This is a high-end customized private tour. Hotels and travel arrangements can be tailored according to each guest’s preferences and budget.

 

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Exclusive Inclusions

 

• Private English-speaking guides throughout the journey
• Domestic flights within China
• High-speed rail (HSR) tickets within China
• Private ground transportation throughout the journey
• Entrance tickets to all featured attractions
• Hotel accommodations
• Daily breakfast +selected local meals

 

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Tour Highlights

 

• Cycle through Shanghai’s former French Concession
• Explore the renowned peaks of Huangshan along winding mountain trails
• Visit the ancient villages of Chengkan, Xidi, and Pingshan, as if stepping back in time
• Admire the breathtaking scenery of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and the Wulingyuan Scenic Area
• Walk across the famous Glass Bridge and ride the spectacular cable car to Tianmen Mountain

 

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Detailed Itinerary

 

Day 1 — Shanghai

 

Upon arrival in Shanghai, your guide will meet you at the airport and arrange a private transfer to your hotel. You may also choose to take Shanghai’s high-speed Maglev train into the city before continuing to your hotel by private vehicle.

 

The remainder of the day is free for you to relax and explore at your own pace.

 

Destination: Shanghai

Accommodation: Luxury Hotel near the Bund

 

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Day 2 — Shanghai

 

This morning, explore vibrant Shanghai by bicycle. During this private cycling tour, you will ride through the former French Concession, admiring elegant Art Deco villas before venturing into quieter residential backstreets and the maze-like lanes of Shanghai’s old town, offering a glimpse into local daily life.

 

The afternoon is free for independent exploration. We recommend visiting the Jade Buddha Temple, one of the few active Buddhist temples still operating in Shanghai, as well as the Bund, where you can admire the modern skyline of Pudong across the Huangpu River.

 

Fuxing Park and Yu Garden are also excellent places for a leisurely stroll. Another interesting stop is the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre.

 

Destination: Shanghai

Accommodation: Luxury Hotel near the Bund

 

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Day 3 — Huangshan

 

This morning, you will be transferred to the railway station to board a high-speed train to Huangshan North in Anhui Province, a journey of approximately 4.5 hours.

 

Upon arrival, your guide and driver will meet you at the station and transfer you to your hotel. Afterwards, you may freely explore Tunxi Ancient Street. Originally established during the Song Dynasty (960–1279), the street is lined with traditional Chinese medicine shops, antique stores, and traditional craft shops.

 

Optional visits include two fascinating museums — the Tunxi Museum and Wancuilou Museum — featuring Ming- and Qing-Dynasty furniture, calligraphy, paintings, ceramics, and other historical artifacts.

 

High-Speed Rail: Shanghai → Huangshan

Accommodation: Boutique Hotel in Huangshan

 

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Day 4 — Huangshan

 

This morning, accompanied by your guide, you will travel to Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), one of China’s most renowned sacred mountains and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Huangshan has long served as a source of inspiration for traditional Chinese painting and literature.

 

Your guide will accompany you by cable car to the mountaintop, where you will stay overnight in a traditional mountain lodge.

 

In the afternoon, enjoy a guided walk along the mountain trails, admiring Huangshan’s spectacular scenery — from dramatic granite peaks under clear skies to mystical landscapes surrounded by drifting clouds and seas of mist.

 

If weather permits, you may also enjoy the magnificent sunset from the summit.

 

Destination: Huangshan

Accommodation: Mountain Lodge on Huangshan

 

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Day 5 — Huangshan

 

Weather permitting, wake early this morning to witness the famous sunrise over Huangshan.

 

After breakfast at the hotel, continue exploring the mountaintop scenery before descending by cable car and traveling to the charming ancient town of Chengkan.

 

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Chengkan was an important cultural center, later developing into a prosperous commercial town during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Here, you will admire traditional Hui-style architecture characterized by white walls, gray-tiled roofs, memorial archways, ancestral halls, courtyards, and classical gardens.

 

After the tour, return to your guesthouse.

 

Destination: Huangshan

Accommodation: Traditional Huizhou-style Guesthouse

 

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Day 6 — Huangshan

 

Today, accompanied by your guide and driver, you will explore the ancient villages of Xidi and Pingshan in the historic Huizhou region of Anhui Province.

 

Perfectly preserved, Xidi Ancient Village resembles a living museum and was inscribed as part of the “Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui” UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Walking through Xidi offers fascinating insight into centuries of local life and culture.

 

Pingshan Ancient Village, nestled at the foot of Pingshan Mountain, is peaceful and beautifully preserved, showcasing classic Huizhou-style architecture with white walls, elegant rooflines, and intricately carved wooden pillars.

 

As you stroll through the narrow alleyways and riverside paths, you will observe local daily life alongside faded historical slogans painted on old walls.

 

Destination: Huangshan

Accommodation: Traditional Huizhou-style Guesthouse

 

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Day 7 — Hangzhou

 

Early this morning, transfer to Huangshan North Railway Station and board a high-speed train to Hangzhou, a journey of approximately three hours.

 

Upon arrival, your private guide and driver will meet you at the station and transfer you to your hotel.

 

In the afternoon, visit the former residence of Hu Xueyan, a wealthy merchant from Hangzhou during the Qing Dynasty. Built with imported rosewood from Southeast Asia, the residence also features a beautiful traditional Chinese garden inspired by the classical gardens of Suzhou.

 

Afterwards, continue to Huqingyutang Pharmacy, the historic traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy founded by Hu Xueyan in 1874. Here, you can observe staff preparing herbal medicines and see local residents waiting for prescriptions. The adjacent museum further introduces the history and philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine.

 

This evening, guests may wish to attend the “Impression West Lake” light show, a spectacular performance combining music, dance, lighting, and theater on the waters of West Lake.

 

High-Speed Rail: Huangshan → Hangzhou

Accommodation: Lakeside Hotel

 

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Day 8 — Zhangjiajie

 

This morning, you will explore West Lake, widely regarded as Hangzhou’s most beautiful landmark.

 

Surrounded by hills on three sides, the lake is dotted with elegant pavilions, bridges, and historic sites dedicated to famous poets and emperors, creating a peaceful and poetic atmosphere.

 

Enjoy a walk along Su Causeway before taking a leisurely boat cruise on West Lake.

 

After the tour, transfer to the airport for your flight to Zhangjiajie. Upon arrival, your private guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

 

Flight: Hangzhou → Zhangjiajie

Accommodation: Boutique Retreat in Zhangjiajie

 

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Day 9 — Zhangjiajie

 

Today, begin exploring Zhangjiajie, renowned for its dramatic sandstone peaks, flowing streams, dense forests, and enormous karst caves.

 

You will walk across the world’s longest and highest glass-bottom bridge, offering panoramic views over the canyon below. Afterwards, enjoy a two-hour hike descending through the canyon along narrow pathways and stone staircases before departing the canyon by boat.

 

In the afternoon, visit Baofeng Lake, often regarded as a hidden mountain paradise. Surrounded by towering peaks with imaginative names, the lake is one of the region’s most scenic attractions. Enjoy a boat ride across the lake while your guide explains the legends behind the surrounding rock formations.

 

Destination: Zhangjiajie

Accommodation: Boutique Retreat in Zhangjiajie

 

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Day 10 — Zhangjiajie

 

This morning, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to a guesthouse near the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Accompanied by your private guide, spend the day exploring this extraordinary landscape famous for its unique rock formations, rushing streams, and lush subtropical scenery. Wulingyuan also served as the inspiration for the floating Hallelujah Mountains in the film Avatar.

 

Destination: Zhangjiajie

Accommodation: Valley Lodge

 

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Day 11 — Zhangjiajie

 

Today is intentionally left at a slower pace, allowing time to fully appreciate the tranquility of the Wulingyuan landscape.

 

Guests may enjoy gentle walks along forest trails, visit nearby scenic viewpoints, or simply unwind at the lodge while soaking in the peaceful mountain surroundings.

 

Destination: Zhangjiajie

Accommodation: Valley Lodge

 

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Day 12 — Guangzhou

 

After a relaxed morning, your private guide and driver will accompany you to Tianmen Mountain, a dramatic limestone peak towering above Zhangjiajie City.

 

You will ride one of China’s most spectacular cable car journeys to the summit. The approximately 30-minute ride offers breathtaking views, from city rooftops and picturesque terraced fields to the steep mountain slopes of Tianmen Mountain.

 

At the summit, visit the viewing platforms overlooking Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Afterwards, descend by cable car to the mid-mountain station before transferring by shuttle bus to the iconic Tianmen Cave.

 

Later this afternoon, transfer to the airport for your flight to Guangzhou. Upon arrival, your tour coordinator will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

 

Flight: Zhangjiajie → Guangzhou

Accommodation: Luxury Hotel in Guangzhou

 

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Day 13 — Guangzhou

 

Today is free for you to explore Guangzhou at your own pace.

 

We recommend taking a leisurely stroll around Shamian Island, a beautifully preserved riverside district lined with colonial-era architecture and shaded by banyan trees. Once home to foreign trading companies, the island is now one of Guangzhou’s most charming walking areas.

 

Optional experiences include authentic Cantonese dim sum and an evening cruise along the Pearl River to admire Guangzhou’s spectacular illuminated skyline.

 

Destination: Guangzhou

Accommodation: Luxury Hotel in Guangzhou

 

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Day 14 — Departure

 

Today, you will be transferred to the airport in time for your departure flight.