3 Days Hangzhou Highlights Tour with Qiandao Lake
Best Hangzhou Nature & Culture with Thousand Island Lake
Best Hangzhou Nature & Culture with Thousand Island Lake
What are there in Hangzhou besides West Lake?
A LOT! Verdant tea plantation, ancient streets and temples, and so forth. No omitting the fascinating Qiandao Lake! This 3 days Hangzhou itinerary takes you to explore all those best nature and culture treasures of Hangzhou like a paradise to know how happy and enviable citizens there are. Besides, you will have one day at Qiandao Lake to enjoy the awesome landscape with more than one thousand various emerald islets dotted on the mirror-like azure lake from diverse angles on the cruise and the peak, so precious in the whole world for your utmost visual pleasure! Take the tour to start your Hangzhou vacation with sightseeing and fun! Our all-inclusive package covering professional tour planning ideas, local guide introduction, a non-smoking comfortable licensed private car with an experienced driver, etc. will help you get under the skin of best sceneries and activities favored by locals in Hangzhou and catch the most beautiful landscapes of Qiandao Lake from the best angle. Feel free to enquire for the best price to discovery your own beautiful Hangzhou!
Day 1 Hangzhou Arrival, Hangzhou & Transfer to Qiandao Lake (L)
Today’s highlights: Lingyin Temple, Feilai Peak, Meijia Dock Dragon Well Tea Village, Hefang Street, Hu Qing Yu Tang
Welcome to Hangzhou! Your local travel guide and driver will meet you at Hangzhou airport / train station or your hotel and escort you to start today’s Hangzhou exploration! (Note: the number and order of attractions can be adjusted based on your schedule and interests.)
First, 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 the 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 a 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 grower’s family and experience picking tea leaves, watching stir-drying tea leaves, enjoying tea ceremony, tasting Dragon Well tea, etc., which needs extra payment.).
After that, enjoy a nice historical walk at Hefang Street, a unique pedestrian street to see the typical old and prosperous Hangzhou in South Song era. Stroll to admire the ornate old styled Chinese architectures, interesting local handicrafts, delicious snacks, etc. Then, walk to the century-old Chinese pharmacy on the street - Hu Qing Yu Tang, which is also known as Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum and was built by Xueyan Hu, a famous merchant in late Qing dynasty. Many locals still visit senior doctors there for treatment today. Marvel at the magic of traditional Chinese medicine by looking at the countless traditional Chinese medicines and herbs, various traditional tools and watch the live processing of medicines.
After the visiting, be escorted for about 2-2.5 hours to your hotel around Qiandao Lake for accommodation! Have a good sleep!
Lingyin Temple
Day 2 Qiandao Lake (B, L)
Today’s highlights: Qiandao Lake (Southeast Lake Scenic Area: Huangshanjian, Tianchi Islet, Mishan Islet)
After breakfast, your guide and driver will escort you from the hotel to have a wonderful exploration of Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake China), which is actually the Xinan River reservoir with 1,078 islets coming up from the water and one of the top favored dreamy waterscape sites in China.
Take a sightseeing cruise around the beautiful Southeast Lake Scenic Area, which is the essence of nature at Qiandao Lake with verdant forests and lovely water. Immerse into the dotted various little green islets passing by and the ripples on the clear peaceful lake. Following the 5-6 hours’ cruise route, you will make stops at Huangshanjian, Tianchi Islet and Mishan Islet to enjoy more different sightseeing and fun.
Huangshanjian: with about 260 meters above sea, it is the best place to have a bird eye view of the fabulous Qiandao Lake. Take the cable car up to the viewing deck to admire the awesome spectacle of all the more than 90 islets displaying like strings of green diamonds on the smooth blue silk under clear sky backdrop. Besides, you can find it also like a Chinese character of “公 (community)”.
Tianchi Islet: also called Baoshi Hill, it is featured with picturesque scenery and fresh air. Walk on the islet to find the 7 heavenly lakes from South Song dynasty and enjoy hundreds of diverse fishes swimming in and jumping to be fed. Also, you will find the enormous chessboard and encounter nice waterfalls, ravine, seasonal flowers, traditional agricultural tools, etc. to get great mood and make your visit interesting.
Mishan Islet: this islet is full of Chinese Buddhist cultural peace. It is where the nationally famous story happened, which said that “the three monks had no water to drink since no one was willing to collect it from the well”. Enjoy some simple hike on the verdant hill to appreciate the ancient temple halls, Buddha statues, antique pavilions, courtyards, pagodas, etc. to feel the quiet Buddhist atmosphere combining with peaceful lake view.
After the visiting, your guide and driver will escort you back to Hangzhou. Have a good sleep!
(Note: lunch of today will be arranged on the sightseeing cruise or at a local restaurant on the islet of Qiandao Lake, which is relatively simpler than that at Hangzhou downtown.)
Day 3 Hangzhou & Hangzhou Departure (B, L)
Today’s highlights: West Lake
Good morning! After breakfast, your guide and driver will meet at your hotel and then escort you to 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 45-minute leisure cruise 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, stroll or take a sightseeing vehicle leisurely around to pass the famous Su Causeway, Bai Causeway, Broken Bridge, Gushan Hill, parks of Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond, Lotus Swaying in the Breeze, Orioles Singing in the Willows, etc. (As the lake is too large, you can take the sightseeing vehicle at any place on the route to save energy. The fee is included.)
After the visiting, your guide and driver will escort you to Hangzhou airport / train station to catch your flight / train to your next destination or home! Tour ends!
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.
2. This price is subject to change according your traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2025.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1=RMB 6.85. The final quote is based on current exchange rate. It may change according to the currency fluctuation, while the RMB quotation will be remained the same.
Hi Mr Wang,
Thanks! I had a weekend away to Xi’an, China to celebrate my birthday. It was an exciting weekend and it was certainly something off the beaten trail for most of my friends. The itinerary you have suggested provided good coverage of the city’s rich history. From the fascinating Terracotta Army to the City Walls to the sacred Mount Hua, to the Muslim Quarter to the Drum & Bell Towers, there’s an interesting story from every historical era in Xi’an. I managed to hike up Mount Hua from North Peak to West Peak, but I didn’t get to do the dangerous plank walk as it was closed.
The hotel Eastern House was very accessible too with food places within steps and its proximity to the Drum Tower is a plus. The room was very clean and comfortable.
At this point, I have to quickly mention our amazing tour guide Betty Jiao Yan who was assigned to us as part of our private tour package. She made our time feel so very special and I wonder if Xi'an would have been as awesome without her. She had such a positive and caring nature and when we had to say goodbye, we felt very sad. It was strange to miss a guide after only knowing her for 5 days! Luckily we still keep in touch on WeChat. Our driver Mr Ma was very polite, punctual and accommodating, making our travel a pleasant experience
Anne
Hi Jack,
Thanks. The Harbin and Snow Town trip was excellent and very enjoyable. We are now in Japan skiing, and will send our feedback upon our return on 31st Jan.
Best wishes
Leong
Hi Rita,
From my end, everything is remarkable! Jane is amazing! She really make us feel welcome.
All the hotels were amazing too! My parents also very impressed.
I will definitely reaching out again, next time when I visit China. There’s many more places I want to visit.
Best regards,
Jefry
Dear Rita,
We are home. Thanks for arranging this nice trip. Everything worked out nicely except the smoking room problem in Chengde.
Thanks again.
John
Hi Rita,
In response to your enquiries, we had a wonderful experience with the tour arrangements in both Guilin and Yangshuo. Both the tour guide and driver were very professional and handled the arrangements well.
I am surely recommending any friends or relatives who are interested in travelling to China in future to use China Discovery. Also, will be looking at other destinations for ourselves too.
Thanks once again for the wonderful experience.
Kwan
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.
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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!
Lingyin Temple
Meijiawu Longjing Tea Plantation in Spring
Hefang Street
Hu Qing Yu Tang Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum
Lawson Family from UK - Meijiawu Tea Plantation, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Qiandao Lake Full View from Huangshanjian
Qiandao Lake Tianchi Islet Sightseeing
Tranquil Mishan Temple on Mishan Islet at Qiandao Lake
West Lake Spring
West Lake Boating Experience
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