The verdict
Our pick
Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Private Tour & Canal Boat Ride★ 4.99 (785) · 4h–5h
Best value
Shanghai: VIP Huangpu River Cruise & Evening Lights Tour★ 4.91 (177) · 3h–4h
Top rated
Private Shanghai Day Tour: Museum, Yu Garden, Bund & River Cruise★ 5.00 (7) · 8h–9h
The 12 best-value of 17 options, side by side
✓ 2026-09-29Real price per person across the 17 options: US$ 79–US$ 219 (median US$ 140). With an extra fee to pay on site: 1 of 17. With 100+ reviews: 10 of 17.
Default order: price per person.
Sort
Private experiences (6)
Private Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour from Shanghai: Hand-Rowed BoatA private guided tour of Zhujiajiao, Shanghai's best-preserved ancient water town, departing from your Shanghai hotel or cruise port with a dedicated English-speaking guide and driver. The half-day tour (5 hours) covers Kezhi Garden, a hand-rowed boat ride along the canals, and the old streets of Zhujiajiao; the full-day option (8 hours) adds Shanghai Zoo in the morning, where giant pandas are most active during feeding time. Lunch at a local restaurant is included on the full-day tour only. Round-trip private transfer, bottled water, and all attraction entry are included.Is it for me?Choose the half-day tour if you want to focus on Zhujiajiao's canals, gardens and old streets without the zoo; pick the full-day option if you're traveling with children or wildlife enthusiasts and want to see the giant pandas in the morning before heading to the water town. The private vehicle and guide mean you move at your own pace and don't wait for other groups.
Private Shanghai Evening Street Food Walking and Cruise TourA private evening walking tour in Shanghai that starts with traditional street food tastings in the city center, moves through the Old Town Bazaar toward the Bund with guide commentary on local culture and history, and ends with a 60-minute sightseeing cruise on the Huangpu River. Your English-speaking guide meets you at a designated point, handles the route and timing, and arranges your taxi back to your hotel at the end. The food stalls close early, so same-day arrivals landing after 3 p.m. should not book this tour.Is it for me?Book this if you're arriving with a free evening and want a private guide to lead you through street food stops, walking neighborhoods, and a river cruise—all in one flowing sequence with English-language history commentary.
Shanghai: Night River Cruise & Tower Option Private TourYou're picked up from your hotel and taken to the Bund, where you board a VIP-level river cruise down the Huangpu with views of Shanghai's lit skyline. If you've chosen the tower option, you ride the high-speed elevator to the 118th floor for a 360-degree night view from above. Optional dinner at a local restaurant with soup dumplings and regional dishes rounds out the evening. Everything—transport, guide, entry fees if booked, and timing—is arranged in advance.Is it for me?Choose this if you want Shanghai's main night sights—the river and the skyline—without arranging your own transport, timing the stops, or figuring out where to eat. The private format and hotel pickup mean you're not coordinating with other groups or waiting for a scheduled departure.
Shanghai Night River Cruise: VIP Seating with Private TransferA 60-minute private night cruise on the Hungpu River in Shanghai with VIP seating, hotel pickup and drop-off, and a local English-speaking guide. The tour includes views of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and the historic Bund buildings illuminated after dark. Optional dinner at a local restaurant can be added; the cruise itself does not include food or drink.Is it for me?Book the cruise-only option if you want the night views and the guide's history without a meal commitment; add the dinner option if you'd like to eat at a local restaurant after the boat returns and want your guide to steer you toward dishes that suit your tastes.
Shanghai Private Tour: Tower, Bazaar, River Cruise & MealA five-hour private tour of Shanghai with hotel pickup includes Shanghai Tower (China's tallest building), Yuyuan bazaar, a Huangpu River cruise, and Shanghai-style lunch or dinner depending on your chosen departure time. Your guide speaks English or Chinese and customizes the route to your interests; if you've visited some attractions before, you can swap them for alternatives like the Jade Buddha Temple or Tianzifang. Yuyuan Garden entry is optional and costs extra; the garden closes Mondays.Is it for me?Choose the morning departure if you want to eat lunch and spend the afternoon at Shanghai Tower and on the river; choose the afternoon departure if you prefer dinner and want to see the city lights on the water. Either way, the private vehicle and guide let you linger at Yuyuan bazaar or swap in a different attraction if you've seen the main stops before.
Private Shanghai Museum, Bund & Yu Garden Tour with River CruiseYou’ll get up close with both sides of Shanghai—from historic Bund buildings to buzzing Nanjing Road shops—with an expert local guide leading every step. Enjoy a river cruise past iconic skylines, wander peaceful Yu Garden, sample street snacks in Old Town alleys, and explore creative corners like Tianzifang—all by public transport so you travel like a true local.
2 to 5 hours (6)
Shanghai Night River Cruise with Xinjiang DiningA 3-hour private night tour of Shanghai pairs a 60-minute Huangpu River cruise with Xinjiang halal dinner on Nanjing East Road. Your guide meets you at your hotel, takes you to the river terminal to see Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower and the Bund's colonial buildings lit up after dark, then walks you to a local restaurant where you watch cultural and belly dancing between courses. Soft drink or beer is included; additional alcoholic drinks are available to purchase. The dinner is served in the restaurant, not on the boat.Is it for me?Pick the city hotel departure if you're staying downtown, or the outskirt option if you're based further out—the tour syncs your hotel location with the river cruise and dinner timing so everything flows without gaps.
Zhujiajiao Water Town: Half-Day Tour & Boat Ride from ShanghaiYou’ll slip out of Shanghai’s rush and into Zhujiajiao’s slow world: wandering ancient alleys with your guide, tasting street snacks by the canal, drifting under stone bridges on a quiet boat ride, and pausing in Kezhi Garden’s hush. It’s not flashy — just real moments that linger longer than you’d expect.
Shanghai: Oriental Pearl Tower, Huangpu River Cruise & Nanjing RoadYou ride up the Oriental Pearl Tower for a panoramic view of Shanghai's layout, then cruise the Huangpu River to see the Bund's 80-100 year old colonial buildings from water level, visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall to see the city's future vision, and walk Nanjing Road, China's first shopping street. The afternoon includes an English-speaking guide, all entry tickets, and hotel pickup and drop-off.Is it for me?Pick this if you want to see Shanghai's main landmarks in one afternoon without arranging transport, buying tickets separately, or navigating the city alone — the fixed route and included guide handle all three, leaving you free to absorb what you're seeing.
Shanghai Tower, The Bund & Huangpu River Night CruiseA half-day group tour of Shanghai combining three vantage points: the Shanghai Tower's 118th-floor observation deck for panoramic views, free time at The Bund to walk among historic colonial buildings, and a 50-minute Huangpu River night cruise watching the illuminated skyline. The tour includes a guide, sightseeing bus, tower entry and cruise ticket; groups run two to twenty-five travelers.Is it for me?Choose the group option that matches your party size—two travelers or three to twenty-five—and you move through all three vantage points on a single schedule, with the guide and bus handling the logistics so you focus on the views instead of navigation.
Huangpu River Cruise & Bund Evening Tour ShanghaiYou’ll watch Shanghai’s skyline flicker to life from a Huangpu River cruise before strolling the Bund with a local guide. Explore historic Peace Hotel and ride a trolley down lively Nanjing Road — all with hotel pickup included. Expect sensory overload (in a good way) and moments you’ll remember long after you leave.
Zhujiajiao Water Village Tour with Boat Ride & Silk Mill VisitYou’ll wander ancient canals, glide past riverside homes by boat, and see how real silk is made—all in half a day. If you want a taste of old China without leaving Shanghai for long, this tour’s got you covered.
Half day and longer (2)
Suzhou & Zhouzhuang Water Village Day Trip from ShanghaiYou get picked up from your Shanghai hotel and driven to Suzhou, where you walk through Net Master Garden and visit the Silk Museum. After lunch, you travel to Zhouzhuang Water Village and take a gondola boat through the waterways where locals still live and work. Everything — transport, entry tickets, the boat tour, and lunch — is arranged, and you're back at your hotel by evening.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see two of the Yangtze region's oldest towns in one day without arranging transport, tickets or timing yourself — the fixed schedule and included guide handle all three, leaving you free to walk the gardens and watch the water village work.
Hangzhou Day Trip from Shanghai: West Lake Cruise & Tea VillageYou travel from your Shanghai hotel to Hangzhou on a guided day trip that includes a West Lake cruise past historic causeways and pagodas, a traditional tea ceremony at Meijiawu Tea Village, entry to Six Harmonies Pagoda with its museum, lunch, and return transport — everything arranged so you only show up and follow along.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Hangzhou's main sights in one day without arranging separate transport, tickets, and timing — the fixed itinerary and included guide mean you arrive at each stop ready to go, not figuring out logistics.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book with free cancellation?
Yes: 17 of the 17 options offer free cancellation, so you can book now and confirm your plans later.
How long do these experiences last?
Most options last between 2 and 5 hours. There are also shorter and longer formats to fit your itinerary.
Which one is the travelers' favorite?
Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Private Tour & Canal Boat Ride is the travelers' favorite, rated 4.99 out of 5 across 785 reviews.
Are private options available?
Yes, 6 private experiences are available if you prefer a closed group.
More things to do in Shanghai
Food Tours in Shanghai12 optionsHuangpu River5 optionsShanghai Tower Tickets5 optionsShanghai City Tour22 optionsDay Trips from Shanghai19 optionsOriental Pearl Tower Tickets5 optionsStreet Food Shanghai9 optionsYu Garden Tickets5 optionsShanghai Airport Transfer12 optionsShanghai Layover Tours10 optionsShanghai Museum Tours7 optionsShanghai Rail Tours9 optionsThe Bund at Night13 optionsMuseums in Shanghai13 optionsFrench Concession Walking Tour11 optionsZhujiajiao: Tours & Activities16 optionsJade Buddha Temple: Tours & Activities6 optionsYu Garden City Tours6 options
