Shanghai Tower, The Bund & Huangpu River Night Cruise

From the world's fastest elevator to the river's glow: three faces of Shanghai in one afternoon

A half-day group tour of Shanghai combining three vantage points: the Shanghai Tower's 118th-floor observation deck for panoramic views, free time at The Bund to walk among historic colonial buildings, and a 50-minute Huangpu River night cruise watching the illuminated skyline. The tour includes a guide, sightseeing bus, tower entry and cruise ticket; groups run two to twenty-five travelers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Shanghai Tower, The Bund, and River Cruise

• Ascend Shanghai Tower observation deck
• Enjoy leisure time at The Bund
• Take 50-minute Huangpu River night cruise

The Experience

The Shanghai Tower observation deck sits 118 floors up, reached by one of the world's fastest elevators. From there, the city spreads 360 degrees below—the Huangpu River cutting through it, the Pudong skyline rising on the far bank, the older colonial grid of The Bund visible on the near side. You get time to stand there and take it in, to photograph the scale of it, to orient yourself to how Shanghai is actually laid out before you move through it at street level.

The Bund is where you walk next. The historic European-style buildings line the waterfront—facades that have stood for a century, each one a record of Shanghai's past as a trading port. You have leisure time here, so you move at your own pace, looking at the architecture, watching the river from the promenade, or stepping into one of the buildings if something catches your eye. The modern Pudong towers rise directly across the water, the contrast between what was built then and what was built now is the whole story of the city compressed into one view.

The 50-minute Huangpu River cruise happens at night, when the city transforms. The boat moves slowly enough that you see both banks clearly—the Bund's colonial facades lit from below on one side, the Lujiazui skyline on the other with the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower and Jin Mao Tower throwing their light across the water. The river itself becomes a mirror of the city's two eras moving past each other. A guide travels with the group throughout, and the tour includes the sightseeing bus that moves you between stops.

What’s included

• Tour guide service in English or Chinese throughout.
• sightseeing bus ticket between stops.
• entry to the Shanghai Tower 118th-floor observation deck.
• 50-minute Huangpu River night cruise ticket.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by kequyou

Is this one for you?Choose the group option that matches your party size—two travelers or three to twenty-five—and you move through all three vantage points on a single schedule, with the guide and bus handling the logistics so you focus on the views instead of navigation.

Top questions

What exactly is on the Shanghai Tower's 118th-floor observation deck?

The 118th-floor observation deck offers 360-degree panoramic views of Shanghai from above, letting you see the entire city layout—the Huangpu River, the historic Bund on one bank, and the modern Pudong skyline on the other—all at once from the heights.

How much free time do you get at The Bund?

The tour includes leisure time at The Bund so you can walk the waterfront at your own pace, photograph the historic European-style buildings, and take in the views of the Pudong skyline across the river without a fixed schedule.

What do you see on the Huangpu River cruise at night?

The 50-minute night cruise shows you both banks of the Huangpu River illuminated—the century-old colonial buildings of The Bund glowing on one side and the futuristic towers of Lujiazui (Oriental Pearl, Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower) piercing the sky on the other, their lights reflecting across the water.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The tour requires at least moderate physical fitness; it is not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with poor cardiovascular health, as it involves elevator ascents and walking at multiple stops over the five-hour span.

Do I need to speak Chinese to join this tour?

The tour guide speaks both English and Chinese, so you can join regardless of which language you prefer; the guide will conduct the tour in your language throughout the five hours.