8 days / 7 nights · Hangzhou / Shaoxing / Suzhou / Zhouzhuang / Nanjing
Jiangnan Poetry Trip Deep Dive 9 Days · Includes Two Days in Tongli and Nanjing
Hangzhou / Shaoxing / Suzhou / Zhouzhuang / Nanjing · 8 days 7 nights · Relaxed
Reference Price
$1,290Rise / Person
- Purely for fun, no shopping
- The itinerary can be slightly adjusted
- Includes ticket reservation service
Number of people in a group2–8 people
IntensityRelaxed
Best seasonMar–May, Sep–Nov
Traffichigh-speed rail + tour bus
AccommodationBoutique hotel + Two nights at the Waterside Inn
Departure MonthMarch to May, September to November
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
Stay one night each in Tongli and Zhouzhuang for comparison, and spend two days in Nanjing for Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, and Nanjing Museum.
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.
- D1Arrived in Hangzhou · West Lake
DestinationEverywhere→ Hangzhou
- Meals
- Meals are self-managed
- Accommodation
- Hangzhou Hotel
- Transport
- Airport/Station Pickup and Drop-off
- Distance
- Within the city
Daily detailArrive in Hangzhou from various locations, with a private transfer at the airport/station to your hotel. Afternoon free time.
It's recommended to spend a full day touring West Lake: Slow walk from Broken Bridge—White Embankment—Guyan Mountain—to Su Causeway; Liangzhu is in the north of the city, so wait another half day.
West Lake Dining: Pian'er River, Dongpo Pork, Longjing Shrimp; Zhiwei Guan by the lakeside is a long-established establishment. - D2Hangzhou · Lingyin Temple
DestinationHangzhou → Shaoxing
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Hangzhou Hotel
- Transport
- High-speed rail / tourist bus → Shaoxing
- Distance
- Intercity Transfer
StopsDaily detail
Lingyin Temple dining: Pian'er River, Dongpo pork, Longjing shrimp; Zhiwei Temple by the lake is a long-established establishment.
In the evening, take the high-speed rail or tour bus to Shaoxing, and stay overnight in Shaoxing. - D3Shaoxing · Shen Garden and the hometown of Lu Xun
DestinationShaoxing → Suzhou
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Shaoxing Hotel
- Transport
- High-speed rail / tour bus → Suzhou
- Distance
- Intercity Transfer
StopsDaily detailShen Garden: A private garden of the Southern Song Dynasty, famous for Lu You and Tang Wan's 'The Phoenix with the Hairpin.' The garden is small but full of stories.
Lu Xun's Hometown: Sanwei Study, Baicao Garden, and Lu Xun's ancestral home form a single street, free to visit.
Jian Lake and Ancient Narrow Road: Water remnants of the Tang Poetry Road in eastern Zhejiang, the narrow path is a stone-paved embankment used by ancient people to pull boats.
East Lake: A cliff lake left by quarrying, where taking a black-awning boat through caves is the most interesting.
Meals: Stinky tofu, braised pork with dried mustard greens, yellow wine drunken chicken.
Tips: Yellow wine has a strong aftertaste; first-time drinkers are recommended to drink warm; Some sections of the ancient narrow road are slippery, so wear non-slip shoes. In
the evening, take a high-speed rail or tour bus to Suzhou, and stay overnight in Suzhou. - D4Suzhou · Humble Administrator's Garden, Lion Grove Garden
DestinationSuzhou, urban area
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Suzhou Hotel
- Transport
- City bus Walking
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
Daily detailHumble Administrator's Garden
Lion Grove dining options: Suzhou-style noodle soup, squirrel mandarin fish, mute pan-fried pan-seaweed; Pingjiang Road has many snacks but it's recommended to eat outside the alley. - D5Suzhou · Pingjiang Road, Hanshan Temple
DestinationSuzhou → Zhouzhuang
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Suzhou Hotel
- Transport
- High-speed rail / tour bus → Zhouzhuang
- Distance
- Intercity Transfer
Daily detail
Dining at Hanshan Temple on Pingjiang Road
: Suzhou-style noodle soup, squirrel mandarin fish, mute pan-fried food; Pingjiang Road has many snacks, but it's recommended to eat outside the alley.
In the evening, take the high-speed rail or tour bus to Zhouzhuang and stay overnight in Zhouzhuang. - D6Zhouzhuang · Shuangqiao, Shen Hall, and Zhang Hall
DestinationZhou Zhuang → Nanjing
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Zhouzhuang Hotel
- Transport
- High-speed rail / tourist bus → Nanjing
- Distance
- Intercity Transfer
Daily detailTwin Bridges: The group of bridges that made Zhouzhuang famous in Chen Yifei's paintings, with the key bridge shape being the most photogenic.
Shen Hall and Zhang Hall: Representatives of Jiangnan residences, Shen Hall's seven courtyards and five gates, showing how wealthy families live.
Tongli Ancient Town (replaceable): Tongli is quieter than Zhouzhuang. Tuisi Garden is a World Cultural Heritage site, suitable for those who don't want to squeeze in.
Roaring boat: Boat women row through bridge tunnels, the most worthwhile small expenses in the water town.
Meals: Wansan pork knuckle, sock-bottom crisps, Taihu white shrimp.
Tip: The ancient town is quietest before 7 a.m. and after 8 p.m.; Tickets include several small attractions; you need to keep your ticket stub for entry and exit. In
the evening, take the high-speed rail or tour bus to Nanjing and stay overnight there. - D7Nanjing · Ming Xiaoling and Zhongshan Mausoleum
DestinationNanjing city center
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Nanjing Hotel
- Transport
- City bus Walking
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
Daily detailMing Xiaoling Mausoleum: The tomb of Zhu Yuanzhang. The spirit path of the Stone Elephant is a representative of Ming dynasty stone carvings. The Stone Elephant Road is most beautiful in autumn.
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum: 392 steps leading up to the sacrificial hall; the building itself marks a turning point in modern Chinese architecture.
Meals: Salted duck, duck blood vermicelli soup, and pork tripe noodles.
Note: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum requires real-name reservation and is closed on Mondays; Ming Xiaoling and Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum are located within the Zhongshan Scenic Area and can be purchased with a combo ticket. - D8Nanjing · Qinhuai River Confucius Temple and the return journey
DestinationNanjing → drop-off at airport/station
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Not included
- Transport
- Private vehicle for transfer to airport/station
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
Daily detailQinhuai River Confucius Temple: The Confucius Temple Academy plus the Qinhuai painted boat, with the most lively lights at night and the buildings visible during the day.
Nanjing Museum: One of China's earliest comprehensive museums, the Republic of China Museum has moved the entire Republican Street underground.
Meals: Salted duck, duck blood vermicelli soup, and pork tripe noodles.
Note: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum requires real-name reservation and is closed on Mondays; Ming Xiaoling and Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum are located within the Zhongshan Scenic Area and can be purchased with a combo ticket.
Dedicated shuttle service will be arranged according to flight or train time and stop, ending the tour.
Key facts
Departure pointAssemble in Hangzhou, disband in Nanjing
Number of people in a groupSmall group of 2-8 people
Recommended monthMar–May, Sep–Nov
AccommodationBoutique hotel + Two nights at the Waterside Inn
TrafficHigh-speed Rail Tourist Bus
IntensityRelaxed
Route Overview
Main Jiangnan Poetry Tour Route: Hangzhou West Lake and Liangzhu, Shaoxing Shen Garden and East Zhejiang Tang Poetry Road, Suzhou Gardens and Pingjiang Road, one night in a water town, ending in Nanjing. The itinerary is organized day by day, including accommodations and movement routes.
The whole trip lasts 8 days, following the sequence "Hangzhou → Shaoxing → Suzhou → Zhouzhuang / Tongli → Nanjing": Hangzhou / Shaoxing / Suzhou / Zhouzhuang / Nanjing. The pace is arranged as "one city per segment," primarily using high-speed trains between cities, with flights arranged for segments where travel exceeds 5 hours.
Destinations on This Route
- Hangzhou: It is recommended to spend a full day around West Lake, walking slowly along Broken Bridge—Bai Causeway—Solitary Hill—Su Causeway; Liangzhu is in the northern part of the city, which requires an additional half day.
- Shaoxing: Shen Garden and Lu Xun’s Former Residence are close to each other in the city and can be visited together; East Lake and the Old Textile Path each require half a day.
- Suzhou: Enjoy the gardens with the principle of "changing scenery with every step," Zhuozheng Garden and Lion Grove Garden are only separated by one street, which can both be seen in half a day; Pingjiang Road is most pleasant in the evening.
- Zhouzhuang: Stay one night in the town, walk through it once at dawn and once at dusk, which is more rewarding than a daytime group tour.
- Nanjing: One day is for Zhongshan Mountain (Ming Xiaoling Tomb + Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum), another day for Chengnan (Confucius Temple + Nanjing Museum).
Cultural Series
This route belongs to the Mist and Ink Rhyme · Jiangnan Poetry Tour; there are other options with different durations under the same theme for comparison.
Costs include
- Accommodation listed in the itinerary (double occupancy)
- First entrance tickets to the attractions specified in the itinerary
- Ground transportation listed in the itinerary (high-speed rail / tour bus / scenic area sightseeing bus)
- Full-time Chinese-speaking tour guide service
- Daily breakfast, and meals specified in the itinerary
- Travel agency liability insurance and travel accident insurance
Cost not included
- Round-trip international airfare between the place of departure and China
- Personal visa and document fees
- Meals not listed and personal expenses
- Optional items (cable car, additional boat rides, performances, etc.)
- Tips for guides and drivers (voluntary)
- Single room supplement
Booking Reminder
After confirming the itinerary and dates, pay the deposit, and the remaining balance should be paid 15 days before the trip. Cancellation more than 30 days before departure will get a full refund of the deposit, 70% refund for 15-30 days, 50% refund for 7-15 days, and no refund within 7 days. Popular sites such as Mogao Caves and Sanxingdui require real-name reservation, please submit ID information at least 15 days in advance. Seniors over 70 and children under 12 should be noted in the remarks, and we will adjust the daily walking distance accordingly.