SH19: 2 Days Private Suzhou & Hangzhou Tour from Shanghai

Suzhou is 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Shanghai and can be reached by 30 minutes' high-speed train. It is regarded as the back garden of Shanghai. Today, you will go to Suzhou by high-speed train on your own. Before departure, we will book the train tickets and provide the detailed instructions of collecting tickets for you. After arrival, you will meet your local guide at the exit of the train station.

The first stop of our Suzhou Hangzhou tour is Humble Administrator's Garden. It is a typical classic garden in South China and the largest one in Suzhou. The garden is composed of east, middle and west sections with distinctive features. The east section is wide and broad, the middle part gathers the essence of the whole garden, and the west section boasts delicate architectures. In the south are the residential area in traditional style of south China and a museum themed by gardens. 

Then we will visit Suzhou Museum. Designed by the famous architect Bei Yuming, the museum integrates the characteristics of both traditional gardens in Suzhou and modern architectures. The basic exhibitions are mainly about the Wu culture including the painting, calligraphy, treasures, handicrafts and Buddhism relics. And the special halls hold the exhibitions of domestic and foreign modern art irregularly.

Followed by is a sculling boat ride along the ancient Grand Canal. After about 20 minutes, we will sail to Pingjiang Road where boasts restaurants and entertainment facilities. Various shops have combined perfectly with the streets, so the original outlook of the alleys and the features of water town have been maintained well. You can have lunch here under the recommendation of your guide. 

In the afternoon, we will head to The Master of Nets Garden. Covering only half a hectare, it is the smallest garden in the city. In the east is a typical medium-sized official residence of Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). In the center is the main garden consisting of two yards. One is for living and banquet and the other is centered by a study. The inner garden in the east is planted with varieties of peonies. After the tour, you will be transferred to take the high-speed train to Hangzhou. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you and lead you to the hotel for check-in.

After breakfast, today's Suzhou and Hangzhou tour will start with Lingyin Temple. Located between the Peak Flown From Afar (Fei Lai Feng) and North Peak, Lingyin Temple is a famous ancient Buddhism temple surrounded by towering trees and shrouded in the mist. The main buildings are the Grand Buddha's Hall, Hall of the Heavenly Kings, Pharmaceutical Master Hall, etc. In the Grand Buddha's Hall, there is a statue of Sakyamuni of 24.8 meters (81.3 feet) high which is made of 24 pieces of camphorwood.

Then, we are going to Meijiawu Tea Plantation to learn about the tea culture and experience the leisure life there. It is one of the main production area of Longjing Tea. West Lake is definitely one of the must-see tourist attractions in Hangzhou. The lake is embraced by the mountain on three sides and covers an area of 6.5 square kilometers. The Bai Causeway, Su Causeway, Yang Causeway and Zhao Causeway separate it into several areas. The well-known scenic spots include Solitary Hill, Leifeng Pogoda, and Broken Bridge. When we take a boat to cruise in the lake, you can watch the pavilions, towers, bridges around and appreciate the willows by the lake and the fish in the water. 

The final stop is Liuhe Pagoda standing by the Qiantang River. At the top of the pagoda, travelers can enjoy a wonderful overlook of the rolling river. And when the breeze blows, you will hear the ringing of the 104 iron bells hanging on the cornices of the pagoda. The most characteristic is that it looks like a 13-storey building from outside but actually it has 7 layers.

Lunch will be dealt by yourself but your guide will be glad to give you some recommendations. In the afternoon, the guide will escort you to the train station and see you off. After reaching Shanghai, please go back to the hotel by yourself.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast