5 days
5-Day Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou Private Journey
The classic 'Jiangnan triangle' — Shanghai's skyline, Suzhou's gardens and Hangzhou's West Lake — done as one …
Trip Highlights
- The Bund at its quietest hour, with the full sweep of the Pudong skyline across the river
- Yu Garden's rockeries and pavilions, then the buzzing Old City bazaar around it
- A proper xiaolongbao lunch — soup dumplings where locals actually eat them
- Zhujiajiao water town: stone bridges, wooden boats and canal-side tea, one easy hour by car
Itinerary
08:30 — The Bund
Start on the waterfront promenade while tour groups are still at breakfast: a kilometre of 1920s banking palaces on one side, the Pudong towers on the other. Your driver drops you at the north end and picks you up at the south — no doubling back.
10:00 — Yu Garden & Old City
A classical Ming-era garden of rockeries, carp ponds and zigzag bridges, wrapped inside the lively Old City bazaar. Explore both, then meet the car at a side gate away from the crowds.
12:00 — Xiaolongbao lunch
Shanghai's signature soup dumplings, at an honest local favorite rather than a tourist-menu trap. Your driver knows which branches are worth the queue — and which queues move.
13:30 — Zhujiajiao Water Town
An hour west by car: arched stone bridges, narrow canals, wooden gondolas and lane after lane of tea houses. Take the short boat ride under Fangsheng Bridge and let the afternoon slow right down.
17:30 — Return via the French Concession
Drive back through the plane-tree avenues of the former French Concession — hop out for a stroll on Wukang Road if energy allows — then drop-off at your hotel, or at the Bund again for the skyline lit up after dark.
Times are a template, not a timetable — this is a private tour, and the day flexes around you.
What's Included
Included
- Private car & professional driver
- Fuel, highway tolls & parking
- Hotel / airport pickup & drop-off
- Driver's meal allowance
- Route planning & WhatsApp support
Not included
- Attraction tickets (we help you book)
- Your meals
- Optional English-speaking guide
- Travel insurance
Good to Know
Is Zhujiajiao worth it, or should we do Suzhou instead?
Zhujiajiao is the easy win on a one-day schedule — an hour away and compact. Suzhou's UNESCO gardens are grander but deserve a full day of their own; with two days we'd do both, and our 5-day journey covers Suzhou and Hangzhou properly.
When is the skyline best?
Twice: early morning for clear photos from the Bund, and the blue hour just after sunset when both riverbanks light up. On a day tour we usually end at the Bund so you get the illuminated version before drop-off.
Does the driver speak English?
Honest answer: most of our drivers speak little English — we hire them for safe, professional driving first. Day-to-day needs (departure times, extra stops, restaurant tips) work smoothly through translation apps, and our English-speaking planning team stays one WhatsApp message away throughout your trip. For full English commentary at the sights, ask us about adding an English-speaking guide.
