It’s time for some morning tea! We’re visiting Longjing Village, where an endless sea of green dragonwell—Longjing—tea bushes cover the hillsides. Declared by Emperor Qianlong to be the official tea of the imperial court, Longjing has retained its regal reputation, remaining one of the country’s most coveted—and expensive—green teas. We’ll meet for lunch at a tea master’s house and learn all about how Longjing tea is grown, cultivated, and produced. We’ll have dinner back in Hangzhou, where we’ll be joined by a local friend for an evening of tasting various local cuisines and learning about life here in Hangzhou.

Tea and Buddhism are inextricably connected, and the ritual of brewing and serving tea has held particular importance for monks for hundreds of years. We’ll spend the morning learning about the history of this relationship with a visit to Lingyin Temple to participate in a Buddhist tea ceremony, where we’ll experience the traditional way of serving and drinking tea. We’ll then have a vegetarian lunch in the temple, an opportunity to learn about the traditions and symbolism of food in Buddhism. Later in the afternoon, we’ll explore Hangzhou’s iconic West Lake, one of the city’s most scenic and tranquil landmarks. Surrounded by mountains, outlined with lush gardens, and studded with picturesque pagodas, it’s been a longtime source of inspiration among botanists and landscapers. The rest of the evening is yours to relax at your leisure. Feel free to linger around the lake for dinner, and perhaps cap off the night with a tipple or two at one of the best whiskey bars in the city.

After breakfast, we’ll drive to Deqing for our first sip of yellow tea. We’ll visit a tea house where we can sample the beverage and chat with the owner, a young female entrepreneur and a third-generation tea master. Once we’ve filled up on tea and new knowledge, we’ll walk around the village and enjoy a delicious lunch of local cuisine. In the afternoon, we’ll take a hike on the majestic Mogan Mountain during peak bamboo season and have the chance to harvest some bamboo ourselves, which will be used in the preparation of tonight’s dinner. For those who’d prefer to rest and take it easy, the village has more to offer for an afternoon of reading or wandering. After a long day of strolling and slurping, we’ll retire to our Zen-Buddhist-themed hotel nestled in the mountainside.

Nearly as important as the tea itself is the cup into which it’s poured. Today we’ll drive about two hours to visit a porcelain manufacturer for a hands-on history lesson about the production process, learning about the famous Yue kilns from which the most exquisite celadon in ancient China was made. We’ll get the chance to see how porcelain is produced, and, if we’re lucky, even try our hands at crafting it. In the afternoon, we’ll stroll through an 800-year-old private garden and soak in the city views from a boat. Dinner and the rest of the evening are free, though we’ll gladly provide restaurant and activity recommendations. We encourage you to taste the widely renowned rice wine that originated in Shaoxing, and perhaps visit a local Yue Theater or a tea house on the river.

This morning, we’re driving from Zhejiang to Fujian Province, making a quick pit stop in Tiantai, a town known for its wood carvings and the robust community of artisans who create them. Although the two provinces are neighbors, our trip today will showcase the many distinct differences in their landscapes, architecture, languages, cuisines, and, of course, teas. Our destination is Fuding, a city rich with culinary treasures. After dinner, feel free to explore the vibrant local night markets.

This morning, we’ll visit a tea company and get a hands-on tour of the production process. Later, we’ll meet a local family preparing for Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day. The festival is celebrated through ceremonies honoring ancestors by maintaining their tombs, often placing offerings such as food, drink, and flowers on their gravesites. Take the rest of the day to explore the city on your own—if your feet are feeling tired, consider a traditional Chinese foot massage!

This morning we’ll help the family we met yesterday prepare for the Qingming Festival, and join them in visiting and paying respects to the tomb of their ancestors. Accompanied by a local Feng Shui master, we’ll have the chance to visit gravesites curated with Feng Shui principles in mind, with the carefully selected style and orientation of each structure chosen to protect the descendants of the buried. Later, we’ll chat over dinner with our Fuding friends, who can share their perspectives on living in this part of China.

In 2002, just 20 grams of Da Hong Pao tea sold for roughly $28,000. One of the most expensive teas in the world, this dark oolong tea, also known as the “king of teas,” is purchased and sold exclusively through specialized brokers who expertly navigate the luxury tea market. Today, accompanied by a local tea merchant, we’ll be learning about the incredibly valuable Wuyi rock teas (and why they’re so expensive) from the heart of the breathtaking Wuyi Mountains (about a four-hour drive from Fuding). We’ll hike along the densely forested, misty mountain to pay a visit to the six remaining parent trees that still bear “original” Da Hong Pao leaves. To cap off the day, we’ll have dinner at a beautiful mountainside restaurant and spend the night nearby.

Not only is is the Wuyi Mountain region famous for oolong tea, it’s also the progenitor of a dazzling array of black teas. In fact, it’s the birthplace of the oldest black tea in the world, Lapsang Souchong—which, by the 17th century, had been ferried across the world by Dutch merchants, who began selling the leaves to a thirsty Western market. Today, we’ll learn all about Lapsang Souchong from a tea master before visiting the plantation, where we’ll learn how black tea is harvested, have lunch at the tea farm, and help out with the process. Later, we’ll relax with a traditional tea ceremony and enjoy an intimate chat with the tea master. This evening over dinner, we’ll raise a glass (of tea, perhaps?) to a wonderful trip together.

This morning after a leisurely breakfast, we’ll board a bullet train to Shanghai. After 10 days of learning, tasting, and sipping, we’ll bid farewell to our fellow tea buffs, and head back home from Shanghai—hopefully with plenty of tea packed into our bags. If you’re continuing with us to Kunming, the afternoon and evening are yours to explore Shanghai, or simply rest and relax. Your hotel tonight is included in the cost of the extension, and we’re happy to provide recommendations for restaurants and activities.

This morning, we’ll take one big leap to China’s southwest. We’ll spend the next three days in Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province which borders Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos. Thanks to its pleasant climate, the city is often referred to as “Spring City.” After breakfast in Shanghai, we’ll hop on a direct flight (3.5 hours). After arriving and checking into the hotel, we’ll take a relaxing walk in the beautiful Emerald Lake Park in the center of the city, and enjoy a casual dinner together.

Today’s destination is a vast expanse of spectacular karst topography, known as the “Stone Forest.” Approximately 270 million years ago, this area was a vast expanse of sea; now, limestone columns arise from the ground in a manner reminiscent of petrified trees, the result of steady erosion. After breakfast we’ll drive two hours to this spectacular site, where we’ll be met by a local guide as we walk and picnic amidst these majestic pillars. In the afternoon, we’ll return to Kunming for some time to rest. This evening, we’ll head to the bustling Old Streets district, where we’ll have a leisurely dinner. 

After a relaxing breakfast, we’ll take a walk around the famous Kunming Lake, about 40 minutes outside the city. (If we’re lucky, we might see the seagull migration from Siberia.) We’ll enjoy a local lunch nearby, then in the afternoon take a cable car to the best panoramic view of the city. In the afternoon, we’ll participate in a batik workshop, and have some additional time to enjoy the city. In the evening, we’ll gather for one final, flavorful stroll through the night market, then raise a glass to our time together.