7 Days Shanghai Hangzhou Huangshan Highlights Tour
The New China Look of Modernity, Beauty & Poetry
The New China Look of Modernity, Beauty & Poetry
Curious about seeing China's many faces in one incredible journey? Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Huangshan make a wonderful combination. Shanghai impresses with its towering skyscrapers and urban atmosphere, while Hangzhou enchants visitors with its mirror-like lake and rolling tea gardens. Huangshan completes the picture with its peaks and villages that seem untouched by time. Combined, these three places reveal modern energy, cultural elegance, and natural majesty all in one trip.
Our 7-day journey kicks off in Shanghai, where you'll explore the historic Bund and soak up this dynamic city. Next, hop on a high-speed train to Hangzhou, where you'll glide across the famous West Lake and wander through mountain tea plantations. Finally, head to Huangshan to experience ancient villages and hike the magnificent Yellow Mountain for breathtaking sunrise panoramas. Traveling from neon-lit streets to tranquil waters to cloud-wrapped summits creates a truly remarkable Chinese adventure.
This is a private tour, offering flexibility and personalized service. You’ll have professional guides and dedicated drivers to ensure comfort and convenience throughout your journey. Also, the itinerary is fully customizable to suit your preferences, allowing you to explore at your own pace and according to your interests.
2025 Huangshan Travel Promotion: 1) 50% discount on entry fees to all scenic areas, Yellow Mountain and old villages and more. 2) Nanping, Pingshan, Daguling, Luchuan, and Tachuan Villages for free all year round; 3) the earlier you book, the better price you can get!
Day 1 Shanghai Arrival
Airport / Train Station / Port Pick-Up
Ni Hao! Welcome to Shanghai, the biggest metropolis in China!
Upon arrival, you will be met by a local tour guide at the arrival hall of the airport/train station/port and escorted to check in your hotel in downtown by a private comfortable vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to relax. If you want to explore nearby, feel free to get some practical suggestions from your tour guide.
Optional Activity - Attend an entertaining Acrobatic Show, including breathtaking “balls of death” acts, chair balancing, hula hoops, juggling of benches, walking in the air, and other breathtaking performances (usually performed during 19:30~21:00).
Arrival Ideas: At present, there are many international and many domestic flights to and from Shanghai. Also, you can arrive in Shanghai city by taking a high speed train from Beijing (5-6hrs), Xian (6-7hrs), Hangzhou (1hrs), Suzhou (30mins), Huangshan (4hrs), and so on.
Feel the Highest Speed of 431 km/h of Shanghai Maglev Train
Day 2 Shanghai (B, L)
Shanghai Museum - Yu Garden - Shanghai Tower - Nanjing Road - The Bund
After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel to start your Shanghai exploration. Your will firstly visit Lujiazui and ascend to the 118th-floor observation deck (546 meters) of the Shanghai Tower for a panorama of the city, where iconic landmarks like the Jinmao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and Oriental Pearl Tower appear almost within reach, and the historic Bund unfolds along the distant Huangpu River. Then, drive to the Shanghai Museum East, which collected many international-standard exhibits of bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, jade from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing dynasty. An Audio Explanation Device will be prepared for you to help you learn about the history and facts about the relics in the museum easily.
In the afternoon, you will take an interesting visit to Yu Garden, a shining star among all the ancient Chinese gardens in Jiangnan. This garden fully embodies the traditional design of Chinese architecture with jagged pavilions with elegant decorations, glittering pools with roving fish, and pine trees sprouting to the sky, all designed to refresh your mood and spirit. Adjacent to the garden is the Yuyuan Bazaar where you can savor tasteful local snacks and explore elaborate traditional Chinese handicrafts and art works. Then, head to Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s premier shopping street, ideal for a leisurely stroll and a taste of the city’s modern atmosphere. Lastly, you will stop at the Bund, originally a simple towpath for transporting goods but now transformed into a feverish trading district. You will stroll along the Bund, seeing and feeling the perfect fusion of Chinese and Western cultures while at the same time taking in the stunning Shanghai skyline with your own eyes!
Optional Activity - Take a relaxing Huangpu River night cruise to see the city’s most significant edifices and streets sparkling under the atmospheric cover of darkness (about 50 minutes).
Day 3 Shanghai - Hangzhou (B)
Tianzifang - Wukang Road - Transfer to Hangzhou via High-Speed Train
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Tianzifang and Wukang Road to make a delightful contrast walking tour of local traditional houses and western style architectures. First, visit Tianzifang, a unique popular tourist enclave remolded from a traditional residential block. Intertwined narrow alleys are filled with small creative shops selling lovely souvenirs and plenty of cafés, bars and restaurants. It’s great fun to ramble through the maze-like area to appreciate the well-preserved traditional Shanghainese Shikumen (Stone Warehouse Gate) houses, see interesting novel art and handicrafts, savor a lazy open-air coffee time and try some local street food and feel the original Shanghai life vibe.
Finally, you will take a leisurely walk in the charming Wukang Road which was a special premier living quarter and retail district for expats in early Shanghai (from 1849 AD until 1943 AD). You will browse hundreds of beautiful old French and European style buildings, apartments, villas, boutique shops, restaurants of a wide range of culinary styles standing at tree-lined avenues. Located among the ultra-modern architecture complex, Wukang Road is a significant window into the city’s up-and-down history and an excellent witness of the culture fusion of the East and Europe.
After the tour, your guide escort you to take a high speed train to Hangzhou (about 1 hr). Upon arrival, the local tour guide and driver will meet you in the arrival hall and escort you to your hotel. The rest time is free for you to relax.
Day 4 Hangzhou (B, L)
West Lake - Feilai Peak - Meijiawu Tea Village
After breakfast today, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel and escort you to start today’s Hangzhou exploration!
First, make the symbolic visit to the picturesque West Lake, which is the iconic site of Hangzhou and a pretty UNESCO World Heritage. Just as the famous traveler Marco Polo did and wrote: “A voyage on this lake offers more refreshment and pleasure than any other experience on earth”, you will start with a leisure cruise (about 45 mins) to enjoy the tranquil lake views as well as the ancient pagodas, traditional arched bridges, tree-lined walkways, beautiful hills, green islands and lush gardens including visit to the beautiful Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon. After the cruise, visit West Lake's highlights like Su Causeway, Broken Bridge, and scenic parks by foot or included sightseeing vehicle. The lake's vastness makes full exploration impractical, but your guide will customize the itinerary based on your schedule and energy levels.
Next, go to Feilai Peak (Peak Flying from Afar), which flew to China to spread Buddhism from India according to the legend. It features in over 300 Buddhist carvings lining the riverbanks and hillsides and tucked away inside grottoes. With over 1,000 years, it is the precious fresco treasure in the whole regions south of Yangtze River. Continue to the adjacent Lingyin Temple of nearly 1,700 year, which is the oldest and one of the most popular temples in Hangzhou. Hidden in the luxurious forest, it offers charming and peaceful landscape mixed with the strong Buddhist atmosphere among the large scaled of magnificent and antique temple clusters.
Then, drive uphill to Meijiawu Tea Village, a refreshing wonderland surrounded by mountains with a large area of emerald Dragon Well tea plantations in neat lines and curves. Walk among the tea plantations with fun and take beautiful photos (Optional activity: you can pay a visit to the local tea farmer’s family and experience picking tea leaves, watching stir-drying tea leaves, enjoying tea ceremony, tasting Dragon Well tea, etc., which is usually only available in March or April.).
After Meijiawu visiting, be escorted back to your hotel in Hangzhou downtown. Have a good sleep!
Evening Ideas: 1) watch a magnificent night show - Enduring Memories of Hangzhou, a live performance by Yimou Zhang with changing lights, music and dancing on the West Lake, which usually starts at 7pm, needs extra payment; 2) feast your eyes with an amazing Music Fountain Show at Third Park, near the eastern lakeside of West Lake, free charged.
Day 5 Hangzhou - Huangshan (B, L)
Transfer to Huangshan via High-Speed Train - Hongcun Village - Tunxi Ancient Street
Today after breakfast, you’ll be transferred to take a high speed train to Huangshan City, which will takes about 1.5 hours to get there. After arrival, be greeted by your local tour guide and driver. Then drive about 1 hour from the train station to visit the famous Chinese-painting-like ancient village - Hongcun.
Hongcun Ancient Village is a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its layout, landscape, architectural form, decoration, and construction techniques are the best examples of ancient Huizhou-style architecture. Originated during Song Dynasty (960-1276), is praised as the most beautiful village in China. It is famous as the ancient village in the Chinese painting. The most beautiful sites are the Moon Lake, the crescent-like pond surrounded by several grand dwellings, and Southern Lake Academy, a private ancient school served for the village. One interesting fact is that the whole village is arranged in the shape of an ox. The famous Oscar-winner film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was filmed in Hongcun.
After the Hongcun visit, go for a relaxing stroll on the 900-year-old Tunxi Ancient Street to appreciate authentic old Huizhou-style architectures. Next comes an interesting visit to Hu Kaiwen Ink-stick Factory to find out how ancient Chinese people produce ink sticks (major item used to write and paint in ancient time).
After the visiting, you will be escorted to your hotel in Huangshan City. Have a good sleep!
Day 6 Huangshan (B)
Yungu Cable Way - Begin-to-believe Peak - Dispelling Cloud Pavilion - Bright Summit - Flying-over Rock
Walking Distance: about 7~9km/5~6 hrs
Today after breakfast, our guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel, then drive about 80 kilometers (1.5 hours) to the foot of Mount Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and one of the most beautiful mountains in China. Your memorable Huangshan trip starts!
To save energy and time, you will directly transfer by park bus from the mountain foot to Yungu Temple to take a cableway to upper beautiful sightseeing area of Huangshan Mountain – North Sea Scenic Area which is famous for marvelous precipitous peaks, beautiful giant pine trees and far-reaching vision. Walk to lofty Begin-to-Believe Peak (1668m) to stretch your eyesight over cloud seas to far distance, and then hike about 40 minutes to Dispelling Cloud Pavilion to look down the Dreamland - West Sea Grand Canyon. Walk down along the stone steps to the deeper area of the canyon while enjoying the Avatar-like rising rock peaks, unfathomable cliffs, bizarre stones and tenacious pine trees.
Generally speaking, it takes about 3 hours for an energetic hiker to hike from the Dispelling Cloud Pavilion, via 1st Ring and 2nd Ring to the bottom and return to the starting point. For beginners, children, and senior travelers, you can decide the hiking length on your own according to your physical condition, usually 2 hours for the 1st Ring and 2.5hrs for the 2nd Ring. In the bottom of the canyon, there is also a monorail cable trains for those who don’t want to return by walking to transfer back to the peak area.
If time and energy allow, you can spend about one hour to explore the Sky Sea Scenic Area where you can enjoy the sunset from the second highest peak - Bright Summit (1840m), visit the incredible Flying-over Rock, then go to your hotel on the mountain and have a good rest.
(Please Note: from December to the late March of next year, West Sea Grand Canyon is usually closed for the cold weather and heavy snow. Please feel free to contact us to adjust your itinerary.)
Day 7 Huangshan & Huangshan Departure (B)
Yellow Mountain Sunrise - Flight / Train off Huangshan
Get up early (usually around 5am to 6am) to enjoy the magnificent sunrise from Huangshan. We suggest you watch the sunrise from the Refreshing Terrance which is only a few minutes’ walking from Beihai Hotel. In good-weather days, you can see clearly the golden light of the sun piercing the mists, and rocky peaks rising above the frothy, ever-changing sea of white clouds. After the sunrise, get back to your hotel for breakfast.
Continue on your wonderful sightseeing on the Yellow Mountain to see the famous Dawn Pavilion, Stone Monkey Watching the Sea on the Lion Peak (1690m). Then walk along the wood path to the cable station to take a cable car to exit the mountain. Your driver is ready at the mountain foot to transfer you back to Huangshan City for lunch.
Your tour guide will escort you to catch your flight/train to next destination. Tour ends.
Note: All attractions can be customized according to your arrival and departure arrangements, lowest price & best-value guaranteed. Please feel free to contact us at any time.
1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in a 4-star hotel and traveling with our private tour in low seasons. It will drop greatly if your group has 4 or more members.
2. This price is subject to change according to your traveling season, month and date. There may be huge price increasing during public Chinese holidays, school summer vacations, tourism peak seasons or some special dates. (China Public Holiday 2025 Schedule Released)
3. Other factors that may change the final tour price include group size, hotel class, tour activities, fluctuation of currency exchange rate, etc.
4. This price is based on exchange rate USD 1=RMB 7.00. The final price will be based on the exchange rate in effect at the time of agreement with our quotation.
5. This price is only valid to March 31, 2026.
6. This price is not the final price until the Confirmation Letter is sent.
7. The items included and excluded in this price are for reference only. The final services included, please refer to the confirmation letter sent to you by the travel consultant.
Hi Elk,
You are very kind, and I'll certainly be recommending you to anyone we know who is traveling to China! I've left a 5 star review on TripAdvisor also!
We really enjoyed the cruise and found it very relaxing and interesting. The rooms were really clean and comfortable, and the food was surprisingly good and varied. Some of the earlier excursions we found a little boring (we had already seen a lot of temples at that point) but the top of the Three Gorges and the trip up the smaller gorge was great!
Fergal
Dear Wonder,
Greetings from Melbourne. It feels like forever since our trip to China arranged by you. Everything went well. I look forward to having you arrange another trip for me in the future. Services are all great.
Thank you.
Best Regards,
Wong
Hi Wonder,
Yes it was excellent. Jerry is a very good guide for Huangshan. He is very knowledgeable. thx
Cheng
Hi Leo,
We’re back from our trip—thank you so much for organizing such a memorable first tour of China. My family and I had a fantastic time and truly appreciated all the arrangements.
Overall Highlights:
1. Your responsiveness to all my inquiries, along with the clear arrangements, pricing and cancellation policy, made the booking process smooth and reassuring.
2. The transfers and pickups—from Beijing to Hangzhou and then to Shanghai—were seamless. The tour guides provided clear instructions throughout the journey, and we encountered no issues.
3. The tour guides and drivers were friendly, highly professional, ensuring our safety and staying prompt and on schedule. We especially appreciated the clear communication when there were any changes due to weather or timing.
4. The food and hotel (including breakfast) arrangements were excellent—well planned and thoroughly enjoyable.
Thank you again for your outstanding service. We look forward to booking future trips with China Discovery!
Evolution form as below:
1. YES, Leo always response promptly and answered my questions as clearly and accurately as possible.
2. Tour Guides and drivers were all professionals. Ensure our safety, prompt, timely and on schedule. Foods and hotel arrangements were excellent! Appreciate they let us know ahead if there is a change in schedule due to weather or time.
3. Based on the interaction with China Discovery (prompt response, clear arrangement, pricing and cancellation policy). I will use and recommend China Discovery again.
4. Suggestion: Inform us in advance if a particular event or attraction is out of season—for example, our visit to Meijiawu Tea Village. It seems the tea-picking season was in March or April, so there was no tea leaf picking during our visit. Had China Discovery let us know ahead of time, we would have adjusted our expectations and avoided disappointment. That said, we still enjoyed the beautiful scenery and overall experience.
Cheow
Hi Elk,
我们对此行非常满意，三餐可供选择的食品种类多，味道可口；船上有表演、有互动，中途还有观景游玩，活动形式灵活多样；房间干净、零食和饮用水的提供到位；船上的工作人员态度和蔼耐心，服务周到，特别是我们在六楼11号餐桌用餐时为我们提供服务的女生服务员做事积极、周到又细致……。总之，感谢长江2号游轮带给了我们一个愉快的旅行！
Wong
We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years!
"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.
Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.
Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!
After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.
Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.
We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.
Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.
Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.
Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!
Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!
Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.
Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!
In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!
The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.
If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.
Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.
We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.
The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.
There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.
All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!
Feel the Highest Speed of 431 km/h of Shanghai Maglev Train
Acrobatic Show Performed in Shanghai Circus World
View of Lujiazui - Our Guest Antal
Shanghai Tower
Our Guests visited Yu Garden and Bazaar
Wukang Road City Walk
Spend Leisure Time at the Mazy Lanes of Tianzifang
West Lake Sunset
West Lake Boating Experience
Lingyin Temple
Lawson Family from UK - Meijiawu Tea Plantation, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Mr. and Mrs. Gorges from Australia - Hongcun Village, Huangshan
Jack and Emily from UK - Hongcun Village, Huangshan
Yungu Cable Car on Mount Huangshan
Jack and Emily from UK - West Sea Grand Canyon, Yellow Mountain
Jenny's group from Vietnam - Yellow Mountain, Huangshan, Anhui
Stone Monkey Watching the Sea (on Lion Peak)
Jenny's group from Vietnam - Yellow Mountain Sunrise, Huangshan, Anhui
Hiking Huangshan Mountain can be a rewarding yet physically demanding experience. The trails vary from relatively flat paths to steep, challenging ascents. The stone-paved paths, while adding to the mountain's charm, can be tough on your knees. If you're looking for a less strenuous visit, consider following the classic route on the Back Mountain. However, for those seeking a more adventurous and rugged experience, venturing into the West Sea Grand Canyon and Front Mountain areas is an option, but be prepared for steep and challenging terrain. Thankfully, there are cableways available at certain sections to help conserve your energy and time.
Traveling light is essential. Before ascending the mountain, pack a small backpack with important travel documents, valuables, and overnight necessities. You can leave your larger, heavier luggage in your hotel in Tunxi (Huangshan City) or arrange storage with your tour guide at a hotel located at the mountain's base. For a comfortable and enjoyable hike, consider packing the following essentials: breathable and comfortable clothing, sturdy hiking shoes, trekking poles, sunscreen, a raincoat (especially from May to October), a small bag, and some cash. With these preparations, you'll be better equipped to make the most of your Huangshan Mountain hiking adventure.
The hiking routes on Huangshan can be customized according to your days, energy condition and interest, basically for one day, two days or three days. It doesn't matter a lot to start your hiking from the Front Mountain or the Back Mountain.
1.5 Days Back Mountain + West Sea Grand Canyon Leisure Hiking:
- Day 1: Yungu Cableway - Begin-to-Believe Peak - Lion Peak - West Sea Grand Canyon (hiking around 9km/6hrs)
- Day 2: Sunrise - Flying-over Rock - Bright Top (hiking around 7km/3hrs)
2 Days Front Mountain + Back Mountain + West Sea Grand Canyon Full Highlights Hiking:
- Day 1: Yuping Cableway - Greeting-guests Pine - One-line Skye - Bright Top - Flying-over Rock (hiking around 11km/6hrs)3 Days In-depth Hiking:
- Day 1: Mercy Light Pavilion - Half Way Temple - Greeting-guests Pine - One-line Skye - Baiyun Hotel (hiking around 14km/7.5hrs)Please feel free to let us know your idea if you have no idea where to start.
To stay one night or more on the mountain is very worth doing as you will have more time to enjoy as much as landscape of Huangshan especially the amazing sunset and sunrise. There are only 6 hotels on the mountain - 2 hotels (Yupinglou Hotel and Baiyun Hotel) in the Front Mountain, and 4 hotels (Beihai Hotel, Xihai Hotel, Shilin Hotel, Paiyunlou Hotel) in the Back Mountain. The South Building of Xihai Hotel is the only 5-star hotel on the mountain. Beihai, Shilin, Baiyun are 4-star, while Paiyunlou and Yupinglou are 3-star. Our guests usually accommodate at Xihai Hotel, Beihai Hotel and Baiyun Hotel as they have better rooms, facilities and foods. Please kindly know the hotels on the mountain are not as good as the 4-star and 5-star hotels in the big cities while the prices are sometimes higher because there is no vehicle road can be built to the top area of the mountain, which made these hotels cost much longer time and much more money during their constructions. Besides, the supplies of the hotels basically rely on porters who usually walk for many hours to carry the foods, drinks, vegetables, eggs, bedding from the foot of the mountain.
Only hotels provide foods on the mountain, usually Chinese dishes of local Hui-style Cuisine cooked by seasonal vegetables, pork, chicken, beef, fish, etc. Beihai Hotel and Xihai Hotel's buffets are most popular. Western food is usually not provided, but if you ask, Beihai Hotel and Xihai Hotel can arrange. Basic western breakfasts, such as breads, jam and coffee, can be offered in Beihai Hotel and Xihai Hotel.
Huangshan mountain area features a humid subtropical monsoon climate. Summers and Winters are longer than Springs and Autumns. There are plenty of rainfalls, usually more than 180 rainy days through the whole year. It often snows in the Winter days, usually around 50 days per year. Clouds and fogs occur easily, and go fast sometimes. The average temperature in Summer is around 20°C. In winter days, it will drop to below 10°C. Basically speaking, Huangshan can be visited all year around. But Lotus Peak, Celestial Capital Peak and West Sea Grand Canyon are not open during Winter days (December to March). The best time to visit is from March to October. If you want to escape from crazy crowds, you can avoid travelling to Huangshan during Chinese holidays and School summer holidays (July~August).
Shanghai / Hangzhou / Suzhou / Shanghai
Shanghai / Suzhou / Hangzhou / Huangshan
Shanghai / Jiuhuashan / Huangshan
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