Shanghai: Xianghu Flowers & Bayberry Private Day Trip

Spend an easy, photogenic day around Xianghu Lake near Hangzhou, blending early-summer flowers with the joy of fruit picking. Your private car and English-speaking guide collect you from your Shanghai hotel for a comfortable drive into the Zhejiang countryside.

Your first stop is the Xianghu flower fields, where ribbons of cosmos blooms in pink, white and purple sway across the meadows against clear lake water and open sky, a dreamy, relaxed spot to stroll and take photos at your own pace. Nearby at Dingshan Square the water lilies are at their best, floating serenely on the still lake, with a light fragrance drifting on the breeze. A short, flat lakeside walk links the highlights, gentle enough for everyone.

After free time for a relaxed local lunch near the scenic area, you head to a Dongkui bayberry orchard. Dongkui is the largest variety of Chinese bayberry, with big, meaty, juicy fruit that is sweeter and richer than ordinary kinds. You can pick freely and eat as much as you like in the orchard, then take home 5 jin of premium bayberries to enjoy later, a delicious souvenir of early summer.

This is authentic rural China at a calm, unhurried pace, with no hiking effort involved, perfect for families, couples and photography lovers. Your private vehicle, dedicated guide and flexible timing are all included, and pets are welcome. In the evening you return comfortably to Shanghai.

A gentle private day from Shanghai to Hangzhou's Xianghu Lake. Wander cosmos flower fields and lakeside water lilies, then pick and feast on giant Dongkui bayberries at a local orchard.