Private Day Trip to Yueyang Tower, Dongting Lake & Junshan Island from Changsha

Tour Highlights
• Admire Yueyang Tower, one of the Four Great Towers of China situated at the western gate of Yueyang Ancient City
• Take a boat ride on Dongting Lake, the second largest freshwater lake in China
• Visit Junshan Island, the largest island in Dongting Lake with 72 hills and renown for ancient temples and pavilions

About This Tour
• Departure: Daily departing from Changsha
• Tour Duration: Approximately 8 hours.
• Guide Languages: Chinese & English.
• Pickup Time: Between 07:00 and 10:00, choose a departure time most suitable for you.
• Pickup & Drop-off Place: Your accommodation in Changsha
• Advice on Meals: Lunch is not included in this tour. We recommend having a substantial breakfast and bringing snacks in case you get hungry while sightseeing. If you'd like to experience authentic local cuisine for lunch, feel free to inform your guide, who will be happy to assist.

Tour Itinerary at a Glance
• Pickup from your accommodation in Changsha
• Drive to Yueyang Tower (approximately 160km, 2 hours driving)
• Visit Yueyang Tower
• Lunch on your own
• Boat Ride on Dongting Lake
• Visit Junshan Island
• Transfer back to your accommodation in Changsha

Price Remark
• Prices are not valid during National Day (Oct 1-7), Chinese New Year, and Labor Day (May 1-5).

Price Inclusions
• Professional English language speaking tour guide.
• Air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver.
• Admission tickets to sightseeing places.
• All government taxes.

Price Exclusions
• Hotel accommodation.
• Your personal expenses.
• Meals are excluded allowing you flexibility on menu.
• Travel insurance is not included. Please purchase before your trip to provide for any unforeseen circumstances.
• Gratuities to guide & driver. They are customary and would be of great encouragement and reward for quality service.

Additional Info
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking.
• Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
• The itinerary is subject to change due to traffic conditions or bad weather.
• The itinerary is flexible; changes can be made upon written request from travelers.
• IMPORTANT: It is required by the government regulations that travelers must provide their name, gender, nationality, passport number and date of birth to their tour operator upon booking a tour. Failure to do so could result in being denied access or admittance to sites and attractions during sightseeing. When you book this tour, please complete all required fields at checkout. Please bring your passport with you on the tour.

Cancellation Policy
• Cancellations made 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure time will receive a 100% refund.
• Cancellations made within 24 hours of the tour's start time or after the tour begins are non-refundable.
• Cancellation request will be confirmed within 2-5 business days, with refunds issued within 14 working days.

Tailor This Tour to Meet Your Needs
• If you want to customize this itinerary, contact us via WhatsApp (+86 139 1083 0737) or email (info@GrandChinaTravel.com). We'll create a tailor-made tour package just for you.

Know Before You Go
• Keep your passport with you throughout the tour; it may be needed to buy entrance tickets.
• Pickup time, guide's name, and contact information will be confirmed via WhatsApp or email.
• Your guide will be at the meeting point, holding a GGC pickup sign with your name.
• Meals are not included; please feel free to ask your guide for recommendations.
• If you book an Airbnb, please note that door-to-door pickup and drop-off might not be provided.
• There's a 20-minute grace period for waiting. Failure to show up will result in tour cancellation & no refund.

Hotel Pickup, Transfer to Yueyang Tower
Your private guide will be holding GoGrandChina pickup sign and waiting for you in your hotel lobby (or other appointed meeting place) at the appointed time. You will be transferred to Yueyang Tower (approximately 160km, 2 hours driving) in a comfortable private vehicle.

Visit Yueyang Tower
Yueyang Tower is an ancient Chinese tower on the shore of Lake Dongting. Alongside the Pavilion of Prince Teng and Yellow Crane Tower, it is one of the Three Great Towers of Jiangnan (South of Yangtze River). Yueyang Tower became famous for Memorial to Yueyang Tower written by Fan Zhongyan, an eminent minister of the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) in China. Located on the city wall of the west gate of the ancient city in Yueyang city, Yueyang Tower faces Junshan Island and overlooks Dongting Lake, being exquisite and imposing. Since ancient times, it has enjoyed the good reputation that Dongting Lake is the best among lakes, and Yueyang Tower is incomparable among towers. Yueyang Tower with yellow tiles and overhanging eaves set the green forest off. Its roof covered with yellow glazed tiles has a smooth curve, precipitous yet warped, just like a general's helmet in ancient China. It is the only ancient building with a helmet roof structure in China.

Dongting Lake
Dongting Lake is a large, shallow lake and a flood basin of the Yangtze River, so its volume depends on the season. The lake's area, which normally is 2,820 square kilometers or 1,090 square miles, may increase to 20,000 square kilometers (7,700 sq mi) in flood season, when vast amounts of water and sediment from Yangtze River flow into the lake. Dongting Lake is the second-largest fresh water lake, after Poyang Lake, as much of the lake has been turned into farmland. Dongting literally means "Grotto Court", and the lake was named for the huge hall or cavern, which was believed to exist beneath the lake. Dragon boat racing is said to have begun on the eastern shores of Dongting Lake, and a dragon-king is said to live at the bottom of the lake.

Visit Junshan Island
Take a boat ride across Dongting Lake to reach Junshan Island, formerly a Daoist retreat. This oval-shaped island consists of 72 peaks and it is a 0.96-square-kilometre (0.37 sq mi) in width. Junshan Island is full of historical sites such as the Tomb of Xiangfei. Legend said that 4,000 years ago during Emperor Shun's inspection visit in the south, two concubines named "Ehuang" and "Nüying" followed him to Dongting Lake, but they were stopped by stormy weather. When they heard that Emperor Shun had died suddenly they cried bitterly that their teardrops turned the bamboo into mottled bamboo. Soon they died of overwhelming sadness and locals built a tomb on Junshan Island to commemorate them. Junshan Island produces a lot of local specialities among which the most famous is Junshan Silver Needle Tea. The tea was listed as a tribute to the imperial family in the Tang dynasty (618–907). The golden tea leaves narrow and thin as needles, are wrapped by a layer of white filaments. When the tea is being brewed, tea leaves first float up to the top and then sink to the bottom in a vertical position as if they were swords standing upward creating a peculiar phenomenon in the tea cup.

Lunch at Your Own Expense
Please feel free to ask your guide for suggestions and recommendations

Transfer Back to Your Hotel
Your guide and driver will transfer you back to your hotel in Changsha.