East China Private Tour: Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Huangshan

East China is the easiest part of the country to travel — high-speed rail every twenty minutes, hotels that meet any standard, and classical gardens and lake scenery within an hour of each other. The difficulty is choosing: Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Huangshan are all worth more than a day.

包車 — charter, car and driver

A charter covers the water towns (Zhouzhuang, Tongli, Wuzhen) that the trains miss, the tea villages of Longjing, and the Huangshan approach, where the cable car timing decides the whole day. Inside Shanghai the metro is faster; the car waits.

包團 — private tour, the route planned too

A private tour adds hotels in the old concessions or by West Lake, the garden tickets, and guides who can explain a Ming scholar's garden rather than walk you through it.

Routes that work

• 6 days: Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou by rail, with a water town by car.
• 8 days: add Huangshan — two nights on the mountain and in the old villages below.
• 10 days: add Nanjing and Yangzhou, or continue north to Beijing by rail.

Getting around

Shanghai to Suzhou is about 30 minutes by high-speed rail. Shanghai to Hangzhou roughly an hour. Hangzhou to Huangshan about an hour and a half by rail plus a drive to the cable car.

When to come

March to May and September to November. Plum blossom in March, osmanthus in Hangzhou in October. July and August are hot and humid; winter is cold, grey and quiet.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need a car in Shanghai?

No — the metro is excellent. The car is for the water towns and Huangshan.

Is Huangshan worth two nights?

One night on the mountain for sunrise, one in the villages below (Hongcun, Xidi). A day trip from Hangzhou misses both.

Which water town should we choose?

Wuzhen for atmosphere after dark, Zhouzhuang for convenience, Tongli for fewer people. All are an hour or two from Shanghai by car.

Can we combine with Beijing?

Yes — four and a half hours by high-speed rail, or an hour and a half by air.

Do your guides speak English or Cantonese?

We match the guide to the party. Tell us the language you need when you ask.