Hangzhou Serene Nature Day Tour: Unveiling the Beauty of West Lake and Iconic Landmarks
5.0
9 Ratings
Hangzhou
Unveil the beauty of Hangzhou's West Lake and iconic landmarks on a serene nature day tour. Enjoy a boat ride, stroll along the shoreline, and visit cultural attractions like Yunxi and Dragon Well Tea Plantation.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- West Lake (Xi Hu) - Meet your private guide upon pickup at Hangzhou Railway Station or your hotel lobby in downtown Hangzhou and set out on a full day of sightseeing in the comfort of an air-conditioned private vehicle. Let your your guide know your interests of any particular attractions so the commentary and itinerary can be customized accordingly.
First, you will visit the West Lake, start with a 35-minute boat ride on tranquil West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage site and perhaps Hangzhou’s most famous attraction. Relax amid enchanting scenery as your guide points out historic pagodas, Chinese-style arched bridges, tree-lined walkways, green islands and lush gardens.
- Guo’s Garden - Next visit Guo’s Villa. Considered to be the best existing traditional private garden in Hangzhou and a great place to relax and revel in the beauty of Song-era tea houses and pavilions. Only local people come to this garden to enjoy their leisure time. The villa not only provides you with a better understanding on this Asian “leisure capital” but also an idea place for photography.
- Longjing tea fields - Continue to Longjing Green Tea Plantation and Village (Meijiawu), the origin of the most famous variety of green tea, Longjing, in china with beautiful natural scenery (There are many tea houses in the village and you will have a chance to sample local tea). Interestingly, at a local tea grower’s tea house, you could learn how to prepare local delicacies if you are interested. Learn to cook beggar’s Chicken, Westlake carp fish in vinegar source, lotus roots, bamboo shoot and many other fresh vegetables. If you don’t wish to cook, just sit back and their flavors.
- Yunxi Zhujing Scenic Resort - Later, explore bamboo lined path at Yunqi.The serene Bamboo-lined Path in Yunqi is a 1km (0.6 mi) stone-paved path that cuts through dense bamboo forest all the way to Yunqi Valley, which is an ideal and quiet place to get away from the crowds for leisure stroll to enjoy lush green bamboo groves towering over you and with murmuring stream running alongside the path.
- Hefang Street - Your final stop is Qinghefang Old Street, a good place to experience the lifestyle of Old Hangzhou since it is the epitome of historic Hangzhou. It is also a great place for shopping, food, and sightseeing. You could see well-preserved old buildings, explore interesting boutiques, and shop for unique souvenirs.
When the tour is concluded, we will drop you off at Hangzhou Train Station or your hotel in Hangzhou.
What's Included
- Professional English-speaking guide
- Tea performance and tastings
- Authentic local lunch
- Complimentary beverages
- Free onboard WiFi
- Convenient pickup and drop-off
- Comfortable private transport
- Included entrance fees and boat ride
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Firstly, the tour allows travelers to connect with nature and enjoy the serene beauty of West Lake. The lake is surrounded by lush greenery, including weeping willows, lotus flowers, and bamboo groves
Secondly, the boat ride itself is a unique experience that allows travelers to appreciate the beauty of the lake from a different perspective. They will see the lake’s iconic landmarks, such as the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon and the Broken Bridge, up close and learn about their cultural significance.
Thirdly, the tour provides ample opportunities for relaxation and reflection. Travelers can take a leisurely stroll along the lake’s shoreline, enjoy a cup of tea in a traditional teahouse, or simply sit and soak in the peaceful surroundings.
Finally, The tour includes visits to other famous attractions, such as the Yunxi and the Dragon Well Tea Plantation, which offer insights into Hangzhou’s rich cultural heritage.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Please provide round-trip train itinerary in “special requirement” block if pickup from Hangzhou Train Station is required
Location
West Lake (Xi Hu)
West Lake Scenic, Xihu District,
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(9 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Txmom77345
Sep 26, 2019
Great tour - Wonderful tour guide who spent a lot of time explaining everything to us and showing us the most beautiful sights. If you’re looking for a friendly and very knowledgeable guide, please look for Tommy, you won’t be disappointed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Northern_99
Jun 6, 2019
Picturesque. - Take your time and Slow Down and enjoy the view. Life to way to complicated. Turn OFF the cell phone, and relax for a change. Your body will like it, your mind will not as it stresses to cope with peace.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bcm2
Jul 27, 2018
Amazing day with Bonnie - We were a group of North American Faculty teaching in Shanghai. We planned a trip to Hangzhou with some of our family members and decided to hire China Private Tours because of the excellent reviews we had seen on Trip Advisor. There were 11 of us so we arranged a private tour with a bus, driver, and guide. Our day was better than we even imagined. Our guide, Bonnie was extremely knowledgeable, spoke excellent English, and was very informative answering lots of questions from a group of curious college faculty. West Lake was gorgeous, We enjoyed the walk around the grounds and boat trip on the Lake. Bonnie was very knowledgeable about the Lingyin Temple, sharing lots of information about Buddhism. We had a great time at the Longjing Tea Planation and were entertained by the "show" the sales staff put on--Home Shopping Network style. It was very informative, the tea was delicious and many of us bought some to take home. We appreciated how flexible Bonnie was. She arranged two different locations for our lunch since some of us wanted to go to the Farmers House and some to the Four Seasons. She dropped us off and picked us up and didn't miss a beat. Bonnie also brought some of us to the train station at the end of the tour and had the bus driver take the others, who were staying a second night in Hangzhou, back to the hotel. We had a great time and highly recommend that if you visit Hangzhou, you should use China Private Tours and ASK FOR BONNIE!! We gave her an A+.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vacationgirl2015
Nov 26, 2017
A Wonderful Day! - Our family of four recently spent a full day on a private tour on Hangzhou with Sharon. We've been on tours before and may never want to go on anything but a private tour again. Sharon was like a good family friend showing us sites and personalizing our trip to our needs yet sharing details about Hangzhou that we just couldn't have known without her help. We particularly wanted to experience the "nature" of the city and Sharon effortlessly paid attention to this and led us to places that weren't as crowded with weekend visitors as others. Sharon showed us sites at the more crowded Lingyin Temple that were actually very secluded in the midst of weekend visitors. She knew the places to go and get a very special view of a very special city. Only an experienced local could know this and her attention to detail was very appreciated. It made for a memorable day that would have been utterly impossible on our own. Thank you Sharon!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
B
Nov 15, 2017
Private Two-Day Tour - Our guide, Sharon, 珍珍, was excellent. Informed, polite, engaging, punctual, energetic and enjoyable to be with. She listens to questions and provides thoughtful answers - she is a genuine professional. As we only had two days, I believe we covered the majority of major attractions and sites. However, if I were to plan my trip again, I would add an extra day, just to walk around some of the areas we saw. I'd want to spend "free time" at the old shopping area, and "free time" on a long Sunday afternoon along the West Lake. Also, be sure you stay near the West Lake. Spend the extra money so that you can walk whenever you get the urge. How many times will you go to Hangzhou?
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Abdul
Nov 13, 2017
Fantastic Two days Hangzhou tour with Guide SHARON of China Merchants International Travel Company - We booked a private two day tour on Saturday evening and were pleased to learn that we could schedule it for the next morning. The booking process was quick and simple and received our confirmation very fast with reasonable rates. The entire tour was great. We were picked on time at our hotel by our tour guide, Mz. Sharon and a driver in a new and spacious van. Hangzhou is a beautiful city, but what made the tour truly special was Sharon. A cheerful young beautiful girl, with deep knowledge of the Hangzhou, its present treasures and its history. We learned about History, religion and culture in a fluent English while enjoying every sights seen. For lunch she chose a good tasty restaurant with spicy food which we Indians like.. Every sight that was listed in the itinerary and I think more than she was covered which we requested in a friendly and personal way. It was a wonderful day. We strongly recommend this tour with SHARON as guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicole
Nov 7, 2017
Accommodating, pleasurable, fun package - My tour guide Sharon was accommodating, reliable, knowledgeable, and friendly. I booked a 3 day, day tour with the company, I contacted them with We Chat and they were prompt in answering any question I asked within a few hours. I saw the serene Yunqi bamboo forest, LIngyin Temple, LiuHe Pagoda, Lei Feng Pagoda, boat ride on the West Lake, and spent a day in Wu Zhen water village. It was fun, interactive, and Sharon created an environment as if I was experiencing the tour with a friend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Freddie36
Nov 1, 2017
informative, pleasurable, and engaging - all in one! - Our tour guide, David, was prompt, knowledgeable, and courteous throughout the tour. The tour throughout Hangzhou was given during our very first visit to the city, and David's help made the visit that much more interesting. Hangzhou is a remarkable place with several interesting site and a rich history. David's help put much of it into perspective. It was a great way to spend a day! If I return to Hangzhou, I will surely look up this tour company again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pat
Sep 27, 2017
It was a rare occasion that the sun... - <p>It was a rare occasion that the sun actually shone for my day tour in Hangzhou.<br/>
Guide Bonnie met us at the Hangzhou East train station, on time and courteous.<br/>
She arranged the driver of a private car to pick us up to start the tour without any waiting in the usually crowded station. Bonnie narrated the itinerary of the trip and solicited our likes or dislikes so that she could make it better. This showed she was considerate and wanted no part in rushing us through. we first visited West Lake where we strolled at our leisure to enjoying the Gold Carp pond and the spectacular view of the lake side trails. We than took a cruise on a boat around the lake while Bonnie took time and explained to us the famous hot spots around the lake. We saw, for the very first time, the actual scenery that has been minted on the back side of the Yen 1 what she pulled out from her wallet. I of course snatched it from her hand and proclaimed it my priced possession. We stopped by a local restaurant for lunch. The restaurant was run by a tea farmer and the tea plantation was all around in that area. Lunch was home-made yet delicious. I tried the Braised Pork Belly Dong Po Rou in brown sauce. Excellent dish, Hangzhou style!<br/>
Then we visited the famed Lingyin Temple where Bonnie gave us some history of it. She mentioned that a long time ago that the Flying Peak was carried by a legendary magic eagle or vulture from India to Hangzhou. What a temple! A must see in Hangzhou!! Later she noticed my wife had some difficulty in walking and promptly changed the agenda to fit our needs. What considerations! We ended the our tour after touring Qinghefang Old Street. At the train station Bonnie repeatedly offered us her assistance if we needed to change the Bullet train schedule. Talking about Bullet train, had you ever seen a slow bullet. It was a disappointment because I strongly believe that my 500cc motor bike could out run it.<br/>
In summary, this trip was money well spent. We enjoyed it very much. We also appreciated the courtesy, knowledge, consideration and professionalism of guide Bonnie. A friendly advice for future tourists in Hangzhou: Have Bonnie, will travel!</p>
Review provided by Viator
