China · TEA CEREMONIES
Good tea ceremonies tours fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Taste 5 Chinese teas in a traditional Beijing ceremony. Learn brewing temperature and steeping timing in English, 30 min to 3 hrs.
“Excelent experience with our guide Richard. He was extremely helpful, nice, and competent, taking care of all the details. Our children of 10 and 13 years old were also very pleased with the activity. Highly recommended!”
Join a 90-minute Hong Kong tea tasting in Chai Wan with four premium teas, gongfu brewing practice, and food pairings for $65.60.
“Very informative and fun. We learned a lot about tea and tea preparation. Vivian was an amazing hostess.”
Small-group bike ride through Shanghai’s Old Town and French Concession, with a guided tea tasting to end your 3.5-hour adventure.
“An excellent tour with a great guide, Ellen was friendly, knowledgeable and more than happy to answer any questions we had. The food was really good with lots of variety across three stops. Thanks, Ellen!”
Small-group Shanghai bike tour through the French Concession and Old Town, finishing with a guided Chinese tea tasting. 3.5 hours.
“local experience was very valuable to me. bike tour seems one of the best way to enjoy the city and to feel the city vibe closely without traffic. Ray was terrific guide!”
Taste Chinese tea and learn the ritual in a Beijing Hutong courtyard near the Forbidden City, with small-group guidance in English.
“The tea ceremony was an unforgettable experience. We learned how to brew tea properly so that it tastes good and has health benefits. It turns out that for tea to taste good, it is not enough to pour boiling water over and wait 3 minutes for it to brew. I have just acquired a valuable skill that no one will take away from me. From today, the taste of my tea has reached a higher level.”
Private half-day Beijing markets tour with pickup, Panjiayuan antiques, Hongqiao Pearl tea tasting, and help bartering for deals.
“Had a great time exploring the markets in Beijing. Very interesting to see local goods and unique items we never knew about. Our tour guide, Lucy, was very knowledgeable and provided a lot of insight, not just about the items at the marketRead more”
Private walk through Shanghai Old City with Yuyuan Garden entry and tea tasting, plus market time in Nanshi, with hotel pickup in downtown.
“A great tour of the Yu garden and tea ceremony. Annie was an excellent guide and provided lots of useful information.”
Private half-day Chengdu class mixing a local spice market, tea tasting, and an English-led Mahjong lesson in a tea house setting.
“I recommend this tour to anyone. Lance showed me around the local market, provided very tasty tea and taught me all I needed to know about Mahjong. I was solo so there was only the two of us and normally you need 4 people to play MahjRead more”
Private Shanghai sights plus Zhujiajiao water town by boat and tea, lunch included, with hotel pickup. Flexible day, small group.
“I was in Shanghai for Mid-Autumn. Jenny warned me that traffic in and out of town will be heavier than usual. In discussion, she made it possible to start the tour a little earlier to minimize the time on the road.”
Sample mooncakes, sip Hangzhou green and Fujian black tea, then cool down with Cantonese icy desserts on a 3-hour Huaihai Road walk.
“This tasting tour was just what I was looking for - something different from traditional trips to touristy sites. Especially because I had a 14-year old son with me. We had a chance to visit some places which we would never have visited or even found alone and we tried some food which we wouldn't have tried without our guide. Jim planned the excusion really well. We tasted some local yogurt, dessert with watermelon, Macha ice cream, bubble tea, mango dessert, biscuits, lots of different fruit. And to top it all up, we had a proper tea tasting ceremony in an authentic place (after that we had another 2 tea…”
Small-group Beijing tea ceremony, live guqin music lesson, and calligraphy practice at Huagong Road. Learn etiquette, music, and brush basics.
“Small group, no pressure, and such a peaceful atmosphere. Even as an introvert, I felt totally at ease during the tea ceremony, music, and calligraphy. A great way to enjoy culture without feeling overwhelmed!”
Private Mutianyu Great Wall tour with hotel pickup and tea ceremony. Skip ticket hassles, enjoy a tutored tasting, and go at your pace.
“Linda our tour guide is excellent ! She took the time to explain the history and the facts behind building of the Great Wall . Highly recommend ！”
Private half-day Chengdu walk with Qingyang Palace and parks, plus a 1-hour kung-fu tea ceremony with tasting, snacks, and tea.
“Excellent tour with guide Andie. Thoroughly enjoyed the walking tour through the parks and streets of Chengdu. The narrow and wide alley area was very entertaining. The authentic tea tasting a must. Also local food tasting interesting”
1.5-hour Hong Kong tea tasting in Wan Chai. Learn tea aromas, myths, six tea categories, then brew your own cup with a gaiwan.
“We had a wonderful experience while testing high quality tea and discovering the different brewing processes in a fun way. In addition to this, we had a little class on the types of teas and crafting processes. Cecelia is nice and passionate Read more”
Temple of Heaven, a 30 to 40 min Taiji class, and a Beijing tea ceremony, guided in English with skip-line entry and pickup.
“Excellent experience!! The Tai Chi class was so fun and informative. Simon is an incredible guide and knows so much about Temple of Heaven as well as China’s history. Highlight of the trip was the tea ceremony where we had really wonderful teas. Really engaging and would go again.”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
