Private Full-Day Shanghai Tour: East & West Highlights

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/11

Duration8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · CM

PickupAt your hotel

Eight hours, both sides of Shanghai, one guide who knows it

A private full-day tour of Shanghai with a live guide in English, Spanish, French or Chinese covers the Bund's colonial architecture, Yu Garden's Ming Dynasty halls and rockery, the French Concession's tree-lined streets, and three of the city's tallest buildings in Lujiazui. Hotel pickup and flexible start time are included; observation deck entry is optional so you choose based on the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Shanghai's iconic landmarks

Visit Shanghai Tower observation deck
See Oriental Pearl Tower views
Explore Shanghai World Financial Center decks
Walk through Yu Garden
Stroll old business street near Yu Garden
Visit Confucius Temple and tea ceremony
Explore French Concession area
Walk along The Bund riverside promenade

The Experience

The guide meets you at your hotel and the day splits between east and west Shanghai. Lujiazui holds three skyscrapers: Shanghai Tower, the world's fastest elevators climbing 632 metres to the highest observation deck; Oriental Pearl Tower, which held China's tallest title for thirteen years and has a glass-floored sphere at the top; and Shanghai World Financial Center, where the 100th floor walkway sits inside transparent walls. Each observation deck is optional, so you pick which ones suit the weather and your energy.

The west side moves slower. Yu Garden dates to 1559 and spreads across halls, statues and the famous Grand Rockery and Exquisite Jade Rocks — the guide walks you through the layout so the garden reads as a whole instead of a collection of corners. Nearby, Confucius Temple sits on the grounds where Shanghai was still a fishing village during the Yuan Dynasty; a complimentary tea ceremony happens there. The Bund follows: dozens of colonial-era buildings line the Huangpu River, and the walkway lets you read the architecture and the history of European, Asian and American trading houses all at once.

French Concession closes the day with tree-lined streets and the mix of colonial and modern Shanghai that makes the neighbourhood distinct. The guide knows the story of how it got there and what changed. Transport is included — either a private car for the whole day or metro and taxis, depending on which option you book — and you return to your hotel at the end. An authentic dumpling lunch is part of the all-inclusive options; if you choose guide-only, you arrange your own meal.

What’s included

Personal guide in your chosen language.
hotel pickup and return.
flexible start time.
entrance fees to Yu Garden and Confucius Temple (with complimentary tea ceremony).
authentic dumpling lunch (all-inclusive options only).
private car or metro and taxi transport (depending on option).
observation deck entry is optional and you choose which ones to visit.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Jennys China Tours

Is this one for you?Book the all-inclusive option with private car if you want one vehicle for the whole day and don't want to navigate the metro between stops. Choose metro and taxis if you prefer to move through the city like a local and save on transport cost. The guide-only option works if you're comfortable arranging your own lunch and transport but want someone who knows the history and can explain what you're standing in front of.