Destination · Hangzhou

Hangzhou private tours: routes, guides and when to go

A lake city in eastern China, a short train ride from Shanghai. Come for West Lake, Lingyin Temple and the hills where Longjing green tea is made.

See routes with Hangzhou Plan Hangzhou with a specialist

Hangzhou, West Lake and tea country in Zhejiang

Time to spend: Two days: one for West Lake, one for Lingyin Temple. Add a third for the tea hills. A long day trip from Shanghai is the minimum.
Best time: Spring, if tea matters to you: spring Longjing is the famous one.
Getting there: From Shanghai, take the high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Hangzhou East. On a sample day there were over a hundred trains, from about 6 am to 9 pm, taking 45 to 87 minutes; check live times. Book on 12306, China's official rail site, with your passport, and use the same passport to enter the station and board.
Region: Shanghai & Jiangnan

A tour boat and lakeside pavilion on West Lake, Hangzhou

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Our Hangzhou travel guide

A city hub for Hangzhou covering how many days to plan, what to book before you go, how to see West Lake, where to stay and how to pair it with Shanghai and Suzhou.

Hangzhou Travel Guide 2026: Days, West Lake, LingyinPlanning & Safety · 7 min readRead the guide

Routes with Hangzhou

Private routes that include Hangzhou

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West Lake with Leifeng Pagoda at dusk, Hangzhou

7 daysShanghai · Hangzhou · Suzhou

Modern + Poetic: 7 Days, Shanghai + Hangzhou + Suzhou

Independent: from $1,800 per person
Private Guided: from $2,900 per person

Reference price for 2027 trips, 2 sharing · excl. international flights

Huangshan sunrise for a Hangzhou and Yellow Mountain itinerary

7 daysHangzhou · Wuzhen · Huangshan

Hangzhou and Huangshan: 7 Days of Classical Chinese Aesthetic

Independent: from $1,900 per person
Private Guided: from $3,000 per person

Reference price for 2027 trips, 2 sharing · excl. international flights

Cruise ship sailing on the Li River in Guilin, with karst mountains

8 daysShanghai · Hangzhou · Yangshuo

Gentle Family China: 8 Days, Shanghai + Hangzhou + Yangshuo

Independent: from $2,200 per person
Private Guided: from $3,400 per person

Reference price for 2027 trips, 2 sharing · excl. international flights

A Suzhou water-town canal in daylight with stone steps leading down to the water

8 daysSuzhou · Hangzhou · Huangshan

Slow Jiangnan: 8 Days, Suzhou + Hangzhou + Huangshan

Independent: from $2,200 per person
Private Guided: from $3,500 per person

Reference price for 2027 trips, 2 sharing · excl. international flights

Plan Hangzhou with us

What we arrange in Hangzhou

Dongpo pork at a Hangzhou tableSkin-on pork belly, braised slowly and served hot in its own sauce: the classic Hangzhou plate. Order one piece at lunch or dinner on a Hangzhou day, and check the menu and allergens at the table.A sit-down mealAsk about this experience
Longjing tea in the Hangzhou hillsTake a morning train from Shanghai to Hangzhou (we book the seat on 12306 with the passport you carry), walk a tea lane in Longwu or Meijiawu and sit in a village tea house for a pot of West Lake Longjing. If the maker agrees, you can watch the leaf being roasted by hand in a wok; we ask before it goes into your plan.Half a dayAsk about this experience
IndependentOn your own with the LocalKey app and 24/7 backup. Add airport pickup, a private car and driver, or a local guide when you want them.Independent →
Private GuidedPrivate guides, driver and car across the trip, with a local host in each city.Private Guided →