SCHEDULE AND COST:

Dates: March 14th – 21st, 2025
It is connected with the program for Northern China from March 5 to March 14, 2025

Duration: 8 days / 7 nights

Number of Participants: 7-12

Price per person (based on double occupancy):

• USD 2,490 for 11-12 participants
• USD 3,690, for 9-10 participants
• USD 3,890, for 7-8 participants

Everything included in the price, except:

• Flights to Shanghai and back,
• Chinese visas (the cost of a single–entry visa is about USD 30)
• Medical insurance,
• Partial lunches and dinners.

Estimated cost of the flight Moscow – Shanghai – Moscow: UDS 650 – 750
The estimated cost of the flight Guangzhou – Shanghai: USD 150 – 180

Surcharge for single occupancy: USD 280 (available on the entire route).



TRAVEL PROGRAM:
China tour

Day 1. March 14, 2025. Shanghai

Morning arrival at Shanghai and transfer to the hotel. A walk through Shanghai.
Shanghai is one of the largest cities in China and an important financial center. It is located on the east coast of the country at the mouth of the Yangtze River.
Shanghai is known for its skyscrapers, shopping malls and cultural attractions. There are many modern buildings in the city, as well as historical areas with traditional Chinese architecture.
We will climb the Shanghai TV Tower, also known as the Pearl of the East, one of Shanghai's most recognizable landmarks. It is the tallest building in the city and the third tallest in China.
The TV tower was built in 1994 and is located in Pudong district, on the east bank of the Huangpu River. The tower is 468 meters high, making it one of the tallest TV towers in the world. There are several viewing platforms at the top of the tower, offering stunning views of the city.
Next, we will take a walk through the Shanghai French Concession. It is a territory that was ceded to France by the Chinese government in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, many foreign powers had their own concessions in China, and the French were one of them.
The French concession occupied a significant part of the territory of modern Shanghai and was managed by the French administration. All conditions for a comfortable stay for foreigners have been created here: European buildings have been built, banks, schools and hospitals have been opened. The French concession has become the center of international trade and diplomacy in the region.
Today, you can see many historical buildings built in the European style, as well as visit numerous shops, cafes and restaurants.
We will visit a tea shop with a tasting, and finish the evening with dinner at the restaurant that was founded in 1880. Return and overnight at the hotel.

Accommodation: King Town Plaza Shanghai
Meals included in the price: breakfast, dinner

Recommended flights to Shanghai:
- By Aeroflot, departure from Moscow on March 13 at 19:45, arrival in Shanghai on March 14 at 09:45
- or any other flight from another city with arrival in Shanghai before 11:00
Recommended flights from Guangzhou to Shanghai (for those who continue to travel after the program in Northern China:
- By China Eastern Airlines, departure from Guangzhou on March 14 at 08:30, arrival in Shanghai on March 14 at 10:50
- or any other flight arriving in Shanghai before 11:00


Day 2. March 15, 2025. Shanghai - Qiyunshan Taoist Mountains

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Qiyunshan.
Qiyunshan mountains are famous Taoist mountains. They are located in Xiuning county, Anhui Province, at an altitude of 585 meters above sea level. Qiyunshan village is located in the middle of a mountain slope. Yuehuajie's main street literally hangs over a cliff here, which is why it is called "heavenly". Now there are 30 yards on it. Both ordinary people and followers of Taoism live here. The Anhui provincial-style buildings and Taoist structures together create an interesting contrast. The smells of incense and cooking are in the air. All this together creates a unique landscape of the Qiyunshan mountains, where religion and local traditions harmoniously combine.
We will stay in a guest house with the best view. Lunch in the mountains at the hostess's house.
Today we will have a short walk along the mountain routes with visits to Taoist temples and communication with local residents.
Evening qigong practice. Dinner at the hostess's house. Overnight at the guest house.

Accommodation: Ding fuxian guest house at the top of the mountain
Meals included in the price: breakfast, lunch, dinner


Day 3. March 16, 2025. Qiyunshan

Qigong in the mountains.
Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that includes physical exercises, breathing techniques, and meditation. It is aimed at improving physical health, emotional state and spiritual balance. Qigong is based on the idea that there is qi energy in the human body that can be directed and controlled through certain exercises. Practicing qigong can help improve blood circulation, strengthen muscles and joints, increase flexibility and coordination, and reduce stress and anxiety. There are many styles and directions of qigong that vary in their complexity, intensity, and goals. Some of them are intended for the treatment of specific diseases, others for the general improvement of the body, and others for spiritual development.
Breakfast at the guest house, followed by a lonely walk through the mountains, visiting remote temples and shrines amidst stunningly peaceful nature.
Lunch. In the afternoon, we will attend a lesson in calligraphy and painting, as well as listen to stories about Taoism.
Taoism is a philosophical and religious teaching that originated in ancient China. It is based on ideas about the tao — the way of nature and the natural order of things.
Taoism teaches that a person should strive for harmony with nature and follow the natural course of events. It also emphasizes the importance of inner wisdom, simplicity, and spontaneity.
The basic principles of Taoism include:

• Wu-wei is the principle of non—action, which means the refusal to actively interfere in the natural course of events.
• Qi is the vital energy that permeates everything.
• Yin and yang are two opposite forces that are in constant interaction and balance.

Dinner and rest at the guest house.

Accommodation: Ding fuxian guest house at the top
Meals are included in the price: breakfast, lunch, dinner


Day 4. March 17, 2025. Qiyunshan - Longhushan

Breakfast at the guest house. Today we will move to Longhushan (about 4 hours on the way).
In the Chinese province of Jiangxi, south of the city of Yingtan, there is a mountain range called Longhushan. There are many Taoist temples here. This place is considered the birthplace of Taoism and the center of the School of Heavenly Mentors, which later became known as the School of True Unity.
Longhushan stretches along the Lusi River for a distance of more than 15 kilometers. There are numerous temples located between the picturesque cliffs. The entire complex covers an area of 200 square kilometers, it has 99 rocks and 24 caves and grottoes on both sides of the river.
Since ancient times, the Longhushan Mountains have been known as the "divine residence" or "paradise on earth." The fascinating landscape of the red mountains combined with the blue water makes this place ideal for Taoist self-improvement practices. Here, in a closed area, the Yin and Yang energies are balanced, and softness and hardness are in harmony. Most of the ancient temples and monasteries have been destroyed. Among the surviving buildings are the buildings of the largest Shangqing Monastery and the Residence of Tao Masters (Sihan Tianshi Fu), where Taoist masters from different eras lived.
Check-in at the hotel. After lunch, we plan to visit several Taoist temples. Then we will go to visit the Taoists, where tea and interesting conversations will be waiting for us.

Accommodation: Longhu mountain villa - Deluxe room
Meals included in the price: breakfast


Day 5. March 18, 2025. Longhushan - Hangzhou

Breakfast at the hotel. Then we will walk through the surrounding mountains before lunch.
The Longhushan Mountains, which literally means "Dragon and Tiger Mountains", were originally called the "Yunjing Mountains" (literally, "cloud brocade mountains"). According to historical data, during the reign of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 AD - 220 AD), the founder of Taoism, Zhang Daolin, traveled through the famous mountains and rivers of China. In the end of the journey, he chose the Longhushan Mountains to make the elixir of immortality here. When the elixir was ready, a dragon and a tiger appeared — hence the name of the Longhushan Mountains.
In the Longhushan Mountains, you can see the clearly expressed geomorphological landscape of Danxia. It is distinguished by its grandeur, abruptness, uniqueness, tranquility and elegance. This picturesque landscape is described in the poem as "a stream of colored water flowing through layers of clouds and green mountain ranges." Rocks and cliffs of amazing shape wind along the riverbed of the Lusi River among the lush greenery of trees and bamboo thickets. This creates a landscape where the views of the water are combined with the views from the water.
Lunch and transfer to the railway station, where we will board a high-speed train to Hangzhou (2 hours on the way). Check-in, dinner and overnight at a hotel in Hangzhou.

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Hangzhou West Lake East
Meals included in the price: breakfast


Day 6. March 19, 2025. Hangzhou - Wuzhen

Breakfast at the hotel. Then we will take a walk by Xihu Lake.
Xihu Lake is a famous landmark of Hangzhou, located in the very center of the city. The lake is crossed by three dams. His picturesque landscapes were praised by many Chinese poets. In 2011, along with the surrounding temples, gardens and bridges, Lake Xihu was added to the World Heritage List.
According to the legend, the lake was formed from a pearl that fell from the sky. There is another legend that says that a golden bull lives at the bottom of the lake, which maintains a stable water level by spewing out its streams. According to scientific data, the lake is a former lagoon of the river. The age of Xihu is relatively small: it is believed that the lake was formed about 2 thousand years ago. Now it covers an area of about 9 square kilometers.
After lunch, transfer to Wuzhen. Wuzhen is a small city in China, which is called the "Venice of China". Here, instead of the usual roads and sidewalks, there are canals filled with water from the Beijing—Hangzhou Grand Canal. In the city you can see pretty houses with elegant facades, old blocks, galleries and stone bridges.
This water settlement arose more than 2000 years ago and was originally a small village. Over time, this village has become one of the most densely populated in the country, which is why it is often referred to as a city.
Upon arrival, we will take a walk around the city. Accommodation in a hotel in the old town.

Accommodation: Wuzhen Guesthouse
Meals included in the price: breakfast


Day 7. March 20, 2025. Wuzhen - Suzhou - Shanghai

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Suzhou.
Suzhou is an ancient city located in the Yangtze River Delta, in the south of Jiangsu Province. Founded in 514 BC, it is one of the first cities to be included in the list of exemplary tourist destinations. Suzhou is known for its classic architectural and park mansions, which harmoniously blend into man-made landscapes with ponds, cliffs, bridges and gardens.
The most magnificent parks in China are waiting for us today! The parks in Suzhou were mostly built during the economic and cultural heyday of the city. Due to this, they fully reflect the national customs and the level of landscape architecture in China of those centuries. The common feature of these gardens is that their area is not large, but they contain all the techniques of ancient Chinese architecture – juxtaposition, displacement, contrast, consistency, borrowing of the landscape, and in a small format a large scale is visible.
In Suzhou parks, all gazebos, pavilions, chambers and towers, as well as slides, springs, flowers and trees are organically connected into a single whole. Suzhou landscape gardening has reached a high level both in the decoration of residential buildings and in combining the beauty of architecture with nature. These creations have a special place not only in the development of landscape art in China, but also in the world.
For its beauty, Suzhou was included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List in 1997.
Transfer to Shanghai. Accommodation and overnight at the airport hotel.

Accommodation: The QUBE Hotel Shanghai Sanjiagang 5*
Meals included in the price: breakfast


Day 8. March 21, 2025. Flight home

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Shanghai Pudong Airport.

Recommended flights to Moscow:
- By Aeroflot, departure from Shanghai on March 21 at 11:45, arrival in Moscow on March 21 at 16:50.
- or any other flight departing from Shanghai at any time on March 21.

Accommodation: -
Meals included in the price: breakfast