Southeast China (15 days)

Shanghai – Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) – Wuyishan (Wuyi Mountain) – Longyan – Xiamen – Guangzhou – Shenzhen – Hong Kong

Southeast China is a captivating blend of natural beauty, modern innovation, and culinary delights. Admire the misty granite peaks of Huangshan, explore the colonial elegance of Gulangyu Island, and experience the dynamic energy of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Xiamen, where tradition and modernity intertwine.

Join us for an extraordinary journey where nature’s wonders, cultural heritage, and modern sophistication come together in perfect harmony.

Important Features

• Expert local guides handpicked by company owners.
• Small group size (average 15, maximum 20)
• No annoying forced shopping stops
• North American standard luxury accommodations
• Quality meals at non-tourist restaurants
• Bottled water during group activities
• Free Wi-Fi in all hotels

ITINERARY

Meal Code: B = breakfast / L = lunch / D = dinner

Day 1/Thu: Departing for Shanghai
The trip starts with your transpacific flight departing from a city of your choice. You’ll lose a day upon crossing the International Date Line.

Day 2/Fri: Arrival in Shanghai
Meet the driver on arrival for your private transfer to the hotel. You’ll have the remainder of the day at leisure. The guide will get in touch with you tonight.

Day 3/Sat: Shanghai (B/L/D)
With a population close to 25 million, Shanghai is China’s largest city and a dynamic hub of global trade and cultural exchange. The city delights visitors from around the world with its futuristic skyline and historical landmarks.

We begin our day with a visit to Jade Buddha Temple located in an old neighbourhood. We then walk the famous Bund – a waterfront promenade with a riveting history.

After lunch, we stroll the historical People’s Park and adjacent People’s Square in the heart of the city. Originally part of the Shanghai Race Club first established in 1850, the park and the square are surrounded by world-class museums and shops, which attract millions of visitors each year.

We wrap up the day’s sightseeing with a tour of the exquisite Yu Garden in the old town centre.

Day 4/Sun: Shanghai (B)
Free day to explore on your own. 

If you are interested in art and history, Shanghai Museum would be a great place to spend half a day. This museum houses a huge collection of precious national treasures. Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum and Nanwaitan Fabric Market (high-end tailor shops) are also recommended.

Optional Suzhou Day Tour
After breakfast we ride the high-speed train (30-40 minutes) to Suzhou, an ancient city most famous for its gardens, ancient canals and silk industry. In the late 13th century a Venetian named Marco Polo visited Suzhou and was very impressed by what he saw. He vividly described the prosperous silk industry and dubbed Suzhou “Venice of the East” due to the small waterways crisscrossing the city.

Our full-day schedule takes in the historic Tiger Hill, Humble Administrator’s Garden, North Pagoda, a short canal cruise, and a visit to Suzhou Silk Embroidery Research Institute if time allows. We return to Shanghai by train in early evening.

The all-inclusive price with lunch starts from US$250 per person and requires a minimum of 2 participants to operate.

Day 5/Mon: Shanghai – Huangshan/Yellow Mountain (B/L)
After a leisurely breakfast we ride the high-speed train (2 ½ hours) to the city of Huangshan, namesake of the famous mountain literally meaning Yellow Mountain.

Known among Chinese as the loveliest mountain in their country, Yellow Mountain inspires visitors with its striking low-hanging clouds, distinctly shaped granite rocks and twisted pine trees.  The jagged range consists of more than 70 knifelike peaks with the highest one reaching 1,864 metres above sea level.Vegetation on the range is thickest below 1,100 metres (3,600 ft), with trees growing up to the timberline at 1,800 meters (5,900 ft). Huangshan is a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature, as well as modern photography.

Afternoon sightseeing at Hongcun, a key component of the UNESCO World Heritage Site collectively known as Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui. The traditional village represents a type of non-urban settlement that largely disappeared or was transformed during the last century. The street plan, architecture and decoration, and the integration of houses with comprehensive water systems are unique surviving examples.

Day 6/Tue: Huangshan Scenic Area (B/L/D)
After breakfast, we drive to the mountain and reach one of the peaks by cable car, thus beginning our full day exploration of the mountain. Located in the southern part of Anhui Province, Huangshan is a marvel: within an area of 154 square kilometers there are as many as 72 peaks, whose names indicate the shapes they resemble. In 1990, the UNESCO inscribed Huangshan a World Natural and Cultural Heritages Site. The beauty of Huangshan lies in its “four wonders”: pine trees with shapely foliage, peculiarly shaped rocks, sea of clouds, and hot springs.

Day 7/Wed: Huangshan – Wuyishan (B/L/D)
This morning we board the bullet train for Wuyishan (1 hour 20 minutes).

The UNESCO which inscribed Wuyishan, or Wuyi Mountains, as a World Heritage Site in 1999 describes that “Mount Wuyi is the most outstanding area for biodiversity conservation in south-east China and a refuge for a large number of ancient, relict species, many of them endemic to China. The serene beauty of the dramatic gorges of the Nine Bend River, with its numerous temples and monasteries, many now in ruins, provided the setting for the development and spread of neo-Confucianism, which has been influential in the cultures of East Asia since the 11th century. In the 1st century B.C. a large administrative capital was built at nearby Chengcun by the Han dynasty rulers. Its massive walls enclose an archaeological site of great significance.”fujian china tour to xiamen and yongding tulou mud houses

We spend the day exploring the wonders of nature at Yixiantian, Huxiao Crag and Tianyou Peak Scenic Area.

Day 8/Thu: Wuyishan (B/L)
Sightseeing at Mount Wuyi continues. Visits to Xiamei Village and a local teahouse for refreshments are on the agenda. Activities scheduled for today also include a 2-hour ride on a bamboo raft down the river snaking through spectacular scenery.

Day 9/Fri: Wuyishan – Xiamen (B/L/D)
After breakfast we ride the bullet train (D2325, 08:30/12:11) to Xiamen, a historical seaport city formerly known as Amoy in the West. Our afternoon sightseeing focuses on Gulangyu Island where major attractions include Shuzhuang Garden, Piano Museum, Haitian Tanggou and Longtou Road. A lot of Western style buildings were erected on Gulangyu when Xiamen was run by the British as a treaty port from 1842 and 1912. Expatriate community of Europeans and Japanese made up a large percentage of residents on Gulangyu before the Communists took over China in 1949. Today Gulangyu is a popular vehicle-free tourist destination with beautiful beaches and meandering streets lined with old colonial villas.

Day 10/Sat: Xiamen – Yongding Tulou – Xiamen (B/L)
After breakfast we embark on a day trip by high-speed train to Longyan (1 hour each way) to visit Chuxi Hakka Earth Buildings located in the town of Xiayang, Yongding County. The complex consists of 5 round and 31 square earth buildings, representing the best of Fujian Tulou (earth buildings) – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our tour includes the showpiece, Jiqing Lou, and Hakka History Museum.

Day 11/Sun: Xiamen – Guangzhou (B)
Ride the high-speed train to Guangzhou this morning. Enjoy the break-taking scenery on this 4-hour rail journey.

Guangzhou, formerly known outside China as Canton, is the capital of Guangdong Province and mega-city of immense wealth. We spend the afternoon exploring Guangdong Provincial Museum.

Day 12/Mon: Guangzhou (B/L)
Our full-day sightseeing takes in Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Yue Xiu Park and the Chen Family Temple, and Shamian Island where many European styled buildings exist due to its colonial history.

Day 13/Tue: Guangzhou – Shenzhen – Hong Kong (B/L)
The early morning train ride to Shenzhen takes only half an hour.

As a very young city, Shenzhen doesn’t offer much to the international visitor seeking culture and history, but driving around with a guide explaining the metamorphosis of Shenzhen from a small fishing village four decades ago to an incredibly prosperous mega-city today is a fascinating experience. Once you know the story of Shenzhen, you’ll find it so much easier to wrap your head around the rapid rise of China. Shenzhen ranks as China’s third largest city with a permanent population of over 17 million and an economy rivalling that of Austria (2020 GDP US$433.3 billion).

Late in the afternoon we cross the border into Hong Kong.

Day 14/Wed: Hong Kong (B/L)
Our morning sightseeing in Hong Kong begins with a ferry ride across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central. The heart of Hong Kong’s business district, Central is home to the regional headquarters of many multinational financial services corporations. Consulates general and consulates of many countries are also located in this area, as is the government of Hong Kong.

We then proceed to the top of Victoria Peak. Also known as Mount Austin or The Peak among locals, Victoria Peak is located in the western half of Hong Kong Island with an altitude of 552 meters (1,811 feet). The peak offers sweeping views over Central, Victoria Harbour and the surrounding islands.

We proceed to lunch after a brief stop at Repulse Bay – one of the most expensive residential areas in the world.

After lunch, we spend the rest of the day exploring on our own. Feel free to ask the guide for advice on what to do.

Day 15/Thu: Returning Home (B)
The tour ends this morning. You can take a taxi or, if available, the airport limousine bus to the airport. For the sake of convenience, taxi is highly recommended and the cost is around HK$300, equivalent to about US$40.

Dates & Prices

Prices are per person based on double occupancy. See Terms & Conditions for cancellation penalty.