Shanghai Private Tour: 4 or 8 Hours with Guide & Vehicle

The Bund colonial skyline tour: Ming garden, Buddhist temple & weekend matchmaking street in 8 hours

A private guided tour of Shanghai lasting 4 or 8 hours, with a professional English-speaking guide and private vehicle, visiting the Bund, Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, French Concession, Pudong Financial District, People's Square and Nanjing Road. Hotel or cruise port pickup and drop-off are included, as is entry to Yu Garden and Jade Buddha Temple. You choose between a morning half-day, afternoon half-day, or full-day option. The full-day tour includes the Shanghai Tower observation deck (ticket at your own expense) and lunch in the French Concession.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Yu Garden1h 20m · entry included
2. Pudong1h
3. French Concession40m
4. Jade Buddha Temple40m · entry included
5. People’s Square40m · entry included
6. Nanjing Road40m

Explore Shanghai's iconic landmarks

• Meet guide at hotel lobby
• Drive to the Bund waterfront
• Visit Yu Yuan Garden and Old Street
• Experience Chinese tea ceremony
• See Pudong Financial District skyscrapers
• Explore French Concession Xintiandi

The experience

Four or eight hours with a guide means you move through Shanghai's contrasts without planning the route yourself. The tour starts at your hotel lobby or the cruise terminal, then heads to the Bund: the waterfront strip famous for its soaring skyline and views across the Huangpu River to Pudong's towers on the far bank. From there, the route goes to Yu Garden, a classical Jiangnan-style private garden built during the Ming Dynasty, where you walk past delicate rockeries, winding corridors, elegant ponds and intricate traditional carvings. The adjacent Yuyuan Bazaar sits right next to it, filled with ancient-style buildings, local snacks and traditional handicraft shops.

A break at a local Chinese tea house comes next, where you try loose tea and experience the tea ceremony at no extra charge. Then the tour moves to Pudong, where you see Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and Jinmao Tower from ground level. On the full-day option, you ride the observation deck of Shanghai Tower to overlook the entire city and both sides of the river (the ticket costs extra). The French Concession follows: a neighborhood of renovated Shikumen stone-gate houses mixed with modern shops, cafes and galleries. The half-day tour ends here. The full-day tour stops for lunch at one of the local restaurants. After lunch, the full-day continues to Jade Buddha Temple, built in the early 20th century, where you see a seated jade Buddha carved from a single piece and a reclining jade Buddha statue inside halls with yellow walls and upturned eaves. People's Square comes next, the geographic center of Shanghai surrounded by the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theatre and Urban Planning Exhibition Center. On weekends, parents gather in the adjacent People's Park to post information seeking partners for their children: a local custom you witness firsthand. The route ends at Nanjing Road, Shanghai's most famous pedestrian shopping street, lined with century-old department stores, trendy boutiques and historic colonial-style buildings that lead straight to the Bund.

Your guide speaks English throughout. The vehicle is private, so the pace stays with your group alone. Pickup and drop-off happen at your hotel or, for cruise passengers, at Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal. If you arrive by ship, provide the ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time when you book. Bottled water and parking are included. Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather, as the tour operates rain or shine.

What’s included

• Hotel or cruise port pickup and drop-off.
• private vehicle and professional English-speaking guide for the entire tour.
• entry fees to Yu Garden and Jade Buddha Temple.
• bottled water and parking fees.
• free Chinese tea and tea ceremony experience at a local tea house.
• observation deck ticket for Shanghai Tower on the full-day option (at your own expense).

Options for this experience

3 options

Morning Half-day TourGuide in English · 09:00Entrance fees, a private English-speaking driver-guide and comfortable transfer service are all covered. Your tour departs at 9 am. Pickup is included.

Afternoon Half-day TourGuide in English · 14:00Entrance fees, a private English-speaking driver-guide and comfortable transfer service are all covered. Your tour departs at 2 pm. Pickup is included.

Full-Day TourGuide in English · 09:00 and 10:00Lasts 8 hours. 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 dayDepartures at 09:00, 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 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.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Shanghai Driver Guide

Is this one for you?Choose the morning or afternoon half-day if you're fitting Shanghai around other plans: each runs 4 hours and ends at the French Concession, where you can stay for lunch or head back. The full-day option gives you eight hours to move through all eight major stops, including the Jade Buddha Temple and the Shanghai Tower observation deck, and includes a lunch break in the French Concession.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

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

Yu Garden is a classical Jiangnan-style private garden from the Ming Dynasty featuring delicate rockeries, winding corridors, elegant ponds, exquisite pavilions and intricate traditional carvings throughout the scenic area. The adjacent Yuyuan Bazaar, with ancient-style buildings and local snacks, is part of the same stop, and you have time to wander both before the tea house break.

Does the full-day tour include the Shanghai Tower observation deck?

The full-day tour includes a visit to Pudong to see the main skyscrapers, and you ride the observation deck of Shanghai Tower to overlook the entire city and both sides of the Huangpu River. The admission ticket for the observation deck is at your own expense.

Can I book this tour if I'm arriving by cruise ship?

Yes, pickup is available at Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal. When you book, provide your ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time so the guide can time the tour to your ship's schedule.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

Hotel or port pickup and drop-off, the private vehicle, professional English-speaking guide, bottled water, parking fees, and entry to Yu Garden and Jade Buddha Temple are all included. The Shanghai Tower observation deck ticket (full-day only) and lunch are at your own expense.

Is there time to shop or eat on this tour?

Yes. The French Concession has boutique stores and cafes. The half-day tour ends there, so you can stay for lunch or return to your hotel. On the full-day tour, you stop for lunch at a local restaurant in the French Concession before continuing. Nanjing Road, the final stop, is a pedestrian shopping street where you can browse century-old department stores, trendy boutiques and local snacks.

What should I wear and bring?

Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather, as the tour operates in all conditions. Bring a light jacket or umbrella if rain is forecast. Bottled water is provided.