Shanghai: 4-Hour Private Customizable Highlights Tour
Xintiandi, Shanghai
Explore Shanghai’s top highlights on a private half-day tour. Visit the Yu Garden, Longhua Temple, and Tianzifang, and customize your itinerary to suit your interests.
Shanghai Private Half-Day Tour of Historic and Modern Attractions
This private half-day tour in downtown Shanghai suits travelers interested in history, culture, and cityscapes, with a customizable itinerary and convenient hotel pickup.
Description
Explore Shanghai’s iconic sites at your own pace with a professional local guide. Your guide will pick you up from your downtown Shanghai hotel and tailor the itinerary to your interests, or you can follow a popular route covering key landmarks.
Begin at Yu Garden, a Ming Dynasty private retreat built over 450 years ago, featuring traditional pavilions, rockeries, ponds, and the famous dragon wall. Note that Yu Garden closes at 4:00 PM and is closed on Mondays. Adjacent is the Old Town, where bazaars, teahouses, and food stalls reflect Shanghai’s historical atmosphere.
Visit Tianzifang in the former French Concession, a cultural area with narrow alleys lined by Shikumen houses, blending Western townhouses with traditional Chinese courtyards from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Discover Longhua Temple, Shanghai’s oldest and largest Buddhist temple dating back nearly 1,700 years. The complex includes a seven-story pagoda from the Song Dynasty, grand ceremonial halls, and peaceful courtyards. Longhua Temple also closes at 4:00 PM.
Alternatively, explore Pudong’s modern skyline with visits to the Shanghai Tower, the world’s third tallest building renowned for its observation deck and tuned mass damper, or the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, a symbol of Shanghai’s rapid modernization (advance booking required for the Pearl Tower).
After the tour, your guide will return you to your hotel or another central location of your choice.
This tour can also include other Shanghai highlights such as Tian An 1000 Trees, Xintiandi, Wukang Building, or the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, depending on your preferences.
Includes
- Professional local English-speaking tour guide
- Private driver with air-conditioned vehicle (if “Tour by Private Car” option selected)
- Local Uber or metro transport (if “Tour by Uber/Metro” option selected)
- Pickup and drop-off in downtown Shanghai
Excludes
- Food and drinks
- Entrance fees:
- Yu Garden: RMB 40 per person (closes at 4:00 PM; closed Mondays)
- Shanghai Tower: RMB 180 per person
- Oriental Pearl TV Tower: RMB 199 per person (booking required at least 3 days in advance)
- Tour guide gratuities
- Airport or suburb transfers (available at additional cost; inquire for details)
Important Information
- Itinerary is fully customizable
- Pickup and drop-off included within downtown Shanghai hotels
Cancellation Policy
Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the tour start for a full refund.
For best experience, book in advance, confirm your preferred itinerary with your guide, and bring comfortable walking shoes and a valid ID for entrance fees.
