All the Tea in China

This morning you will be taken to Yu Yuan a 5 acre garden first built in 1559 and declared a national monument in 1982. Amongst the numerous temples and ponds one of the highlights is the exquisite Jade Rock a porous 5 tonne bolder said to have been recovered from a shipwreck.
Later visit the nearby water town Zhujiajiao. This area a kind of Chinese Venice contains many historical sites including rice shops banks spice stores and even a Qing dynasty post office. Here you will gain a fascinating insight into life on the Yangtze Delta.

This morning take an express train to Hangzhou where you will be met and transferred to West Lake for a boat ride. With its beautiful lakes mountains and many attractions this area has become a world-famous destination and is known locally as the paradise on earth.
Later visit Lingyin Temple one of the ten most famous ancient Buddhist monasteries in China and adjacent to the stunning Feilai Peak a 209 meter tall pure limestone mountain which is very distinctive amongst the sandstone mountains surrounding it.

Today begins with a visit to the Chinese Tea Museum which covers over 5 acres in Dragon Well Village. This is followed by a visit to a tea farm where you will spend an hour picking your own tea and learning the frying tea process. In the afternoon take a high speed train to Wuyishan the “Natural Arboretum” where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Today is a day devoted to tea in this most famous of tea districts. Home to Wuyi Tea also known as Bohea the Wuyi Mountains produce some of the world’s finest black and oolong tea. You will learn about this while listening to ancient royal music in the Royal Tea Garden before stops including TianYou Peak Cloudy Nest and Special Tea Canyon Fairy Bath Pool and Tian You Temple.
During the afternoon you will take a bamboo raft trip through the unspoilt scenery of Jiugu Stream. After landing at dock you will proceed to Ancient Street with Song Dynasty style filled with local stores restaurants tea houses and workshops before a visit to Ancient Wuyi Palace.

Today begins with a visit to Water Curtain Cave. At 100 meters high and wide this spacious and bright natural cavern is the largest in the Wuyi Mountains. Next you will visit the Ancient Tea Plantation which features tea trees that are 600 years old. These trees produce Dahongpao tea also known as Emperor Tea a deeply fermented oolong which only grows on the rock cliffs of the area. The afternoon concludes with visits to a local farmer’s small tea factory and house where you will taste local brews including a wild mushroom tea.

This morning begins with a visit to Xiamei Ancient Village the starting point of the ancient 10000 mile Tea Road to Russia used in the time of the Qing Dynasty. Many of the buildings here are startlingly well preserved and feature sculptures of wood and stone. Next you will have a cup of tea in the Zhou Family Teahouse whose current proprietor is the 29th generation of the family to host guests here.
After lunch take a high speed train to Xiamen where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Today you will be driven to Nanjing to visit the Tianluokeng Earth Towers a wonderful example of Fujian Tulou construction. Despite being made of earth some of these other-worldly structures are over 700 years old. These traditional communal buildings could house up to 80 families.

This morning take a ferry to Gulangyu Island where you will see Shuzhuang Garden and Crag of Sunlight. This fascinating pedestrian-only island measures only 2 square kilometres and at the turn of the 19th century was home to one of only two international settlements in China. The local residents of that time predominantly administered by British citizens constructed many of the buildings there today giving the island a very different feel and style to the rest of China.
After lunch transfer to visit South Potuo Temple Hulishan Fortress and have a stroll at Huandao Road along the sea before being transferred to the airport for your flight to Guilin.

In the morning transfer to visit Daxu Village. First built in 200AD it remained a prosperous trading centre for more than 900 years. Afternoon transfer back city to visit Reed Flute Cave named for from the verdant reeds growing outside it with which people make flutes. Inside this water-eroded cave is a spectacular world of various stalactites stone pillars and rock formations created by carbonate deposition.
Later visit Guilin Tea Institute which has done a great amount of research into growing different kinds of tea bushes. All of their products are organic and of a very high standard. The tea plantation there covers 36 hectares and tourists come from all over the world to experience tea leaf picking visit the tea processing workshop and enjoy the famous Chinese Tea Ceremony.

Following breakfast you will be picked up and transferred to a cruise ship for your Li River cruise to Yangshuo. The 3.5 hour cruise through the stunning karst landscape will include lunch on board as breath-taking scenery drifts by including rice paddies school children water buffalo and local fishermen on bamboo rafts.
Upon arrival in Yangshuo the afternoon is at leisure.

Morning Transfer to Guilin North railway station where you will catch a high speed train to Guangzhou. There you will be met and transferred for a visit to Chen Family Temple and Xiguan old Houses before you take a walk Shamian Island. Discover the enchanted old residences temples and some outstanding colonial buildings and churches with beautiful landscaping nesting in the bustling downtown Guangzhou.

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

• Private tour escorted by an English Speaking guide and private car
• Accommodations: above mentioned hotels or the same class with daily breakfast
• Meals are included as specified (B=breakfast L=lunch D=Dinner)
• Domestic flight (economy class): Xiamen X Guilin
• Domestic train: Shanghai X Hangzhou / Hangzhou X Wuyishan / Wuyishan X Xiamen / Guilin X Guangzhou
• Entrance fees

• International airfares
• Optional tours and excursions
• Port Taxes and fuel surcharges
• Porterage
• Tipping/Gratuities (please refer to tour notes for a recommended guideline)
• Personal Expenses
• Departure taxes
• Hotel charges for minibar or any extra charges
• Visas (unless specified)
• Any other services not clearly mentioned in the inclusions above