Why Visit Shanghai with a Private Guide
Shanghai rewards travelers who move at their own rhythm. With a private guide your Bund hotel transfers are seamless, your Yu Garden tickets are already in hand, and ordering xiaolongbao becomes a lesson rather than a lottery. Your guide knows which skyline viewing floor is open, which water-town pier is quietest at 4pm, and which noodle shop the taxi drivers queue for at midnight. You see the city the way locals live it — not the way tour groups stream it.
Your 2 days / 1 night Itinerary
The Bund, Yu Garden & the French Concession
Zhujiajiao Water Town & Hongqiao Departure
Every day is fully customizable — tell us your pace, interests and travel style and we will reshape the itinerary before you fly.
Top 5 Experiences You Can't Miss
- 1The Bund at dawn and at night — two completely different cities, one promenade.
- 2Shanghai Tower's observation deck — 546 metres over the Huangpu bend.
- 3A gondola ride through Zhujiajiao's canals, bridges and Ming-era lanes.
- 4Xiaolongbao in the French Concession — soup dumplings done properly, with your guide's spoon technique.
- 5The Old City's Yu Garden — 400-year-old rockeries, koi ponds and a 5,000-year-old jade.
Best Time to Visit Shanghai
March–May and September–November are ideal: 15–25°C and clear skies for the skyline views. June–August is hot and humid but the water town is at its greenest; December–February is crisp and the lights are brightest. Avoid the first week of October (National Day golden week) when the Bund is shoulder-to-shoulder.
Practical Tips
| Topic | Advice |
|---|---|
| Language | English is limited outside hotels and the main sights — your private guide handles everything from metro-card top-ups to ordering at family-run eateries. |
| Payment | WeChat Pay and Alipay rule; international cards work at malls and hotels. Set up Alipay before arrival — your guide can help link it. |
| Dress | Light layers in summer; the tower and river cruise are air-conditioned. Comfortable shoes for the Old City's stone lanes. |
| Getting around | A private car covers city and water-town transfers; we can also arrange the maglev or high-speed rail if you prefer. |
| Tipping | Not expected in China — your guide and driver will politely decline. |
What Our Guests Say
"The Shanghai Tower at sunset then a night cruise was the best single day of our honeymoon. Our guide even booked the corner table for xiaolongbao."
"Two days, zero logistics — Yu Garden in the morning, water town after lunch, airport on time. Exactly what a private tour should be."
Most guests pair this itinerary with Beijing Imperial Discovery & Guilin Li River cruise — we handle the trains, hotels and guides end to end.