Water town lit at night
Private tour · 4 days · 3 nights

Shanghai essentials: the city, a garden town and a canal village in four days

Two days in the city, a day in Suzhou or Hangzhou, and a morning in a canal town. Four-star hotel, private car, English-speaking guide.

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01Day by day

The itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Arrive Shanghai

    Your guide meets you at Pudong or Hongqiao with a sign. Private transfer to a four-star hotel near Nanjing Road or the former French Concession. Guide helps set up Alipay and a SIM, then an easy evening walk on the Bund if you have the energy.

    Historic Bund buildings lit at night, Shanghai
  2. Day 2

    Old and new Shanghai

    Yu Garden and the old town early, the Bund, ferry to Lujiazui and the observation deck at Shanghai Tower. Lunch of xiaolongbao. Afternoon in the French Concession lanes. Dinner booked for you, guide finishes at 5 pm.

    Pavilion roofs at Yu Garden, Shanghai
  3. Day 3

    Suzhou or Hangzhou

    Private car to Suzhou (classical gardens, a canal boat, Pingjiang Road) or Hangzhou (West Lake by boat and bike, Longjing tea fields). Your choice when booking. Back in Shanghai for dinner.

    Canal boats under red lanterns, Suzhou
  4. Day 4

    Water town and departure

    Morning in Zhujiajiao water town before the day-trippers arrive, then a last lunch and private transfer to the airport. Or extend: we add days to Beijing, Xi'an or wherever you are headed.

    Whitewashed houses reflected in a canal, Zhujiajiao
02Plain English

What is included, what is not

Included
  • 3 nights four-star hotel, twin or double, breakfast included
  • Private airport transfers both ways
  • English-speaking guide on days 2, 3 and 4 (about 8 hours a day)
  • Private 7-seat car with driver on days 2, 3 and 4, fuel, tolls, parking
  • Entry tickets for all listed sights, including Shanghai Tower and the gardens
  • Real-name bookings made under your passports before arrival
  • Phone and message support from our Shanghai team throughout
Not included
  • International flights to and from Australia
  • Lunches and dinners (we book, you pay at the table)
  • Travel insurance (required)
  • Personal expenses and tips
03Questions

About this trip

Which hotels do you use?
Well-reviewed four-star hotels in walkable areas: around Nanjing Road West, the Bund or the former French Concession. We name the hotel in your quote. Five-star and boutique upgrades are available; many clients choose the Fairmont Peace Hotel or a Capella Shanghai lane house for one night.
Is three days enough for Shanghai?
For a first visit, yes, it covers the city well and gives you one day outside it. Travellers who want more usually add Beijing (see our 7-day trip) rather than more Shanghai days.
Can we take it slower with kids?
The guide days are yours. Tell us ages when you enquire and we shorten the walking, add the Maglev and a museum, and finish earlier.
What is the deposit and cancellation policy?
30% deposit to confirm, balance 30 days before travel. Cancel more than 45 days out for a full refund less any non-refundable hotel or train costs, which we tell you about before we commit them. See booking terms.
04Quote

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West Lake under a clear sky, Hangzhou
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