Day 1  London

Direct flight from London Heathrow Airport to Shanghai with Virgin Atlantic Airways or British Airways.

Day 2  Shanghai

Arrive at Shanghai, met by our tour representative and transfer to 4 star Greenland Jiulong Hotel for 3 nights stay. 

Day 3  Shanghai

Full day tour in Shanghai to include Jade Buddha Temple, Yu Yuan Garden, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, and Shanghai Silk Carpet. Stroll along the Bund, enjoying its elegant sweep of European architecture and landmarks, and immersing yourself in the location’s history and unique character. Shanghai Dim Sum lunch at a local restaurant. (AB, L)

Day 4  Shanghai

Full day visit to the 2010 World Expo with round trip transfers and admission tickets. (AB)

Day 5  Suzhou

Full day excursion to Suzhou, famous for its elegant gardens criss-crossed by natural ponds and canal. Tour the Garden of Maser Nets and the Pan Men Gate, and take a boat ride on the Grand Canal. Overnight stay in Suzhou at 4 star Gloria Plaza Hotel. (AB, L)

Day 6  Suzhou/Hangzhou

In the morning, visit the Suzhou Museum and the Embroidery Research Institute to learn the history of silk and how it’s produced. After lunch travel to Hangzhou, famed for its silk and the idealized West Lake which eulogised Marco Polo as well as many other western travellers at the time. Upon arrival, transfer to the 5 star Zhejiang International Hotel hotel for 2 nights stay. (AB, L)

Day 7   Hangzhou

Full day sightseeing in Hangzhou including Hua Gang Park, Lingyin Temple, Dragon Well Tea Plantation, and a boat ride on the West Lake. (AB, L)

Day 8  Hangzhou/Mount Huang

In the morning in Hangzhou, tour the ancient Qinghefang Street, a commercial and entertainment thoroughfare dating back to Song Dynasty over a thousand years ago and visit a Chinese Herb Medicine Museum. Tour the Hu Xueyan Mansion, which was built during the Qing Dynasty by the Hangzhou's richest resident. The house is in an amazing state of preservation, filled with the original owner's furnishings. The compound has four large and beautifully crafted gardens, each with its own flavour. It feels like the owner's out for the day and you have sneaked into his home. After lunch, travel to Mount Huang or Yellow Mountain, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the top ten scenic areas in China. Upon arrival, transfer to the 5 star Huangshan International Hotel in Tunxi at the foothill of the Mountains. (AB, L)

Day 9  Mount Huang

Take the cable car up to the top of the Mountains, enjoying the spectacular views at Flower-scattering Valley, Lion Peak, Cloud-dispelling Pavilion, the Xihai Grand Canyon etc.  Overnight stay at the 4 star Beihai Hotel at the top of the Mountain. (AB, LH)  

Day 10  Mount Huang/Shanghai    

Watch the sunrise in the early morning, and then continue the sightseeing tour at Mount Huang, experiencing the panoramic vistas, which for centuries inspires Chinese painters and poets. After lunch, take the cable car down and visit the old town of Tunxi with its historic flagstoned Laojie or Old Street, lined with ancient buildings and shops dating back to Ming Dynasty. Evening flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, transfer to the 4 star Greenland Jiulong Hotel for one night stay. (AB, LH)

Day 11  Shanghai/London

Transfer to airport for direct flight to London with Virgin Atlantic Airways or British Airways. The flight arrive London in the late afternoon on the same day. (B)