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漫遊東

Small Group Journeys

Chapter One: Hangzhou.

Four days in China's tea capital — gardens of water and mist, Song-dynasty aesthetics and the slow rhythm of West Lake. A small-group journey of no more than ten, shaped by Voyage East and hosted by trusted local specialists.

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4 days · 3 nights · max 10 travellers · from £1,580 per person

Why a Chapter

We travel China the way it's best understood — one region at a time, in depth. Each Chapter is a journey we design once and run rarely: a small group, a considered pace, the cultural experiences worth your time, and trusted local specialists on the ground. Chapter One begins in Hangzhou, the city we'd send anyone first.

Highlights

A four-day journey with a clear cultural spine.

Tea at the source — a morning among the Longjing terraces with a tea farmer, tasting West Lake Longjing metres from where it grows.
Song-dynasty aesthetics — incense, guqin and the quiet arts of China's most refined era, in the city that perfected them.
West Lake, unhurried — dawn taichi by the water, a private boat at dusk, and Impression West Lake under the night sky.
One base, no repacking — three nights in a single boutique hotel between the lake and the tea hills.
Hosted on the ground — cultural context in plain English, from arrival tea to farewell lunch, by people we know and brief ourselves.

Program

Day by day, built around pace.

The exact sequence flexes with season and weather — the pace never does.

Day 1

Arrival & First Tea

Meet in Hangzhou, 45 minutes by rail from Shanghai; we'll coordinate everyone's arrival. Check in, settle, then a welcome tea ceremony and a first dinner of Hangzhou's classic dishes.

Day 2

The Tea Day

Morning walk through the Longjing tea terraces with a local tea farmer; tasting at the source. Afternoon at the China National Tea Museum, then a quiet teahouse hour. Evening: West Lake at dusk and the Impression West Lake performance.

Day 3

Song Aesthetics & Stillness

Dawn taichi by the lake. A morning of Song-dynasty arts — incense and guqin in a private studio. Vegetarian lunch near Lingyin Temple and a slow walk among the Feilai Feng carvings. Optional TCM consultation and treatment in the afternoon; private boat on West Lake at sunset.

Day 4

Water & Farewell

Morning along the Grand Canal's Xiaohe Street — old waterways, small shops, everyday Hangzhou. Farewell lunch, then transfers to the rail station or airport.

Accommodation

Three nights, one calm base

Three nights in a single boutique hotel between West Lake and the tea hills, chosen for calm and character. Twin share standard; private single room +£280.

Food

Hangzhou's own table

Eight of ten meals included, built around Hangzhou's own table — Longjing shrimp, Dongpo pork, vegetarian temple cooking and the city's quieter classics. Dietary needs accommodated with notice.

Getting there

Begins and ends in Hangzhou

The journey begins and ends in Hangzhou. High-speed rail connects from Shanghai in ~45–60 minutes; Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) has direct international connections. International travel is not included; we coordinate every arrival.

Dates & Pricing

Departures — 2026

Exact dates and final terms are announced to the waitlist first.

July 2026Exact dates first to waitlistWaitlist open£1,580

August 2026Exact dates first to waitlistWaitlist open£1,580

September 2026Exact dates first to waitlistWaitlist open£1,580

October 2026Exact dates first to waitlistWaitlist open£1,580

November 2026Exact dates first to waitlistWaitlist open£1,580

December 2026Exact dates first to waitlistWaitlist open£1,580

No payment now. Joining the waitlist holds no obligation.

What's included

Clear scope before you join.

✓ Included

3 nights boutique accommodation
All listed cultural experiences and local hosts
Most meals included
All ground transfers within Hangzhou
Cultural host on the ground throughout
China Ready Kit

— Not included

International and domestic travel to/from Hangzhou
Visa
Travel insurance, required for all travellers
Personal spending
Single supplement £280

Booking terms

Plain-language terms before payment.

A deposit holds your place once dates open, with the balance due ahead of departure. We set out exact terms before you confirm anything. Every departure has a minimum group size of four; if a departure doesn't reach its minimum, you choose a full refund or a transfer to any future date. Travel insurance is required for all travellers.

Travelling with you

Hosted by the people who shape the journey.

Noah

Cultural direction · English narrative

Noah shapes the English cultural lens: what matters, why it matters, and how to read the practice, place or ritual without needing to arrive as an expert.

Coco

Ground lead · supplier standard

Coco runs the local standard: supplier relationships, host briefing and the practical detail that makes a small journey feel calm on the ground.

Longjing tea farmer

Local specialist · to be introduced

A local tea practitioner selected for depth, patience and clear explanation at the source.

Song-arts studio host

Local specialist · to be introduced

A studio host for incense, guqin and the quieter arts that still shape Hangzhou's idea of refinement.

Next chapters

More regions follow, one chapter at a time.

In development; waitlist members hear first when future Chapters move from research to dates.

We'll only email when future Chapters move from research to dates.

Is this a conventional group trip?

A group of ten travelling one considered route with hosts — closer to a travelling house party than a coach-led itinerary.

I can't make these months.

Private Planning can run the same route on your dates.

I'm travelling solo.

Most of our travellers are. Twin share is standard; a private room is +£280.

How fit do I need to be?

Walking-paced. Nothing strenuous.

杭

Join Chapter One: Hangzhou.

No payment now. Join the waitlist to hear July–December 2026 departure dates first.

Join the Chapter One Waitlist