Relaxing China All Inclusive Tour with Water Town

Welcome to Shanghai! Our guide will wait for you at the airport and then take you back to the hotel. Please have a good rest in the hotel, adapt to the jet lag and get ready for the next 11 days’ journey!

What’s your first impression of Shanghai? Tall buildings or busy people? In fact, Shanghai is also a city with a long history. The first attraction we will head to is the Yu Garden (closed on Monday), which has a history of more than 400 years. It was a private garden in the Ming Dynasty and has a history of more than 400 years. One of the most beautiful sceneries in Yu Garden is its plants. There are more than 670 trees in the whole garden, and most of them are evergreen and deciduous trees. What’s more, there are 27 famous old trees, of which 20 are more than 100 years old, 5 are more than 200 years old, and 2 are more than 300 years old. In front of the Ten thousand Flower Building, an ancient ginkgo tree is more than 430 years old. The tree is 26 meters high, standing there like a giant. When coming here, you will find yourself in a fairyland surrounded by plants. After visiting Yu Garden, we will head to the Jade Buddha Temple. The Jade Buddha Temple is located in Putuo District, Shanghai. And it is named because a Jade Buddha is enshrined in the temple. In the eighth year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty (1882), Master Huigen from Mount Putuo went to India to study Buddhism and then passed through Myanmar. Under the help of the local overseas Chinese, some jade was extracted from a local mountain and carved into five jade Buddhas. Then it was brought back to Putuo Mountain by the master. And when the master passed through Shanghai, he left one sitting Buddha and one reclining Buddha. Therefore, the local monks built a temple called the Jade Buddha Temple to worship these jade Buddha. When coming here, of course, you must see the famous Jade Buddha. It is 1.95 meters high and is carved from a single piece of jade. The Buddha has a full face, crescent eyebrows with its eyes half-open, and lips closed serenely. Besides, this Buddha statue is finely carved. The robe and right arm of the Buddha are inlaid with more than 100 emeralds, agates, and other gems. Such a precious Buddha statue may only be seen here.

After lunch, we will head to the center of Shanghai to visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. As one of the landmarks in Shanghai, the Oriental Pearl Tower is the tallest tower in Asia and the third tallest tower in the world. From a distance, the tower looks like a rocket, as if it could be launched at any time. In addition, you can also climb to the top of it and overlook the whole scenery of Shanghai! When you stand on the tower and look down, you can see the Huangpu River, where stands our next destination, the Bund. Located along the Huangpu River in Huangpu District of Shanghai, the Bund is a Chinese cultural district with history. In 1844, the Bund was designated as the British concession. Because of this, many people from all over the world had been living here. Hence, the Bund is rich in architectural styles. For example, there are 52 classical buildings with different styles. And this is the famous World Architecture Exhibition Group. Here, you can admire the architectural styles of buildings all over the world. Isn’t it amazing? If you feel tired, you can take a stroll along Nanjing Road and pick up some snacks. The time-honored delicacies on Nanjing Road are numerous. I highly recommend meat moon cake. Different from the normal Chinese moon cake which is made of flour and nuts, the meat moon cakes are made of flour and meat. If you prefer to eat meat, then this unique moon cake is perfect for you!

In the evening, you don’t have to worry about where to eat, everything is included in our all-inclusive tour! We have prepared Dim Sum, a Shanghai characteristic food (like the dessert) for you. After enjoying the food, our guide will send you back to the hotel.

Small Wild Goose Pagoda

The Bund

Today we will drive from Shanghai to Suzhou, which is 108 kilometers west of Shanghai, and it takes about two hours. After coming here, the first attraction we will visit is the Humble Administrator’s Garden. As one of the four best gardens in China, the Humble Administrator's Garden is a representative of garden in southern China, which is famous for its plant landscape. If you are a person who loves nature and flowers, then I believe you will fall in love with this garden. When walking in the garden, you can see three characteristic flowers: lotus, camellia, and rhododendron. Of the 23 landscapes in the central part of the garden, 80% are landscapes dominated by plants, which makes the garden more like a man-made forest.

After lunch, we will take a Canal Boat to Tiger Hill. Tiger Hill is located in the northwest of Suzhou and has a history of more than 2500 years. In fact, I believe when you hear the name of Tiger Hill, you can definitely feel the momentum of it. And the most majestic attraction here is the Sword Pool, which is the tomb of Helu (a king who had once dominated southern China). According to legend, three thousand swords were buried here to commemorate the heroic emperor. In addition, the beauty of Tiger Hill also attracted countless emperors and generals. For example, Qianlong (the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty) had visited here four times, which shows his love for this hill. After visiting Tiger Hill, we will head to the Suzhou Silk Museum (closed on Monday). Ancient China is best known for its porcelain and silk. But you may wonder: Why is silk so thin and beautiful? How did silk come from? And how is silk made? If you are very interested in silk, I believe you can learn a lot about it here. Come to the museum and find answers here! 

Humble Administrator‘s Garden

Tiger Hill

Today we will drive to the Zhouzhuang Ancient Town. The town is located 55 kilometers southeast of Suzhou, and it takes about 1 hour by car. The town is surrounded by water. And 14 ancient stone bridges built in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties are well preserved on the river. Besides, more than 800 aboriginal households live by the river, and more than 60% of the houses still preserve the architectural style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Here, time seems to stand still, and you can feel the real ancient China. And if you are lucky, you may be able to witness a romantic and distinctive wedding here. Unlike ordinary weddings, the weddings here are held on the ship. With a burst of drums and gongs on the boat, the bride in a red robe and embroidered shoes will be transferred to the groom’s boat, and then they will hold a wedding ceremony on land. Such a unique wedding can only be seen here! Today we will have a whole day to explore the town. After dinner, our tour guide will send you back to the hotel. 

Zhouzhuang Ancient Town

Zhouzhuang Ancient Town

Today we will leave Zhouzhuang and drive to Hangzhou. Hangzhou is located 143 kilometers southwest of Zhouzhuang, and it takes about two hours by car. There is a well-known saying in China: Up in heaven; there is paradise; down on earth; there are Suzhou and Hangzhou, which illustrates the beautiful scenery of Suzhou and Hangzhou. Since we have already experienced the beauty of Suzhou, we will experience the beauty of Hangzhou! When it comes to Hangzhou, the West Lake has to be said. West Lake, located in Xihu District, Hangzhou city, covers an area of 49 square kilometers. And there is a legend about the origin of West Lake. Legend has it that the jade dragon and the golden phoenix found a piece of white jade on a fairy island near the Milky Way. After being ground for many years, the white jade became a bright pearl. Amazingly, wherever the light of this gem shines, the trees will be evergreen, and the flowers will be in full bloom. But later, the Queen Mother (The wife of the supreme god) heard about the pearl and sent soldiers to grab it. In the process of scrambling, the pearl landed on the earth and turned into the sparkling West Lake.

After lunch, we will head to Lingyin Temple. The fame of Lingyin Temple is inseparable from a famous monk, Jigong, a household name in China. Jigong is a monk, well known for doing a lot of good deeds. Legend has it that one day, Jigong forecasted that a mountain was flying to the temple from a distance. At that time, there was a village in front of Lingyin Temple. And he was afraid that people would be crushed by the flying peaks, so he ran into the village and urged everyone to leave. However, the people in the village, who were used to seeing him go mad and like to make fun of people, thought that this time he was also making fun of people, so no one listened to him. Feeling anxious, Jigong rushed into a bride’s house and ran away with the bride on his back. When the villagers saw the monk robbing the bride, they all shouted and chased after him. When people were chasing him, suddenly a mountain flew down in front of Lingyin Temple, crushing the entire village. At this time, people realized that Jigong grabbed the bride to save everyone. After that, Jigong’s name spread throughout China. After visiting Lingyin Temple, we will go to the Six Harmonies Pagoda. Built in the third year of Kaibao in the Song Dynasty (970), the pagoda covers an area of 890 square meters. In addition, Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong once left his inscriptions for each floor of it. If you know something about Chinese classics, you must have heard of the Water Margin, one of the four great classical books. Legend has it that lu Zhishen and Wu Song, the famous heroes of the book, died here. Therefore, there are also portraits of Lu Zhishen and Wu Song in the pagoda. You can come here to get a glimpse of the appearance of these two heroes. After dinner, our guide will take you back to your hotel.

West Lake

Lingyin Temple

Today we will leave Hangzhou and take the estimated train G1603 10:05/11:48 to Huangshan. Our guide will pick you up at the train station. After lunch, we will head to Hongcun Village. Hongcun Village is located 61 kilometers northwest of Huangshan Mountain, and it takes about two hours to drive. Founded in the Southern Song Dynasty (1131-1162), Hongcun is a traditional Chinese village. Viewed from a high place, the whole village looks like a green cow lying on the side of a stream in front of a mountain. When you enter the village, you will see two old trees at the entrance of it, one is a maple tree, and the other is a ginkgo tree. The red poplar tree on the north side is 19 meters high and 6 meters wide, and it takes 4 or 5 people to hug the tree. And the crown of the tree is shaped like a giant umbrella, covering several acres of the village. The ginkgo tree on the south side is 20 meters high and shaped like a sharp sword, with an age of more than 500 years. According to the custom here, during the wedding ceremony, people would hold the bride’s Litter around the maple tree, which indicates that the couple would have a good marriage. And when the old man dies, people would carry the coffin around the ginkgo tree, which indicates that his descendant will have a lot of children. When you pass by these two ancient trees, you can also try to hug them and receive blessings! After visiting Hongcun and having dinner, the guide will send you back to the hotel.

Hongcun Village

Hongcun Village

After breakfast, we will drive to Mount Huangshan. The mountain is located 60 kilometers north of Huangshan City and takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes by car. After entering the Huangshan scenic area, the first place we will visit is the Yungu Temple. Yungu Temple is located in the southeast of Mount Huangshan, with an altitude of 890 meters. Among all the attractions in the temple, a spring here is the most famous. According to legend, during the Southern Dynasty (420-589), a monk has been here. After hitting the stone with a tin stick in his hand, the spring water gushed out from a stone. Although the spring is not large, its water can be enough for a temple monk to drink all year round. If you are interested, you can also taste the sweet spring water here. After visiting Yungu Temple, we will take the Yungu cable car to Beginning-to-Believe Peak. It is said that Xu Xiake, a famous traveler in the Ming Dynasty, praised after visiting Huangshan that there is no mountain more magnificent than Huangshan in the world. During the Kangxi period (1662-1722), Chen Jiubi, the magistrate of the Huangshan region thought that Xu Xiake was exaggerating. But when he arrived at the peak, he was impressed by the scenery of Huangshan and believed Xu Xiake’s words, and this peak has since been called Beginning-to-Believe Peak. When standing on the peak, you can overlook the beautiful scenery of the whole mountain. At this time, you may be able to see a bottomless canyon in the distance, which is the famous Xihai Grand Canyon. From a distance, the canyon is filled with clouds and strangely shaped stones, which makes this place like an alien canyon. If you want to see more about Mount Huangshan, you can head to Dispelling Cloud Pavilion. The pavilion, built in 1935, is located at the West Sea Gate of Huangshan Scenic Spot. Because of the broad perspective, it is the best place to enjoy the wonders of Huangshan’s intricate rocks. Here, the most famous peak is the Flying-over Rock. The Rock, located on a flat rock, is generated by natural weathering. Because the contact surface between the two big rocks is very small, and the rock above seems to fly from the sky, this stone is called Flying-over Rock. In addition, we will also go to the Bright Summit. The Bright Summit is one of the main peaks of Huangshan. Located in the central part of Huangshan, it is the second-highest peak in Mount Huangshan at 1,841 meters above sea level. Because it is open and high, and the sun can shine here for a long time, it is called the Bright Summit. Besides, due to the flat terrain, it is one of the best places to watch the sunrise, sunset, and clouds in Huangshan. In addition, tonight we will stay in a hotel at Mount Huangshan, so you can enjoy the sunset here! As the golden sunset clouds fill the sky and the sun gradually sets over Huangshan, I believe you will never forget the beautiful scenery here.

Mount Huang

Mount Huang

I hope you had a good rest yesterday, because today we have to get up early to watch the sunrise in Huangshan! After sunrise, we will walk to the cable car station and take the cable car down the mountain. After that, we will go to the railway station and take the estimated train G322 11:50/18:17 to Beijing. As a tourist of All inclusive China tour, you don’t have to worry about anything, because we will prepare dinner for you. After dinner, you can rest in the hotel and get enough energy for your trip to Beijing tomorrow!

For tourists who come to Beijing, there are two must-go places. One is Tian’anmen Square, the other is the Great Wall. Today, our first stop is Tian’anmen Square. Tian’anmen was the front gate of the imperial city of Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and it was built in the 15th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1417). During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was the place where emperors issued edicts. And the gate must be opened when there were important celebrations such as the new emperor’s enthronement and big wedding. After 1949, Tian’anmen Square has become a symbol of the People's Republic of China and has been designed into a national emblem. As the largest city square in the world, Tian'anmen covers an area of 440,000 square meters and can accommodate up to a million people for a rally. After coming here, you can feel the most prosperous scene in Beijing. And if you like taking pictures, don’t forget to take pictures here at the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the Great Hall of the People, and the National Museum of China! After visiting Tian’anmen Square, we will head to the Forbidden City (closed on the Monday). The Forbidden City is the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in China, and it is also one of the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. The most interesting thing about the palace is the number of rooms. Regarding the number of rooms in the Forbidden City, some said it was 9,999 rooms while others said it was 9,999 and a half rooms (the ancient Chinese believed that there were 10,000 rooms in the heaven, and there could not be more palace houses in the earth than in the sky). So, the question is, how can there be half a house? And if so, where is this half of the house? In fact, there is no half house in the Forbidden City, and the half-room room here refers to a small room at a pavilion, which has only one staircase for going up and down.

After lunch, we will head to the Temple of Heaven. In the Ming and Qing dynasty, the temple of Heaven was a place for emperors to worship heaven and pray for a good harvest. As an act of praying for the gods’ blessing, worship to heaven was once an important part of the lives of ancient Chinese people. For more than 5,000 years, China has always had a tradition of holding ceremonies to worship heaven. The Temple of Heaven was built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty (1403-1420) and was a national altar established in accordance with the traditional Chinese etiquette system. Since the 19th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty, 22 emperors had been here to worship the god. After the outbreak of the Revolution of 1911, the government of the Republic of China announced the abolition of the ceremonial ceremonies for offering sacrifices to heaven. And in 1918, the Temple of Heaven was changed to a park. After visiting the Temple of Heaven, we will head to the Summer Palace. As one of the four famous gardens in China, the Summer Palace was a royal garden during the Qing Dynasty. I wonder if you still remember the West Lake we visited a few days ago? The Summer Palace took the West Lake in Hangzhou as the template and added the design of gardens in in southern China. Besides, it is also the best-preserved royal palace garden. When you walk in the Summer Palace, feel the breeze blowing in your face, look at the green trees and clear lake around you, and I believe you will forget all the troubles in life!

For today’s dinner, we have prepared the famous Peking Duck for you. Unlike ordinary roast duck, Peking Duck is served with a thin pancake and a dipping sauce. I believe you will fall in love with this delicacy!

Forbidden City

Summer Palace

If you want to know more about old Beijing, you may start with the Hutong. A Hutong is a small street between the main streets of a town or country, leading into the interior of a residential area. One of the questions often asked by visitors to Beijing is where are the hutongs in Beijing. Hutong originated in the Yuan Dynasty, and there were more than 6000 at that time. In Hutong, you can learn about the real life of old Beijing residents. In the past, there were always vendors in the Hutong, selling delicious ice-sugar gourd. If you’re lucky, you might run into them, too. You may as well buy one ice-sugar gourd and experience the happiness of people in old Beijing! On top of that, as a visitor of the all-inclusive tour, we also prepare a Rickshaw for you, and you can sit in the car to tour hutong. After exiting the Hutong, we will head to the Lama Temple. The temple, located in the northeast corner of Beijing, is the birthplace of the famous Emperor Qianlong. Apart from the exquisite buildings in the palace, the most famous is the sandalwood Buddha here. This giant Buddha was carved from the trunk of a white sandalwood tree. It is 26 meters high and weighs about 100 tons, and is the largest single wooden statue in China. If you are interested in Buddha, you may come here to experience this magnificent giant Buddha. 

After lunch, we will drive to the Badaling Great Wall. The Badaling Great Wall is located 74 kilometers northwest of Beijing, and it takes about an hour and a half to drive. The Badaling Great Wall is a section of the Great Wall, and it is also the most dangerous section of it. From a distance, the Great Wall is like a giant dragon, entrenching among the undulating mountains. For a person who has never seen the Great Wall, the first impression would be its majesty. When you stand on the Great Wall and look at the endless Great Wall, you will be shocked by the level of the architecture of the ancients thousands of years ago. After visiting the Great Wall, our tour guide will take you back to your hotel.

Hutong

Badaling Great Wall

Today we are leaving China and returning to your hometown! Our tour guide will take you to the airport according to your flight. I wish you a safe journey!

Author: Zhang Ziyang