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Hangzhou Private Tour - West Lake_Leifeng Pagoda
West Lake_Leifeng Pagoda
Hangzhou Private Tour - Boat Cruise_Hand Rowed
Boat Cruise_Hand Rowed
Hangzhou Private Tour - Tea Processing
Tea Processing
Hangzhou Private Tour - West Lake_Jingci Temple 2
West Lake_Jingci Temple 2
Hangzhou Private Tour - Hefang Street & Dajing Lane
Hefang Street & Dajing Lane
Hangzhou Private Tour - West Lake_Leifeng Pagoda 2
West Lake_Leifeng Pagoda 2
Hangzhou Private Tour - West Lake_Jingci temple
West Lake_Jingci temple
Hangzhou Private Tour - West Lake_Leifeng Pagada 3
West Lake_Leifeng Pagada 3
Hangzhou Private Tour - West Lake_Jingci Temple 3
West Lake_Jingci Temple 3
Hangzhou Private Tour - West Lake_Su Causeway
West Lake_Su Causeway
Hangzhou Private Tour - West Lake_Su Causeway 2
West Lake_Su Causeway 2
Hangzhou Private Tour - Hefang Street 2
Hefang Street 2
Hangzhou Private Tour - Hefang Street 3
Hefang Street 3
Hangzhou Private Tour - Hefang Street 4
Hefang Street 4
Hangzhou Private Tour - Hefang street 5
Hefang street 5
Hangzhou Private Tour - Dajing Lane
Dajing Lane
Hangzhou Private Tour - Tea Leave Picking
Tea Leave Picking
Hangzhou Private Tour - Tea Leave Picking 2
Tea Leave Picking 2

1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Taxi - Taxi fare included

Art, Culture, & Historical
Hangzhou Tour Guide - Ben W.

Joined 2025

Ben W.
5.00 / 5
(2 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks
Hangzhou
Chinese (Simplified) (Native), English
8 hours
Private tour (only you and Ben W.)
Up to 3 people

Drifting on West Lake, visiting Legendary Pagoda, Buddhism Temple and Ancient Street, experiencing Tea Leave Picking, if you only have one day to stay in Hangzhou, this tour is just suitable for you!

All taxi fare is included in the price!

Note: Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak is not included in this tour because visiting it by taxi is very time consuming. If you would like to visit Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak, my other tour, 1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Exclusive Car, is recommended.

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

08:30 AM

Meeting Point

At your hotel in Hangzhou

09:00 AM

Hand-rowed wooden boat cruise on the West Lake

The rowing boat is a perfect, old-fashioned way to enjoy the Wes Lake. A boatman uses a single long oar to steer you through the calm water, offering a serene and authentic journey. The view in the lake is stunning.

11:00 AM

Leifeng Pagoda

Leifeng Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda with a history of 1100 years located on the shore of West Lake. From the top of the pagoda, you can overlook the entire West Lake. Inside the pagoda is a museum demonstrating the relics, history and cultures about the pagoda.

12:00 PM

West Lake - Jingci Temple

Jingci Temple, located by West Lake, is one of Hangzhou's most renowned ancient Buddhist temples. With its elegant architecture, ancient trees, and tranquil courtyards, Jingci Temple offers a peaceful spiritual retreat amidst the natural beauty of Hangzhou.

01:00 PM

Lunch

Lunch cost starting from 30 per person depending on your requests.

02:00 PM

Hefang Street and Dajing Lane

Hefang Street is a vibrant, bustling pedestrian street showcasing Hangzhou's history, snacks, and traditional crafts. Just a few steps away, the quieter Dajing Lane offers a more authentic and artistic atmosphere with old buildings, specialty coffee shops, and stylish boutiques.

03:30 PM

Longjing tea picking & processing or tea ceremony experiencing

Longjing tea produced in Hangzhou is the best green tea in China. We will go to a village with beautiful tea field to experience the process of tea leave picking and tea processing.

Note: Outdoor tea leaving picking is not available in several month (normally late winter to early spring). In case it is not available, indoor tea ceremony experiencing will be arranged in stead.

Ending Point

Your hotel (within 20 KM ranges from last attraction)

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

* Guide fee

* Taxi fare to attraction spots.

* Taxi fare from / to your hotels within range of 20 KMs

What‘s not included

* Taxi fare from / to airport

* Taxi fare from / to your hotel beyond range of 20KMs

* Meal for you (from 30 to 150 RMB per person)

* Entrance fee for you and the guide:

Boat Cruise: 150 RMB or 180 / hour per boat (up to 6 persons per boat)

Leifeng Pagoda: 40 RMB per person

Jingci Temple: 10 RMB per person

Tea leave picking and tea processing / tea ceremony experience: around 100 RMB per person

Tour Important Information

* As with every other tour, this tour is of course fully customizable. Please message to discuss this. If you have any special request on food style or types, please contact me. I will recommend some for you.

* We use taxi for transportation (except transportation from/to airport). Taxi fare is included in the price

* Taxi can only carry up to 3 visitors. If the group size is 4 or 5 persons, I recommend my another car tour, 1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Exclusive Car.

* Meeting / starting time can be adjusted too.

Cancellation Policy

  • Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
  • 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
  • No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Hangzhou Tour Guide - Ben W.

Joined 2025

Ben W.
5.00 / 5
(2 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Ben W.

I am a government licensed English speaking tour guide in Hangzhou. I hold a Master of Engineering degree and used to be an engineer in a global company for almost 20 years. I am enthusiastic about history and foreign cultures. I also love traveling overeas and making friends from different countries.

As a tour guide I will not only "recite" those standard descriptions of tourist attractions. Instead, I will focus more about the history and cultural background of them. I won't tell those exaggerated legends. I will still tell you some interesting folk stories, but I will clearly tell you which ones are true history and which ones are just stories.

Instead of simply introducing tourist spot, I prefer interacting with foreign friends about everything that they are curious about China. China is a so different country. I can explain to you what are the real differences and where those difference came from.

I enjoy my job as a tour guide. I see each trip with clients as a way of entertaining friends, not just a job.

Hangzhou, known as Paradise on Earth, with the poetic West Lake, is the most beautiful major city in China. It has a history of more than 2000 years, once being the capital of ancient China. Hangzhou is a modern metropolis with amazing city views and a good destination for shopping. Hangzhou also produces the best green tea in China, high quality silk, a lot of famous handcrafts like fans, scissors, copper ware, and of cause delicious authentic Chinese food.

Hangzhou has very convenient transportation. It is only 1 hour's ride away from Shanghai by bullet train. I highly recommend you make Hangzhou a stop when you visit China.

All the tours can be flexibly customized. Don't hesitate to message me, tell me your preference and needs.

Look forward to seeing you in Hangzhou!


Reviews

Hangzhou Day Tour

Bed responded quickly and efficiently to my enquiry and customized a wonderful one-day tour for us. He also arranged early registration for the Lingyin Temple visit before the tour began, which we later realized made the experience extremely smooth despite the huge crowds there. He picked us up at the hotel, and we started at Hefang Street, a beautifully preserved ancient shopping alley. We then drove to the Grand Canal, the world’s oldest man-made waterway. After that, we visited West Lake, where he thoughtfully chose two contrasting spots — one famous and lively, the other peaceful and tranquil — allowing us to experience both sides of its charm. The next highlight was Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng, the spiritual heart of Hangzhou Buddhism, with its many well-preserved ancient Buddhist stone carvings, some carved directly into the caves. We ended the tour at a tea plantation, where he arranged for us to pick tea leaves while being filmed by a drone (my wife’s highlight of the tour). We also had the opportunity to experience making matcha tea before he drove us to our dinner venue. Throughout the day, Ben was patient, knowledgeable, and took the time to explain the history and cultural background of each site. The itinerary was compact, as per my request, but Ben arranged everything so efficiently that the day still felt relaxed and enjoyable. His car was clean, and his driving was excellent. I highly recommend Ben to anyone planning a tour in Hangzhou.

Calvin K.

Ben W.

Thank you very much for the kind review. Your good and long summary of itinerary also reminded me that happy day with you because we also had very happy and interesting conversation. Again, I am very glad that you recognize my arrangement and my service during the tour. Sincerely wish you and your family a happy life!

Great visit to Hangzhou

Hangzhou is a beautiful city and Ben W. was an excellent guide. Met us at the train station and took us to all the important sites during our time there. Was very accomodative and knowledgeable. His English is excellent (you will need an English speaking guide to navigate the city). Definitely five stars.

Bruce T.

Ben W.

Thank you very much for your kind review. I am very glad that I could help and you enjoyed the tour in Hangzhou. I also enjoy the days with you because we had so many interesting conversations, so many happy laughs. All those happy moments will become a lifetime memory for me!

Want to Personalize?

$220/ per group

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