Gardens Of China

Stemming from our previous tours to the inspiring Gardens of Suzhou, our travel itinerary in China has now been extended into a varied, stimulating and wide ranging account of Chinese culture Whilst very much an enquiry into the roots of Oriental Garden design, the journey moves from the dense, high rise skyline of Shanghai to the misty, craggy peaks of Huangshan ( Yellow Mountains ), revered throughout Chinese art & poetry Whether sipping tea in a traditional Tea House on an island in the middle of Hangzhou's famous West Lake or rubbing shoulders with modern, rapidly developing, everyday China, it is impossible not to feel the full force of a great culture emerging from the shackles of its history

The story of the gardens leads to an understanding of the former Confucian way of life of the scholars, artists, merchants and officials who established them, whilst their intrinsic design qualities convey the meditative influence of Buddhism and Zen. Set amidst plaques of traditional poetry, the naming of the pavillions, rock formations and viewing points, speak directly to the intuition and aesthetic insight of the viewer

Moving from place to place with tight logistics, the itinerary still preserves our customary balance between tour schedule and free time, enabling time and space to explore and reflect

TOUR GUIDE - Robert Ketchell (see Gardens of Kyoto)

For the past seven years in Spring & Autumn, Robert has introduced clients to the wonders of the Gardens of Kyoto, as well as guiding the occasional group to the Gardens of Suzhou Numerous returnee clients to Kyoto attest to Robert' s relaxed, good huomured style and to his deep and knowledgable involvement in the art form Together with the local knowledge of our Agent in China, Robert proposed the itinerary below which has now been researched and refined from the practical point of view.

The style of the Tour will be relaxed but well organised as with the Gardens of Kyoto Tours. Whether from a cultural or a horticultural pint of view. clients will obtain a comprehensive view of the Chinese garden tradition. The tour will use reasonably priced international standard hotels and will be supported by local guides and travel services. For those wishing to further deepen their understanding of the Oriental Garden, the timing of the China Tour has been designed to link up with the Gardens of Kyoto Tour, commencing directly afterwards.

TOUR SCHEDULE:

Wed Oct 22 - International Arrivals - Shanghai Pu Dong Airport
1 hr taxi transfer to Hotel next to Botanical Gardens ( 2 nights )
19:00 - Orientate with Robert in Hotel

Thurs Oct 23 - Shanghai
With bus & local guide, morning visit to Shanghai Museum ( landscape painting, jade, ceramics)
PM visit to Yu Yuan Gardens Take in The Bund waterfront and evening meal in French Concession

Fri Oct 24 - Shanghai to Huangshan
Morning at leisure in Shanghai Evening flight to Huangshan City, bus transfer to mountain area hotel (1 night )

Sat Oct 25 - Huangshan Mountains
Cable car transfer with small back pack to mountain top hotel ( 1 night ) At leisure at mountain top

Sun Oct 26 - Huangshan Mountains
Daytime at mountain top PM cable car to mountain area hotel ( 1 night )

Mon Oct 27 - Hangzhou
AM bus & local gude transfer to Hangzhou West Lake lakeside hotel ( 2 nights ) PM at leisure in Hangzhou

Tues Oct 28 - Hangzhou
Tour day with bus & local guide to West Lake area Lingyin Temple, National Tea Museum, West Lake islands

Wed Oct 29 - Suzhou
AM bus transfer to Suzhou garden hotel ( 3 nights ) PM Suzhou garden visit with Robert

Thurs Oct 30 - Suzhou
Visit major Suzhou Gardens with Robert

Fri Oct 31 - Suzhou
At leisure in Suzhou

Sat Nov 1 - Departure & Transfers
Transfer to Shanghai Pu Dong Airport ( 2hrs ) Depart China
Transfer to Osaka & Kyoto for Gardens of Kyoto Tour

FLIGHT ARRIVALS - In general, European flights arrive during the morning, leaving the rest of the day of arrival for checking in at the hotel, relaxing or exploring Shanghai. American clients who find that their flights arrive in the evening are advised to arrive the previous evening on Tuesday October 30. We will arrange the extra night at the hotel for you All clients should arrive at Shanghai Pu Dong Airport.

BUDGET – We have more or less held to pre-publicity that it would be at or slightly less than the Kyoto ten day budget Bearing in mind that the budget includes an internal flight, much moving around China, a more sumptuous standard of hotel than Kyoto with breakfasts included, broadly speaking, it's as predicted The uplift on the Single budget is due to paying by the room in China, rather than by the head as in Japan

Method of payment
With working through an agent in China, there are three sections to the total budget :

1 - To our Agent, payable direct to the agent by early October, for accommodation, local guides and Tour transportation The agent has quoted in pounds sterling throughout, so our prices below are in pounds

2 - To World Spirit, for Guide Fees & Service Charge, payable by cheque dated to the last day of the Tour but receivable before the Tour We can receive the World Spirit payment in pounds, or dollars & Euros at rates prevailing at the time of invoice

3 - Provision for taxi fares, garden & park entrance fees, and incidental expenses directly related to Tour activity

Whereas our Gardens of Kyoto budget has been proven over many years of operation, and whereas research in China research set out to define all Tour costs to the client, nevertheless the budget cannot be considered completely proven and small variations may arise on Tour

The Oriental Garden – Ten Day Tour - Total Budget :

Sharing Room - £ 875 per person

Single Room - £ 1,070 per person

SHANGHAI

With particular reference to the landscape painting tradition on screen and scroll, the Tour will trace the origins of the Oriental Garden amidst the fine collections of the recently modernised Shanghai Museum, To become familiar with the local flora and to also note tiers astounding collection of Bonsai, a prolonged visit to the Shanghai Botanical Gardens is fully merited.

HUANGSHAN MOUNTAINS (Yellow Mountains)

Located in Anhui province, their classic misty layered craggy peaks have been an inspiration to writers and artists for many centuries. Representing the spirit of such scenery has been a vital element in the tradition of the oriental garden.

HANGZHOU

With it vibrant cultural history and with its classic traditional architecture, with the national museums for Silk and Tea, and with its situation at the southern terminus of the Grand Canal, the Oriental Garden Tour will fully explore Hangzhou's famous West lake, with its classic pavilions and scenic beauty.

GARDENS OF SUZHOU

Situated 2 hours from Shangai (Pu Dong) International Airport, the ancient and cultured city of Suzhou, in Jiangsu province, mercifully escaped the worst ravages of recent Chinese history - its rich cultural and garden heritage managing to survive more or less intact. Suzhou is probably the best place in China to see gardens as they were originally designed. Major gardens such as 'The Garden of The Master of the Nets', 'The Garden for Lingering In', 'The Garden of Harmony' and 'The Humble Administrator's Garden', all reflect the tastes in former centuries of the scholars, monks, officials and princes that served to bring these masterpieces into existence. Many of the smaller gardens serve to further enhance the journey into the traditional Chinese aesthetic. Additionally, in and around the main gardens are some awe inspiring Bonsai collections.

'Sitting in silence
I enter in deep meditation
the still pond
calms down my emotions
from afar'
(plaque in Suzhou Garden)

From various hotel options, we have selected a moderately priced but luxuriously renovated international hotel, partly for its good facilities, but also for its secluded location within easy reach of restaurants, shops, internet cafes, tea houses and masseurs on one of Suzhou's main streets. No one should miss the modern version of the traditional Chinese tea house - for $4-5, you can choose freely from a wide selection of teas and a well stocked snack buffet. The local massage style is not so much a miss as a hit - not so much the subtle tendering of Japanese 'Acu-pressure' but something more akin to 'Acu-crusher' - describing it as vigorous might not be to do it full justice. Local cuisine is similarly uncompromising - far removed from the gelatinous neutrality of the average European Chinese restaurant, be prepared for some seriously spiced food, chillies abounding.

'Open Jaws' flight tickets, on KLM or Lufthansa which fly regularly to both Shanghai and Osaka, permit flying into Shanghai and out of Osaka, at the same price as Osaka return. There is, however, no way of avoiding a full priced one way ticket for the 2½ hrs flight for Shanghai to Osaka, costing £300-£340 / $475-$550, as it lies outside the return qualification for widely available discounted international flights.

One way to reclaim this value would be to buy a 'Round World Ticket' for those clients with additional travel requirements in Australasia, the Pacific and North & Central America.

Air China and China Eastern offers further options for those on a more extensive itinerary in China.