I have not been to China for about 10 years. There have been many changes, most of it positive. China is not a backward country that it was in the 70s' and 80s' when it opened its doors to outsiders. With its new riches China has built some amazing new infrastructure in the country and in many cities. However, history, culture, food and landscape remains what it has been for thousands of years. This is why I am taking this long overdue trip. I want to enjoy China for what it is, away from the political bashing you read regularly in the western press.
On this trip I am going to parts of China that has been on my travel list for a long time: Tibet, Yunnan, Suzhou, etc. Why now? A friend introduced a Chinese travel agency to me. Putting together an itinerary on my own will be near impossible, without having the local knowledge and contacts. I first got in touch with Eileen from Asia Odyssey Travel in August 2025. I told her my wish list. She started cobbling together an itinerary that is part group tour and part individual tour. Before I know it, it ballooned to a month-long trip. No problem. I have the time and I am healthy enough to travel for up to 2 months. If not now, when? I count it a blessing to be able to travel alone in my mid-70s'. But traveling is what keeps your mind and body healthy.
There is no method to the flow of the itinerary, other than they are places I want to visit. So, here is a concise summary of the tour:
“38 Days China Private Tour + Group Tour Proposal by Asia Odyssey Travel Service Co., Ltd.
🗓 Tour Overview
Duration: April 24 – May 31, 2026 (38 days)
Route: Shanghai – Huangshan – Suzhou – Hangzhou – Yunnan – Tibet – Hunan – Taiwan
Type: Private + Group Tour combination
Guide & Transport: English-speaking guide, air-conditioned private vehicle
🧠Highlights by Region
Shanghai (Days 1-3)
Arrival and self-guided exploration days.
Accommodation: Sunrise on the Bund (4★)
Huangshan (Mt. Yellow, Days 4-6)
Visit UNESCO-listed Yellow Mountain, Hongcun & Xidi Villages, and Tunxi Ancient Street.
Accommodation: AnChi Hotel (4★)
Suzhou (Days 7-9)
Classical Gardens (Lingering, Humble Administrator’s, Lion Grove), Suzhou Museum (I.M. Pei), canal boat on Pingjiang Road.
Accommodation: UrCove by Hyatt (4★)
Hangzhou (Days 10-13)
Tea culture tour at Meijiawu Village & Tea Museum, Lingyin Temple, West Lake, and Qinghefang Street.
Accommodation: Zhongwei Sunny Hotel (4★)
Yunnan (Kunming → Dali → Shangri-La → Lijiang, Days 14-21)
Group tour segment.
Kunming: Stone Forest, Yuantong Temple, Green Lake.
Dali: Three Pagodas, Erhai Lake, Xizhou & Zhoucheng villages.
Shangri-La: Pudacuo National Park, Songzanlin Monastery, Dukezong Old Town.
Lijiang: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Blue Moon Valley, Baisha Murals, Shuhe Town.
Tibet (Lhasa → Shigatse → Everest Base Camp, Days 22-28)
Visits include Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery, Yamdrok Lake, Rongbuk Monastery, Everest Base Camp, and Tashilhunpo Monastery.
Mix of monastery tours, scenic drives, and high-altitude experiences.
Hunan (Zhangjiajie & Tianmen Mountain, Days 29-32)
Explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Avatar Mountains, Glass Bridge, Baofeng Lake, and Tianmen Mountain Cable Car + Glass Walkway.
Taiwan (Taipei → Sun Moon Lake → Alishan → Kaohsiung, Days 33-37)
Pineapple-cake DIY, lake cruise, cycling at Sun Moon Lake.
Alishan: forest railway, divine trees, tea-tasting.
Chiayi & Kaohsiung: Hinoki Village, Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, Qijin Old Street, Lotus Pond & Pagodas.
Ends at Kaohsiung Airport (May 31).
After the tour ends in Kaohsiung I will take a high-speed train to Taipei, I will be on my own for 3 days in Taipei.
💰 Inclusions
Entrance fees, listed transport (trains/flights in China), accommodation with breakfast, English guide, private transfers, luggage handling, and service charges.
✨ Overall Summary
A 38-day grand journey across mainland China and Taiwan, blending cultural immersion, UNESCO heritage sites, natural wonders, and local experiences.
It features first-class train travel, 4-star accommodations, private guiding in major cities, and group tours in Yunnan, Tibet, and Hunan.
Designed as a comprehensive east-to-west expedition, the trip culminates with Taiwan’s scenic and cultural highlights before departure from Kaohsiung.
In 2026 two Taiwanese Airlines started flying direct from Phoenix to Taipei: Starlux and China Airlines. They are anticipating more travel between the two cities as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) start completing their fabs and ramping up production. Manufacturing semiconductor chips is a very big business with many supporting businesses. TSMC is headquartered in Taiwan.
Late in the evening of April 22 I will be flying direct on China Airlines from Phoenix to Taipei, an almost 15-hour flight. I will have a 3-hour layover in Taipei before catching another China Airlines flight from Taipei to Shanghai. There I will be met by a representative from Asia Odyssey Travel, who will take me to my hotel.
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