China Photography Tour in Shanghai

After arrival, your guide will hold your name sign and wait for you at the airport. And then you will be transferred to your hotel. Have a good rest.

Shanghai is a glamorous city in China, and it has also been called a magical city by the locals. Since China's reform and opening up, Shanghai's economy has been booming. Many multinational companies set up companies in Shanghai. According to statistics, Shanghai has the headquarters of more than 400 multinational companies. With the development of the economy, Shanghai has attracted more and more foreign populations. According to the latest statistics, there are more than 300,000 foreigners in Shanghai. This also makes Shanghai a truly international metropolis. The modern urban landscape, historical districts, cultural creativity, commercial entertainment, city parks, and other diverse and colorful tourism products have made Shanghai a tourism destination recognized by tourists all over the world.

Option: Do you have any special needs for airport pick-up service? For example, you need a more luxurious vehicle, or you need to be sent to a designated location instead of a hotel. Please contact us in advance. We will customize your pick-up service according to your requirements. We can also provide wheelchairs, crutches, child seats, and other items. If you need currency exchange services, you can tell your guide after arriving at the airport. The tour guide will help you exchange currency or tell you the nearest bank or other places where you can exchange currency. We are committed to providing worry-free travel for every guest.

After breakfast, we will take you to visit the Yu Garden (closed each Monday). It used to be a private garden. And now it is a famous attraction that is open to the public. The layout of the Yu Garden is very reasonable. Looking at the Yu Garden from different angles, you will see a different landscape. The rockery in Yu Garden is also very famous. Although rockery often appears in Chinese gardens, it is very rare to see rockery as big as the one in Yu Garden. You will also see an ancient ginkgo tree which is 462 years old this year, the same age as Yu Garden. In addition, there are nearly 4,000 collections in Yu Garden, including more than 2,000 paintings and calligraphy. Diverse natural scenery and rich cultural relics attract many foreign leaders to visit Yu Garden, such as the French Prime Minister Macron and his wife. 

And then we will visit the Jade Buddha Temple. It plays an important part in Shanghai Buddhism. Many Chinese people are Buddhism believers. On the first and fifteenth day of the Chinese lunar calendar, they will come to Jade Buddha Temple to worship the Buddhas and pray for safety and good luck. Besides this, the vegetarian food in Jade Buddha Temple is very famous. Arhat Dish is the most popular one. There are 18 kinds of ingredients in this dish including shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, dried beancurd sticks, black fungus, potatoes, carrots, etc. which means eighteen arahants. In addition, there are more than 80 other kinds of vegetarian food in the temple, which are also delicious and in good price.

After that, we will take you to the Bund. It is the best place to take photos of Shanghai. On the one side of the Huangpu River, there are historical buildings with different styles. On the other side of the Huangpu River, it is the financial center of the Shanghai-Lujiazui district. 

And then, you will visit Nanjing Road. Nanjing Road is a paradise for shoppers. There are various products including Shanghai snacks, clothing, souvenirs, and international brand skincare products. Nanjing Road is very lively during the day, and when the lights are on at night, the scenery here is also very charming. Some tourists even comment that the night view here is not inferior to Tokyo or Bangkok at night. 

Option: It will be a good choice to watch an acrobatic show at night. ERA Time and Space Journey acrobatic show integrates acrobatics, dance, drama, music, and world-class multimedia technology. The wonderful performances combined with the technologically-sense stage made the overall show very shocking. The whole performance consists of 8 parts. "The Wheel of Life" is one of the most popular performances. It is a 360-degree non-stop rotating wheel up to 10 meters high. It is composed of 3 small wheels with a diameter of 2 meters. The actors performed a series of unimaginable thrilling performances on the inner and outer edges of the rotating wheels. The performance starts at 19:30 and ends at 21:00. If you want to enjoy it, please tell us in advance so that we can book the ticket for you.

Jade Buddha Temple

the Bund

After breakfast, we will drive about 2 hours (100KM) to Suzhou. You will first visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden. It is the largest classical garden in Suzhou. It combined with the East Garden, the West Garden, and the Middle Garden. The Middle Garden is the main body. In addition to the delightful, peaceful, and secluded courtyard and pavilions, many flowers and plants are planted here, such as lotus, magnolia, crabapple, sycamore, pine, bamboo, etc. Because of the large variety of flowers, there will be an azalea festival every spring, the lotus festival in the summer, and the chrysanthemum festival in the fall. Besides the various flowers, you will see a bridge in the Middle Garden named Rainbow Bridge. The bridge body is red, like a rainbow connecting water and land. That is how it got its name. Unlike other bridges in Suzhou gardens, this bridge is a lounge bridge. Tourists can hide from the sun and rain here. If you want to know more about the Chinese garden, you can visit the Chinese Garden Museum in the south. It is the first garden theme museum in China. You will know more about the history, art, culture, and development of the Chinese garden here. 

After lunch, we will take a boat to visit the ancient canal. The ancient Suzhou canal surrounds the beautiful Suzhou city like a jade belt. The most pleasant way to enjoy the ancient canal is to take a boat on the canal. Along the way, you can see the antique houses on both sides of the ancient canal. Together with the old bridge, it composed the beautiful scenery of Suzhou. You will also see the modern building not far away which reflects the modern culture of Suzhou. It makes people feel the charm of Suzhou city at different times.

After that, we will visit the Silk Factory (closed each Monday). Silk is a characteristic product of China. It was exported to many foreign countries through the Silk Road in ancient times. And today you will visit a silk factory to know more about the history and culture of Chinese silk. Here you will learn how ancient people made silk, as well as the breeding of silkworms, ancient silk-making machines, and ancient silk clothing exhibits. In the Modern Exhibition Hall, many contemporary silk exquisites will be exhibited. There is also a gift center here. If you want to buy some silk scarves or clothes as souvenirs, you can choose here.

And then, we will visit Shantang Street. Shantang Street is well-developed, but at the same time, it retains the ancient architecture of Suzhou Water Town. You can choose to stroll through the ancient streets of Suzhou. There are many Suzhou snacks on both sides of the ancient streets, and many locals are selling local specialties. You can try the sweet-scented osmanthus cake here. Osmanthus cake has a history of more than 300 years. It is a delicious cake made from glutinous rice flour, sugar, and sweet osmanthus, a traditional snack with Chinese characteristics.

After that, we will drive back to Shanghai.

Humble Administrator’s Garden

Shantang Street

After breakfast, we will drive for about 2.5(150KM) hours to Hangzhou. Chinese people also compare Suzhou and Hangzhou to paradise. So you can imagine how beautiful they are. You will first take a boat to visit West Lake. Legend has it that a long time ago, a jade dragon and a golden phoenix found a piece of white jade on a fairy island. They spent many years carving this piece of white jade into a gemstone. But the queen mother in heaven snatched the gemstone away. The jade dragon and golden phoenix went to ask for the gemstone, but the Queen Mother was furious. She threw the gemstone on the ground, and it became the West Lake. Besides this legend, there are many other Chinese fairy tales happen here. If you are interested, your guide is happy to tell you more. And if you have a Chinese RMB 1 yuan, you will find the view of West Lake is printed on its back. People selected the top 10 beautiful scenery on the West Lake including the long embankment, peaks, towers, flowers, and so on. But in fact, you will find much more beauties than that. 

After lunch, we will visit the Six Harmonies Pagoda. It is 59 meters high. Looking from the outside, it is a 13-floor pagoda. But if you walk into the pagoda, you will find it is a 7-floor structure inside. This is the superb architectural art in ancient times. 104 bells are hanging on the Six Harmonies Pagoda, jingling with the wind. Standing on the Six Harmonies Pagoda, you can overlook the Qiantang River. It is said that, in ancient times, the Qiantang River was often flooded. The ancient Chinese were superstitious. They think that the flood can be controlled in the tower. Therefore, people built the Six Harmonies Pagoda to stop the flood of Qiantang River and ensure the safety of the surrounding people.

And then we will go and visit the Dragon Well Tea Plantation. Dragon Well Tea has a history of more than 1,400 years. It is known as the queen of tea. It is very beneficial to the human body which can refresh the brain, relieve fatigue, and lower blood pressure. Many young people like Dragon Well Tea because it can beautify the skin. In the tea plantation, you will know where does the tea grows, how to pick the tea leave and how to fry the tea. It will be a good idea if you want to buy some tea home as a gift for your family.

Six Harmonies Pagoda

West Lake

After breakfast, we will take an estimated train G7317 9:41/11:30 to Huangshan. Your guide will pick you up from the train station and then you will be transferred to visit Hong Village. The shape of Hong Village is unique. From a high altitude, Hong village looks like a cow lying beside a stream. You can even clearly identify the cow's head, horns, and body. The hundreds of residential buildings in Hong Village during the Ming and Qing Dynasties are typical Hui-style buildings and are known as the "Museum of Ancient Residential Architecture". These buildings are covered with stone carvings, brick carvings, and wood carvings, which are very delicate. Besides the ancient buildings, you will see the Moon marsh which is a crescent-shaped pond in the center of Hong Village. The water here was once the domestic water for people in Hong Village.

Hong Village

Hong Village

After breakfast, we will visit Mount Huangshan. It is one of the top 10 famous mountains in China. Mount Huangshan Scenic Area includes Yuping Scenic Area, Beihai Scenic Area, Songgu Scenic Area, Hot Spring Scenic Area, and Baiyun Scenic Area. You will take the cable car to the top of the mountain and visit the Yuping Scenic Area, which is known as the best spot on Mount Huangshan. Yuping Scenic Area is centered on Yuping Tower. The famous Greeting Pine is next to Yuping Tower. It is at least 1300 years old. One side of it stretches out as if a person stretches out a hand to welcome guests. The Greeting Pine has become an iconic landscape of Mount Huangshan. Together with the strange-shaped rocks, sea of clouds, hot springs, and winter snow, they are called the top 5 wonders of Mount Huangshan. In addition, photographers love to shoot sunset glow here. The colorful sunset and the strange-shaped rocks on the top of the mountain constitute a beautiful picture. Besides the natural beauty, Huangshan Mountain is historical and cultural. There are kinds of pavilions on the mountain. Today you will stay in the hotel on the mountain. 

Option: Huangshan’s specialty is Huangshan chrysanthemum tea. The chrysanthemum tea here was a tribute to the emperor in ancient times. Huangshan chrysanthemum tea is the complete chrysanthemum, and the chrysanthemum will not spread out after being brewed in hot water. When drinking this tea, it tastes better with a few rock candies. According to medical research, chrysanthemum tea can calm the central nervous system, enhance the anti-inflammatory power of capillaries, and has a good effect on the treatment of colds.

Mount Huangshan

Yuping Scenic Area

Today, you will have a chance to watch the sunrise here. The time of sunrise on Mount Huangshan is different in different seasons. You can ask your guide for the specific sunrise time. Or in your hotel, there is usually a sunrise schedule. You can also refer to that time. The wonders of the sea of clouds are most prone to appear in winter and spring. Standing on the top of the mountain and looking around, the clouds and mist make you feel like you are in a fairyland. When the sun just shows a little bit, the entire sea of clouds will be shining into gold, which is very spectacular.

After breakfast, you will take the cable car down the mountain. And then you will be transferred to the train station and take an estimated train G7320 11:50/14:18 to Shanghai. Your guide will pick you up from the train station and then you will be transferred to your hotel. After a short break, we will take you to visit the Tianzifang. Tianzifang is a fashion landmark in Shanghai formed after the reconstruction of Shanghai's unique Shikumen building, and it is also a creative work base for many artists. Tianzifang shows people more of the kindness and warmness of Shanghai. Entering Tianzifang, walk through the alleys, characteristic shops, and art workshops just inadvertently jump into your sight. From teahouses, open-air restaurants, cafes, galleries, to handicraft shops, and many well-known creative studios in Shanghai, this is the best place to relax and feel Shanghai’s local culture. If you want to buy some souvenirs to take home, you can go to these small shops. If you just want to spend a relaxing afternoon, it is better to walk into a tea house or coffee shop. 

Option: Shanghai dim sum is famous for its exquisite workmanship. I recommend you try the shredded chicken porridge and Nanxiang Xiaolongbao (Nanxiang Steamed Bun). Shredded chicken porridge is a porridge cooked with chicken broth. Matched with shredded chicken, shredded shiitake mushrooms, shredded carrots, etc., it is very delicious and nutritious. Nanxiang Xiaolongbao is one of the most popular food in Shanghai. Walking on the streets of Shanghai, you can easily find Nanxiang Xiaolongbao shops. To achieve the effect of the soup in the steamed buns, the chef found a good way. They wash the pork and pigskin and puts them in the pot for cooking until the pigskin is melting. Then pour it into a bowl and put it in the refrigerator to cool. After cooling, it will become like jelly. This can be used as a filling and wrapped in a bun. When the buns are steamed, the fillings inside will melt into the soup. So when you eat Xiaolongbao, you have to take a bite slowly first. Drink the soup inside. Then eat buns. The soup in the steamed bun is very hot, so be careful.

watch the sunrise

Tianzifang

After breakfast, we will drive to the airport and then you will fly back to your sweet home.

Editor: Besty He