China · TEA CEREMONIES
The 15 best tea ceremonies you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is first for a reason; start there.
Taste Beijing-style Chinese tea in a guided ceremony with a friendly English tea master, sampling multiple teas and mini cups.
“Richard has been a terrific guide Our tea ceremony was lovely and very informative. Authentic happiness dumpling lunch was a joy. Calligraphy amazing. Richard is very patient with someone who has not held a paint brush for 50 years a great experience”
Tea tasting workshop in Hong Kong. Sip four teas with gung-fu skills, learn food pairings, and try nuts, chocolate, and flower honey toast.
“We explored the area and discovered this tea house. The experience was extremely positive and rewarding. We were able to deepen our knowledge of tea. We are very grateful for this experience and heartily recommend it to others. Vivian is truly an expert in what she does and how she conveys information to guests💚”
Cycle through Shanghai’s French Concession and back alleys, then finish with a guided tea tasting on a small-group ride.
“Lin waited 25 minutes for us. We arrived late directly from the airport and were so happy and delightfully surprised to see her still there waiting for us!”
A small-group Chinese tea ceremony in a Beijing Hutong courtyard near the Forbidden City, with tasting, snacks, and English guidance.
“Great experience! Would recomend to any internatinal tourist wanting to experience such an interesting cultural aspect of China. We were warmly welcomed, got to taste some amazing teas, shown how the traditional cerimony is done and try it ourselves. The host was super friendly, nice and perfect english communication.”
Private Beijing market tour with tea tasting, hotel pickup, and guided bargaining at Panjiayuan and Hongqiao Pearl Market.
“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”
A private walk through Shanghai’s Old City with a guided tour of Yuyuan Garden and a tea tasting ceremony, plus bazaar time and pickup.
“This 3-hour tour was the perfect way to explore Shanghai’s rich history. Yu Garden was beautiful and peaceful, and our guide shared great insights about its architecture and cultural significance. The tea tasting was a real highlight – we samRead more”
Private half-day Mahjong course in Chengdu with a spice market stop, tea tasting, snacks, and hotel pickup for $60.
“We had a wonderful experience with our guide checking out a local market and then learning to play mahjong. The guide was friendly and personable and was eager to show us his neighbourhood and patient with his teaching. It was also great to be in a less touristed area and see a different side of Chengdu.”
A 3-hour Shanghai walk with **mooncakes**, a **teahouse tea ceremony**, and icy Cantonese desserts on Huaihai Road. Great guide included.
“El tour fue ideal. Jim fue un excelente guía. Me mostró la ciudad, me contó su historia, compró comida típica que me obsequio y me llevo a un pequeño local donde hicimos una degustación de té que no podría haber sido mejor. Tradición, típico y sin tanto marketing, era un local tradicional. Mis palabras hacia Jim son sólo de agradecimiento ya que en una ciudad donde a veces es difícil relacionarse debido a la diferencia de idiomas, Jim adaptó el tour a mis gustos y lo que quería conocer en ese momento. Es definitivamente un tour que recomendaría a mis amigos y que cuando regrese a China voy a volver…”
Private day mixing Shanghai old town, Yuyuan, Tianzifang, plus Zhujiajiao boat ride, tea tasting, and lunch with hotel pickup.
“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.”
Beijing tea ceremony, guqin music, and calligraphy in a small group with an English guide, all for $15.
“Forget the usual dinner date—this was way more special. Sipping tea, listening to live music, and writing calligraphy for each other made it an unforgettable evening. If you want something authentic and intimate, this is it!”
Private Mutianyu Great Wall day trip with hotel pickup, entry tickets handled, plus a guided tea tasting and ceremony near the wall.
“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 Chengdu walking tour with Qingyang Palace Daoism sights, Funan River parks, and a 1-hour kung-fu tea ceremony.
“I had a fantastic morning out with Bruce. I would highly recommend this trip as a great way of seeing Chengdu. I definitely got more out of my visit from doing this tour. Bruce was very knowledgeable and we had a very chilled morning Read more”
Temple of Heaven, a Taiji class, and a Central China tea ceremony in a 6-hour private tour with skip-the-line entry.
“This was such a wonderful experience in Beijing. Visiting the Temple of Heaven was unforgettable, but the Tai Chi lesson truly made the day extraordinary. The Tea House visit was another highlight—the owner was so knowledgeable, sharing both fascinating stories and incredible teas. The best part of the entire tour, though, was Candice. She wasn’t just a guide—she felt like a friend, which made the whole experience even more special. It’s a day I will always treasure. I also want to thank the rest of the Beijing Tour Company team for their support. Amber and Kolar, your help with coordinating our two groups was greatly appreciated. We now understand why…”
See Jade Buddha Temple and Yu Garden in 4 hours, plus Old Town bazaar and a guided tea ceremony with tasting, from $99.
“We booked this tour in advance and our tour guide was Mabel. We started the tour with walking to the nearby Buddha Tempel. We got a lot of information about it and had enough time to explore it. After this first stop, we got picked up by our driver and went to the Yu Garden. The garden was amazing and big. Very lovely to walk through the different parts and got all the historical information about the beginning to the present. The last stop for us was the tea tasting in a tea house. The tea was amazing and we tryed 5 different ones with explanation. Over all the whole…”
3-hour tea ceremony and dim sum tasting on Beijing’s Maliandao Street with eight teas, lunch, a small-group guide, and an easy subway meetup.
“Excellent experience with Renny, who was very warm, friendly and helpful. Started at the really vast and interesting "tea city" and had a lovely and peaceful time trying lots of teas in a tea tasting ceremony. Then had some delicious food including pork dumplings and hand pulled noodles. Left very happy and full! Would definitely recommend.”
Pick a landmark, a landscape or a meal, and start the trip there.
