Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai Highlights: Private Tour

Zhujiajiao's canals and bridges date back seven centuries before you ever see Shanghai's skyline.

A private tour of Shanghai and Zhujiajiao water village with hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport and your choice of English-speaking driver or English-speaking guide accompanying the whole day. The itinerary covers the 1700-year-old water town's canals and Dian Shan Lake, then moves to Shanghai's Yu Garden (a Ming dynasty creation) and the Bund's 50 historic buildings along the Huangpu River. The tour runs eight hours. Airport pickup is available as an add-on option.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Zhujiajiao5h
2. Yu Garden1h
3. The Bund1h

Explore Zhujiajiao and Shanghai highlights

• Meet driver at hotel lobby
• Drive one hour to Zhujiajiao water village
• Explore canals, rivers, and Dian Shan Lake
• Shop and stroll in the village
• Take a relaxing boat ride
• Try local snacks or have lunch by canal
• Visit Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Old Street
• Visit the Bund waterfront and enjoy skyline views

The experience

Your driver meets you at your hotel and drives roughly an hour to Zhujiajiao, a water village that has stood for seventeen centuries. Once there, you walk the picturesque canals and bridges, explore the riverside shops and local restaurants, and take a boat ride across Dian Shan Lake: the kind of moment where the phone comes out and stays out. You can browse the vendors' stalls and practice bargaining if you want, or simply sit by the water and eat local snacks before heading back to the car.

The afternoon shifts to Shanghai proper. Yu Garden comes first: a Ming dynasty private garden that took one man almost twenty years and his entire savings to build, meant as a refuge for his aging parents in the heart of the old city. The garden sits in the heart of Shanghai's Old City, surrounded by the bazaar's small streets and lanes where vendors sell everything from souvenirs to food. The entrance fee runs 30 RMB in low season, 40 RMB in high season. After that, you move to the Bund, Shanghai's waterfront lined with roughly fifty buildings in Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and Renaissance styles: the "International Architecture Exhibition" that defines the city's skyline. From the water's edge, you see both banks of the Huangpu River.

You choose between a driver who speaks English and provides background information as you go, or an English-speaking guide who walks with you through the whole day and explains what you're standing in front of. Either way, the car is air-conditioned, water is included, and the day ends with drop-off at your hotel. If you're flying in, airport pickup and return are available to add at checkout.

What’s included

• Hotel or port pickup and drop-off.
• air-conditioned car or minivan transport.
• bottled water.
• English-speaking driver or English-speaking guide for the full day (your choice at checkout).
• access to Zhujiajiao's canals, boat ride and local shops.
• entry to Yu Garden (fee paid separately).
• and views of the Bund's historic waterfront.

Options for this experience

2 options

Driver only, English speaking08:00 and 09:00Includes pickup

Walk-in guide and driver, both English speaking08:00 and 09:00Includes pickup

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 08:00 and 09:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Child (3 to 4 years): free · 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.

Paid on siteUS$ 5.98

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Tom's Tour

Is this one for you?Choose the guide option if you want context and explanation as you move through each site. The driver option works better if you prefer to explore at your own pace and don't need narration. Either way, the private car means no group waits, no fixed departure time from your hotel, and the route stays flexible if you want to linger in the water village or spend more time at the Bund.

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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 4 years): free; Infant (under 3): free.

What is there to do in Zhujiajiao besides walking around?

Zhujiajiao sits on Dian Shan Lake, so you take a boat ride across the water as part of the tour. The village also has local restaurants beside the canals where you can eat, and shops where you can browse and bargain with vendors.

Do I have to pay extra to get into Yu Garden and the Bund?

Yu Garden has an entrance fee of 30 RMB in low season or 40 RMB in high season, which you pay separately. The Bund is a public waterfront, so there's no entry fee to walk and view the buildings and river.

What's the difference between the driver option and the guide option?

The English-speaking driver takes you to each spot and gives background information on the way or at the entrance, letting you explore on your own. The English-speaking guide walks with you the entire day and explains what you're seeing as you go through each site.

How long is the drive from Shanghai to Zhujiajiao?

The drive from your hotel to Zhujiajiao takes roughly one hour, depending on traffic and your hotel's location in Shanghai.

Can I arrange airport pickup instead of hotel pickup?

Airport pickup and drop-off are available as an option you can add at checkout. Hotel pickup is included in the base tour.

What should I wear and bring for this tour?

Wear casual clothes and comfortable walking shoes, since you'll be strolling through the water village and garden. Bottled water is provided, and the vehicle is air-conditioned for the drive between sites.