Klaus Richter
April 19, 2026
Customized China Tours Tailored Just for You
Escape downtown Hangzhou to the famous Longjing Village at West Lake, the hometown of premium West Lake Longjing green tea. Enjoy private door-to-door pickup, walk organic mountain tea plantation, learn hand-picking skills, try traditional wok tea-frying and ancient Song-style Diancha (Whisked Tea), then taste premium seasonal Longjing tea with local snacks. Available in morning or afternoon session, ideal for culture lovers, family travelers and tea enthusiasts.
Escape downtown Hangzhou to the famous Longjing Village at West Lake, the hometown of premium West Lake Longjing green tea. Enjoy private door-to-door pickup, walk organic mountain tea plantation, learn hand-picking skills, try traditional wok tea-frying and ancient Song-style Diancha (Whisked Tea), then taste premium seasonal Longjing tea with local snacks. Available in morning or afternoon session, ideal for culture lovers, family travelers and tea enthusiasts.
Half-day Tour (Morning / Afternoon two optional departures) Departure City: Hangzhou, Zhejiang Group Type: Small-group boutique tea culture tour with private car transfer Two Session Options: Morning Session | Afternoon Session Package Includes: Downtown hotel private pickup & drop-off, tea picking gear (bamboo hat + picking basket), professional tea master guidance, all experience fees, seasonal Longjing tea tasting & local refreshments
Two Available Departure Shifts
08:30 Private car picks up guests door-to-door at downtown Hangzhou hotels 09:00 Meet local guide at Shilangdang Archway, Longjing Village 09:10 Receive complimentary bamboo straw hat & picking basket, head to private organic tea garden 09:30 Leisure tea mountain hiking & professional tea picking tutorial
Note: No actual tea picking from November to March (tea growing season); guests visit gardens, learn planting & picking knowledge and take photos instead10:00 Hand-on traditional wok stir-fried tea experience (basic craft practice only, not full production procedure)10:30 Unique Ancient Song Dynasty Diancha (Whisked Tea) cultural experience11:00 Premium seasonal West Lake Longjing tea tasting paired with delicate local snacks11:30 Tour concludes: free independent exploration or private transfer back to city hotels
13:30 Downtown hotel private door-to-door pickup 14:00 Gather at Shilangdang Archway of Longjing Village 14:10 Collect bamboo hat & picking basket and proceed to private tea garden 14:30 Tea garden hiking + tea picking knowledge sharing (no picking Nov–Mar) 15:00 Traditional handmade stir-fry tea trial 15:30 Song-style ancient Diancha experience 16:00 Seasonal Longjing tea & local snack tasting 16:30 Program ends; free time or return transfer arranged
Hiking along Jiuxi Shibajian (Nine Streams & Eighteen Gullies) scenic trail Visit the historic Imperial Eighteen Tea Trees Garden
Traveler reviews
April 19, 2026
Private door-to-door pickup saved me so much hassle figuring out public transport out to Longjing Village. The whole experience felt intimate and personal, not crowded like the big group tours I’ve joined on other trips. I never thought I’d get to try frying tea myself, it’s such a unique hands-on activity. I’d absolutely recommend this to any tea lover visiting Hangzhou.
February 22, 2026
I was worried a half-day tour would feel rushed, but this one was perfectly paced from start to finish. After our private pickup, we wandered the misty organic plantation and got a lesson on how to pick only the top two leaves and a bud that make premium Longjing. The wok frying part was trickier than it looks—my guide kept correcting my hand position so I didn’t burn the leaves! When we tasted the finished Longjing alongside sweet osmanthus cakes, the nutty, mild sweetness was way better than any store-bought Longjing I’ve had before. I can’t believe how much we got to do for only $135 a person, it’s an absolute must-do when you’re in Hangzhou.
November 5, 2025
Booked this through HelloChinaTrip and it ended up being the highlight of my week in Hangzhou. I got the hang of Diancha after a few tries and ended up with a beautiful creamy brew that paired perfectly with the red bean pastries we got as local snacks. Walking through the tea plantations on a cool morning was so peaceful, I loved learning about Longjing from a local grower instead of just reading about it online.
April 30, 2025
Such a fun, relaxing activity to break up a week of sightseeing in Hangzhou. Everything was well-organized and totally unforgettable.
March 12, 2025
This half-day tea tour was absolutely worth every penny. I’d jump at the chance to do it again on my next trip to Hangzhou.
December 29, 2024
I’ve been interested in Chinese tea culture for years, and this tour exceeded every one of my expectations. Our guide was a third-generation tea grower who answered all my questions about how Longjing is grown organically, with no harsh chemicals used. I was terrible at picking leaves at first, but by the end I could easily spot the perfect young buds for premium tea. The ancient Song-style Diancha was such a cool, unexpected addition that I haven’t seen on other similar tours. The finished Longjing we tasted had a lovely roasted chestnut note that lingered after each sip. This is easily the best value tour I booked during my entire trip to China, and I’ve already recommended it to all my friends planning a Hangzhou visit.
December 18, 2024
I loved that we got to pick the first flush of early spring Longjing leaves right off the bush, then fried them ourselves in a traditional iron wok. My Diancha actually turned out frothy and smooth, not lumpy like I expected it to! The private pickup from my downtown Hangzhou hotel was so convenient, no waiting around for shared shuttles.
