IMPORTANT NOTES
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THIS TOUR IS FOR ADOPTEES AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS ONLY, AGES 18 AND UP
From city lights to mountain heights, this is East China like you’ve never seen it before. Start in Shanghai connecting and celebrating our diverse and international adoptee community with Adoptees of Shanghai and other adoptees living in China before heading into the breathtaking landscape of Southeast China!
This Rooted Route takes you on a true journey of discovery and connection, wandering the modern metropolis of Shanghai before swapping the big city for tea-covered hills, ancient waterways, and Yellow Mountain — a UNESCO World Heritage site — plus visits to storybook Hui villages straight out of a Chinese painting. Every stop is a mix of beauty, history, and those can’t-believe-I’m-here moments you’ll be talking about for years.
Please contact us if you have any questions. We are excited to make your dream trip a reality.
From skyline cocktails to sunrise over the clouds, this East China adventure doesn’t mess around. Start in Shanghai’s buzzing streets, connecting with our international adoptee community before heading for tea fields, ancient water towns, and the epic peaks of Yellow Mountain. Every stop is a photo-op, a story, and a memory you won’t find anywhere else.
Click on each day to learn more!
Welcome to Shanghai — China’s modern powerhouse with an old soul! Our guide will meet us at the airport and get us checked into the hotel for the night. Tomorrow the adventure begins!
Take it easy or start exploring to fight jetlag. The nightlife of Shanghai is unmatched. Just saying… But maybe we should save that for Night 2.
Meals Included: all on own today
We’re kicking off the tour with a visit to Chenghuang Temple and Yu Garden, where winding lanes and traditional pavilions hide in the middle of the city.
Then, we head to the iconic Bund for skyline views. More importantly, we’ll experience some local flavors for lunch and dinner.
Hot Tip: At the Bund, maybe check out the Peace Hotel Jazz Bar — the oldest jazz club in China, hitting all the right notes since the 1930s.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Free day to choose your own Shanghai adventure! Shop in the trendy French Concession, hunt for treasures in local markets, or sip coffee in a hidden café. In the afternoon, we’re excited to connect with Adoptees of Shanghai and celebrate our international adoptee community!
We’ll wrap the day up with a mixer and toast the city from a rooftop bar.
Possible stops:
Meals Included: breakfast
Largely considered the museum for understanding China’s material culture across millennia, we’ll visit Shanghai Museum’s world-class collection of Chinese art, artifacts, and historical treasures in the morning before catching a 1-hour bullet train ride to Hangzhou.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Waking up in Hangzhou, we’ll visit a tea village to pick our own leaves and learn how they’re processed — a tradition that has shaped Hangzhou’s economy and culture for centuries. Hangzhou was a key stop on the ancient Maritime Silk Road, sending silk, tea, and other treasures across Asia and beyond. The same crafts we learn today — painting silk fans and making paper umbrellas — are part of the heritage that made the city famous worldwide.
After dinner, we’ll enjoy the spectacular Song Dynasty Romance Show, an epic blend of dance, music, and history. For those interested, you can dress in Song-era costumes and stroll around West Lake.
Hot Tip: Take advantage of the nightlife of Hangzhou. The boisterous night markets, lively open mic bars, and karaoke clubs naturally blend with the joyful sounds of aunties dancing by the lake and uncles playing mahjong on every stoop. It’s infectious.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
For our final day in Hangzhou, we’ll catch a peaceful boat ride around the legendary West Lake and a tasty lunch before driving 1.5 hours to Wuzhen — a beautiful, ancient water town — in the afternoon.
Walk along the peaceful canals and be sure to have your camera handy. Every turn offers a magazine-worthy snapshot. Oh, and of course, be sure to grab snacks from multiple vendors along the way.
Hot Tip: Wu Town is magic at night — moody canal photography, red lantern reflections, and quiet wine bars along the water. It’s a great night for low-light shots and wandering with a camera.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Enjoy a lazy morning exploring Wu Town’s morning beauty and artisan shops before heading to Huangshan City by bullet train (1.5 hours).
Hot Tips: Wake up early for morning coffee and golden hour shots. Oh and, if interested, be sure to try osmanthus-infused rice wine before we leave — it’s the perfect farewell drink for Wuzhen.
Meals Included: breakfast, dinner
Today is the day! We’re heading up Yellow Mountain (Huangshan), one of the most breathtaking landscapes in China (and that’s saying something).
This utterly mystical mountain has been one of the most famous mountains in China since ancient times. Strange pines, painterly rock formations, seas of clouds, and steaming hot springs are together known as the “Four Wonders” of Huangshan. If we’re lucky, we’ll experience all four!
Huangshan is massive and will take multiple days to really appreciate. This is day 1 of 2, thankfully, and we’ll be staying overnight on Huangshan. You know what that means? We’ll get to catch both sunset AND sunrise! Set your alarms – you won’t want to miss them.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 2 of 2 at Huangshan! There is so much to see and explore on this beautiful mountain. We’ll tour its most famous vistas, but you’ll have time to climb and adventure at your own pace. Take advantage of this incredible day! There are few who get the opportunity to take in all of Yellow Mountain’s beauty. We still dream of the first time we ever navigated its strange cliffs.
We’ll head back down to Huangshan City in the evening, with enough time to spare to, oh I don’t know, maybe find a local hot spring bathhouse in Huangshan City for a relaxing soak? You know, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
As our trip comes to an end, we’ll close with a visit to either Xidi or Hongcun, both UNESCO World Heritage villages known for their Hui-style architecture and timeless courtyards.
Hui-style villages are known as “Chinese paintings” as they are what most villages in Chinese brush paintings are modeled after, with their black roofs and idyllic landscapes.
We’ll return to Huangshan City for the night.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Time flies 🙁
We’ll take a 3-hour bullet train back to Shanghai for our departure — with full stomachs and even fuller hearts.
Tip: If Shanghai is not your preferred departure city, it is still best to plan on returning with the group and booking any continuing travels from Shanghai instead of Huangshan City.
Meals Included: breakfast
*Subject to change, but only for better or equal level options
Please note: Tour fee assumes double occupancy in all rooms. Please add $400 to your tour fee if private occupancy is needed.
Hangzhou Hotel TBD
(2 nights)
(1 night)
Address: 118 Nvhong St, Tongxiang, Jia Xing Shi, Zhejiang, China, 314501
(3 nights)
Address: No.18-2, Wan’anmen, Xihai Road, Tunxi District, Huangshan, Anhui, China
(1 night)
Address: Haixin Pavilion, Tianhai Scenic Area, Huangshan District, Huangshan, Anhui, 245800, China
All in-country rooming and transportation accommodations are covered
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We cap our Rooted Routes at 40 travelers. However, most tours are anticipated to be around 15-20 travelers.
On our Rooted Route tours, we welcome all adoptees (regardless of country of birth) and their significant others. If other family members are interested in traveling, please check out our other tour offerings!
Absolutely! If you need help with any additional trip bookings, we are happy to help.
Yes, you can, but please understand that unused tours are non-refundable and the cost of the Tour package is a fixed cost.
Please let us know in advance of your decisions so that we can confirm your preferences with your tour guide.
$3-6 or 20-35 RMB per day per person in your party for each tour guide. It is fine to tip in either USD or RMB currency. You should plan to tip $1-3 or 7-20 RMB per day per person in your party for tour bus drivers. To make tipping easier for your family, you can tip your guide & bus driver at the end of each city on the tour.
Yes. Because birth-country travel can be deeply emotional for many adoptees, each Rooted Route Heritage Tour includes a therapist who is trained and experienced in working with adoptees. They are available throughout the trip to provide support and guidance as needed. Please note that this support is supplemental and does not replace your personal mental health care or ongoing therapy.
What truly sets these trips apart is the focus on adult adoptee community. Traveling with other adoptees creates a unique environment where participants can build deeper connections, share experiences openly, and support one another throughout the journey. This shared understanding often leads to meaningful friendships, personal discovery, and a sense of belonging that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.
In addition, these tours are intentionally designed to be more adventurous, taking you to less-toured regions of China that we believe are especially beautiful, culturally rich, and worth exploring. Because of this, the itinerary includes more physical activity, flexibility, and a spirit of adventure compared to traditional heritage tours.
We do not currently have a summer Rooted Routes tour scheduled for 2026. However, we are exploring the possibility of offering one in 2027. If you’re interested, please let us know so we can add you to our interest list so you can be the first to know about future dates.
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China has no specific immunization requirements for entering their country and the U.S. has no immunization requirements for re-entry. This includes no requirements for COVID immunizations.
We recommend that you ask your personal physician, a travel/immunization clinic, and/or the Center for Disease Control about any vaccinations requirement updates or suggestions.
CDC website for specific recommendations.
Each traveler will need:
Please check your passport and the passports of each individual in your travel party to verify that all expire at least 6 months after your tour dates.
Due to the unpredictability of international travel, we highly recommend that you purchase international travel and medical emergency insurance. Visit our Tour Resources section for more information.
All of the hotels we will be staying at have in-house clinics for any mild medical needs. For anything more urgent, our guides are able to take you to the nearest hospital, if needed.
For any prescription medication, it is recommended that they be kept in their original containers in case of emergency. Make sure that you pack amounts slightly more than enough for the entire trip and have a plan for the drastic time change. For more information regarding medications in your carry-on or checked bags please visit TSA guidelines.
Yes, all of our tour guides will try their utmost to help ensure that all meals are safe for any dietary restrictions. However, due to cultural and culinary differences in China, we cannot guarantee anything and suggest taking caution and packing snacks if food allergies are severe.
Please mention any and all food allergies, dietary needs, or health concerns on your registration form. This will help our guides better prepare.
We also have translated cards available for common allergies or physical conditions. Visit our Tour Resources section to find these under “Travel Tips”. If you would like a translated card that is not yet listed, please contact us.
For in-China flights:
Plan to bring an additional $50-$100 if you are a heavy packer. You may lock your bag for in-China flights but you must leave your bag unlocked for your international flights.
For bullet train travel:
Your hotels on the trip will have laundry services available; however, with the quick speed of the trip, it can be challenging to get hotel laundry done in time. Plan on only being able to do laundry when you are staying at least 2 nights in a given city so that your clothes have ample time to dry.
Please keep in mind that hotel laundry services can be very expensive. Be sure to carefully review the laundry form provided by the hotel in regards to the price per item. There may be some opportunities to have your laundry done outside of the hotel in Chengdu and Guilin. These options could be cheaper. Your guide will be able to notify you if this service is available.
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A $200/traveler deposit is required upon booking. This deposit is applied toward your tour total and is non-refundable except under extenuating circumstances.
Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about this deposit.
Unfortunately, we are no longer able to provide free trip coverage for adoptees traveling on a heritage tour.
Your tour fee does not cover:
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As of right now, some orphanages still remain closed to visitors. Visits must be verified and approved on a case by case basis. Guangdong, Hunan, and Henan Province have remained hesitant, but most other provinces have re-opened their doors to visitors.
Let us know if you do want to visit your/your child’s orphanage on your birth city tour so that we can do some homework for you.
This tour is designed to be more adventurous in order to explore less-touristed areas of China. Because of this, you can expect plenty of walking, hiking, and navigating uneven terrain. If you have medical conditions or accessibility needs, please let us know so we can help you plan and ensure you have a safe and comfortable experience.
While the days are packed, we’ve designed each tour to include some personal time for you to explore the city to your heart’s content! We will provide recommendations on local restaurants, markets, and shopping opportunities for each tour.
Yes! We have intentionally created adoptee-only spaces throughout the tour for reflection, conversation, and community-building. While we believe these moments are a valuable part of the experience, participation is always optional, and we strive to make these spaces welcoming, respectful, and inclusive.
We are grateful to non-adoptee participants who honor and respect these adoptee-only spaces.
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*Please keep in mind that orphanage visits are not guaranteed and will be at the discretion of the orphanage.*
For an orphanage visit, you will need:
Yes, to everything except the orphanage visit itself. Pending approval of your Orphanage Visit Application, our guides can contact the orphanage for you, but the go/no go decision is ultimately up to the orphanage.
Your Orphanage City Tour costs (including hotels, flights/trains, transportation, guide services, etc.) will be calculated specifically for your trip.
Yes, we are happy to plan a Birth Province & Orphanage Tour itinerary for whatever length you would like! Additional costs will be communicated accordingly.
Although gifts are not required as part of the orphanage visit, if you would like to bring a gift, you can consider bringing small toys or school/art supplies for the children. You may also consider inquiring with the orphanage about any specific needs they may have. If you would like, you can purchase what is needed in China.
Gifts/donations are strictly optional.
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