Heritage Tours
Skyscrapers & Mountaintops
Shanghai to Yellow Mountain
$1,799/adult | $1,669/child (under age 12)
Important Dates
- Summer - June 27 – July 7, 2024
- Booking Deadline: March 29, 2024
- Fall - October 17, 2024 – October 27, 2024
- Booking Deadline: July 19, 2024
TOUR CONSIDERATIONS
- Travelers can add a personal Orphanage Visit to any of our tours if orphanage is open to visitors. Be sure to mark “Add an Orphanage Visit” on your tour registration form.
- Tour prices are based on a 15-person travel group and are subject to increase if travel group is below this number.
Overview
Get lost in the metropolitan landscape of Shanghai before our guide whisks you off on a tour through East Coast China’s most awe-inspiring sites. Not only will travelers get to experience some of China’s best-kept-secret getaways, but, luckiest of all, this specialty tour brings travelers to the stunning peaks of Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and China’s “most poetic” mountain!
Mind-boggling metropolises, idyllic water towns, romantic vistas, and rarified mountain escapes – this tour has it all!
As always, travelers hoping to visit their/their child(ren)’s orphanage city are able to add an Orphanage City Visit either before or after the main itinerary!
Please contact us if you have any questions. We are here to make your dream trip a reality.
Itinerary
Inclusions & Exclusions
Hotels & Transportation
Orphanage City Visit
Itinerary
Download 2024 Grand Heritage Tour Add-Ons Fee Schedule
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Land in Shanghai on 6/27/2024
When you land in Shanghai, after you’ve made your way through Customs & Immigration and retrieved your bags, our local Heritage Tour guides will be ready and waiting for you in the terminal!
Depending on travel group size, your party may be picked up with several other parties, but once all have arrived safely, we will hop on our private vehicle to make our way to the hotel.
Tonight, celebrate your arrival in China and start getting to know your guide and fellow travelers! Try not to celebrate too late though…jetlag can be mean.
Hotel: Shanghai Hotel
Meals not included today
We’re diving right in with a city tour of Shanghai, the “Pearl of the Orient” and “Paris of the East”. Bring comfortable walking shoes as we make our way through Shanghai’s old city streets and new metropolitan quarters. On the way into city center, your tour guide will welcome you to Shanghai with stories of this captivating metropolis and maybe even some language lessons. For those who speak some Mandarin, Shanghai will be a wonderful new language adventure as Shanghainese presents one of the oldest and widespread Chinese dialects.
Chenghuang Temple & Yu Garden
With its colorful history, Shanghai holds many fascinating historic gems in its bustling streets. The Chenghuang Temple (also called City God Temple) has served as a place of worship, a vacation retreat for royals, and even a jewelry market in its 600 years. Sitting on one of Shanghai’s major ancient roads and stretching over 10,000 sq. meters, within its walls is the famous Yu Garden, an exquisite example of classic Ming Dynasty garden design and considered the most beautiful garden of Southeast China.
Give your brain a break from all of its history-learning and enjoy a delicious, authentic Shanghai lunch along the riverbanks before exploring The Bund.
The Bund
Likely the most well-known sight of Shanghai, The Bund ranks at the top of all tourism lists for best city skylines. The contrast between The Bund and Old Shanghai as you cross the Huangpu River is a striking visual portrait of Shanghai’s past and present. It’s a sight that makes any romantic history nut wish they could paint.
Once you’ve taken in the breathtaking night lights of the Shanghai skyline, it’s time to head back to the hotel to pack up for our next stop.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
After checking out of Shanghai, we will be driving 1.5 hours to Suzhou, a city of romance and singular beauty. Historically synonymous with high culture and elegance, some have called Suzhou the “Venice of the East”. Amongst its many accolades, Suzhou, like Shanghai and Hangzhou, is also one of China’s wealthiest cities. We’ll be focusing more on its artistic and natural beauties, but be sure to take in the breathtaking metropolitan cityscapes along the way as well!
Suzhou Museum
A casual stroll through Suzhou Museum is not only a chance to understand the collective history of the area, but also (perhaps more emphatically) an important photo opportunity. The architecture of the museum is a striking blend of traditional and modern Chinese design, inspired by Suzhou landscapes, dreamt up and presented by none other than I. M. Pei, the famed architect who brought us the Louvre Pyramid and the National Gallery of Art!
Qi Li Shan Tang Ancient Street
After lunch, we’ll make our way to Qi Li Shan Tang street, said to be the first ancient street of China, dating back to the Tang dynasty. The canal and street are filled with restaurants, cafes, and shops, all housed in ancient Suzhou architecture. If you make your way towards the north end of the canal, you’ll get a lovely peek into how people traditionally live along Suzhou’s famed canals.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Zhuozheng Garden
We bragged about Yu Garden, but Zhuozheng Garden is in a class of its own. It is one the Four Famous Gardens of Suzhou, proudly known as the largest and most accurate representation of classical Suzhou garden landscapes.
After lunch together, we’ll make our way to the beautiful, ancient water town of Wuzhen (~1.5 hr drive).
Wuzhen
Built more than 1,300 years ago, the picturesque waterways and stone buildings of Wuzhen feel frozen in time and are renowned for their poetic and artistic history. Like all of our stops along this journey, you’re definitely going to want your camera ready for this.
We’ll be staying in Wuzhen tonight, so take your time to explore this beautiful town!
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
From Wuzhen, we’ll drive to Hangzhou in the morning (~1.5 hrs).
Hangzhou is one of China’s most popular getaways thanks to its picturesque West Lake vistas. More than that, Hangzhou’s place in world history is set in stone – or shall we say embroidered in silk? Hangzhou was the easternmost source point on the southern Silk Route, which operated from the 2nd Century BCE through the 15th Century CE (you could say the Silk Road continues to operate to this day, through modern trade routes). We would also be remiss to forget Hangzhou’s immense commercial power. Home to tech giants Alibaba and Tencent, Hangzhou remains one of the world’s top centers for trade.
*Bonus: If you’re lucky enough to catch them blooming, Hangzhou will likely be one of the best smelling cities you’ll ever visit, with its famous sweet osmanthus trees in bloom in the early summer and early fall. There are always many osmanthus-flavored treats throughout the city so be sure to ask your tour guide to point them out!
West Lake
The very definition of classical beauty in China, West Lake is utterly mesmerising. Despite the crowds, it’s hard not to breath a sigh of delight at the idyll of leisurely charm that is West Lake. With its pagoda-topped hills, languorous boats, and lotus-lined waters, it’s easy to understand why so many flock to the park no matter the season.
In an effort to escape the crowded walkways, we’ll get to enjoy the beautiful visuals of West Lake by boat before checking into our hotel for the night!
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Today’s a quieter day – woohoo! There is so much to see around West Lake, it really takes several days to take it all in. For early-risers, a morning stroll around West Lake is one of our favorite activities. The lake is quiet and the views are dreamy. It’s a 7-mile walk around, but there are plenty of shorter routes to explore as well.
Just before lunch, we’ll visit a local Tea Village to try Hangzhou’s famous Long Jing Tea. Deemed one of the Tribute Teas for the emperors, Long Jing tea is an incredibly special green tea varietal, known for its sweet, bright flavor. Lucky us!
After lunch, we’ll stop by the China Silk Museum. As previously mentioned, Hangzhou is the Silk Capital of the World, with history dating back to the 2nd Century BCE. The China Silk Museum let’s us step into the rich history of this luxurious fabric, and maybe even grab some sweet souvenirs for those jealous neighbors back home. I’m looking at you, Lisa.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Bullet Train to Huangshan City
We’re nearly there! We’re taking a bullet train to Huangshan City (~1.5 hrs)!
Hongcun Village
Before we reach Huangshan City, we’ll first stop by Hangcun Village, one of the most representative Hui-style residential villages in the province! Hui-style villages are known as “Chinese paintings” as they are what most villages in Chinese brush paintings are modeled after, with their black roofs and idyllic landscapes. We’ll spend some time taking in the dream-like views before reaching our hotel for the evening.
A low-key day of travel. We’ll check into our hotel in Huangshan City and get some good rest before our mountain climb!
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)
The heart of this tour, we’ve finally reached Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)! This utterly mystical mountain has been one of the most famous mountains in China since the ancient times. Strange pines, painterly rock formations, seas of clouds, and steaming hot springs are together known as the “Four Wonders” of Huangshan. If we’re lucky, we’ll experience all four!
Huangshan is massive and will take multiple days to really appreciate. This is day 1 of 2!
Thankfully, we’ll be staying overnight on Huangshan! You know what that means? We’ll get to catch both sunset AND sunrise! Set your alarms – you won’t want to miss them.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 2 of Huangshan
Day 2 of 2 at Huangshan! There is so much to see and explore on this beautiful mountain. We’ll tour its most famous vistas, but you’ll have time to climb and adventure at your own pace.
Take advantage of this incredible day! There are few who get the opportunity to take in all of Yellow Mountain’s beauty. We still dream of the first time we ever navigated its strange cliffs.
*Take it easy and wear quality hiking boots. Although there are stairs carved into the cliffs for easier access, the stone ground can be slippery in well-traveled areas.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Final Full Day in China
Coming down from our breathtaking mountain escape, we’re exchanging land for water today.
The Xin’an River cruise is a peaceful float through the stony landscape to give us the best view of the green Huangshan Mountain Range, dotted with Hui-style villages on both sides of the river.
Nothing like a river cruise to make you reconsider becoming a painter or poet. Bring a pen and paper. Maybe even a brush!
We’re checking into Huangshan City for our last night together.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Departure Day
Time to go 🙁
An early morning for us. We will take our final bullet train from Huangshan City, Anhui back to Shanghai. (3-hour ride east back through some of our favorite landscapes)
*Important Note*
Our trip fee covers departing from Anhui to Shanghai. However, if your party needs to fly to a different departure city (Guangzhou or Beijing, for instance), or you are headed to another province for an Orphanage City Tour, we will make appropriate arrangements for you and the ticket fee difference will be conveyed upon booking.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Download 2024 Grand Heritage Tour Add-Ons Fee Schedule
Inclusions
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) pickup & transportation to hotel
- All Tour accommodations
- All Tour-specific transportation (Shanghai-Suzhou, Suzhou-Hangzhou, Hangzhou-Huangshan, Huangshan-Shanghai)
- All Tour activities (except for optional experiences)
- All meals included on the itinerary
- Dietary restrictions such as Vegan and Paleo may need to plan individual meals as China cuisine is not always accommodating to such diets.
- Tour guide and driver service
Exclusions
- International airfares
- Passport and/or China Visa fees
- Additional $330 for single room occupancy in hotels
- Tips or gratuity
- Suggested tip amount for Guide: $3-6 or 20-40RMB/day/person
- Suggested tip amount for Driver: $1.5-3 or 10-20RMB/day/person
- Personal expenses, spending money
- Any meals that are not included on the itinerary
- Approximately $5-$15/person/meal
- Transfers between the airport and the hotel before or after the main tour itinerary
Hotels & Transportation
Shanghai
Jin Jiang Tower Hotel (5 Stars)
Bus Ride (1.5 hours)
Suzhou
Pan Pacific – 1 night (5 Stars)
Bus Ride (1.5 hours)
Wuzhen
Waterside Resort Wuzhen – 1 night (5 Stars)
Bus Ride (1.5 hours)
Hangzhou
Deefly Hangzhou Lakeview Hotel – 2 nights (4 Stars)
Bullet Train (1.5 hours)
Huangshan Mountain
Baiyun Hotel – 1 night (4 Stars)
Bus Ride (1 hour)
Huangshan City
Parkview International Hotel – 3 nights (5 Stars)
Orphanage City Visit
**Pending verification and approval. Currently, orphanages are only open to outside visitors on a case-by-case basis.**
You can add a visit your/your child(ren)’s orphanage city before or after the main Grand Tour itinerary.
Orphanage Visit Add-On
3-4 days
$800 – $1,200 per person (per orphanage city)
Orphanage City Visits includes (as much as possible):
- Orphanage visit
- Foster family visit
- Finding Place exploration
- Local tourist sites
Please let us know if you would like to add an Orphanage City Visit to your trip.
Tour Resources
What to Pack
The right outfits take time
Visa Information
Everything you need to know about that pesky little piece of paper
Travel Tips
It's never too early to start becoming a pro
Frequently Asked Questions
Tour Logistics
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Each tour group is divided into smaller travel groups, around 8-12 parties per group (depending on the number of travelers), each with their own tour guide. This tour group and guide will be yours for the entire tour.
We try our best to arrange groups based on the age of the adoptee travelers. Tour groups will have staggered bus departure times, sightseeing schedules, and often different restaurants for group meals.
Yes, of course!
Please make sure to email heritagetours@theparkcommunity.org to make any travel group requests. The earlier that you make requests, the more likely it is that they will be honored. We try our best to honor every request.
Yes, of course! Please make sure to register together under the same profile. The email address provided upon registration will be used for all Heritage Tour correspondence, so be sure to pass information on to your travel companions if they do not have access to that email.
Of course you can! Our Heritage Tour opportunities are for everyone. Please spread the word! We would love the chance to help make your travel dreams a reality.
Certainly! If you need help with any additional trip bookings, we are happy to help.
Yes, you can, but please understand that unused tours are non-refundable and the cost of the Tour package is a fixed cost.
Please let us know in advance of your decisions so that we can confirm your preferences with your tour guide.
$3-6 or 20-35 RMB per day per person in your party for each tour guide. It is fine to tip in either USD or RMB currency. You should plan to tip $1-3 or 7-20 RMB per day per person in your party for tour bus drivers. To make tipping easier for your family, you can tip your guide & bus driver at the end of each city on the tour.
Tour Preparation
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China no longer requires a negative PCR test to enter China.
Wearing a mask is suggested at airports and train stations. In more crowded sight-seeing areas, some people still choose to wear masks, especially elders and kids, but it is not required.
There are no more public COVID testing stations or daily requirements.
China has no specific immunization requirements for entering their country and the U.S. has no immunization requirements for re-entry. This includes no requirements for COVID immunizations.
We recommend that you ask your personal physician, a travel/immunization clinic, and/or the Center for Disease Control about any vaccinations requirement updates or suggestions.
CDC website for specific recommendations.
Each traveler will need:
- A valid passport with at least 6 months’ validity from departure date
- Chinese tourist visa (L visa)
- Obtain a Chinese tourist visa from a Chinese Embassy/Consulate prior to travel. For more detailed information on travel visas, please view our Visa Information page.
Please check your passport and the passports of each individual in your travel party to verify that all expire at least 6 months after your tour dates.
Due to the unpredictability of international travel, we highly recommend that you purchase international travel and medical emergency insurance. Visit our Tour Resources section for more information.
All of the hotels we will be staying at have in-house clinics for any mild medical needs. For anything more urgent, our guides are able to take you to the nearest hospital, if needed.
For any prescription medication, it is recommended that they be kept in their original containers in case of emergency. Make sure that you pack amounts slightly more than enough for the entire trip and have a plan for the drastic time change. For more information regarding medications in your carry-on or checked bags please visit TSA guidelines.
Yes, all of our tour guides will try their utmost to help ensure that all meals are safe for any dietary restrictions. However, due to cultural and culinary differences in China, we cannot guarantee anything and suggest taking caution and packing snacks if food allergies are severe.
Please mention any and all food allergies, dietary needs, or health concerns on your registration form. This will help our guides better prepare.
We also have translated cards available for common allergies or physical conditions. Visit our Tour Resources section to find these under “Travel Tips”. If you would like a translated card that is not yet listed, please contact us.
For in-China flights:
- Checked luggage weight allowance: ≤ 44 lbs
- Carry-on size restrictions: 14in. x 19in. x 22in.
Plan to bring an additional $50-$100 if you are a heavy packer. You may lock your bag for in-China flights but you must leave your bag unlocked for your international flights.
For bullet train travel:
- Checked luggage weight allowance: ≤ 110 lbs.
- Carry-on weight allowance: ≤ 44 lbs.
- Carry-on size restrictions: 36in. x 36in. x 36in.
Your hotels on the trip will have laundry services available; however, with the quick speed of the trip, it can be challenging to get hotel laundry done in time. Plan on only being able to do laundry when you are staying at least 2 nights in a given city so that your clothes have ample time to dry.
Please keep in mind that hotel laundry services can be very expensive. Be sure to carefully review the laundry form provided by the hotel in regards to the price per item. There may be some opportunities to have your laundry done outside of the hotel in Chengdu and Guilin. These options could be cheaper. Your guide will be able to notify you if this service is available.
Cost & Fees
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A $200/traveler deposit is required upon booking. This deposit is applied toward your tour total and is non-refundable except under extenuating circumstances.
Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about this deposit.
Unfortunately, we are no longer able to provide free trip coverage for adoptees traveling on a heritage tour.
Your tour fee does not cover:
- International airfares
- Passport and/or China Visa fees
- Tips or gratuity
- Suggested tip amount for Guide: $3-6 or 20-40RMB/day/person
- Suggested tip amount for Driver: $1.5-3 or 10-20RMB/day/person
- Additional $330 for single room occupancy in hotels
- Personal expenses, spending money
- Meals not included on the itinerary
- Approximately $20-$40/person/day for any lunch & dinner
- Any optional tour excursions
- Transfers between the airport and the hotel before or after the main tour itinerary
Click here to view our 2024 Specialty Tour Add-Ons Fee Schedule
Itinerary Details
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Please fly into Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).
As of right now, some orphanages still remain closed to visitors. Visits must be verified and approved on a case by case basis. Guangdong and Henan Province have remained closed, but most other provinces have been very welcoming.
Let us know if you do want to visit your/your child’s orphanage on your birth city tour so that we can do some homework for you.
It’s true that our tours are very go, go, go, but we have built in rest days and several shopping and free time opportunities throughout our schedule. There’s just so much to pack into a tight 11 days!
Although it is one of our favorite cities to tour, we will not have any tour plans for Shanghai upon our return. If you are hoping to stay longer, we are happy to help arrange any additional travel plans you are hoping to fit into your trip. Just contact us and we can discuss!
Orphanage City Tour
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*Please keep in mind that orphanage visits are not guaranteed and will be at the discretion of the orphanage.*
For an orphanage visit, you will need:
- Adoption Registration Certificate
- Abandonment Certificate (Chinese version)
- Printed copies of Adoption Registration Certificate, U.S. passport, and Abandonment Certificate to bring with you to China.
- Orphanage Visit Application Form (completed by CCAI in-China staff)
Yes, to everything except the orphanage visit itself. Pending approval of your Orphanage Visit Application, our guides can contact the orphanage for you, but the go/no go decision is ultimately up to the orphanage.
Your Orphanage City Tour costs (including hotels, flights/trains, transportation, guide services, etc.) will be calculated specifically for your trip.
Yes! You can take a day trip to visit your/your child’s orphanage in Shanghai, Suzhou, or Hangzhou while the group is traveling in each particular city. The additional cost of this would be approximately $200-$500 per family per orphanage visit.
- Day 1: Fly into the capital city of the birth province. Get settled and acquainted.
- Day 2: Drive to orphanage city/town, visit the orphanage, visit foster parents or finding spot (if information is available), stay overnight in the orphanage town or travel back to the provincial capital
- Day 3: Free day or sightseeing before flying back to depart to join the main tour OR flying to your departure city to fly back to the U.S.
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Yes, this can be arranged for an additional fee.
Yes, this can be arranged in most cases. Please be sure to note this on your registration form. Again, you must first obtain permission to visit any orphanages in China.
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Although gifts are not required as part of the orphanage visit, if you would like to bring a gift, you can consider bringing small toys, candy, school/art supplies for the children living in the orphanage. You may also consider inquiring with the orphanage about any needed items. If you would like, you can purchase what is needed in China.
Gifts/donations are strictly optional.
