Shanghai: Bund, Tower & French Concession Private Day Tour

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/6

Duration8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · CM

PickupAt your hotel

Drive through Shanghai's layered past and present in one day, on your own schedule

You get a private guide and driver for the day, hotel pickup and drop-off, and the freedom to build your own itinerary around Shanghai's main sights — the Bund's skyline, Shanghai Tower's observation deck, the 400-year-old Yuyuan Garden, the French Concession's tree-lined streets, and Jade Buddha Temple. You choose the start time and which attractions to visit, so the day moves at your pace instead of a group schedule.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Shanghai's top city highlights

Meet guide and discuss itinerary
Visit Yuyuan Garden and stroll
See panoramic city view from Shanghai Tower
Walk along Riverside Promenade
Explore former French Concession area
Visit Jade Buddha Temple
Stroll narrow alleys with shops and cafés
Walk along The Bund and admire skyline

The Experience

Your guide meets you at the hotel lobby and the two of you sit down to map out the day — what you want to see, how long you want to linger, whether you'd rather skip something and add something else instead. That's the whole point of a private tour in Shanghai. You're not following a bus schedule or a fixed route. The driver pulls up in an air-conditioned vehicle, and you move through the city at the pace that makes sense for you.

Most days start at Yuyuan Garden, a 400-year-old compound of pavilions, ponds, and rockeries tucked into the old city. Your guide walks you through the corridors and explains what you're looking at — the deliberate placement of every stone, the way the garden frames views as you move through it. It's quiet in the morning, and the guide points out details most visitors miss. From there you drive to Shanghai Tower, 632 meters tall, the second-highest building in the world. The observation deck gives you a full 360-degree view of the whole city spreading out below — the Huangpu River, the forest of other towers, the grid of streets. You can walk down to the Riverside Promenade after and see the waterfront from ground level, which feels like a completely different Shanghai.

The French Concession is next if you want it — tree-lined streets with colonial-era architecture, cafés, small shops. Then Jade Buddha Temple, where you'll see monks at prayer and walk past the gold statues. Your guide knows the history and the rhythm of the place. After that, Tianzifang, the narrow alleyway neighborhood full of tiny restaurants, bars, and galleries squeezed between old residential buildings. It's crowded but it's where Shanghai's creative side lives. You end at the Bund as the light starts to change, watching the skyline light up across the river, the Pearl TV Tower and World Financial Center glowing against the dark. Your guide takes you back to the hotel whenever you're ready to stop.

The tour is completely customizable — if you want to skip Yuyuan and do a Huangpu River cruise instead, or spend three hours in one neighborhood instead of rushing through five, you tell your guide and that's what happens. You choose the starting time. You choose which attractions matter to you. The vehicle and driver are included if you book the car service option, which means you're not negotiating taxis or reading transit maps between stops.

What’s included

Your day includes a private professional guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, and an air-conditioned vehicle with driver (if the car service option is selected).
You'll visit Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai Tower with observation deck access, the French Concession, Jade Buddha Temple, Tianzifang alleyway, and the Bund.
The itinerary is customizable — you choose which attractions to visit, how long to spend at each, and what time to start.
You can add activities like a Huangpu River cruise or museum visits if you prefer.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Amazing Shanghai Trip

Is this one for you?Best for travelers who want to see Shanghai's main sights in one day without arranging transport between stops or following a fixed group schedule — the private guide and vehicle let you move at your own pace and skip or add attractions based on what interests you.