Leleforest Tea Journey: Wuyishan

November 24–28, 2026 · Wuyishan, China

5 days / 4 nights · Small group

Spend five days at the source of Wuyi rock tea.

This fall, Leleforest is bringing a small group to Wuyishan to stay with our tea-producing partners, walk the mountains where Yancha is grown, learn how the tea is crafted, and experience the landscape and culture that have shaped Wuyi tea for generations.

This journey is an invitation to step away from everyday life, slow down, and experience tea not simply as something we drink, but as a way of connecting with place, people, and ourselves.

1. Why Wuyishan?

Wuyishan is the birthplace of Wuyi Rock Tea, or Yancha (岩茶)—a style of oolong shaped as much by its landscape as by the people who make it.

Tea grows here among dramatic rock cliffs and narrow valleys, in a landscape unlike almost any other tea region in China. The mineral-rich soils, mountain microclimates, tea cultivars, and generations of craftsmanship come together to create what tea drinkers call yan yun (岩韵)—the distinctive depth, minerality, aroma, and lingering character associated with Wuyi tea.

For this journey, we'll stay with Huiying Tea, the family-run producer behind Leleforest's Lift. We'll spend time in their tea gardens and workshop, taste across different teas and styles, learn how Yancha is processed and roasted, and experience the mountains that shape what's ultimately in the cup.

For me, that's what makes Wuyishan special: tea, people, and landscape are inseparable here.

2. The Experience

We'll stay on Huiying's tea property and learn through experience—walking through tea gardens, tasting teas side by side, learning the craft of Yancha processing, sharing meals with the tea team, and exploring the landscape that gives Wuyi tea its character.

Each morning, we'll begin the day with a gentle yoga and meditation practice led by Scarlett—a chance to move, breathe, and settle in before the day's exploration.

There will also be time to hike, raft the Nine-Bend River, drink tea without an agenda, and simply be in the mountains.

3. Wuyishan Schedule

November 24–28, 2026 · 5 Days / 4 Nights

Three full days of tea, landscape, and culture, with a welcome evening on arrival and breakfast together before departure.

Day 1 · Nov 24 Arrival & Welcome

Arrive in Wuyishan and settle into the tea estate.

Evening

  • Welcome tea ceremony
  • Meet our tea hosts and fellow travelers
  • Settle in and ease into the rhythm of the mountains

Day 2 · Nov 25 Discovering Wuyi Mountain

Our first full day is about experiencing the landscape that surrounds—and shapes—Wuyi tea.

Morning

  • Hike Tianyou Peak for panoramic views of the Wuyi Mountains

Afternoon

  • Bamboo raft journey along the Nine-Bend River

Evening

  • Impression Da Hong Pao, an outdoor performance set against the Wuyi landscape

Day 3 · Nov 26 Tea Mountain Exploration

A full day in the heart of Wuyi Rock Tea country, connecting what we taste in the cup with where the tea actually grows.

Day

  • Explore the core production areas of Wuyi Rock Tea
  • Walk through Zhengyan tea gardens and two of Wuyishan's famous valleys
  • Visit Tianxin Yongle Chan Temple
  • See the original Da Hong Pao mother trees
  • Vegetarian lunch in the mountains
  • Taste representative teas from the gardens and areas we visit

Evening

  • Open tea tasting & sharing session
  • Group discussion and reflection

Day 4 · Nov 27 Tea Culture & Evaluation

After experiencing the landscape and tea gardens, we'll spend our final full day going deeper into the cup—learning how to taste, evaluate, and brew Wuyi Rock Tea.

Morning · Yancha Evaluation

  • Introduction to Wuyi Rock Tea
  • Explore major Yancha categories
  • Guided professional tea evaluation
  • Learn to recognize differences in quality and character
  • Comparative tasting of 9 standard tea samples

Afternoon · Gongfu Tea Practice

  • “Technique in the hands, mindfulness in the heart”
  • Hands-on Gongfu tea brewing practice

Evening

  • Farewell dinner together

Day 5 · Nov 28 Breakfast & Departure

One last morning together in Wuyishan.

  • Breakfast
  • Pack up and say goodbye to our hosts
  • Depart for your next destination

4. Who This Journey Is For

You don't need to be a tea expert to join. This journey is for anyone who is curious about tea, culture, nature, and experiencing a slower side of China.

There will be plenty to learn about Wuyi tea, but also plenty of time to simply be in the mountains, drink tea, and enjoy where we are.

Come for the tea, the mountains, the people — or simply for a few days to slow down.

5. Program Fee

$1,800 per person

Included

  • 4 nights accommodation at/near the tea estate
  • Meals during the program
  • All scheduled tea experiences and workshops
  • Daily Morning practice. Yoga/Meditation led by Scarlett.
  • Local transportation within Wuyishan
  • National park / scheduled activity fees
  • English interpretation
  • Leleforest hosting and pre-trip coordination

Not included

  • International flights
  • Transportation to/from Wuyishan
  • Personal purchases
  • Travel insurance
  • Anything outside the scheduled program

7. Our Hosts in Wuyishan

Huiying Tea is a family-run tea producer rooted in Wuyishan, with three generations of experience growing and crafting Wuyi rock tea.

Today, the third generation—a husband-and-wife team—runs Huiying together, carrying forward their family's tea-making traditions while building their own vision for the future. From tending the tea gardens to processing, roasting, tasting, and sharing the finished teas, tea is deeply woven into their everyday life.

I first came to know Huiying not simply as a supplier, but by spending time with their family. I stayed with them in Wuyishan for two weeks—walking the tea mountains, learning about Yancha production, drinking countless rounds of tea, and sharing meals and everyday life together.

Some of the teas I discovered during that time eventually became part of the Leleforest collection, including our everyday Yancha, Lift. But more importantly, the experience changed the way I understood Wuyi tea: not simply as something we drink, but as the expression of a landscape, a craft, and generations of knowledge.

For this journey, Huiying is opening their home and tea world to us. We'll learn directly from the family, visit the mountains where their teas grow, taste together, and experience Wuyishan through the people who live and make tea here.

Interested in joining us?

We're gathering a small group for our first Wuyishan Tea Journey. Leave your information below and I'll reach out with travel details and next steps.