Taihu views from Yuantouzhu
Yuantouzhu combines lakeside gardens with broad Taihu views; the scheduled cruise adds a perspective from the water, subject to weather and site operations.
East China Discovery: 6-Day Tour
Price on request
Overview
This 6-day, 5-night route covers Nanjing, Yangzhou, Wuxi, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Wuzhen, Xitang and Shanghai. Travel from Nanjing through Yangzhou, Wuxi, Suzhou and Hangzhou, then Wuzhen and Xitang to Shanghai, including a Taihu cruise from Yuantouzhu and garden visits. It suits lovers of waterside scenery and traditional gardens who can manage frequent city changes; optional paid evening activities are chosen separately as described each day.
Highlights
Rockery paths at Lion Grove
Follow the paths of Suzhou's Lion Grove Garden to see how rockeries, courtyards and water create changing views in a Jiangnan garden.
Waterside life in Wuzhen East
Wuzhen's East Scenic Zone links waterside homes and stone-paved lanes, offering a close view of the town's layout and everyday atmosphere.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arrive in Nanjing / Check-in and free time
Make your own way to Nanjing from elsewhere in China or abroad, check in and rest at the hotel. The day is free for independent activities.
Day 2Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum and Confucius Temple
After breakfast and morning free time, meet the group at Nanjing South Station before 12:30. Visits to Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum and the Confucius Temple–Qinhuai River area start at about 13:00. If the mausoleum cannot be reserved, the group visits Yuhuatai instead; during closures, visit only open areas. Internal transport costs extra.
Stops: Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum · Confucius Temple
Day 3Slender West Lake, Yuantouzhu and Taihu Lake cruise
After breakfast, visit Slender West Lake in Yangzhou. Lunch is a morning-tea-style meal at Gonghechun Teahouse. Continue to Yuantouzhu in Wuxi for a Taihu Lake cruise and Sanshan Fairy Island, then stay in Suzhou. Yuantouzhu's return shuttle costs extra. A Qili Shantang cruise with Pingtan, or a Suzhou city-circuit water show with Pingtan, is optional and paid separately. Dinner is at your own expense.
Stops: Slender West Lake · Yuantouzhu, Taihu Lake cruise and Sanshan Fairy Island
Day 4Lion Grove Garden, West Lake and Lingyin's Feilai Peak
After breakfast, visit Lion Grove Garden, then travel to Hangzhou for a speciality tea-themed meal, a West Lake walk and Feilai Peak at Lingyin. If it can't be reserved, you visit Jingci Temple instead. Public buses or scenic-area shuttles required by traffic restrictions cost extra. The Romance of the Song Dynasty show is optional and paid separately.
Stops: Lion Grove Garden · West Lake walk · Feilai Peak at Lingyin; Jingci Temple if it can't be reserved
Day 5Wuzhen East and Xitang / Continue to Shanghai
After breakfast, visit Wuzhen East and Xitang, with a complimentary electric-boat ride and Hanfu experience in Xitang, subject to cancellation due to weather or site operations. Continue to Shanghai. The evening city drive, Huangpu River cruise and tower-viewing package is optional and paid separately.
Stops: Wuzhen East Scenic Zone · Xitang
Day 6The Bund and Nanjing Road / Shanghai departure transfer
After breakfast, visit the Bund and Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, finishing at about noon, then meet for coordinated departure transfers. Book trains from Shanghai Station or Hongqiao Station after 14:30, Hongqiao flights after 15:30 or Pudong flights after 17:00, adding 1–2 hours during public holidays, Golden Week and school holidays. Guests on early trains or flights transfer straight from the hotel and miss the Bund and Nanjing Road. A separate vehicle or a different transfer time costs extra.
Stops: The Bund · Nanjing Road
Included and not included
Included
- Five nights. Select Vienna-branded hotels, hotels with a four-diamond rating or other options when booking; brands and upgrade conditions depend on the chosen package.
- Meals: Day 2 breakfast; Days 3, 4 and 5 breakfast and lunch; Day 6 breakfast.
- Local air-conditioned group-tour vehicle, one seat per person. Pickup/drop-off points, departure times and attraction transport follow the scope specified each day; vehicle use during free time is excluded.
- Local Chinese-speaking guide; transfers and free time do not include guide service.
- Main admission to the sights explicitly included each day. Reservation failures, closures and other conditional changes are described in the corresponding daily plan.
- Yuantouzhu's Taihu cruise and Sanshan Fairy Island included. The three evening packages in Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai remain paid extras.
Not included
- Guests arrange their own flights, trains and other transport to and from the destination city.
- If you buy optional-activity tickets independently but use group transfers or guide services, the corresponding transport and guide charges still apply. Confirm costs and meeting arrangements in advance.
- Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum and Yuantouzhu shuttles and Hangzhou traffic-restriction transfers cost extra. Suzhou cruises with Pingtan, Romance of the Song Dynasty and Shanghai's evening drive/Huangpu cruise/tower package are optional paid activities.
- Single-room supplements, meals not listed as included, and personal spending such as shopping, hotel laundry and drinks.
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