Shanghai Private Tour: Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple & Tower

Three Shanghai landmarks in one morning or afternoon, your guide adjusting the pace to what interests you.

A 5-hour private guided tour of Shanghai with a local expert, covering Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai Tower and the French Concession, includes hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned car. Your guide speaks English or Chinese and the itinerary is flexible. You choose which stops matter most and how long to spend at each one. Lunch or dinner during the tour is your choice.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Yu Garden1h 30m · entry included
2. Jade Buddha Temple40m · entry included
3. Shanghai Tower1h 30m · entry included
4. French Concession1h

Explore Shanghai's top attractions

• Meet guide and driver at your place
• Visit Old town Yu garden and bazaar
• Walk nine zigzag bridge and see Huxing Ting Tea house
• Explore Yu garden's ponds, rockeries, and pavilions
• Visit Jade Buddha Temple chambers and admire Jade Buddhas
• Walk among Pudong skyscrapers including Oriental Pearl Tower
• Take elevator to Shanghai Tower observation deck
• Enjoy local lunch or dinner
• Optionally visit French Concession or museums
• Drop off at requested place in Shanghai

The experience

Your guide and driver meet you at your hotel at the time you pick. The day starts at Yu Garden, the 5-century-old classical Chinese garden in Shanghai's old town, where you walk the nine-turn zigzag bridge over the central lake and see the Huxing Ting Tea House framed against the modern skyline. Your guide explains the garden's design (the tranquil ponds, rockeries and pavilions), and the Qing Dynasty bazaar that surrounds it. This is where old Shanghai and new Shanghai sit in the same frame.

Next is the Jade Buddha Temple, one of the most visited Buddhist temples in the city. You move through the Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Grand Hall, where two exquisite Jade Buddhas from Burma sit in separate chambers. Your guide walks you through the religious significance and the temple's history while you stand in the quiet of the space itself. The temple is a working place of worship, not a museum, and that changes how it feels.

The tour then moves to Pudong, Shanghai's financial district. You walk among the skyscrapers (the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jinmao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Tower), and your guide talks through the city's transformation over the last two decades. Then you take the world's fastest elevator up Shanghai Tower to the observation deck and look out over the Bund, the river and the sprawl of the city below. If you have time and interest, the French Concession, a museum or a park can replace one of these stops. Lunch or dinner happens when you want it, at a place your guide can suggest. At the end of the day, you're dropped back at your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned car with a driver.
• private local guide in English or Chinese.
• entry to Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple and Shanghai Tower observation deck.
• flexible itinerary adjusted to your interests during the tour.

Options for this experience

2 options

Pickup and drop-off in city centerGuide in English or Chinese · 10 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 13:00Pickup and drop-off at the city center where you stay. Pickup is included.

Pickup and drop-off in the outskirtsGuide in English or Chinese · 9 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 12:30Pickup from outskirts of Shanghai, such as the Disneyland area, Pudong or Hongqiao airport area, is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to Sunday10 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 13:00

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

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

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 12 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?Choose City Center pickup if your hotel is in Shanghai's central districts. Choose Ourskirt pickup if you're staying outside the main city area. Either way, the guide meets you at your hotel rather than at a central meeting point, which means no extra travel before the tour starts.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

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

What is the Jade Buddha Temple like when you visit it?

The Jade Buddha Temple is an active Buddhist place of worship with multiple chambers, including the Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Grand Hall, where two exquisite Jade Buddhas from Burma are housed. Your guide explains the religious culture and history as you move through the temple.

Can I change which attractions we visit during the tour?

Yes. The itinerary is flexible and customizable. You can adjust stops during the day based on your interests. Your guide will discuss options with you. The French Concession, museums or parks can replace a scheduled stop if you prefer.

How does the Shanghai Tower visit work?

You take the world's fastest elevator to the observation deck at the top of Shanghai Tower and view the city from above, including the Bund and the surrounding skyline. This is included in the tour.

What time do I get picked up, and where?

Your guide and driver meet you at your hotel at your preferred start time. You choose the hour that works for your schedule, and you're dropped back at your hotel when the tour ends.

Is lunch or dinner included?

You have the option to enjoy a local lunch or dinner during the tour, but the meal itself is your choice and expense. Your guide can recommend restaurants based on what you're in the mood for.