popular among international visitors with over 20 scenic spots telling the culture, history and folk custom of Wuzhen and terrific night lights sightseeing. Stroll leisurely along the well-preserved streets and lanes to visit the remained dyeing workshop with herbs and hanging cloths, “three-inch “golden lotuses” with over 800 pairs of various foot binding shoes, old post office operating for more than 110 years, etc. Of course, you will not miss the Bailian Pagoda, Tongji Bridge and Renji Bridge, large classic garden, ancient academy, soy sauce workshop, plentiful of old constructions from Ming and Qing era, and various shops and stores selling local handicrafts and snacks. (Optional activity: you can get on a sculling boat to admire the water town sightseeing from a different angle along the little river, which needs extra payment.)

After that, be escorted to Hangzhou, the “City of Heaven”, with about 1.5 hours’ driving. You’ll have an interesting cultural visit to Qiaoxi Conservation Area which was called “Little Shanghai” for its prosperity in Ming and Qing era due to the convenient linking by the Grand Canal. Now, this cultural street block preserves lots of old folk dwellings and industrial sites and has a series of themed museums and exhibitions to introduce the culture and history of the Grand Canal, Hangzhou and China. Go to China Museum of Knives, Scissors & Swords to admire various scissors used in daily life and learn the developing story of Zhang Xiao Quan. It is a nationally renowned brand of knives and scissors of nearly 400 years old and still favored by lots of domestic consumers. Besides, have a great look at plentiful of swords for military defense and knives from ancient to now! Walk to the adjacent China Umbrella Museum. You will know how the world first umbrella was inspired from lotus leaves, their special status in Chinese literature, irreplaceable meanings in the wedding and marriage in China, detailed processing, etc. with displays of rich types and colors of umbrellas of different materials in China and the world. Then, go to the nearby Workmanship Demonstration Pavilion to watch the live demonstration of painting on oiled paper umbrellas and various handicrafts, such as making potteries, embroideries, bamboo weaving, etc. (Optional activities: You can experience one of the handcrafting activities if you are interested and time permits, which needs extra payment.)

After the visiting, your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel and help you with the check-in procedure. Stay overnight at Hangzhou.

• Wuzhen Water Town West - Bailian Pagoda
• Leisure Boating at Western Scenic Area of Wuzhen
• Indigo Fabric Workship at Wuzhen East

Day 3 Hangzhou (B, L)

Today's highlights: West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Feilai Peak, Meijia Dock Dragon Well Tea Village, China National Tea Museum

After breakfast today, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel and escort you to start today’s Hangzhou exploration!

First, make the symbolic visit to the picturesque West Lake, which is the iconic site of Hangzhou and a pretty UNESCO World Heritage. 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 including visit to the beautiful Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon. After the cruise, stroll or take a sightseeing vehicle leisurely around to pass the famous Su Causeway, Bai Causeway, Broken Bridge, Gushan Hill, parks of Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond, Lotus Swaying in the Breeze, Orioles Singing in the Willows, etc. (As the lake is too large, you can take the sightseeing vehicle at any place on the route to save energy. The fee is included.)

Next, go to Feilai Peak (Peak Flying from Afar), which flew to China to spread Buddhism from India according to the legend. It features in over 300 Buddhist carvings lining the riverbanks and hillsides and tucked away inside grottoes. With over 1,000 years, it is the precious fresco treasure in the whole regions south of Yangtze River. Continue to the adjacent Lingyin Temple of nearly 1,700 year, which is the oldest and one of the most popular temples in Hangzhou. Hidden in the luxurious forest, it offers charming and peaceful landscape mixed with the strong Buddhist atmosphere among the large scaled of magnificent and antique temple clusters.

Then, drive uphill to Meijiawu Tea Village, a refreshing wonderland surrounded by mountains with a large area of emerald Dragon Well tea plantations in neat lines and curves. Walk among the tea plantations with fun and take beautiful photos (Optional activity: you can pay a visit to the local tea grower’s family and experience picking tea leaves, watching stir-drying tea leaves, enjoying tea ceremony, tasting Dragon Well tea, etc., which needs extra payment.). After that, go to China National Tea Museum to learn systematically about Chinese tea culture including the history, procession, customs and classification of tea, and admire diverse kinds of tea wares, machines, displays, etc.

After today’s visiting, be escorted back to your hotel in Hangzhou downtown. Have a good sleep!

Evening Ideas: 1) watch a magnificent night show - Enduring Memories of Hangzhou, a live performance by Yimou Zhang with changing lights, music and dancing on the West Lake, which usually starts at 7pm, needs extra payment; 2) feast your eyes with an amazing Music Fountain Show at Third Park, near the eastern lakeside of West Lake, free charged.

• West Lake Sunset at Changqiao Park
• West Lake View at Jixian Pavilion
• West Lake Boating Experience
• Lingyin Temple at Leafy Forest
• Feilai Peak Stone Carvings
• Hangzhou Dragon Well Tea Plantation
• Our customers Lawson's Family from UK visited Meijiawu Tea Plantation in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China in October, 2019.

Day 4 Train to Huangshan & Huangshan (B, L)

Today's highlights: Tunxi Ancient Street

Today after breakfast, you’ll be transferred to take a morning high speed bullet train to Huangshan from Hangzhou East Railway Station. The fast and comfortable train journey costs you only about 1.5 hours to reach Huangshan North Railway Station. After arrival, your private tour guide and driver will pick you up and go to check in your hotel in Huangshan City.

After some rest, you will go to explore the most famous ancient street - Tunxi Ancient Street. First built about 900 years ago, during Song Dynasty (960-1279), Tunxi Ancient Street is a 100% “old” street with well-preserved houses in Huizhou style. It was once called “the Eastern Ancient Rome” by an ancient Western-European architect. Strolling along this 1.5 kilometers long and 7 meter wide street, you could taste the delicious local snacks, purchase some souvenirs, antiques or knick-knacks in the shops, and sip the region’s special tea like Maofeng with hospitable locals…all are the finest experience in this ancient street.

• Survived Relatively Untouched Tunxi Ancient Town
• Tunxi Ancient Street evening

Day 5 Huangshan (B)

Today's highlights: Begin-to-Believe Peak, West Sea Grand Canyon, Dispelling Cloud Pavilion, Bright Summit

Walking Distance: about 7~9km/5~6 hrs

Today after breakfast, our guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel, then drive about 80 kilometers (1.5 hours) to the foot of Mount Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and one of the most beautiful mountains in China. Your memorable Huangshan trip starts!

To save energy and time, you will directly transfer by park bus from the mountain foot to Yungu Temple to take a cableway to upper beautiful sightseeing area of Huangshan Mountain – North Sea Scenic Area which is famous for marvelous precipitous peaks, beautiful giant pine trees and far-reaching vision. Walk to lofty Begin-to-Believe Peak (1668m) to stretch your eyesight over cloud seas to far distance, and then hike about 40 minutes to Dispelling Cloud Pavilion to look down the Dreamland - West Sea Grand Canyon. Walk down along the stone steps to the deeper area of the canyon while enjoying the Avatar-like rising rock peaks, unfathomable cliffs, bizarre stones and tenacious pine trees. 

Generally speaking, it takes about 3 hours for an energetic hiker to hike from the Dispelling Cloud Pavilion, via 1st Ring and 2nd Ring to the bottom and return to the starting point. For beginners, children, and senior travelers, you can decide the hiking length on your own according to your physical condition, usually 2 hours for the 1st Ring and 2.5hrs for the 2nd Ring. In the bottom of the canyon, there is also a monorail cable trains for those who don’t want to return by walking to transfer back to the peak area. 

If time and energy allow, you can spend about one hour to explore the Sky Sea Scenic Area where you can enjoy the sunset from the second highest peak - Bright Summit (1840m), visit the incredible Flying-over Rock, then return to your hotel on the mountain and have a good rest.

(Please Note: from December to the late March of next year, West Sea Grand Canyon is usually closed for the cold weather and heavy snow. Please feel free to contact us to adjust your itinerary.)

• Breathtaking scenery of West Sea Grand Canyon
• Begin-to-believe Peak
• Anjali from USA visited Yellow Mountain Huangshan in January, 2019
• Robert from USA enjoyed the sea of clouds on Yellow Mountain in June, 2019

Day 6 Huangshan - Jingdezhen (B, L)

Today's highlights: Yellow Mountain Sunrise, Lion Peak, Sculpture Porcelain Factory Marke, Taoxichuan Walking

Get up early (usually around 5am to 6am) to enjoy the magnificentsunrisefrom Huangshan. We suggest you watch the sunrise from the Refreshing Terrance which is only a few minutes’ walking from Beihai Hotel. In good-weather days, you can see clearly the golden light of the sun piercing the mists, and rocky peaks rising above the frothy, ever-changing sea of white clouds. After the sunrise, get back to your hotel for breakfast. Continue on your wonderful sightseeing on the Yellow Mountain to see the famousDawn Pavilion,Stone Monkey Watching the Seaon theLion Peak(1690m). Then walk along the wood path to the cable station totake a cable carto exit the mountain. Your driver is ready at the mountain foot to transfer you to Jingdezhen which is about 2.5 hours' drive from Huangshan.

After checking in to your hotel in Jingdezhen, you will start to explore this China's "porcelain capital" with an interesting visit to Sculpture Porcelain Factory Market which was once the factory building and park of the Sculpture Porcelain Factory, one of the ten largest porcelain factories in Jingdezhen. After the old porcelain factory was reformed and merged, the local area was vacated and gradually became a gathering place for young people. It is also a porcelain journey, but this place is a place with an artistic atmosphere. Compared with the traditional porcelain in the ancient kilns, the things here are not so much "porcelain" as they are "ceramic gadgets". Many local young artists and students will also come here to sell their works, which mostly have strong personal styles and are more in line with the preferences of the younger generation, such as Japanese anime style, cute animal style and so on. Later, go to Taoxichuan which is a typical post-industrial cultural and creative park. It was transformed from an old porcelain factory and kiln site. It has similarities to the "798 Art Zone" in Beijing and the "Erling Second Factory" in Chongqing. Inside Taoxichuan, there are restaurants, shops, homestays, studios, museums... Especially at night, the colorful lights on the chimneys and factory buildings light up, making it very beautiful.

After the leisure time at Taoxichuan, return to your hotel in Jingdezhen City.

• Lion Peak Landscape
• Beautiful Sunrise of Yellow Mountain
• Taoxichuan - great place to stroll around
• Stone Monkey Watching the Sea (on Lion Peak)

Day 7 Jingdezhen - Wangxian Valley (B, L)

Today's highlights: Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Museum, China Ceramic Museum, Porcelain Palace, Wangxian Valley Night View

Today after breakfast, go to visit Jingdezhen Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Museum is the only national 5A-level tourist attraction in China with a ceramic culture theme. The park preserves and inherits the world's largest wood-fired kiln, which holds the Guinness World Record, as well as the national intangible cultural heritage of Jingdezhen's handmade porcelain craftsmanship and Jingdezhen's traditional porcelain kiln workshop construction skills. The expo area is built on a hilly forest park, with bamboo forests and trees everywhere, making it especially cool. The biggest highlight of the park are the ancient kilns that represent the highest firing technology of each dynasty. Many of them can still be used today, and they will be fired at a specific time every autumn. Here you can learn about the ceramic production processes, and each process has professional ceramic masters to demonstrate on site. You can also enjoy the rare performance of the porcelain band, all of whose instruments are made of Jingdezhen porcelain.

After ancient Kiln folk culture exploration, move to nearby China Ceramic Museum which is the first large-scale ceramic-themed art museum in China. It houses over 50,000 pieces of ceramic masterpieces from different historical periods starting from the Neolithic era to the Han and Tang dynasties. Additionally, it also collects numerous foreign and out-of-town ceramics, as well as items like metal, stone, and jade artifacts, calligraphy, and paintings. The museum also showcases modern and contemporary Jingdezhen ceramic masterpieces. On the top floor, there is a gallery spanning hundreds of meters, exhibiting the traditional 72-step process of ceramic making in Jingdezhen. Each copper sculpture vividly depicts the process, making it highly engaging for visitors.

Your last attraction to visit in Jingdezhen is Xinping Porcelain Palace which is a complex of circular buildings with a unique architectural style that combines elements of Hakka tulou and traditional Chinese architecture. It is decorated with tens of thousands of pieces of porcelain, making it a true "porcelain palace". The palace was built by a local villager, Yu Ermei, over a period of 10 years. The palace also houses a large collection of porcelain paintings depicting various themes from Chinese traditional culture, such as the Four Classic Novels, Journey to the West, and the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea.

In the afternoon, drive about 3 hours to Wangxian Valley in Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. Check in to your hotel in the ancient town. The rest time is free for you to relax and explore amazing night view of the valley and town.

• Jingdezhen Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Museum
• Jingdezhen China Ceramics Museum
• Xinping Porcelain Palace
• Wangxian Valley night view

Day 8 Wangxian Valley - Shanghai Departure (B)

Today's highlight: Wangxian Valley

Today try to get up early to avoid the tourist crowds. After breakfast, you will go to enjoy both the natural landscape and cultural highlights of Wangxian Valley.

Reputed as a real-life version of a fantasy world, Wangxian Valley (Wangxiangu 望仙谷) used to be an abandoned mine site. If offers a profound journey through the harmonious trio of natural landscapes, human heritage, and legendary tales that transcends the ordinary. Here, it invits all who wander its paths to step into a story where every nook is a verse, every vista a painting, and every moment an ode to the enduring dance of nature, culture, and myth. The highlighting experience here is to walk up the cliffside plank roads to reach the top of the mountain, the White Crane Cliff to enjoy a panoramic view of the valley.

It's time to say good bye to Wangxian Valley. You will be transferred to catch a high speed train back to Shanghai to catch your flight/train to next destination. You can also finish the tour at other locations, such as Shanghai high speed railway station, Shanghai's railway stations or airport, or hotels in Shanghai. Please let us know in advance.

• Wangxian Valley waterfall and path
• Cliffside houses of Wangxian Valley