Shanghai Private Day Tour: Yu Garden, Bund & Pudong with Guide

Your guide rewrites the itinerary on the spot based on what interests you most.

A private day tour of Shanghai with a local guide and driver, customized entirely around your preferences and timing. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. You choose whether to add lunch or dinner. The itinerary samples Yu Garden, the Bund, Pudong Island and the Jade Buddha Temple, but every stop is negotiable: your guide adjusts the route as you go.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Yu Garden1h 30m
2. Nanjing Road1h
3. Jade Buddha Temple1h

Explore Shanghai's historic and modern sites

• Meet guide and discuss itinerary
• Visit Ming Dynasty Yu Garden
• Walk old town bazaar and lucky-ring bridge
• Drive to Pudong New Island and stroll ring bridge
• Admire Shanghai skyline from observation deck
• Walk the Bund riverside and see iconic buildings
• Stop for local lunch or dinner
• Visit Jade Buddha Temple
• Optional visit to Tianzifang or French Concession
• Return to hotel or downtown area

The experience

You meet your guide and driver at your downtown Shanghai hotel and spend a few minutes mapping out the day together. This is not a fixed route: the tour is built around what you want to see, so if you arrive wanting only the historic sites, or only the modern skyline, or a mix neither of you expected, the guide reroutes. The sample itinerary covers Yu Garden's Ming Dynasty pavilions and ponds, a walk through the old town bazaar with its Qing Dynasty architecture and the lucky-ring bridge, then Pudong Island's modern towers. You can add the Jade Buddha Temple with its Burmese jade statues, or skip it for Tianzifang, the French Concession, Shanghai Museum, or the Urban Planning Hall: whatever fits the time and your mood.

The Bund comes next: a walk along the riverside past the colonial-era buildings that line the former British concession, with your guide explaining the history as you go. If the weather is clear, you can ride to the top of Shanghai Tower or Oriental Pearl TV tower for a bird's-eye view of the skyline and the river. Lunch or dinner happens during the tour if you booked that option. You choose the timing and the guide knows local spots.

The whole day runs 7 to 8 hours. Your driver handles the transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, so you move between neighborhoods without navigating or parking. At the end, you're dropped back at your hotel or anywhere else downtown you'd rather be.

What’s included

• Private driver and air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Shanghai.
• local guide speaking English who customizes the route to your interests.
• lunch or dinner at a local restaurant if you book that option.

Options for this experience

3 options

Private Tour OnlyGuide in English · 13 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 14:00A great guide and a private driver with an air-conditioned vehicle are included (food and entrance fees not included). Pickup is included.

Private tour that includes lunchGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:00A great guide, a private driver with an air-conditioned vehicle, and a tasty lunch are all included (entrance fees not included). Pickup is included.

Private tour that includes dinnerGuide in English · 12:30, 13:00, 13:30 and 14:00A great guide, a private driver with an air-conditioned vehicle, and a tasty dinner are all included (entrance fees not included). Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day13 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 14:00

AgesAdult (8 to 88 years) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sunny Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a private guide to customize the route based on what interests you most. You control which neighborhoods to linger in and which to skip, rather than following a set itinerary.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 7 years); Infant (under 3): free.

Can I change the itinerary once the tour starts?

Yes. Your guide builds the route based on your interests at the beginning, and you can adjust it anytime during the day. The tour is entirely flexible around what you want to see.

What is Yu Garden like, and how much time do we spend there?

Yu Garden is a Ming Dynasty garden filled with ponds, rockeries, pavilions and lush greenery. Your guide explains the history and architecture as you walk. The time you spend there depends on how much you want to explore, since the itinerary is customizable.

Does the tour include food, or do I pay separately for lunch and dinner?

Food is included only if you book the Private Tour with Lunch or Private Tour with Dinner option at checkout. If you book Private Tour Only, you can still stop to eat, but you pay for it yourself.

What if I want to extend the tour beyond 8 hours?

You can add extra time for USD 25 per hour after the first 8 hours. Let your guide know during the tour if you want to stay longer.

Does the price cover entry fees to the attractions?

Entry fees to sites like Yu Garden or the Jade Buddha Temple are not included in the tour price. You pay them separately when you arrive at each site.