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Shanghai
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Zhouzhuang, Suzhou
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2 Days
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2-8
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Private car
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English, Chinese
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Flexible itinerary
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No shopping
Overview
Step into the poetic water towns and classical gardens of Jiangsu on this two-day journey from Shanghai. Begin in Zhouzhuang, China’s “No.1 Water Town”, where ming dynasty mansions and ancient linked bridges reflect gracefully in tranquil canals. Continue to Suzhou, the “Venice of the East” home to UNESCO-listed gardens, ancient city gates, and the legendary Tiger Hill. This tour offers an immersive experience of the region’s timeless waterways, scholarly gardens, and rich cultural heritage.
Highlights
- Stroll through Zhouzhuang, China's most famous water town.
- Explore Shen's & Zhang's mansions, showcasing Ming dynasty architecture.
- Visit Lingering Garden, a UNESCO site and one of China's four finest classical gardens.
- Climb Tiger Hill to see its legendary leaning pagoda.
- Try a traditional paper-cutting workshop and take home your own handmade souvenir.
Itinerary
Day 1: Shanghai - Zhouzhuang - Suzhou
Morning departure from Shanghai to Zhouzhuang (approx. 1.5 hours).
Explore Zhouzhuang Water Town. Cross the famous Connected Bridge, visit Shen's Family Mansion and Zhang's Family Mansion.
Enjoy a hands-on Paper-Cutting Art Experience.
Afternoon transfer to Suzhou (approx. 1 hour). Hotel check-in. Evening free.
Day 2: Suzhou - Shanghai
Breakfast at hotel. Meet guide and driver.
Visit Lingering Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Explore Pan Gate Ancient City Wall, a historic land-and-water gate.
Continue to Tiger Hill to see the leaning Yunyan Temple Pagoda and Sword Pool.
Afternoon return to Shanghai (approx. 1.5 hours). Drop-off at your hotel.
(Note: Itinerary order and timing may adjust based on traffic, weather, or conditions.)
Often called the "No.1 Water Town in China," Zhouzhuang is a living painting of canals, stone bridges, and ancient residences. Located in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, this 900-year-old town is on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List. Its charm lies in its well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, with white-walled, black-tiled homes lining the waterways. Visitors glide past historic mansions and cross arched bridges that have inspired poets and artists for centuries, experiencing the timeless rhythm of Jiangnan water town life.
The Lingering Garden is a masterpiece of classical Chinese garden design and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in 1593 during the Ming dynasty, it is renowned for its skillful use of space, with winding corridors connecting sections dedicated to buildings, rockeries, flowers, and courtyards. The garden's elegant pavilions, exquisite stone carvings, and serene ponds create a harmonious landscape that changes with every step, embodying the essence of Suzhou's scholarly garden culture.
Pan Gate is a unique historical landmark in Suzhou, originally built in 514 BC as one of the eight gates of the ancient Wu Kingdom. What makes it exceptional is its design as a combined land and water gate—the only surviving example in China. The gate features a land gate with double defenses and a water gate with sluice mechanisms, showcasing ancient Chinese military engineering. The surrounding area includes a beautiful park with a Ming dynasty pagoda and traditional bridges.
Tiger Hill is Suzhou's most famous scenic spot, celebrated in the saying: "When you come to Suzhou, you have not seen Suzhou proper until you have visited Tiger Hill." Legend holds that a white tiger appeared on the hill three days after the burial of King Helu of Wu, giving the hill its name. The centerpiece is the Yunyan Temple Pagoda, a leaning pagoda over 1,000 years old, often called the "Leaning Tower of China." The Sword Pool, hidden beneath a stone bridge, is said to contain the king's tomb along with 3,000 legendary swords.
Cost
Fee Included
- Transportation: Private Car with all fees covered (driver, tolls, fuel, parking).
- Pick-up/drop-off: Complimentary airport/train station transfer on arrival and departure. Private door-to-door transfers for all sightseeing days.
- Guide: Professional English-speaking guide.
- Tickets: Entrance fees to Zhouzhuang Ancient Town (including Shen's Mansion, Zhang's Mansion), Lingering Garden, Pan Gate, Tiger Hill, and paper-cutting experience.
- Insurance: Travel agency liability insurance and travel accident insurance.
Fee Excluded
- Accommodation & Meals: Charged based on your needs.
- Personal expenses: food, souvenirs, tips, etc.
- Unexpected circumstances: Costs due to force majeure (natural disasters, flight changes, etc.) or itinerary changes/cancellations; any excess fees charged accordingly.
- Round-trip transportation on first/last day: Air/train tickets to/from Shanghai.
FAQs
You can book through the official website or send an email. WhatsApp us if you need a quicker response. Please confirm your information and any special requirements during your booking.
The sharing tour requires a minimum of 4 participants. If the minimum is not reached, we will notify you 7 days before departure and issue a full refund. For any questions, please contact us.
Yes, you need to bring your passport during the tour. After you book your tour, please provide passport’s profile page. We will book hotels, tickets, and insurance by following our privacy policies.
On arrival, our driver will hold a welcome sign to meet you and transfer you to the hotel. For departure, our driver will pick you up from your hotel, then transfer you to the Airport or Train Station
We provide English / Chinese tour guide service for this tour. If you need tour guides speaking other languages, please contact us (an extra fee is needed).
Meals are not included in the itinerary. If you have any special dietary requirements or allergies, please inform us in advance so we can make appropriate arrangements with our local hosts.
Yes, we will buy travel agency liability insurance and travel accident insurance.
Yes, you can customise your trip by contacting us directly.
The tour operator also reserves the right to adjust the itinerary due to traffic, weather, holidays, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Please bring any personal medications you may need.
The booking information will be sent to your email. The driver will contact you the day before departure. Please ensure your phone is reachable.
For this trip, you may cancel and receive a full refund up to 7 days before departure. After that period, cancellations are non-refundable, but you may transfer your spot to another person. In the rare event that we must cancel due to organizer issues or force majeure, a full refund will be provided.
Please check FAQs for the details. If you have any questions, please contact us directly.
