Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour with Shanghai Zoo and Pandas

Walk ancient stone alleyways and watch pandas in one morning.

This private tour combines Shanghai Zoo with Zhujiajiao water town, a 1,700-year-old settlement known as the "Little Oriental Venice." Your guide meets you at your hotel, takes you through the zoo to see giant pandas and other animals, then drives you to the water town where you explore old stone-paved alleyways, cross the ancient Fang Sheng Bridge, and browse local shops and handicrafts. A gondola ride and local lunch are available depending on which option you book. The driver returns you to your hotel at the end of the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Shanghai Zoo2h 30m · entry included
2. Zhujiajiao3h 30m

Visit Shanghai Zoo and Zhujiajiao Town

• Meet guide at your place
• Visit Shanghai Zoo and see animals
• Travel to Zhujiajiao water town
• Explore old alleyways and Fang Sheng Bridge
• Visit local shops and landmarks
• Optional gondola ride
• Enjoy local lunch
• Return to Shanghai hotel

The experience

Your guide picks you up from your Shanghai hotel in an air-conditioned car and heads first to Shanghai Zoo. You'll walk through the park to see giant pandas, peacocks, monkeys, elephants and other animals at your own pace with your guide explaining what you're looking at. The zoo visit sets up the second half of the day: a contrast between modern Shanghai and something much older.

The drive to Zhujiajiao takes you out of the city to a water town that has stood for 1,700 years. Once you arrive, your guide leads you through the old alleyways on stone pavement, pointing out local shops, historical landmarks and the colorful handicrafts people still make there. You'll cross the ancient Fang Sheng Bridge and spend time in the streets where locals live and work. If you book the option with a boat ride, you can take a gondola across the water: a quieter way to see how the town sits on its canals. If you choose the lunch option, you'll eat at a local restaurant during the tour.

The whole day runs 6 to 8 hours depending on how long you linger at each stop. Your guide speaks English or Chinese and knows the history and customs of both places well enough to answer questions as you go. At the end, the driver takes you back to your hotel or another downtown location you request.

What’s included

• Your guide in English or Chinese.
• entrance fee to Shanghai Zoo.
• driver with air-conditioned car and hotel pickup.
• local lunch if you book the lunch option.
• gondola ride in Zhujiajiao if you book the boat ride option.

Options for this experience

3 options

Tour OnlyGuide in English or Chinese · 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30Private tour only: includes a great guide, a driver with a car, and entrance tickets to Shanghai Zoo. Pickup is included.

Tour with LunchGuide in English or Chinese · 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30Includes a great guide, a driver with a car, entrance tickets to Shanghai Zoo, and a tasty lunch. Pickup is included.

Tour featuring lunch and a boat rideGuide in English or Chinese · 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00Includes a great guide, a driver with a car, entrance tickets to Shanghai Zoo, a tasty lunch, and a boat ride. Pickup 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 timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 and 10:30

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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sunny Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book the "Tour Only" option if you want to move between both places without stopping for a meal, keeping the day shorter and the focus on sightseeing. Choose "Tour with Lunch and Boat Ride" if you have a full morning and want to slow down: the meal and the gondola turn the water town into a more complete experience instead of a quick walk-through.

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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 animals will I see at Shanghai Zoo on this tour?

Shanghai Zoo holds giant pandas, peacocks, monkeys, elephants and more. Your guide will take you through the park to see them, and you can spend as much time as you want at each enclosure.

Is lunch included in every option?

Lunch is included only if you book the "Tour with Lunch" or "Tour with Lunch and Boat Ride" option at checkout. If you book "Tour Only," you'll skip the meal but still explore both locations with your guide.

Can I take a boat ride in Zhujiajiao?

A gondola ride in the water town is available only with the "Tour with Lunch and Boat Ride" option. It's a relaxing way to see the canals and old buildings from the water.

What is Zhujiajiao known for?

Zhujiajiao is called the "Little Oriental Venice" because it's built on canals and has been preserved for 1,700 years. The town is famous for its old stone alleyways, ancient bridges like Fang Sheng Bridge, local handicrafts, and the way daily life still happens in the narrow streets.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes, your guide meets you at your Shanghai hotel and picks you up in an air-conditioned car. At the end of the day, the driver takes you back to your hotel or another downtown location you choose.

How long does this tour take?

The tour runs 6 to 8 hours depending on how long you spend exploring Zhujiajiao and the zoo. Your guide sets the pace so you're not rushed through either stop.