Shanghai private tour: Zhujiajiao, Yu Garden, Shanghai Tower

Morning in a water town, afternoon across Shanghai's landmarks

A private guided tour of Shanghai covering the ancient canal town of Zhujiajiao in the morning—by boat and on foot—followed by afternoon stops at the 500-year-old Yu Garden, the Bund waterfront, and the Shanghai Tower observation deck. Includes private transportation, a local lunch in Zhujiajiao, and a guide who speaks English, Spanish, French or Chinese. The itinerary can be customized to match your interests.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Zhujiajiao and Shanghai highlights

• Walk and boat cruise in Zhujiajiao
• Have local lunch in Zhujiajiao
• Visit Yu Garden
• Walk along the Bund
• Visit Shanghai Tower observation deck

The Experience

The morning starts in Zhujiajiao, the ancient water town outside Shanghai proper. You arrive by private car, then walk and take a boat through the canals—the town's main arteries—to see the stone bridges, narrow lanes and waterside shops that have stood for centuries. Lunch happens there, cooked locally, so you eat where the morning unfolded instead of breaking the rhythm to find a restaurant elsewhere in the city.

The afternoon pivots to Shanghai itself. Yu Garden comes first—a Ming-dynasty garden built over 500 years ago, with pavilions, rockeries and water features designed to compress a landscape into a walled space. From there you walk the Bund, the famous promenade along the Huangpu River where colonial-era buildings face the water and the modern skyline rises behind them. The day closes at the Shanghai Tower, the city's tallest building, where the observation deck gives you a bird's-eye view of how far Shanghai has spread.

Your guide is with you the whole time and speaks English, Spanish, French or Chinese. The route and stops can shift to fit what interests you most—if you want longer in the water town or more time at one of the gardens, the guide can adjust. Transportation is private, not shared, so the pace stays yours and the car waits when you need it to.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your hotel or meeting point.
• a local lunch in Zhujiajiao.
• entry to Yu Garden and Shanghai Tower observation deck.
• a private guide for the full day.
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeNot for heart conditions

Operated by MoreFunAsia Shanghai Tours

Is this one for you?The seven to eight hour span means you see both the water town and Shanghai's main landmarks in one day without rushing—but it also rules out a leisurely pace at any single stop. Book this if you want the breadth of the city and its surroundings in a single outing, or if your time in Shanghai is short and you need to cover ground efficiently.

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Top questions

What is Zhujiajiao and why do we spend the morning there?

Zhujiajiao is an ancient water town built around canals, with stone bridges and narrow lanes that date back centuries. You explore it by walking and taking a boat through the waterways, then eat lunch there, so you see how the town actually works instead of passing through it.

How much time do we spend at each stop in Shanghai?

The itinerary covers Yu Garden, the Bund and Shanghai Tower in the afternoon after the morning in Zhujiajiao, but the exact time at each depends on what interests you—your guide can adjust the schedule to give you more time where you want it.

Is lunch included, and where do we eat?

Yes, lunch is included and served in Zhujiajiao itself, so you eat local food in the water town after the morning exploration.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the tour?

No. Private transportation is included, and your guide picks you up from your hotel or a meeting point you agree on beforehand.

Can I customize which attractions we visit?

Yes. The tour is built around Zhujiajiao, Yu Garden, the Bund and Shanghai Tower, but you can work with your guide to adjust the stops and timing to match what interests you most.

What language does the guide speak?

Your guide speaks English, Spanish, French or Chinese—you choose when you book.