Does this tour visit Beijing or the Terracotta Warriors?

No — Shanghai & Surroundings is a Yangtze Delta loop from Shanghai: Suzhou classical gardens and Shantang Street, Wuxi lakeside and Three Kingdoms City, the ancient town of Xinshi (including Hanfu dress-up and afternoon tea), Hangzhou's West Lake and tea culture, then Shanghai's Bund and city sights. It is built for travellers who want Jiangnan water towns and modern Shanghai without flying north to Beijing or Xi'an.

Do New Zealand passport holders need a visa?

Many NZ leisure trips qualify for China's visa-free entry (often up to 30 days under current published policy to 31 December 2026). This 10-day loop is a typical holiday length, but rules depend on your dates and travel purpose — always confirm before booking. See our China visa guide for New Zealanders or ask CTS when you enquire.

What is included in the NZD $3,399 price?

The tour is priced per person twin-share and includes international flights from Auckland, domestic connections as per the itinerary, hotels as named or similar, English-speaking guides, entrance fees and meals where specified in the day-by-day programme, and land transport between cities. It does not include travel insurance, personal spending, tips (we suggest about NZD $10 per person per day), most dinners where marked "at own expense", or optional extras — full detail is in Inclusions and Exclusions on this page.

Several meals are "at own expense" — what should I expect?

The itinerary deliberately leaves some lunches and dinners free so you can try local street food (for example on Shantang Street or in Wuxi's market areas), casual restaurants, or hot pot in Xinshi as suggested locally. Your guide can recommend options; budget a modest amount per day for those meals if you want to eat out every time.

What optional activities are offered in Shanghai?

On the listed programme, you can add the Shanghai Acrobatics Show (approximately NZD $80 per person) and a Maglev train round trip (approximately NZD $30 per person), subject to availability and schedule. These are paid locally or as advised at booking — they are not required to enjoy the tour.

How much coach or driving is there between cities?

Distances are relatively short within the delta — for example Shanghai to Suzhou about 1.5 hours and Wuxi to Xinshi about 1.5 hours, with other transfers similar. You stay a few nights in each area so the pace is steady rather than constant long drives.

Is October a good time for this route?

Autumn is popular: mild temperatures, comfortable for walking gardens, lakeside parks, and West Lake. Bring light layers and waterproofs for occasional rain. Ask CTS if you want tips tailored to the mid-October departure.

Can I have a single room, and when does the tour depart?

Twin-share pricing is shown; a single room supplement applies — ask CTS for the current amount on your departure. Published departure for this programme is 14 October (year as on site — subject to change; confirm live availability). Call 0800 CTS 888 (0800 287 888) or use the enquiry form to hold a seat and confirm the exact price for your room choice.

China · discovery · 10 Days

Shanghai & Surroundings

Yangtze Delta loop from Auckland: Suzhou gardens and Shantang Street, Wuxi lakeside sights and Three Kingdoms City, Hanfu and afternoon tea in Xinshi water town, Hangzhou's West Lake and Longjing tea, then Shanghai's Bund. Visa-free entry may apply for many NZ trips (confirm dates); next confirmed departure 25 March 2027.

1 / 5 · A traditional canal town in the Yangtze Delta

Next confirmed departure

25 March 2027

Scheduled group departure

Twin-share price

NZD $3,399

Per person · NZD

Travelling solo?

Own room + NZD $400

NZD $3,799 total per person

Check availability →

100+ Years Heritage

Backed by CTS · Founded 1928

Auckland Local Office

Local Support When You Need It

Direct China Operations

No Middlemen, Best Value

50,000+ Happy Travelers

Trusted by Kiwi Families

Book with a licensed New Zealand travel specialist

CTS Tours is a TAANZ member and IATA-accredited agency with local support in Auckland and direct operations in China—so you deal with one trusted team from enquiry to return.

View memberships & credentials

TAANZ — Travel Agents Association of New Zealand

Book with confidence

Free changes up to 60 days

Amend dates or travellers at no fee until 60 days before departure.

NZ-based specialist team

Speak to a Kiwi consultant in Auckland — one team, enquiry to return.

Backed by CTS · Founded 1928

CTS Tours NZ has run Kiwi-led tours from Auckland since 2000 (25 years), backed by China Travel Service (founded 1928) — hotels, guides, transport we run ourselves.

TAANZ bonded & IATA

Client funds held in a TAANZ-bonded trust — protected if travel plans are disrupted.

Water towns, gardens and the Shanghai skyline.

Master of the Nets Garden, Panmen, and Shantang Street in Suzhou
Silk factory; Three Kingdoms City (warship tour & horse battle show); Purple Sand Museum; Nanchang Ancient Street in Wuxi
Li Garden by the lake, Pearl Exhibition Centre, and a local market day in Wuxi
Hanfu dress-up for photos and afternoon tea in thousand-year-old Xinshi Town
West Lake boat tour, Su Causeway, Leifeng Pagoda, and Hangzhou International Expo Center (G20)
Six Harmonies Pagoda and Longjing tea tasting at Meijiawu
The Bund, City God Temple quarter, World Cultural Heritage Art Exhibition Centre, and Nanjing Road
Optional Shanghai acrobatics show and Maglev ride (extra cost)

Experiences included in this journey

Your route at a glance.

China Discovery — Shanghai & Surroundings route map — cities, transport and nights

Your journey, day by day.

Save this itinerary:

Day 01

Auckland — Shanghai

Meals on board · View full day

Make your own way to Auckland Airport, check in, and fly to Shanghai. Meals on board.

Meals: Meals on board

Day 02

Shanghai — Suzhou (≈1.5 hrs)

Lunch · View full day

Arrive in Shanghai, meet your guide, and travel to Suzhou. Hotel check-in and refresh. Visit Master of the Nets Garden. After lunch, Panmen (water-and-land gate) and Shantang Street. Dinner at your own expense (local snacks).

Meals: Lunch

Stay: Rosedale Chunshenhu Resort Hotel or similar (5-star standard)

Day 03

Suzhou — Wuxi (≈1 hr)

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Silk factory, then Wuxi. Lunch on arrival; Three Kingdoms City by Taihu Lake (warship tour, horse battle show). Purple Sand Museum. Nanchang Ancient Street — dinner at own expense. Hotel check-in.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Holiday Inn Express Wuxi or similar (4-star standard)

Day 04

Wuxi

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Li Garden at the lakeside; Wuxi Pearl Exhibition Centre. Lunch with Wuxi specialty and soup dumplings. Afternoon: traditional local food and daily-goods market, then free time. Dinner at own expense.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Holiday Inn Express Wuxi or similar (4-star standard)

Day 05

Wuxi — Xinshi Ancient Town (≈1.5 hrs)

Breakfast, Afternoon tea · View full day

Xinshi — waterside ancient town; Hanfu photos; afternoon tea (coffee, snacks, ice cream). Dinner at own expense (hot pot suggested).

Meals: Breakfast, Afternoon tea

Stay: Holiday Inn or similar (4-star standard)

Day 06

Xinshi — Hangzhou

Breakfast, Lunch · View full day

Free until 10:00, then Hangzhou. After lunch: West Lake — Hua Gang Guan Yu, boat tour, Su Causeway, Leifeng Pagoda; free time by the lake. Dinner at own expense.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: New Century Hotel Hangzhou or similar (5-star standard)

Day 07

Hangzhou — Shanghai (≈2 hrs)

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner · View full day

Hangzhou International Expo Centre (G20). Lunch; Six Harmonies Pagoda and Meijiawu with Longjing tea. Transfer to Shanghai; dinner included. Check-in.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: Holiday Inn Express Shanghai or similar (4-star standard)

Day 08

Shanghai

Breakfast · View full day

The Bund and City God Temple area — lunch at own expense. Afternoon: World Cultural Heritage Art Exhibition Centre; Nanjing Road (dinner at own expense). Optional: Shanghai Acrobatics Show — approx. NZD $80 pp.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Holiday Inn Express Shanghai or similar (4-star standard)

Day 09

Shanghai — Departure

Breakfast · View full day

Breakfast; free time — optional Maglev round trip approx. NZD $30 pp. Afternoon airport transfer.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10

Auckland

View full day

Arrive in Auckland in the morning.

Meals: See day description

What's Included

Included meals (13)

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

Accommodation (7 nights)

5 carefully selected properties

Sample hotels detailed below — final selection confirmed at booking.

Included

International and domestic airfares
Hotel accommodation as specified in the itinerary
English-speaking tour guide
Entrance fees and meals as specified in the itinerary
Land transfer

Not Included

Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
Personal expenses
Transportation and guide services during free time
Meals not listed in the itinerary
Tips (suggested NZD $10 per day per person)
Optional activities (e.g. Shanghai Acrobatics Show, Maglev ride)
Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the itinerary

Sample tour hotels

Representative properties for this tour — actual hotels may vary by departure date and are confirmed at booking.

1night
Rosedale Chunshenhu Resort Hotel or similar (5-star standard)
2nights
Holiday Inn Express Wuxi or similar (4-star standard)
1night
Holiday Inn or similar (4-star standard)
1night
New Century Hotel Hangzhou or similar (5-star standard)
2nights
Holiday Inn Express Shanghai or similar (4-star standard)

Room basis: Prices are per person, twin share. A private room for a solo traveller is an additional NZD $400 for the full tour.

Discover your destinations

Explore the places on your journey.

Get to know the cities and landmarks along this route, with our guides to what to see and how to visit.

Destination guide

Suzhou

Explore the guide →

Destination guide

Hangzhou

Explore the guide →

Destination guide

Shanghai

Explore the guide →

Landmark guide

West Lake

Explore the guide →

Landmark guide

The Bund

Explore the guide →

Plan your trip

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about traveling to China with CTS

Have more questions?

Contact Our Specialists

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Shanghai & Surroundings