The 15 China Garden Tours That Earn Their Ticket

1.Zhujiajiao Private Tour w/ Boat Ride & Garden

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 460 reviews · 5 hours · from $139Our pick

See Zhujiajiao’s Ming and Qing buildings, stone lanes, canal markets, Kezhi Garden, and old waterways on a five-hour private tour. English-speaking guides such as Michael, Cassie, Robert, Lea, and Sunny add cultural detail, help with local food, and adjust the pace for your group.

“Very comfortable transportation from and to hotel. Our guide Robert was very attentive, gave many valuable information not only on the tour itself, but as well about Chinese history, traditions and living.”

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2.Best of Shanghai Day Tour, including Jade Buddha Temple & Bund & Yuyuan Garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 338 reviews · from $79

Spend about eight hours touring Shanghai with an English-speaking guide such as Tom, Elena, or Michael. Visit the Shanghai Museum, Jade Buddha Temple, the Bund, Yuyuan Garden, Yuyuan Old Street, the former French Concession, and Xintiandi. Hotel pickup, lunch, transport, and listed admission fees are included.

“Very poor service from the tour operator , Shanghai is very hot during the summer and doing the tour with a vehicle with bad Air Conditioner was unacceptable it seemed that the guide was in a hurry not giving us enough time to enjoy the tour , with other companies that offer the same service i think is time to change , this was the second time in less than 10 days that Viator did wrong and we didn't get the value for what we paid for.”

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3.Yu Garden Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 260 reviews · 4 hours · from $16

Visit Yu Garden independently with a digital admission ticket, then explore its Jiangnan-style rockeries, ponds, pavilions, furniture, calligraphy, and cultural displays. Choose a morning or afternoon entry window, carry your passport, and confirm your QR code before arriving.

“Great communication, digital QR ticket sent via whatsapp. Easy to use, no problems. Beautiful gardens”

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4.Yu Garden, Old Street, Bund & Zhujiajiao Water Town Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 244 reviews · 8 hours · from $60

Start at Yu Garden and Chenghuang Miao, then ride by coach to Zhujiajiao for Kezhi Garden, canals and a Shanghai-style meal. Guides such as Audrey, Cindy and Irwin add clear history and practical help. Finish at the Bund, with free time for skyline views.

“Audrey was great, very friendly and ready to help until the last minute. Her English was excellent, better than what I expected honestly. The highlight of the trip was without any doubt the water town. It's a shame that Shanghai has so much traffic during working days. We could probably have spent less time in the tea / coffee houses and souvenir shops and use that time walking in the bund at sunset.”

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5.Beijing Historical Tour II including Summer Palace, Lama Temple & Panda Garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 187 reviews · from $93

Spend about seven hours visiting Lama Temple, the Summer Palace and Beijing’s Panda Garden with an English-speaking guide. The tour includes transport, lunch, entrance fees and hotel pickup within the Fourth Ring Road. Expect a silk demonstration, and possibly extra shopping or tea stops.

“We didn't spend more than 10 minutes at the Zoo and wasn't able to visit gift shop. We spent too long at Summer Palace but no boat ride just many stories which I didn't understand as the guide spoke so fast. Then we visited a place fRead more”

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6.Beijing：Jingshan Park (Palace Museum Garden) Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 185 reviews · 4 hours · from $6Best value

Spend up to four hours exploring Jingshan Park, climb Prospect Hill for a full view of the Forbidden City, and use the English PDF guide to find imperial pavilions and garden corners. Choose a self-guided visit, or add help separately, since live guides and audio guides are not included.

“As they comment on the description, send your information details via email or within the application and they'll send you the QR code yo show at the entrance of the site. Usually they communicate with you via WhatsApp sometimes a day before your reservation. If you go at the afternoon, you'll find a lot of people. Better to go as early as possible.”

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7.Shanghai Day Tour to Zhujiajiao Water Town, Yu Garden, Bazaar, Bund

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 162 reviews · from $229

Spend a full day with a private English-speaking guide, chauffeur, and air-conditioned minivan. Visit Zhujiajiao by boat, walk through Yu Garden and Yuyuan Bazaar, then see the Bund. Hotel pickup, entrance fees, bottled water, umbrellas, and drop-off are included.

“The Bund is very very beautifull place! Shure! We recommend!!!!”

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8.Online Cooking Class Beijing Dumplings and Cuisine by Sunflowerli Renowned Chef

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · from $20

Join Chef Sunflower Li, also known as Miss Li, for a private 60 to 90 minute Zoom cooking class from Beijing. Choose dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, dim sum, fried rice, mapo tofu, kung pao chicken, or a vegan dish. You shop for the ingredients, then cook from scratch together.

“Sunflower was able to communicate her charm through Zoom. She was very organized and had prepared us before the class with all the ingredients. Sunflower was able to walk a party of 6 on how to make the most authentic delicious steam buns. She will ask you about dietary restrictions and cater the menu to your preference. Great experience over all”

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9.Private Yu Garden, The Bund, French Concession, Pudong Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · from $120

Spend about four hours with a private guide such as Tom, Vicky, Alice, or Jaime, visiting Yu Garden, Old Town, the Bund, the French Concession, and Pudong. A tea-house stop, private vehicle, and hotel or cruise-port transfers make this a practical first look at Shanghai.

“Vicky has been a fantastic guide, knowledgeable and accommodating. The Yu Garden, it’s market and the tea ceremony are a must do in Shanghai!”

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10.Yu Garden Ticket+Lantern Festival Entry combo

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 49 reviews · 1 day · from $9

You’ll visit Yu Garden, a Ming Dynasty retreat filled with rockeries, ponds, pavilions, calligraphy, and period furnishings, then enjoy the seasonal Yuyuan Lantern Festival. The two venues have different addresses, so check your email for the valid entry code and plan your route carefully.

“The lights were absolutely stunning, it was so beautiful to see. The downside was that it was very busy and you were constantly ushered forward with whistles. I understand that they need to keep the crowd moving but the constant noise of whistles made it difficult to fully enjoy. Having said that, the lanterns were truly beautiful, the surroundings were breathtaking and I am very pleased I went.”

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11.Yu Garden Entry Ticket with PDF Guidebook

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 45 reviews · 3 hours · from $17

Explore Yu Garden at your own pace with a QR entry ticket and English PDF guide. You’ll see the Nine-turn Bridge, Huxinting Teahouse, classical halls, stone paths, the Exquisite Jade Rock, and Nine-Lion Study, with English message support available around the clock.

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12.Yu Garden with Entry Tickets(optional)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 28 reviews · 1 day · from $180

Book advance entry to Shanghai’s Yu Garden at 168 Fuyou Road and explore its rockeries, old trees, Ming and Qing furniture, calligraphy, carvings, and quiet courtyards. An English guide is optional. Arrive by Metro Line 10 or bus, and avoid Monday, when the garden is closed.

“L'envoi des billets par le guide via WhatsApp 2 jours avant le jour de la visite. Le Jardin est somptueux avec les différentes pièces à l'intérieur. On s'y perd en deambulant tout en contemplant la beauté architecturale de ce monument historique. Nous y sommes allés pour 9h, il n'y avait pas trop de monde. Malgré les 36 degrés c'était supportable grâce à la végétation environnante.”

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13.Yu Garden and City God Temple Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 27 reviews · 3 hours · from $60

Walk through Yu Garden, the City God Temple area, and Yu Garden Old Street with an English or Chinese guide. Learn about Taoist customs, shop for crafts, taste premium Chinese tea, and add a soup dumpling tasting. Guides such as Leo, Linda, and Patrick bring local detail to the walk.

“Leo was excellent during the tour and very informative”

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14.Yu/Yuyuan Garden Entry Ticket–E ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 24 reviews · 1 hour · from $13

This self-guided Yuyuan Garden visit gives you about an hour to explore Shanghai’s famous classical garden beside the City God Temple. Andy’s private China tours supplies the entry ticket, with an easy scan-in process, flexible cancellation, and metro access via Lines 10 and 14.

“Got my ticket from Andy the night before and just used that to scan in. Very easy! I’ve bought a few tickets from him and it’s super simple.”

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15.JingShan park (palace museum garden) entry ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 18 reviews · 1 day · from $6

Enter Beijing’s Jingshan Park, the former imperial garden beside the Forbidden City. Walk to the 45.7-meter summit, visit Wanchun Pavilion, and look across the palace roofs and old city. The $6 ticket covers admission, architecture, scenery, and cultural exhibits, with no guide or meal included.

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