Shanghai Tower at night: private tour with river views

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Free cancellation

1/7

Duration3h–4h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · CM

PickupAt your hotel

A 55-second elevator ride to views of two Shanghais—the one you remember and the one lit up after dark

A private night tour of Shanghai that starts with hotel pickup in downtown Shanghai and takes you to the observation deck of Shanghai Tower, Asia's tallest building, where you watch the city transition from sunset to evening lights across the 118th floor. A local guide in English or Chinese narrates the skyline and its landmarks. You can add a Huangpu River cruise to float past the Bund's colonial architecture and modern towers reflected in the water. The tour runs 3 to 4 hours and includes entrance to the observation deck, local transport (premium Uber for small groups, private van for five or more), and hotel drop-off.

3h–4h

Step-by-step itinerary

Shanghai Tower and Night River Cruise

Pick up at downtown Shanghai hotel
Drive to Pudong New Island
Visit Shanghai Tower observation deck
Enjoy sunset and evening city views
Take night river cruise on Huangpu River
View Bund architecture and city lights

The Experience

You get picked up at your downtown Shanghai hotel and driven to Pudong, the financial district that rose from swampland into a forest of towers. The real moment starts when you step into the elevator at Shanghai Tower's base: 55 seconds straight up to the 118th floor, where the observation deck opens onto the entire city. At sunset, you're watching the skyline shift from daylight to neon—the Pearl, the World Financial Tower, the older Bund buildings below all catching light as the sky darkens. Your guide points out the landmarks and the city's layers, from the colonial architecture to the glass-and-steel present.

If you book the Tower+Cruise option, the second half of the evening takes you down to the Huangpu River. You board a night cruise that floats you past the Bund's illuminated facades and under the bridges that connect the old city to Pudong. The guide walks you through Shanghai's history—the foreign concessions, the modern transformation—while the buildings slide past lit up against the dark water. You can photograph the reflections or just watch the city from a different angle, one that most visitors miss.

Transport is handled by the tour: hotel pickup and drop-off are included, and the vehicle depends on your group size. For one to four people, you travel in a local premium Uber; for five or more, a private van is provided. The observation deck entrance is included. If you want dinner during the tour, that's on you and paid on site. Outskirt hotels can be arranged for an extra charge if you're staying outside downtown.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Shanghai.
entrance to Shanghai Tower's 118th-floor observation deck.
local transport in a premium vehicle matched to your group size.
a guide speaking English or Chinese throughout the tour.
and if you book the Tower+Cruise option, a night cruise along the Huangpu River with views of the Bund's illuminated architecture.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sunny Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book the Tower Option Only if you want to focus on the observation deck and have time to linger over the sunset-to-night transition without rushing. Add the Huangpu River cruise if you want to see the city from two angles—from above at the tower, then from the water—and hear the guide's take on Shanghai's colonial and modern history from the Bund side.