Private Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour from Shanghai

Embark on a bespoke 5 or 8-hour private tour with a knowledgeable, dedicated guide and an exclusive private vehicle. Start your journey at Shanghai Zoo if you choose the full-day tour, where you can spot adorable giant pandas most lively during their morning feeding session for fantastic photos. Then travel to Zhujiajiao, the picturesque ancient water town renowned as the “Oriental Venice”. Wander winding alleys and historic stone bridges, glide along tranquil canals on a relaxing hand-rowed boat, and visit serene Kezhi Garden, an elegant classical private Chinese garden. You can also discover well-preserved traditional herbal pharmacies and a Qing Dynasty post office hidden inside the old town. Convenient pickup is offered from your Shanghai hotel or cruise port.

Itinerary

1. If you choose the full-day tour, we will pick you up at your hotel before heading to the zoo as our first stop. Shanghai Zoo is a popular urban wildlife park best known for its lovely giant pandas. The pandas are most energetic and playful in the morning during feeding time, making it the perfect moment to take vivid, wonderful photos of them eating bamboo and moving around actively. Besides star pandas, you can also see various exotic birds, primates, big cats, and native animals across spacious enclosures. It is a relaxing, family-friendly attraction, ideal for wildlife lovers to enjoy close animal encounters and capture great snapshots. (2h 0min) Admission included
2. If you choose the half-day tour, we will pick you up at your hotel and then head straight to Zhujiajiao Ancient Water Town. Zhujiajiao is Shanghai’s best-preserved ancient water town with over 1,700 years of history. You will see crisscrossing canals, old stone bridges including iconic Fangsheng Bridge, well-kept Ming & Qing-style riverside houses and ancient courtyards. You can take a relaxing wooden boat cruise, wander old streets lined with specialty snack shops and century-old stores, taste local delicacies, and capture classic water-town scenery, escaping downtown hustle for authentic traditional Chinese waterfront charm. (1h 0min) Admission included
3. When you arrive at Zhujiajiao Water Town, your first stop will be Kezhi Garden, also known as Ma’s Garden. It is the largest private classical garden in Zhujiajiao Water Town, built over 15 years starting from 1912. You can appreciate unique Sino-Western blended buildings, ponds, rockeries, winding corridors, the Nine-zigzag Bridge, and stele corridors with ancient calligraphy works. It features tranquil layered scenery with pavilions and towers, offering quiet surroundings and exquisite photo spots, and embodies the traditional Chinese philosophy of balancing study and farming. (1h 0min) Admission included
4. After the garden visit, you will walk along the canals to Fangsheng Bridge, which is the landmark stone arch bridge of Zhujiajiao with a long history. You will board a hand-rowed wooden boat for a leisurely boat ride along the canal. Drifting under the bridge, you will admire old riverside houses, quaint waterfront lanes, and lush riverside views on both banks. It is a fantastic spot to capture classic water-town scenery and experience the peaceful, slow lifestyle of ancient Jiangnan water towns. (1h 0min) Admission included
5. Built-in 1903, the old post office witnessed the development of China’s postal service. It is not a huge place but it's nice to walk through the old wooden building's interior, with mildly interesting exhibits such as vintage postcards and an imperial postie's uniform. (20 min) Admission included
6. After the boat ride, you will go to North Street. It is the bustling main commercial street in Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, lined with old riverside buildings, snack stalls, and traditional stores. Lined with characteristic local restaurants, this is where we arrange your lunch if you choose the full-day tour. You can savor authentic delicate water-town specialties here after strolling around, tasting typical water-town flavors while feeling the lively old-town atmosphere along the canal. (1h 0min) Admission included
7. After you’ve taken plenty of photographs, your guide will recommend a restaurant for lunch (at your own expense). After your meal, visit some local shops with your guide on hand to help translate prices. Your tour ends with drop-off back at your hotel or the port. (1h 20min)