Tour 1 ~ Eastern China ~ July 2003
Day 1: Pick up at Shanghai airport. Wander along the
famous Bund beside the Huang Pu river and cruise Nanjing street
Day 2: Train ride to Hangzhou. Walk around picturesque
West Lake to view the different lotus and listen to the locals playing
traditional instruments and singing while the sun sets behind the mountains
on the far side of the lake.
Day 3: Explore the "Lotus Swaying in the Summer
Breeze" park with many varieties of lotus and waterlily. Afternoon
visit to the Bird & Flower market full of treasures. Evening visit
to Night Market and romantic boat ride on West Lake.
Day 4: View private garden with large range of lotus
varieties.
Excursion to Botanical Garden or ancient temple
Overnight trip on train in a sleeper berth.
Day 5: Short bus ride to Shang Qing…. The birth
place of Daoism and exploration of temple complex and ancient town.
Short bus trip to Dragon Tiger Mountain. Visit local sights.
Day 6: Day trip along the river in various boats visiting
several temples, villages and strange stone formations with flowery names
like "The lotus you cannot smell" and "the mushroom you
cannot eat" return by bamboo raft. In afternoon, climb up to mountain
top past a small lotus pond to Budhist and Daoist temples with panoramic
view.
Day 7: Bus to " Lotus Heaven "
Visit some Budhist nuns in a small temple or walk through lotus fields
to an ancient pagoda.
Day 8: explore the endless lotus fields of Tou Bi and
beyond, and breathe in the lotus aroma while marvelling at the magnitude
of the lotus fields.
Day 9: Drive through lotus and rice paddys then walk
to 2 incredible Ming dynasty temples wedged under a huge wave of stone.
Overnight Sleeper bus trip to Three Waters.
Day 10:Arrive Three Waters, visit "Lotus World"
a monsterous lotus park of about 100 acres with incredible varieties of
lotus and waterlily plus acres of Amazonica which you can walk out into
on platforms just above water level.
Day 11: Return to Lotus World there's so much of it to
see! A lotus bus and scooters are available for the weary!
Day 12: Bus trip to Guangzhou [Canton]
Night out in the city.
Price: US$1800
Eastern tour Extension
For those who wish to spend a bit more time and go to some other great places, there is an extension of this tour, which will start 6 days before the main tour.
Day 1: Pick up at Shanghai airport. Visit The Bund and Nanjing Road
Day 2: Train trip to Nanjing and then by bus to Golden Lake on the Grand Canal.
Day 3: Bus trip to Lotus Land……hundreds of acres of lotus and Euralye with giant paddys filled with a multitude of different hybrid lotus and hardy waterlilys including the incredible Paeony Friendship a gigantic creamy yellow double[more like quadruple!] lotus. Sit on the Porch of the Singing Lotus and take it all in!
Day 4: Bus and short walk to the Wang family's house….perched
on a narrow isthmus of land between Golden Lake and their fish ponds.
See the Euralye and other water plants and take a trip on their punt up
the inlet to collect some fat lotus roots which along with other things,
will be eaten for lunch. These people are poor peasants and are very friendly.
Return to Lotus Land for a second look…if you're up to it.
Day 5: Travel by bus to Wuxi the capital of the ancient kingdom of Wu
Day 6: Visit famous Liyuan water garden on the edge of
lake Tai Hu.
Wander through Wuxi park with various ponds of lotus, waterlily and……
see the 700 year old Ginko tree and visit the smaller Ming dynasty park
within the park.
Overnight boat trip across lake Tai Hu and down the Grand Canal to Hangzhou…Rejoin
Eastern Tour.
Price: +US$600 to main tour price
