The Other Side of West Lake
West Lake beyond the tourist hype, quiet paths, local rhythms.
Take a Stroll through the Dynasties
How history in Hangzhou lives on through streets, medicine, and everyday routines.
The Artery of Empires
A lifeline of empires that still pulses through the living flesh of the city today.
Where Tea Rang through the Hills
Hike, harvest, and hear the melody of the Dragon Well Green Tea.
Guided Tours
Hangzhou is not a city that shows off her beauty to the rest of the world.
She stays loyal to her locals, revealing her true beauty only to those who call her home.
Join our guided small-group day tours with local English-speaking guides,
and discover the side of the city most travelers never see.
The Other Side of
West Lake
At the quieter edges of West Lake, the water narrows and the crowds dissolve. Glide through foliage-lined channels, follow discrete paths shaped by daily routines, and pause where the lake feels most intimate.
This route reveals the side of the West Lake as locals experience it—not as a destination, but as a rhythm of everyday life.
Take a Stroll through the
Dynasties
Moving through spaces shaped by ancient dynasties, this tour takes you on a stroll through the generations lived by Hangzhou's locals.
History here lives beyond just museum display cases—it is layered into pavements still walked, carried in vendors' calls still heard, and baked into remedies still prescribed.
The Artery of Empires
Before railways and airlines, power flowed through the Grand Canal, carrying grain, silk, ideas, and ambition.
Join us in tracing the ancient artery that connects two imperial capitals, once sustaining the life of empires and still quietly fueling the everyday vibrancy of Hangzhou today.
Where Tea Rang through
the Hills
You probably know what tea tastes like. But do you know what it sounds like?
Before picking and crafting your own tea, begin with a hike through mountain paths once traversed by tea merchants to sell their harvest. Legend has it that the soft clink of their Biandan echoed through the hills, carrying the sound of tea long before its flavor ever reached the cup.
Common Questions
The routes and activities are carefully curated to offer premium, authentic experiences beyond typical tourist paths. Each tour also includes uniquely designed interactive components to keep travelers engaged throughout the journey.
Two of the tours — The Other Side of West Lake and The Artery of Empires — are led by Vi, co-founder of Brivience. Born and raised in Hangzhou, Vi shares a great passion with Linghao (founder of Brivience) to show the world what Hangzhou has to offer. She is well-traveled, studied in the UK, and speaks fluent English.
Take a Stroll Through the Dynasties and Where Tea Rang Through the Hills are led by carefully selected local English-speaking guides who work closely with Brivience. They are trained to deliver the specific modality, depth, and quality that define our tours.
Brivience tours are ideal for first-time visitors who want to avoid crowded, overly commercialized experiences and instead discover the side of Hangzhou that locals value most.
Brivience is also developing Brivia Eats — a local food discovery and ordering app designed to bring you closer to China's culinary culture. We bridge the gap between language, context, and cuisine — so you can explore the local food landscape without language and cultural barriers and order every local meal with confidence.
