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8 Days in the Water Towns of Jiangnan · Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuzhen, Shanghai
8 days / 7 nights · Hangzhou / Suzhou / Wuzhen / Shanghai

8 Days in the Water Towns of Jiangnan · Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuzhen, Shanghai

West Lake · Gardens · Waterside Homes · Night View of the Bund

Reference Price

$1,070Rise / Person

  • Purely for fun, no shopping
  • The itinerary can be slightly adjusted
  • Includes ticket reservation service
Number of people in a group6–14 people
IntensityRelaxed
Best seasonSpring / Autumn
Traffichigh-speed rail + business van
AccommodationFour-star hotel 6 nights + Inside Wuzhen Scenic Area 1 night
Departure MonthBest from March to May and September to November
View daily schedule Customized according to this line

Prices vary between peak and off-peak seasons; the following order confirmation shall prevail · Tickets for highlands and peak seasons need to be booked in advance

Itinerary Details

All routes are for reference only, the actual route is subject to the explanation of customer service

Connect the four most representative cities of Jiangnan into a line: in Hangzhou, see the lake; in Suzhou, see the gardens; in Wuzhen, see the water; in Shanghai, see the river. In Wuzhen, you have to stay inside the scenic area to see the water town after the tourists have left.

Day-by-day itinerary8 days in total · daily destination, meals, accommodation and transport

Expand day by day; click a title to collapse. Itinerary for reference and may be adjusted for weather and traffic.

  1. D1Arrive in Hangzhou · First sight of West Lake

    DestinationFrom various locations → Hangzhou → West Lake

    Meals
    Meals are self-managed
    Accommodation
    Hangzhou 4-star hotel
    Transport
    Airport/Station pickup
    Distance
    Within the city
    Daily detailFor example: 08:00 Depart from Burqin, first visit Five Colored Beach.
    13:30 Lunch in Chonghuer Town. "From various locations, arrive in Hangzhou, private transfer to the hotel."
    16:00 The guide takes you along the southern section of Su Causeway at West Lake; at this time, tourists begin to disperse and the light starts to slant.
    18:30 Dinner at Lakeside.
    Tip: The best times at West Lake are always early morning and evening; at noon, under harsh light, the lake surface lacks layers.

  2. DestinationWest Lake round → Lingyin Temple → Feilai Peak

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch and dinner are on your own
    Accommodation
    Hangzhou 4-star hotel
    Transport
    Walking Sightseeing bus Business car
    Distance
    Walking around the lake about 8 km
    Daily detail08:30 Start from Broken Bridge, walk along Bai Causeway to Gushan, around Lou Wai Lou.
    10:30 Turn to Su Causeway, with alternating peach and willow trees, this is the most classic section of West Lake.
    13:00 Lunch.
    14:30 Feilai Peak stone carvings from the Five Dynasties to Song Dynasty; it is best to see the carvings first before entering the temple.
    15:30 Lingyin Temple, visit Heaven King Hall and Main Hall as you go up.
    Tip: Sightseeing buses around the lake run in segments; if your stamina is limited, don’t force yourself to walk.

  3. DestinationHangzhou → Longjing Village → Canal → High-speed train to Suzhou

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch and dinner are on your own
    Accommodation
    Suzhou 4-star hotel
    Transport
    Business car High-speed train
    Distance
    City area High-speed train about 1.5 hours
    Daily detail09:30 Longjing Village, hilly tea plantations, the village built against the mountain. Watch the tea brewing process and sit down to enjoy a cup of Qianming Longjing.
    12:00 Lunch.
    14:00 Around Gongchen Bridge on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the historic district west of the bridge preserves industrial and local relics along the canal.
    16:30 High-speed rail to Suzhou, about 1.5 hours by car.

  4. DestinationSuzhou→ Humble Administrator's Garden → Suzhou Museum→ Pingjiang Road

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch and dinner are on your own
    Accommodation
    Suzhou 4-star hotel
    Transport
    On foot
    Distance
    Within the city
    Daily detail09:00 Humble Administrator's Garden, the foremost of China's four famous gardens. First, see Yuanxiang Hall and Xiao Feihong, note how they 'borrow' the North Temple Pagoda into the garden.
    12:00 Lunch.
    13:30 Suzhou Museum (designed by I. M. Pei), adjacent to the Humble Administrator's Garden, the building itself is a work of art.
    16:00 Pingjiang Road, old street along the river, preserving the traditional 'river—road—house' layout, best for evening.
    Optional: Night tour of Master of the Nets Garden, featuring Kunqu opera and Pingtan.

  5. DestinationSuzhou→ Lingering Garden → Tiger Hill → Zhouzhuang

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch and dinner are on your own
    Accommodation
    Zhouzhuang Specialty Inn
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    Downtown: about 40 kilometers away
    Daily detail09:00 Lingering Garden, the most exquisite in architecture and spatial design, fewer people than the Humble Administrator's Garden.
    11:30 Tiger Hill, leaning pagoda, Sword Pool, and Thousand-Person Stone. Su Dongpo said, 'It would be a pity not to visit Tiger Hill in Suzhou.'
    13:30 After lunch, head to Zhouzhuang, about an hour's drive.
    16:00 Check into the water town, watch the lantern reflections at night; by then, the tourists have already dispersed.

  6. DestinationZhouzhuang → Wuzhen West Stockade

    Meals
    Breakfast: Inn · Lunch and dinner are self-arranged
    Accommodation
    Inn within Wuzhen Xizha Scenic Area
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    About 90 kilometers
    Daily detail07:00 Zhouzhuang Early morning, the true appearance of the water town appears before tourists arrive: mist, cooking smoke, rowing boats.
    09:30 After breakfast, depart for Wuzhen.
    12:30 Arrive and check in within the Xizha scenic area.
    15:00 Stroll slowly to see dye workshops and woodcarving museums.
    18:30 Dinner after the lights come on, then walk along the river—Xizha at night is one of the highlights of the entire Jiangnan route.

  7. DestinationWuzhen→ Shanghai, → The Bund

    Meals
    Breakfast: Inn · Lunch and dinner are self-arranged
    Accommodation
    Shanghai Four-Star Hotel
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    About 120 kilometers
    Daily detail08:00 Take advantage of the early morning to take another look at Xizha; at this time, the stone-paved road is almost empty.
    10:00 Dongzha, preserving more scenes of indigenous life, but on a smaller scale.
    13:00 Depart for Shanghai.
    16:00 Arrive, check in, and have free time.
    18:30 The guide takes you to the Bund; the best twenty minutes are just when it's dark, the outline lights are on, but the sky isn't completely dark yet.

  8. DestinationShanghai → Yuyuan → Wukang Road → Airport drop-off

    Meals
    Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch is on your own
    Accommodation
    Not included
    Transport
    Business van
    Distance
    Within the city
    Daily detail09:00 Yu Garden, Ming Dynasty garden, Taihu stones and cloud-piercing dragon walls. Leaving the park leads to the City God Temple business district, which is very crowded, so early morning is planned.
    11:00 Wukang Road area, with phoenix trees and old apartments, is the most lively neighborhood in Shanghai.
    13:00 After lunch, transfer to the airport or station according to flight time.
Key facts
Departure pointAssemble in Hangzhou, disband in Shanghai
Number of people in a groupSmall group of 6–14 people
AccommodationFour stars 6 nights + Inside Wuzhen Scenic Area 1 night
TrafficHigh-speed rail second class seat Local business vehicle
SuitableAccompanying Elders / Parent-Child / Photography

Costs include

  • 7 nights in a four-star hotel (including breakfast, with a boutique inn within the scenic area in Wuzhen)
  • First entrance ticket as mentioned in the itinerary
  • Second-class high-speed train seats between cities
  • Local business vehicle and transfers
  • Chinese-speaking tour guide
  • Travel accident insurance

Cost not included

  • Round-trip transportation between Hangzhou/Shanghai
  • Main meals are self-arranged
  • Optional activities such as gondola rides
  • Personal expenses

Booking Reminder

Accommodation within Wuzhen Scenic Area is managed uniformly by the scenic area, and during the peak season, rooms need to be booked 30–45 days in advance.