7 Days in Jiangsu: Nanjing, Yangzhou, Wuxi & Suzhou Private Tour

October 31, 2026

What a 7-day Jiangsu private tour covers

A 7-day Jiangsu private tour is a week in eastern China covering Nanjing and Yangzhou without rushing, usually with Wuxi and Suzhou added for gardens, lake scenery and canal streets. Seven days suits travellers who want to stay longer at sites such as the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and the Confucius Temple rather than move on quickly. The week keeps a comfortable rhythm, with room to linger.

Historic city gate and lantern-lit street in Nanjing

Why seven days works in Jiangsu

Seven days in Jiangsu suits travellers who want to see Nanjing and Yangzhou without rushing. The extra time over the 5-day and 6-day versions lets you stay longer at sites such as the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, where the climb to the top gives a wide view over the city, and the Confucius Temple, whose ancient streets along the Qinhuai River are worth an unhurried evening. You can also take a painted boat on the Qinhuai River at night and walk through the Presidential Palace at an easy pace, and a boat ride on Slender West Lake in Yangzhou fits comfortably into the week. Shorter options concentrate on fewer stops, while the 8-day version adds more places still and slows the pace further.

Nanjing: history and the Qinhuai River

The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, a landmark in Nanjing, was built to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The grand mausoleum, set against the mountain, features solemn blue-tiled roofs and white walls, and climbing to the top offers a panoramic view of Nanjing, blending history with nature.

Long stone stairway climbing to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Nanjing

The Confucius Temple is a cultural gem by the Qinhuai River. Stroll through ancient streets, savour local delicacies and immerse in Ming-Qing charm, with night lights adding a romantic touch to this Jiangnan water town. The Qinhuai River is the soul of Nanjing, where centuries of history shimmer on its waters; glide on a painted boat at night, admire the riverside lights and savour the ancient charm of "Ten-Mile Qinhuai."

Lantern-lit riverside buildings along the Qinhuai River near the Confucius Temple, Nanjing

The Presidential Palace is a witness to modern Chinese history. Stroll through its blend of Eastern and Western architecture, relive the Republic of China era and discover stories from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to the Nationalist Government in every brick.

Main gate of the Presidential Palace, Nanjing

Yangzhou: gardens, lakes and old streets

Slender West Lake in Yangzhou is a masterpiece of Jiangnan gardens. With picturesque lake views and elegant pavilions, a boat ride here immerses you in the poetic scenery of "flowers and willows along the banks, towers and terraces leading to the hills."

Five Pavilion Bridge on Slender West Lake, Yangzhou, at sunset

Ge Garden is one of China's Four Great Gardens, famed for its bamboo and rocks. The seasonal rockeries are masterpieces — stroll through "spring hills gentle as smiles, summer hills lush as drops" and marvel at the artistry.

Dongguan Street is a vibrant snapshot of a thousand-year-old thoroughfare, with cobblestone paths lined with time-honoured shops and trendy boutiques, and lantern-lit nights filled with Huaiyang delicacies. Daming Temple is a millennium-old sanctuary and cultural treasure where Monk Jianzhen once preached; climb to admire Slender West Lake.

Dongguan Street sign above the lantern-lit old street in Yangzhou

Wuxi, Yixing and Suzhou

The Lingshan Grand Buddha above its terrace near Lake Tai, Wuxi

In Wuxi, the Lingshan Grand Buddha is an 88-metre bronze colossus standing by Lake Tai, while the Brahma Palace dazzles with gold. Nanchang Street is a millennium-old canal-side lane where creativity and cuisine thrive amid grey-tiled houses. Turtle Head Isle is the crown jewel of Lake Tai, where cherry blossoms meet emerald waves.

Cherry blossoms around a lakeside pavilion at Turtle Head Isle on Lake Tai, Wuxi

Yixing adds the Bamboo Sea, a vast emerald expanse where bamboo sways like ocean waves, the China Yixing Zisha Museum, the world's only shrine to purple clay art, and Longbei Mountain Forest Park, an urban oasis of greenery with panoramic lake and mountain views.

In Suzhou, the Humble Administrator's Garden is the pinnacle of Jiangnan gardens, with waterscapes and pavilions.

Ponds, stone bridges and pavilions in a classical garden in Suzhou

Practical notes

Seven days is the version to choose if you want Nanjing and Yangzhou without rushing; shorter options concentrate on fewer stops, and the 8-day version adds more places still and slows the pace further.
Expect real walking: the climb to the top of the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum gives a wide view over Nanjing, and old streets such as Dongguan Street and Nanchang Street are cobblestoned.
Evening time is worth protecting for the Qinhuai River painted boat and the lantern-lit streets around the Confucius Temple.
A boat ride on Slender West Lake fits comfortably into the week, so plan Yangzhou as a full day rather than a stopover.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for Jiangsu?

Seven days suits travellers who want to see Nanjing and Yangzhou without rushing. The 5-day and 6-day versions concentrate on fewer stops, while the 8-day version adds more places and slows the pace further. A week keeps a comfortable rhythm with room to linger.

What is there to do in Nanjing at night?

Take a painted boat on the Qinhuai River at night and admire the riverside lights. The Confucius Temple streets along the river are worth an unhurried evening, with night lights adding a romantic touch to this Jiangnan water town.

Is Yangzhou worth visiting on a Jiangsu tour?

Yes. A boat ride on Slender West Lake fits comfortably into a seven-day week, and Ge Garden, Dongguan Street and Daming Temple give the city a full day of gardens, old streets and Huaiyang food.

What is the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum like to visit?

The mausoleum was built to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen, with solemn blue-tiled roofs and white walls set against the mountain. Climbing to the top offers a panoramic view of Nanjing, blending history with nature.

Planning a private tour

Seven days gives Jiangsu a comfortable rhythm, with longer stays at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and the Confucius Temple and a relaxed boat ride on Slender West Lake. A private tour lets you set that pace around the sites you most want to linger at. Decide first whether you want the 7-day version or the slower 8-day one, then build the route around it.

7 Days in Jiangsu: Nanjing, Yangzhou, Wuxi & Suzhou Private Tour