Day 1 · Arrive by the water
Check in and begin on the quieter western waterways of West Lake. Willows, bridges and waterside courtyards give you a first sense of the city, followed by a welcome dinner.
China Journeys · Hangzhou
A Quiet Current
Five days of tea, temples and lakeside living.
Stay beside West Lake at Zhejiang Xizi Hotel and discover Hangzhou with Jersey, your bilingual host. Give Longjing tea a full day, visit temples and historic houses, and come back to the hotel's gardens between outings.
A Quiet Current · Hangzhou
Five days of tea, temples and lakeside living. Stay beside West Lake at Zhejiang Xizi Hotel, give Longjing tea a full day, visit temples and historic houses, and come back to the hotel's gardens between outings.
Why this journey
What makes these five days worth taking?
Four nights in one lakeside hotel, time to understand Longjing tea, a host who knows Hangzhou, and a route that connects the places you visit.
- Four nights in one lakeside hotel. Zhejiang Xizi Hotel is part of the experience, with gardens, lake views and a history of receiving state guests.
- Time to understand Longjing tea. The hills, growing season, water and brewing all have a place in the day, followed by a guided tasting and tea-led lunch.
- A host who knows Hangzhou. Jersey brings local stories and bilingual interpretation to the route and helps keep each day running smoothly.
- A route that connects the places you visit. Tea leads to spring water; historic houses lead to the city's apothecary traditions. The days build on each other.
Your five days
Five days of tea, temples and lakeside living.
Day 2 · A day with Longjing tea
Head into the tea hills to explore where Longjing comes from and how it is brewed. A guided tasting and tea-led lunch connect the landscape to what's in the cup. Any hands-on activity depends on the season and the local partner confirmed for your departure.
Day 3 · Temples and spring water
Explore the carvings at Feilai Peak and the buildings and present-day religious life of Lingyin Temple. At Hupao Spring, return to the relationship between water and tea. Finish at Liuhe Pagoda or on a quieter bamboo path, depending on the day's conditions.
Day 4 · Herbal traditions and historic houses
Visit Hu Qing Yu Tang and Hu Xueyan's former residence to explore how medicine, commerce and domestic life shaped the city. Food and everyday care provide a way into the history. This is a cultural day; it does not include medical diagnosis or treatment.
Day 5 · A green morning before you leave
Visit Qingshan Lake and its water forest before departure. If weather or departure timing makes the visit impractical, a studio-based cultural activity provides an alternative close.
Photographs from the route
Photographs from the route.
Photographed by our Hangzhou partners at locations on this itinerary. Season, weather and light will vary.
Where you stay
Zhejiang Xizi Hotel
Set beneath Leifeng Pagoda on West Lake's southern shore, Xizi occupies the historic Wangzhuang estate. Its gardens and lakeside setting are a reason to spend time at the hotel as well as out in the city.
The hotel has a long history of welcoming state guests and international dignitaries. We chose it for the combination of that history, its privacy and its place on the lake.
Four nights with breakfast are included. Public prices are based on twin sharing; your room arrangements are confirmed before payment.
- Historic Wangzhuang estate beside West Lake
- A long tradition of hosting state guests and international dignitaries
- Venue for the 2016 G20 leaders' welcome banquet
- Selected for its gardens, privacy and sense of place
Accommodation and movement
Four nights, private movement, bilingual hosting.
Zhejiang Xizi Hotel
Four nights with breakfast are included, based on twin sharing. Your room arrangements are confirmed before payment.
Bilingual hosting
Bilingual hosting, cultural interpretation and coordination during the programme. Local teachers and venue specialists join where relevant.
Private transport
Private transport between included programme locations in Hangzhou. Airport and railway-station transfers are extra unless expressly included in your quote.
The order and individual stops may change with weather, local operations and partner availability. We confirm the itinerary and any known changes before booking.
Meet Jersey
Jersey, your Hangzhou host.
Jersey has guided travellers in Hangzhou since 2019. A keen hiker and an easy conversationalist, Jersey combines local knowledge with a practical eye for the group: when to keep moving, when to pause and how to explain what you're seeing.
Jersey provides bilingual hosting and coordination through the planned programme. Local teachers and venue specialists join where relevant.
What's included
What's included
✓ Included
- Four nights at Zhejiang Xizi Hotel, based on twin sharing.
- Daily breakfast.
- Bilingual hosting, cultural interpretation and coordination during the programme.
- Private transport between included programme locations in Hangzhou.
- The planned West Lake water route, Longjing tea day, temple and spring visits, historic-house and apothecary visits, and closing activity, with alternatives where needed.
The written itinerary identifies included meals and any meals paid locally.
— What's extra
- International flights, travel insurance, visa or entry costs.
- Personal purchases, extra nights and optional activities.
- Airport and railway-station transfers unless expressly included in your quote.
- Guest-requested changes or additional vehicles.
The written itinerary identifies included meals and any meals paid locally.
Autumn 2026 runs on selected Monday to Friday dates. Tell us who is travelling and we will confirm availability, rooming and the written inclusions before anything is paid.
Check availability
Dates and prices
Selected departures, September–December 2026.
Selected Monday–Friday departures, September–December 2026. Tell us your preferred week and number of travellers. We'll check the departure, group arrangements and rooms, then send the full price, inclusions and cancellation terms.
A Quiet Current
US$1,550 per person
Twin sharing. Other group sizes are quoted separately.
Check Hangzhou availability
No payment is needed to enquire.
No payment is needed to enquire. We confirm the full price, inclusions and cancellation terms before you book.
Before you book
Questions worth asking
Can I travel alone or as a couple?
Tell us how many of you are travelling. We'll check the options for your dates and explain whether a suitable departure or smaller private arrangement is available, including any room supplement.
Is this a wellness retreat?
The journey explores Hangzhou through tea, temples, historic houses and herbal traditions. The fourth day is cultural and does not include medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment.
How much walking is involved?
The route includes temple grounds, historic sites and outdoor paths. Tell us about any access needs before booking so we can check individual stops, steps and the available alternatives.
Do Noa and Coco lead the trip?
Noa and Coco design the journey and brief the local partners. Jersey hosts the planned programme in Hangzhou, with local specialists joining where relevant.
Make Hangzhou part of your trip. Send your approximate dates and number of guests — we'll reply personally within one business day. Check Hangzhou availability
杭
A Quiet Current: Hangzhou.
Tell us who is travelling and which dates you have in mind. We'll check the departure and rooming options, then send the full price, inclusions and cancellation terms.
No payment is needed to enquire.