Overview
Four private days through the soul of Jiangnan, from Hangzhou's tea hills and bamboo-clad Moganshan trails to the canals of Nanxun and Shen Dang's ancient soy-sauce works.
About This Tour
Discover the gentle, water-laced heart of southern China on this private four-day tour weaving together Hangzhou's famous tea hills, the bamboo trails of Moganshan, and two of Jiangnan's most atmospheric old towns. You'll hike the classic Nine Creeks (Jiuxi Shibajian) valley to Longjing Village, the core growing area of China's most celebrated green tea, and pick leaves alongside local tea farmers before climbing the cool, breezy Chiang Kai-shek Trail across Moganshan, a former colonial hill station dotted with historic villas, bamboo forests and panoramic ridge viewpoints. Evenings are spent in handpicked boutique hotels and in canal-side Nanxun, a UNESCO-recognized water town known as 'the cover of the six great Jiangnan towns,' where you can drift past the Hundred-Room Riverside Houses by lantern light. The tour closes in lesser-known Shen Dang, a literary old street with a century-old soy-sauce brewery and underground rice-wine cellar. With your own English-speaking guide (or driver-host on smaller departures) and private vehicle, the pace blends easy hiking, culture and cuisine, perfect for travelers wanting authentic Jiangnan beyond the headline cities. Best in spring and autumn. This is a fully private tour for your party alone. Itinerary may adjust based on weather, road and local regulations. Good to know: • Best season: spring (Mar–May) for tea picking and autumn (Sep–Nov) • Fitness level: moderate; Day 3 trek about 13 km with roughly 600 m cumulative ascent • Day 1 is a free arrival/check-in day in Hangzhou; hotel check-in usually after 14:00 • Comfortable hiking shoes recommended; trails can be uneven and shaded by bamboo • Suitable for ages roughly 6–65; tour ends in Hangzhou by mid-afternoon on Day 4
Itinerary
1
Day 1: Arrival in Hangzhou · Free Day by West Lake
Make your own way to Hangzhou and check into your boutique hotel, where you'll register under 'Youxiake + your name.' Rooms are generally ready after 14:00, though early arrivals can store luggage and explore. The rest of the day is free to settle in and discover the city at your own pace. Stroll the willow-lined banks of West Lake or wander the historic Grand Canal waterfront, and sample classic Hangzhou home-style cuisine such as Dongpo pork or West Lake fish. Your guide is on hand to suggest neighborhoods, teahouses and dining. No formal program today, allowing flexibility for travelers arriving by air or rail from across China. Meals: none included. Overnight in central Hangzhou.
2
Day 2: Nine Creeks Tea Hike & Longjing Village · On to Moganshan
After breakfast and checkout, drive to the Nine Creeks (Jiuxi) trailhead. From around 9:00 you hike the celebrated Jiuxi Shibajian ('Nine Creeks and Eighteen Gullies') valley, a roughly 7 km stream-fed route winding through forested hills west of West Lake, often called Hangzhou's natural 'oxygen bar.' By late morning you reach Longjing Village, the core production area of Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea, where you join local farmers for a hands-on tea-picking experience and taste freshly brewed tea over lunch. In the afternoon transfer by private vehicle to Moganshan (about 2 hours), checking into a boutique guesthouse around 16:00. Unwind, then explore the village's 1920s colonial-era 'Republican street,' photogenic cafes and Yucun square, with a local Deqing-style dinner. Meals: breakfast. Overnight in Moganshan.
3
Day 3: Moganshan Chiang Kai-shek Trail Trek · Night in Nanxun
After breakfast and checkout, drive to the Moganshan trailhead for the day's main hike, about 13 km with roughly 600 m of cumulative ascent. From the mountain's back slope you climb the historic Chiang Kai-shek Trail through dense bamboo and old stone paths, with sweeping views over the villages below. Pass the Naked Castle resort and the villa district, reaching Guaishijiao ('Strange Rock Corner') with its 270-degree viewing platform for a scenic picnic lunch. Continue along the Strange Rock forest loop and the Zhonghua Mountain ancient road, weaving past celebrities' historic villas hidden in the hills, then down to Luhua Dang Park and Jianchi (Sword Pool) with its cooling little waterfall. The final descent follows a wilder path beside streams and bamboo. Transfer to Nanxun, check in, then visit the lantern-lit old town, optionally taking a rowboat night cruise past the Hundred-Room Riverside Houses. Meals: breakfast, picnic lunch provided. Overnight in Nanxun.
4
Day 4: Shen Dang Old Town & Soy-Sauce Brewery · Return to Hangzhou
After breakfast and checkout, drive to the lesser-visited old town of Shen Dang, the real-life setting of Yu Hua's novel 'Chronicle of a Blood Merchant.' Wander Shen Dang Old Street, where the historic Victory Restaurant still serves its 'a plate of pork liver and two ounces of yellow wine,' alongside local snacks, cafes and bakeries. Visit the Shen Dang brewery, founded as a Qing-dynasty soy-sauce works, to see traditional sun-fermented soy sauce in century-old jars and descend into an underground cellar where tens of thousands of urns of yellow rice wine age in silence, with luck catching an intangible-heritage master sealing the jars. Browse the granary cafe and bookstore before a free local lunch. In the early afternoon transfer back to Hangzhou for drop-off, arriving at Hangzhou East railway station around 15:30 (book trains after 16:30) or Xiaoshan Airport (flights after 18:30). Meals: breakfast. Tour ends in Hangzhou.
What's Included
✓ Included
English-speaking guide or local host Private vehicle & transfers during the tour 3 nights boutique hotels (twin rooms) in Hangzhou, Moganshan and Nanxun 3 hotel breakfasts Tea-picking experience in Longjing Village Listed activity arrangements
✕ Not included
International & domestic flights and trains China visa Travel insurance Personal expenses Tips Lunches and dinners (main meals) Optional entrance tickets (e.g. Xiao Lianzhuang) and boat ride in Nanxun
Cancellation Policy
Free cancellation is available on most tours up to 24 hours before the start time. The exact cancellation terms for this tour are shown during booking.
Traveler Reviews
4.7★★★★★Based on 94 reviews
Wendy Y.🇸🇪 Sweden★★★★★2024-12
The food came quickly, but the tour did not. We had time to ask where each dish came from and how people in Hangzhou usually order it.
Aisha T.🇫🇷 France★★★★★2024-11
What helped was simple: the Hangzhou meeting point was simple to find, and the food stops came at a sensible pace. There was time to ask what we were eating rather than just moving to the next plate.
Henrik G.🇦🇺 Australia★★★★☆2025-06
Small tip: do not eat a large breakfast before the Hangzhou tour. The portions at individual stops look modest, then suddenly you realise you have been tasting things for hours. With 4 days to work with, the balance felt sensible.
James Z.🇺🇸 USA★★★★★2026-05
Looking back, I would book this again for the pacing, not because every stop was spectacular. The ordinary transitions made Hangzhou feel like a place rather than a set of postcards. My only advice is not to shorten the time at West Lake.