China’s Living Heritage

Name: China’s Living Heritage
Brand: WanderEastern
Price: 500.0 USD
Availability: InStock

$500.00 USD

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About this Journey
Embark on a journey back in time in the UNESCO World Heritage villages of Anhui province, home to some of the most successful businessmen during the Ming Dynasty. While hard to believe today, these ancient stone villages on the banks of the Yangtze River were once important economic centers that facilitated trade between China and the outside world.

Explore the history and natural beauty of this area, where much of the original Ming and Qing dynastic architecture has been preserved. Nearby, the misty peaks of Huangshan, the Yellow Mountain, have inspired the brushstrokes of artists for generations. Experience times long gone by traveling through China’s living heritage.

Itinerary
Day 1 - 2 Yixian Ancient Villages
Optional: bike through the countryside along the rustic back roads of Yixian, passing sugar and tofu shops • Spend the morning strolling through the quiet lanes of Guanlu village, a petite merchant village built around a cluster of interconnected manors, before travelling to Nanping village • Imagine yourself back in the time of the Ming Dynasty when visiting the ancient wooden residences in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Xidi

Day 3 Huangshan
Head north to Huangshan (“Yellow Mountain”), which has been immortalized in the elegant brushstrokes of Chinese landscape paintings • Hike through the staggering peaks and deep valleys of Xihai Grand Canyon, a natural masterpiece less frequented by tourists

Day 4 Yixian Ancient Villages
Make your way to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hongcun village, where ancient waterways snake through village residences • Enjoy a late picnic lunch before heading to the secluded village of Mukeng, where scenes from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were shot

Day 5 Yixian to Hangzhou
Visit the frozen-in-time village of Chengkan, set against a backdrop of cobalt slopes and surrounded by ancient waterways • Make your way to Qiankou Residence, an eclectic collection of Ming-era arched bridges, pavilions, ancestral temples and dwellings

Day 6 - 7 Hangzhou (Optional Extension)
Learn about the preferred tea of emperors at the undulating “Dragon Well” tea plantation • Enjoy a boat ride across Hangzhou’s West Lake, so beautiful that it was recreated for the emperor in Beijing’s Summer Palace • Wander the calming grounds of Yongfu and Lingyin Buddhist Temples • Enjoy the peaceful, melodic chanting of Buddhist monks at a prayer session

Hotels

Pig Inn Yixian Boutique
Pig Inn Yixian may appear to be a typical village home on the outside, but step inside and you will discover a traditional, Huizhou-style ancient home.

Xihai Huangshan 4 Star
Stylistically Chinese, the Xihai is located atop Huangshan, with multiple hiking trails branching out directly from its doorstep.

Details

What’s Included

All overland transfers with private chauffeur and in-transport refreshments
All admission fees and activity expenses, as noted in the itinerary
All meals as noted in the itinerary with complimentary drinking water
All services of WanderEastern English-speaking guide(s)
All accommodations, based on double-occupancy and including breakfast, service charge, and government tax
Private chauffeur service to and from airport at start and end of your trip

What’s Excluded

International & domestic flights and relevant taxes
Chinese tourist visa, which is required for most foreign passport holders
Travel, health and trip cancellation insurance
Meals apart from those included in the itinerary and alcohol
Expenses of a personal nature
Excursions and activities not included in the itinerary
Discretionary gratuities for guides and chauffeurs

TRIP COST

$5480 USD per person

Single Supplement $1680 USD per person

Next Steps

How do I secure my spot on this tour?

We will continue to work with you until your trip is perfect.

For international bookings: Once you are ready to book, a USD$500 planning fee, per booking, is required to begin reserving your arrangements. This will go towards your trip costs and will be taken off your final balance amount.

For bookings made in China: Once you are ready to book, a RMB1,000 deposit, per person, is required. This will go towards your trip costs and will be taken off your final balance amount.

What is the payment schedule?

1. Deposit:
A deposit is required to secure your reservation. Once your deposit has been received, we will send your confirmation along with a detailed itinerary and all the information you’ll need to prepare for your journey.

2. Full payment:
Full trip payment should be made 30 days prior to departure. If you’re booking within 30 days of your departure, you may be asked to pay make the full payment straight away.

Payments can be made via Paypal, credit card, bank transfer, WeChat or Alipay

Is this trip guaranteed to run?

This trip will be scheduled to run once we receive bookings from 2 passengers. Should the journey be cancelled due to lack of sign-ups or government restrictions, WanderEastern will fully refund any deposits or fees paid.

What is your cancelation policy?

See our full terms and conditions for more information.

Why WanderEastern

We’re on the ground with you

Our team of advisors will design every detail of the trip with you through close consultation, then orchestrate your entire journey while on the ground. We’re in the same time zone as you, so we can fulfill requests and handle issues without a hitch. With over 40 staff in Beijing and an expansive network of operational partners across the country, we have the manpower to ensure your journey is safe, reliable and comfortable from beginning to end.

Your trip, your way

Flexibility is our highest-ranking compliment. We pull off journeys for pioneers with a 6-hour layover to Hollywood’s elite, and everywhere in between. Our team regularly pulls off unprecedented logistical feats; nearly any time frame or budget is within our realm. No matter how you wish to experience China, we are here to bring that dream to life.

We embody passion

WanderEastern guides are carefully handpicked for their knowledge and charisma, then meticulously trained to maintain our exceptional service standards. They are expert storytellers and passionate natives of the regions where they guide, having the perfect combination of local insights and service know-how to bring you seamless once-in-a- lifetime moments all across China.

The little things, the big picture

Supporting inspired local economies allows you to experience the soul of the destination, while also protecting and cultivating China’s artisanal culture. From watching artisans hand make shoes in Yunnan, to picking organic vegetables for dinner on a local farm in Fujian, our tours are designed to showcase and protect China’s heritage, both natural and human.