Shanghai: Yu Garden, French Concession & Tower Views Private Tour

What does Shanghai look like from 632 meters up?

You're picked up from your hotel and spend the day moving through Shanghai's main landmarks with a private guide: Yu Garden's pavilions and ponds, the French Concession's colonial architecture and local parks, Shanghai Tower's 632-meter observatory, and Jade Buddha Temple's chambers and statues. Lunch is included, as are three attraction tickets and all transport. The itinerary is flexible (swap attractions based on what interests you), and you return to your hotel at the end of the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Yu Garden1h 30m · entry included
2. French Concession1h 30m
3. Shanghai Tower1h 30m · entry included
4. Jade Buddha Temple1h 30m · entry included
5. The Bund1h

Explore Shanghai's top city highlights

• Meet guide at hotel lobby
• Visit Yuyuan Garden and stroll
• Explore French Concession and park
• Enjoy lunch at local restaurant
• Visit Shanghai Tower observatory
• Tour Jade Buddha Temple
• Walk along the riverside Bund

The experience

Your guide meets you at the hotel lobby in the morning, and the first thing you do is decide together what the day actually looks like. The standard route hits Yu Garden first: pavilions and ponds and rockeries that take a couple of hours to walk through properly, the kind of place where you stop without meaning to because the view changed again. Your guide talks through the history while you're standing there, which helps, because otherwise it's easy to just see the rocks and miss what they're for. (Yu Garden closes Mondays, so if that's your day, you swap in something else.)

After that you head into the French Concession, the old colonial quarter where the architecture is all European and the streets are lined with plane trees. You walk around, see the French-style park where locals are actually doing tai chi and dancing (not a show, just people using the space), and then eat lunch at a local restaurant before the afternoon starts. The Shanghai private tour then moves to Shanghai Tower, the 2,073-foot building that holds the city's main observatory. You go up and look out. The skyline spreads below you: the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the World Financial Center, everything that makes Shanghai look like Shanghai from a distance. After that you visit Jade Buddha Temple, walk through the chambers, see the statues and the people who come to pray, and your guide explains how it all works. The day ends at the Bund, the riverside strip where you can watch the skyline light up if you stay into evening.

Transport is by private vehicle the whole time, so you're not waiting for a bus or figuring out the metro. Three attraction entrance tickets are included (that's Yu Garden, Shanghai Tower, and Jade Buddha Temple in the standard itinerary) plus lunch and the guide. If you want to add a halal dinner with a show after the tour wraps, that's an option you can book upfront. The whole thing is customizable: if you've already seen some of these places, you can swap in the Shanghai Museum, the Propaganda Poster Art Center, a ride on the Maglev train, or a different tower instead. Just let your guide know in the morning and you build the day around what you actually want to see.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private guide for the full day.
• three attraction entrance tickets (typically Yu Garden, Shanghai Tower, and Jade Buddha Temple).
• Shanghai-style lunch at a local restaurant.
• transport by private vehicle throughout the tour.
• optional halal dinner with show if selected at booking.

Options for this experience

2 options

Departure from the city, with lunch includedGuide in English or Chinese · Available from 9 Jun 2027This private tour lasts 8 hours and its itinerary can be adjusted to suit your preferences. The price covers a professional guide, a private vehicle, a Shanghai-style lunch and attraction entrance fees. Pickup is included.

Departure from the outskirts, with lunch includedGuide in English or Chinese · Available from 9 Jun 2027Choose this option if you are departing from outside Shanghai's city center, such as from airport hotels, Shanghai Disneyland Hotel, Toy Story Hotel, the Cruise Port, or the Songjiang, Chuansha or Jinqiao areas. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 9 Jun 2027

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (9 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 8 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 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Amazing Shanghai Trip

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Shanghai's main sights in one day without arranging transport, tickets, or timing yourself: the private guide and vehicle handle the logistics, and you can reshape the itinerary on the morning you arrive.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 8 years); Infant (under 3): free.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes. Your guide meets you in your hotel lobby in the morning and returns you there at the end of the day.

What happens if I want to visit different attractions?

The itinerary is customizable. You can swap Yu Garden, Shanghai Tower, or Jade Buddha Temple for the Shanghai Museum, Propaganda Poster Art Center, Maglev train, or other towers. Discuss your preferences with your guide when you meet.

Is lunch included?

Yes. You eat a Shanghai-style lunch at a local restaurant, typically in the French Concession. Vegetarian options are available if you request them at booking.

What if I want dinner as well?

A halal dinner with a dancing show is available as an optional add-on. Book it when you reserve the tour if you want it included.

How many attraction tickets are included?

Three entrance tickets are included in the standard itinerary. If you choose more than two additional paid attractions (Shanghai Tower, Jinmao Tower, World Financial Center, Pearl TV Tower, Maglev train, Huangpu River cruise, Yu Garden, or Jade Buddha Temple), you pay for the cheapest one separately, around 30–40 yuan.

Is Yu Garden open every day?

No. Yu Garden closes on Mondays. If you book for a Monday, you'll choose a different attraction instead.

How long is the tour?

It's a full day. The exact length depends on your customized itinerary and whether you add the optional dinner.