01A different way of looking
The Humble Administrator’s Garden and Lion Grove turn rocks, windows and water into ever-changing compositions.
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CHINA / HANJOY TOURS · 12 days · reference itinerary
Beijing & Jiangnan, gardens by the water
12 days from Beijing’s grand scale to the intimate gardens and canals of Suzhou and Hangzhou, with silk, embroidery and Shanghai along the way.
01 / At a glance
The story of your journey
Move from the monumental scale of Beijing to the finely framed gardens of Jiangnan. In Suzhou, a lattice window, a sculpted rock or a single embroidery stitch tells its own story. An overnight water-town stay brings Zhouzhuang’s canals and bridges beyond the postcard.
Hangzhou continues the journey through West Lake, Lingyin Temple and old streets. Shanghai closes it with Yu Garden, the Bund and creative alleyways. A route for travellers drawn to garden design, textile crafts and the pleasure of walking beside water.
- Who it suits
- Culture lovers drawn to gardens, water towns, architecture and textile crafts.
- Travel rhythm
- City and water-town walking, Great Wall steps and several intercity transfers.
- Getting between places
- Beijing–Suzhou connection to confirm; road to Hangzhou; high-speed train to Shanghai.
02 / Travel · Culture · Learning
Moments to remember
01
02Silk threads & patient hands
Discover silk at the museum and embroidery at Zhenhu, with opportunities to discuss hands-on sessions.
03Stay for the quieter hours
Zhouzhuang’s bridges, canals and an inn stay complement West Lake’s causeways and Shanghai’s lanes.
03 / 12 days · reference itinerary
A new discovery, every day
A customisable reference programme. Timings, activities, accommodation and transport are agreed in your confirmed itinerary and quotation.
- Day 01
Beijing
Arrive in the imperial capital
Transfer to your hotel and take time to rest after the journey. Depending on your arrival time, explore the Tian’anmen and Qianmen area, where monumental gateways meet historic shopping streets. Ease into Beijing over dinner before returning to the hotel.
- Day 02
Beijing
Palace stories & a taste of hutong life
Spend around three to four hours exploring the Forbidden City and the courtyards of the Ming and Qing imperial palace. In the afternoon, discover the hutongs, Houhai and a courtyard home, then try making dumplings and Chinese dishes. Discuss a hutong rickshaw ride when tailoring the programme.
Beijing - Day 03
Beijing
Imperial gardens & an evening at the opera
Walk through the Summer Palace’s lakeside landscapes, painted Long Corridor and Seventeen-Arch Bridge, allowing around three to four hours. Continue to the Temple of Heaven to explore imperial ritual architecture. An evening of Peking opera introduces its voices, gestures and costumes; performance schedules are confirmed for your dates.
- Day 04
Beijing
Great Wall views & colours of Chinese opera
Head to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall for roughly two to three hours of walking, adapting the distance to your energy. Back in Beijing, paint an opera mask and explore the meanings of its colours, with a Lord Rabbit figurine or folding-fan activity to be confirmed. Round off the day with Peking duck.
Beijing - Day 05
Beijing → Suzhou
Garden compositions & canalside evenings
Arrive in Suzhou and transfer to your hotel; the intercity connection is to be confirmed. Explore the Humble Administrator’s Garden and Lion Grove Garden, where water, pavilions and scholar’s rocks frame changing views. Stroll Pingjiang Road in the evening, try local pastries and consider an optional canal boat ride.
Beijing → Suzhou - Day 06
Suzhou
Silk, Tiger Hill & stories set to music
Discover the history and craft of silk at Suzhou Silk Museum, with a dyeing workshop to be confirmed. Continue to Tiger Hill and Shantang Street for historic buildings and canal views. An evening teahouse visit proposes Suzhou pingtan, storytelling and music in the local Wu language. No second boat ride is planned here.
- Day 07
Suzhou → Zhouzhuang
Embroidery details & a night in a water town
At Zhenhu’s embroidery art venue, examine Suzhou embroidery and watch artisans at work; a basic stitching session is proposed. Continue to Zhouzhuang for bridges, waterside houses and an optional rowing-boat outing. The reference programme suggests an overnight stay in a water-town inn; accommodation and workshop details are confirmed individually.
Suzhou → Zhouzhuang - Day 08
Suzhou → Hangzhou
To Hangzhou, at the pace of West Lake
Travel by road to Hangzhou, settle into your hotel and discover Hangzhou-style dishes. Walk around West Lake’s Su and Bai causeways and Broken Bridge. An optional lake cruise offers another perspective, including the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon area. Keep the evening for a lakeside stroll.
Suzhou → Hangzhou - Day 09
Hangzhou
A hillside temple & the old streets of Hangzhou
Visit Lingyin Temple for Buddhist architecture in a wooded setting. Spend the afternoon on Hefang Street and Southern Song Imperial Street, tracing the city’s past through local crafts, silk, fans and street food. Return to the hotel for a quieter evening.
- Day 10
Hangzhou → Shanghai
High-speed rail to Shanghai’s skyline
Take a high-speed train to Shanghai after breakfast and transfer to your hotel. Visit the Jin Mao Tower observation deck, then see the Bund and the architecture along the Huangpu as evening arrives. Shanghai-style dishes round off the transition from garden towns to a global metropolis.
- Day 11
Shanghai
Old-town gardens & creative Shanghai
Explore the City God Temple area and Yu Garden, moving between busy old-town streets and carefully composed garden courtyards. In the afternoon, discover Tianzifang’s lanes, creative shops and studios, followed by free time for personal discoveries and departure preparations.
Shanghai - Day 12
Depart Shanghai
Departure from Shanghai
Check out after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your flight. This 12-day route centres on cities, gardens, water towns and crafts. If tea picking is a priority, discuss a tailored adjustment rather than assuming it is part of the daily programme.
Travel · Culture · Learning
Taste the places you visit
Suzhou pastries, Aozao noodles, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, shrimp with Longjing tea and Shanghai cooking inspire the food programme. Menus and costs are to be confirmed.
04 / HANJOY TOURS
The details that make it your trip
Plan with us
Zhouzhuang is the water-town stop in this daily programme. Tongli and tea-garden activities are not additional default visits. Boat rides, dyeing and embroidery workshops are confirmed in your tailored itinerary.
Is this a fixed group departure?
These are customisable reference journeys, without advertised fixed departure dates or remaining places. We can discuss changes for your group, interests, language and walking ability. Travel arrangements and services are agreed in the confirmation documents.
What is included in the price?
Request a written quotation specifying accommodation, room type, transport, meals, admissions, guiding language, workshops and performances. International flights, visas, insurance, tips and optional activities must also be clearly addressed. A listed activity does not mean its cost is included.
Can I request English or French services?
You can enquire in Chinese, English or French. Let us know your preferred guiding language; availability, personnel and any related costs in each destination must be confirmed before booking.
HANJOY TOURS
Every journey starts with a conversation.
Tell us where you would like to go and what interests you: culture, language, art, nature or study.
You can also email us directly.
bobwu1987@gmail.comChina
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