China Tea Tour

For nearly 5000 years, tea has been an integral part of Chinese life. On this exciting tea adventure, guided by some of China's leading tea authorities, discover first-hand the lore and lure of tea. Explore remote mist-covered mountains where the legends of tea were born. Visit ancient cities where Emperors once ruled with teacup in hand. Tour ornate temples, lavish palaces, and historic landmarks. And, experience the charm of China's many colorful traditions as we visit famous tea producing and cultural regions.

Some exceptional tour highlights include: walking the Great Wall; touring the expansive Forbidden City; strolling through the scenic Temple of Heaven; excursions to verdant tea gardens where you can pick and even hand-make your own tea; attending a tea plant biology symposium; guided tea factory tours; meetings and tea tastings with experts in tea production and trade; touring the famous tea brick factory; wandering through handicraft and street markets looking for treasures and shopping to your heart's delight in tea supermarkets.

After taking the sights of Beijing, journey to Central China taking a boat ride to a remote island tea garden to investigate the processed of making rare Yellow tea. Meet with executives from a large tea company to learn about and taste teas from the area. Witness how Clouds and Mist teas are grown on mountain peaks at a world famous Botanical Garden. Try your hand at the potter's wheel at a working replica of an ancient porcelain factory and museum. Behold the breath-taking beauty of the majestic Yellow Mountains, wander through the old Tunxi street and make your own tea in Huangshan.

Learn the intricate process of making Dragon Well tea and visit the National Tea Museum. Delve into the spiritual essence of Chinese culture visiting temples and interact with local people. See  colorful displays of culture performances, indulge your appetite at a hot-pot dinner. Visit storied rock gardens and enjoy a canal boat ride. View inspiring mountain ranges and other natural scenery, take in the ambiance at tea houses plus many more surprises.

And, on the amazing Yixing/Shanghai post-tour extension, tour a teapot factory, the Pottery Museum and visit a potter's work shop to make your own teapot. See the ancient Dragon Kiln and shop in the teapot market. See the sights of historic, bustling Shanghai and visit a huge tea supermarket as well as enjoying skyline on a boat cruise. Enjoy delicious dim sum meal and relax in the Mid-Lake Pavillion tea house.

This twelve day tour is packed full of exciting, interesting, and authentic experiences. With the exhilarating three day Beijing pre-tour and four day Yixing/Shanghai post-tour extensions, delight in even more memorable experiences. This exciting itinerary is sure to delight both tea professionals and novice tea drinkers, providing invaluable education and special memories that will last a lifetime. Due to the unique nature of this tour, space is limited, so please make your reservations early.