Itinerary · 10 days · relaxed
Tea trail — Hangzhou, Wuyishan and Yunnan, 10 days
Ten days through three of China's most significant tea-growing regions: Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea in Hangzhou, Wuyi rock oolong in Fujian, and Pu'er aged tea in Yunnan — each with its own landscape and tea-house culture.
China is the source of all tea, and the variation between its growing regions is as wide as wine is between European regions. This itinerary visits three genuinely distinct environments: the manicured hillside gardens of Longjing outside Hangzhou, the dramatic black rock and red soil cliffs of Wuyishan in Fujian province, and the ancient arbor trees of Yunnan's Xishuangbanna. Visits include tea factory tours, plantation walks and tea master tastings where possible.
Day by day
Day 1 · hangzhou
Arrive Hangzhou, West Lake, tea village
Fly or HSR to Hangzhou. West Lake orientation walk in the afternoon — the lake is the historic heart of the city. Take a taxi to the Longjing tea village on the hillside above the lake for a late-afternoon tea tasting at one of the plantation guesthouses.
Attractions: west-lake-hangzhou, lingyin-temple
Stay in: West Lake area or Longjing village guesthouse.
Day 2 · hangzhou
Longjing tea gardens, China National Tea Museum
Morning walk through the Longjing tea garden terraces above Meijiawu village — green rows of Camellia sinensis on hillsides, best in April when picking is active. China National Tea Museum in the afternoon (well-curated English labels, covers the full history of Chinese tea). Lingyin Temple before dusk.
Attractions: west-lake-hangzhou, lingyin-temple
Day 3 · hangzhou
West Lake by boat, Lei Feng Pagoda
Morning boat trip on West Lake — rowboat or ferry to the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon. Lei Feng Pagoda in the afternoon. A tea house on the lakeside for a slow afternoon tasting session.
Attractions: west-lake-hangzhou, lei-feng-pagoda
Day 4 · wuyishan
HSR to Wuyishan, scenic area
Morning HSR Hangzhou → Wuyishan (3h, ¥200). Arrive midday. Afternoon walk into the Wuyi Mountain scenic area — the black-streaked rock columns and narrow gorges are a UNESCO landscape site. The Da Hong Pao tea trees (Mother Trees) grow from this volcanic cliff soil.
Stay in: Wuyishan city, near the scenic area entrance.
HSR Hangzhou → Wuyishan, 3h, ¥200.
Day 5 · wuyishan
Nine Bend Stream bamboo raft, tea factory
Morning: Nine Bend Stream bamboo raft through the gorge (9km, 2h). Afternoon: visit a Da Hong Pao oolong tea processing facility — most accept small groups with advance contact. Tasting session comparing grades of rock oolong.
Day 6 · wuyishan
Tianyou Peak, tea market
Morning hike to Tianyou Peak (viewpoint over the Nine Bend corridor). Afternoon: the Wuyishan tea market near the train station — hundreds of stalls selling rock oolongs from a few hundred yuan per 50g up to tens of thousands. Good for browsing without obligation.
Day 7 · kunming
Fly to Kunming, Yunnan Tea Market
Flight Wuyishan → Kunming (2.5h, typically via Fuzhou or Xiamen). Arrive afternoon. The Jingmai Road Pu'er tea wholesale market in Kunming is worth an hour for context. Green Lake Park walk in the evening.
Stay in: Kunming city, near Green Lake.
Flight WUS → KMG via connection, approx 3–4h total travel time.
Day 8 · xishuangbanna
Fly to Jinghong, Menghai tea area
Short flight KMG → JHG (50 min). Xishuangbanna is a tropical border region near Laos and Myanmar — the ancestral home of Pu'er tea. Afternoon visit to a Menghai-area tea cooperative growing old arbor Pu'er trees (some centuries old). The terraced forest gardens look nothing like the farmed tea of Hangzhou.
Stay in: Jinghong city.
Flight KMG → JHG, 50 min, ¥250–400.
Day 9 · xishuangbanna
Village market, Dai cultural sites
Morning minority village market (Dai, Hani and Bulang communities; schedule varies — ask your guesthouse). Afternoon at the Tropical Botanical Garden (Xishuangbanna XTBG — one of the largest botanical research gardens in China). Final tea tasting and purchase at a local producer.
Day 10 · xishuangbanna
Depart Jinghong
Morning at leisure before the flight. Fly JHG → Kunming then international or domestic connection.
Flight JHG → KMG → onward connection.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥2000 |
| Mid-range | ¥5000 |
| Comfortable | ¥11000 |
Per person total 10 days including domestic flights (approx ¥1,500) and HSR (¥200). Tea purchases are an additional optional cost — quality Pu'er and rock oolong can be expensive. International flights excluded.
Attractions covered
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