Best of · CHINA TEA EXPERIENCES

The 15 Best Tea Experiences in China

22 tea experiences  ·  from $7 a head

China drinks it gongfu style: small pot, many short steeps, a tray that drains. The 15 below cover the Longjing terraces near Hangzhou, the Chengdu teahouses and the Beijing tasting rooms, each priced and paced.

One-Day Hangzhou Dragon Well Tea Culture & West Lake Private Tour - China National Tea Museum: a useful second look at tea
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One-Day Hangzhou Dragon Well Tea Culture & West Lake Private Tour

1.One-Day Hangzhou Dragon Well Tea Culture & West Lake Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 98 reviews · from $270Our pick

Spend about eight hours exploring Hangzhou with a private English-speaking guide and chauffeured vehicle. Cruise West Lake, visit Lingyin Temple and Flying Peak, learn tea-making in Meijiawu Village, tour the National Tea Museum, and enjoy a traditional Chinese lunch. Guides such as Gerry, Yolanda, and Leaf are known for flexible, personal service.

“We booked a tour in Hangzhou and our tour guide Gerry is very caring and knowledgeable. We had a great time with him. He was so flexible to change a place for us to visit. He also helped us book the show of impression west lake. Highly recommend Gerry as an excellent guide and person.”

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Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony Experience - Watching the tea master prepare each cup
Beijing Tea Experiences, China Tea Experiences, Tea Ceremony Experiences, Tea Experiences, Tour Reviews

Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony Experience

2.Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 74 reviews · 30 minutes - 3 hours · from $9

Meet an English-speaking tea master in Beijing for a hands-on Chinese tea ceremony. You will smell the leaves, watch careful brewing, and taste five mini cups, with Oolong, Pu-erh, green, jasmine, and flower teas often featured. Some sessions also offer calligraphy or help from hosts such as Richard Li and Feye.

“The activity was really great. The voucher picked me up of the meeting point and The tea master spoke very good English and was really friendly. We would to this again!”

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Beijing: Dumpling Making Workshop with Meal and Tea - What Happens From 16:30 to Dinner
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Beijing: Dumpling Making Workshop with Meal and Tea

3.Dumpling Making Workshop with Meal and Tea

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 69 reviews · 3 hours · from $35

Meet your English-speaking guide at 16:30, then learn to roll wrappers, fill and shape dumplings before eating them with tea, beer, and other Chinese dishes. Hosts such as Eric, Jenny, Janine, and Leo are known for patient instruction and warm hospitality. The dough or fillings may be partly prepared in advance.

“My wife and I had an amazing time at this dumpling-making class! The instructor was patient and fun, the steps were easy to follow, and the fillings were delicious. We met some great people and left with full stomachs, new friends, and folding skills we can actually use at home. Highly recommend!”

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Beijing Culture: Tea Ceremony, Heritage Instrument & Calligraphy - The Guqin: from a live performance to your first melody
Beijing Tea Experiences, China Tea Experiences, Historical Tours, Tea & Calligraphy Classes, Tea Ceremony Experiences, Tea Experiences, Tour Reviews

Beijing Culture: Tea Ceremony, Heritage Instrument & Calligraphy

4.Beijing Culture: Tea Ceremony, Heritage Instrument & Calligraphy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $78

Spend 2.5 hours at Beijing’s 813 Creative Park learning tea ritual, calligraphy, and Guqin music. A bilingual guide with an M.A. in History and Sociology explains the customs, while master artists lead the hands-on sessions. Groups are limited to eight, with traditional clothing available for photos.

“Everything was done with care—from the welcome tea to the final group photo. The calligraphy teacher helped me write my Chinese name, and I even took the paper home. It’s now framed in my apartment!”

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Tea Tasting and Pairing Concept Workshop - Learning the gongfu method with Vivian
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Tea Tasting and Pairing Concept Workshop

5.Tea Tasting and Pairing Concept Workshop

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $65

At MingCha Tea House in Chai Wan, tea master Vivian guides you through four premium Chinese teas, including green, red, scented green, and oolong. You will brew tea in the gongfu style, test tea leaves with your senses, and pair each cup with dried nuts, chocolate, and flower honey toast.

“This was a fun and engaging workshop where we not only tasted tea, but got to learn about the different types of teas, did some before and after experimentation with tea leaves, learned how to seep and pour tea properly and got to samplRead more”

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Biking Real Shanghai& Tea Tasting Experience - Meeting outside the Garden Hotel
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Biking Real Shanghai& Tea Tasting Experience

6.Biking Real Shanghai& Tea Tasting Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 45 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $88

Ride through Shanghai with a guide such as Ellen or Helen, using quiet lanes, Old Town alleys, the Former French Concession, and Fuxing Park to see daily life up close. The 3.5-hour small-group tour includes a bike, helmet, photos, bottled water, and a traditional tea tasting.

“The Best Way to See Shanghai—and the Tea Tasting Was a Perfect Bonus! This bike tour was one of the most incredible experiences during my time in Shanghai! It’s truly the best way to explore the city. Our guides were not only knowledgeable but also passionate storytellers, taking us through historic landmarks, hidden alleyways, and vibrant side streets—giving us an authentic feel for Shanghai’s heart and soul. And the tea-tasting experience? A delightful surprise! I HIGHLY recommend this tour to anyone visiting Shanghai. Don’t miss the chance to ride with them—it’s an adventure you won’t forget!”

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Tea Village in lost Town and Buddha 1 day tour - The two-hour road to Leshan
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Tea Village in lost Town and Buddha 1 day tour

7.Tea Village in lost Town and Buddha 1 day tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · from $169

Travel from Chengdu with an English-speaking guide such as Patrick or Sheldon, view the Leshan Giant Buddha by boat, wander an old town, then pick and prepare tea at Jiajiang Tianfu Tea Plantation. Lunch, transport, tea tasting, and pickup are included.

“This trip is remarkable. It blends in beautiful sights (Giant Buddha) with an authentic and local Chinese cultural experience. My guide was Patrick and he and the driver were both amazing!”

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Authentic Hangzhou Longjing Tea Culture Experience Tour - Private pickup makes the outing easy
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Authentic Hangzhou Longjing Tea Culture Experience Tour

8.Authentic Hangzhou Longjing Tea Culture Experience Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews

Travel by private transfer from your Hangzhou hotel or train station to Longjingshan Tea Cultural Village. With English-speaking guide Forrest Gan, you’ll pick fresh leaves, see them roasted, taste Longjing green tea, join a tea ceremony, and take tea home.

“The guide was kind and knowledgeable about tea history in China. We really enjoyed the trip and the tea picking and tasting experience. Thanks, Forest.”

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Chinese Tea ceremony in Beijing Hutong courtyard - What happens during the one-hour ceremony
Beijing Tea Experiences, China Tea Experiences, Tea Ceremony Experiences, Tea Experiences, Tour Reviews

Chinese Tea ceremony in Beijing Hutong courtyard

9.Chinese Tea ceremony in Beijing Hutong courtyard

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 26 reviews · 1 hour · from $31

Join Limeng and her hosts at Bayi Teahouse for a one-hour Chinese tea ceremony in a traditional hutong courtyard near the Forbidden City. Choose from green, black, wulong, or Pu’Er tea, learn how to brew and serve it, sample snacks, and talk with local residents whose family has lived in the area for generations.

“a very interesting activity! You learn about the different kind of teas and how to properly prepare, drink them according to the Chinese culture. Everyone was super friendly and I had very great time!”

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Half-Day Hangzhou Yunxi Bamboo Forest and Tea Plantation Experience - Why private transport matters in a four-hour schedule
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Half-Day Hangzhou Yunxi Bamboo Forest and Tea Plantation Experience

10.Half-Day Hangzhou Yunxi Bamboo Forest and Tea Plantation Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · from $130

Spend four to five hours with a private guide in Yunxi’s bamboo forest and the Longjing tea country. You’ll hike gently, tour tea fields, taste local tea, and eat Chinese country fare. Guides such as Lin, Rebecca, and Mr. Pan, also called Tony, have been praised for their warm local insight.

“This was one of the best guides we ever had! Mr Pan aka Tony and Alana helped us design the perfect itinerary for our trip. We kindly asked them to include a visit to the West Lake and the Lingyin Temple and they helped us arrange the day Read more”

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Leshan Buddha + Panda Base or Old Tea House Private Day Tour - Pengzhen old tea house: the more unusual choice
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Leshan Buddha + Panda Base or Old Tea House Private Day Tour

11.Leshan Buddha + Panda Base or Old Tea House Private Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $99

Spend a full day with a private English-speaking guide, choosing Chengdu’s panda base or Pengzhen’s old tea house before visiting Leshan Giant Buddha. Cora and Victor are praised for clear explanations, thoughtful help, and photo guidance. Add the Buddha by boat, on foot, or both.

“I was looking for a tour to help us reach the Leshan Giant Buddha from Chengdu. And this tour was covering a little more, Panda Base being a secondary objective for us. The tour operator helped us to buy the entrance tickets to both attractions. The driver was also very helpful showing us what queues we should follow.”

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Day Tour to Discover the Secrets of Hangzhou's Tea Culture - Starting at West Lake
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Day Tour to Discover the Secrets of Hangzhou’s Tea Culture

12.Day Tour to Discover the Secrets of Hangzhou’s Tea Culture

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $161

Spend six hours tracing Longjing tea from Hangzhou’s West Lake area to the tea fields of Meijiawu. Your private English-speaking guide leads you through the National Tea Museum, historic imperial bushes, tea tasting, village life, and Hefang Street, with hotel pickup included.

“Loved this tour. The tea museum is one of a kind! The boat ride on west lake was a nice diversion as well. Touring a tea plantation and seeing the Dragon Well was a highlight. Great tour guide.”

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Afternoon Tea and Dessert Tour on the Huaihai Road in Shanghai - Mooncakes at two local pastry shops
Afternoon Tea Experiences, China Tea Experiences, Dessert Tours, Shanghai Tea Experiences, Tea Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours

Afternoon Tea and Dessert Tour on the Huaihai Road in Shanghai

13.Afternoon Tea and Dessert Tour on the Huaihai Road in Shanghai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $82

Walk Huaihai Road with a local guide, sample mooncakes at two pastry shops, watch a tea ceremony with green, black, jasmine, and oolong teas, then finish with Cantonese cold desserts. The tour begins at 2:00pm and ends in the French Concession.

“Absolutely fantastic! We have travelled all over the globe and have done many tours, including food-related ones, and I can tell you that this is one of the best we have done! We had a fantastic time - the afternoon was so relaxing and with tRead more”

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Half-day Private Mahjong course in Local Tea House - From Zhangjia Alley to the spice market
Chengdu Tea Experiences, China Tea Experiences, Half-Day, Private, Tea Experiences, Tour Reviews

Half-day Private Mahjong course in Local Tea House

14.Half-day Private Mahjong course in Local Tea House

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $60

Join Lance or another English-speaking local guide for a three-hour Chengdu outing that pairs a spice-market visit with a private mahjong lesson in a traditional tea room. You’ll taste local foods, drink tea, learn the rules, and play a few hands in a less-touristed neighborhood.

“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”

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Shanghai 3-Hour Afternoon Tea Tasting and Dessert Tour - The Tea Ceremony Is the Quiet Center
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Shanghai 3-Hour Afternoon Tea Tasting and Dessert Tour

15.Shanghai 3-Hour Afternoon Tea Tasting and Dessert Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 15 reviews · 3 hours · from $77

Meet your English, Chinese, or Korean-speaking guide at South Huangpi Road Station at 2 PM. Walk Huaihai Road, sample mooncakes at two pastry shops, join a tea ceremony with Hangzhou green tea and Fujian black tea, then try Cantonese icy desserts.

“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…”

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New in China Tea Experiences

★ 5.0Beijing：Learn Calligraphy & Enjoy Kung Fu Tea CeremonyFrom $482 reviews

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Pick a kind of tea day

A ceremony, a garden, a tasting bench or a tiered stand.

The ceremony

Tea CeremoniesIn KimonoMaking ClassesBrush & BowlSweets & Tea

The gardens

Plantation DaysFactory FloorsTastingsFarm Visits

Afternoon tea

Afternoon TeaBus TeasBoat TeasCakes & Sweets

And the rest

MatchaTurkish TeaBubble TeaCoffee