Day 1 Shanghai → Huangshan Shexian
All day
Meet at the designated location at 7:30 AM and sign in.
Board the bus promptly at 8:00 AM for departure. Along the way, team members will be introduced to each other, staff will interact, and group games will be played, creating a lively atmosphere.
Lunch will be enjoyed at the service area around 11:30 AM before continuing to She County.
Arrive at the Yuliangba Scenic Area in She County at 2:00 PM. The whitewashed walls and black tiles of Huizhou resemble an ink painting, while the art of Huizhou carving hidden beneath them will surely provoke pause and appreciation. The exquisite wood carvings on the pavilions, the brick carvings of horse-head walls, and the vivid and diverse figures depicted in the stone carvings beneath your feet.
At 3:30 PM, we have a special activity planned for today: a Woodcarving Experience. Our staff will lead you to visit a master woodcarver! We'll begin by viewing his extensive collection and gradually learn about Huizhou woodcarving and woodcutting techniques. We'll then visit his studio for hands-on woodcutting. Unleash your artistic talent and, under the guidance of our instructor, begin your own artistic creation! This promises to be a joyful and meaningful experience.
17:00 Bid farewell to the woodcarver and return to the hotel to rest. At 17:30, everyone will have dinner together or eat as they please. After dinner, you can do whatever you want.
Day 2 Huangshan She County → Xu Village → Huiqing Ancient Trail → Hotel
All day
After breakfast, we'll drive to Xucun at 8:00 AM and explore the Xucun Ancient Architecture Complex. This ancient Huizhou village boasts well-preserved memorial archways, ancestral halls, and ancient dwellings. With few tourists, this area retains a quaint atmosphere, perfect for our leisurely stroll. We
'll meet at the appropriate time and transfer to a local vehicle to the starting point for the hike. The journey will take about 15 minutes, and we'll then set off.
We'll embark on the thousand-year-old ancient trail, winding along steep mountains and offering breathtaking scenery. We'll rest briefly before enjoying a light lunch at a mountain farmhouse.
After lunch, we'll continue our journey at 12:30 PM, passing through Chatan and Ruoling Pass. Ruoling Pass, once a control point on the northern route to She County, served as a barrier to the prefectural government. Located approximately 1,000 meters above sea level, Ruoling Pass was established at Lingtou in 1647. Inscribed on the pass are the four characters "Natural Barrier Reopened." We took a group photo here, rested, and then crossed the checkpoint at the appropriate time to descend towards the Tea Forest Farm and Tanjia Bridge.
Around 4:00 PM, we arrived at Lingjiao Village, completing the 16-kilometer ancient trail.
A 10-minute drive took us to the East Huangshan Tea Forest Farm, a Shanghai "enclave" (an enclave is a unique cultural and geographical phenomenon, referring to land under the jurisdiction of a specific administrative region but not directly adjacent to it).
Upon first arriving, it was surprising to discover such a Shanghainese town in the mountainous area of southern Anhui: straight mountain roads lined with Shanghai-style buildings and neatly arranged plane trees. During the Cultural Revolution, tens of thousands of Shanghai educated youth lived and worked here, and even today, the local police station is affiliated with the Shanghai Jing'an Branch.
At 5:30 PM, we met and departed for the 20-minute drive to the Huangshan Fengda International Five-Star Hotel for dinner and check-in.
In the evening, you can explore the hotel on your own or gather to play games and chat. Enjoy a quiet evening.
Day 3 East Huangshan → Tanjiaqiao → Piaoxue Hot Springs → Xidi Ancient Houses
All day
In the morning, wake up naturally. Early risers can take a walk through the mountains to breathe in the fresh air and refresh their lungs.
After lunch, we'll depart the hotel at 9:00 AM for a 15-minute drive to a mysterious ancient village nestled in the mountains.
From 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM, we'll have a special morning activity. Upon arrival, we'll divide into groups and explore the ancient alleys. Be careful not to get lost. Our team leader will then lead us to a local villager's home. With the Lunar New Year approaching, the villagers in the mountains are busy with their daily activities.
Under the guidance of an elderly gentleman, we'll learn to write Spring Festival couplets and learn about the ancient Han Chinese festival custom of cutting window paper-cuts. Haha, wishing you a happy Year of the Monkey! The finished products can be taken home or shared with friends.
We'll also use the ingredients provided by the organizers (flour and dumpling filling) to make our own dumplings, ensuring a comfortable life. We'll make a delicious dumpling meal in the ancient village.
Around 12:00 PM, we'll reunite to say goodbye to the locals and to "Informed Little Shanghai." It takes about 30 minutes by car to arrive at the hot spring destination in the afternoon: "Piaoxue Hot Spring"
12:30-16:00 Start soaking in the hot springs in the afternoon and enjoy "one soup, one mood, one pool, one world"
16:00-17:00 Farmhouse dinner near the hot spring
17:00-18:30 Arrive at Xidi Ancient Residence and stay in the local ancient residence at night. This is within the scenic area and everyone can enjoy the free time.
Day 4 Xidi Ancient Residences → Shanghai
All day
After a natural wake-up
call and a breakfast, we set off to explore the Xidi Ancient Residences. Xidi, 700 meters long from east to west and 300 meters wide from north to south, is home to over 300 households and a population of over 1,000. The name "Xidi" stems from the westward flow of water near the village and the presence of a post station for delivering mail. It's often called "the home of a Peach Blossom Spring." Founded in the Northern Song Dynasty, Xidi Village boasts a 950-year history and is home to a family surnamed Hu. The village is shaped like a boat, surrounded by mountains and traversed by two streams. The streets and alleys are paved with bluestone, traversing the streams. The village's natural, flowing atmosphere creates a harmonious balance between movement and stillness. The ancient buildings lining the streets are elegant and simple, forming a staggered arrangement. There are 124 ancient dwellings from the Ming and Qing dynasties and 3 ancestral halls in Xidi Village, including Lingyun Pavilion, Governor's Archway, Ruiyu Courtyard, Taoli Garden, East Garden, West Garden, Dafudi, Jing'ai Hall, Lufu Hall, Qingyunxuan, Yingfu Hall, etc., all of which are regarded as the model of Anhui style ancient dwelling architectural art.
Around 12:00, we gathered again, said goodbye to the people here, and returned to our beautiful home in Shanghai.