Private Tour
Zhujiajiao Water Town: Boat Ride, Opt for Hands-on Dumpling Meal
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
A scenic boat ride takes you from the modern world to 1,700 years ago. Along the way, enjoy views of lush landscapes, rice paddies, and charming countryside.
Photogenic gardens, temples, shops, or restaurants lining watercourses and bridges invite you to appreciate the beauty at a leisurely pace. The abundance of water also supports time-honor handicrafts, including embroidery, pottery, wood carving, or jewelry adorned with freshwater pearls. Here, locals gather fresh ingredients directly from the water and land, encouraging you to savor delightful Bites & Sips.
You have the option to add a hands-on dumpling-making experience, providing a fun way to explore the cultural significance and culinary delights of this iconic dish.
Enjoy a worry-free experience with your knowledgeable tour guide and convenient transportation options.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please note that if you choose the subway, a single journey from downtown Shanghai to Watertown Zhujiajiao is approximately 1.5 hours.
Please advise if there are any specific dietary restrictions, accessibility considerations, or assistance needed at the time of booking.
Before setting off this itinerary, it is advisable not to eat excessively.
Our guide reserves the right to alter the content of tours due to poor weather or location inaccessibility.
Under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Wanderlust Shanghai reserves the right to refuse entry to individuals or remove them from tours if they are intoxicated, aggressive, or offensive.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Entry tickets to Kezhi Garden/Hexin Garden, Taoism Temple/Buddhism Temple (your choice)
Round-trip metro tickets (Option)
Hands-on dumpling meal with local drinks (Option)
Sips and Bites, one bottled water per person
Private tour guide service
Boat ride
The car package comes with free hotel pick-up and drop-off (Option)
Tips for your tour guides and drivers are appreciated
Personal expenses
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Zhujiajiao Ancient Town
A professional touch for a private driver with a private vehicle might be preferable if you prioritize time efficiency, a high level of privacy and comfort, or flexibility in scheduling and making stops as needed （2 hours）. Or, the adventure of using public transportation allows you to experience daily routine commuting and navigating public systems akin to fixed routes and schedules (3 hours). A local private tour guide enhances your travel experience of understanding the local culture or a more authentic connection with the community and adds your in-depth knowledge of the area, offering insights into hidden gems, shortcuts, and local attractions that might not be easily accessible via guidebooks （5.5/6.5/7.5 hours）.
Fangsheng Bridge
Cruise into a picturesque scenery of Watertown. The homes and lives lining the banks amid the gentle caress of a breeze accompany you passing through one bridge after another. An authentic and intimate to the details in aged surroundings adds layers to the narrative of the past, inviting you to immerse yourself in the beauty that makes you an integral part of this unfolding living picture in Watertown, leaving behind all hurries or worries.
Options
Metro & Hands-on Dumpling Meal
Bites and Sips: Taste snacks and beverages that are popular or characteristic of Watertown cuisine.
Duration: 7 hours 30 minutes
A hands-on dumpling meal: Shop for fresh produce, wrap the fillings, shape the dumplings and enjoy the delicious result of efforts at Watertown Aunt’s.
Metro: Allow you experience daily routine commuting and navigating public systems akin to fixed routes and schedules.
5.5-Hr by Buick 7-Seater
Bites and Sips: Taste snacks and beverages that are popular or characteristic of Watertown cuisine.
Duration: 5 hours 30 minutes
Buick 7-seater/ 5-seater SUV
Pickup included
All-Inclusive
Bites and Sips: Taste snacks and beverages that are popular or characteristic of Watertown cuisine.
Duration: 6 hours 30 minutes
A hands-on dumpling meal : Wrap the fillings, shape the dumplings and enjoy the delicious result of efforts at Watertown Aunt’s.
A Buick 7-Seater: The Buick 7-Seater offers ample legroom and headroom, ensuring every traveler can enjoy their journey in comfort.
Pickup included
6.5-Hr by Metro
Bites and Sips : Taste snacks and beverages that are popular or characteristic of Water Town cuisine.
Duration: 6 hours 30 minutes
Boat ride、Tickets to Kezhi Gar
Metro: Approximately 3-hour round journey
Reviews
7 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Exploring water town and making dumplings
erbear539,
Oct 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Portia was amazing! She didn’t rush us and she gave way more info than the other 3 tours we took with other companies. I would suggest this tour company to anyone looking for a great experience. Making dumplings with my wife was one of the highlights of our trip to China. We will surely miss this country. Thanks again Portia and Joy!
Best tour of the water town
Trip47456670915,
Dec 29, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a very enjoyable Shanghai local food tasting tour. Portia was our guide and she explained the different cuisine in Shanghai (and also Shanghai’s history). Jade took us to great local restaurants where we could see the preparation and we enjoyed very much every dish we had and also the tea tasting ceremony. The tour finished sampling exotic fruits in a lovely fruit shop. Jade was a fantastic guide and the tour was a highlight of our stay in Shanghai.
Great Tour and Cooking Class!
911savannahm,
Nov 5, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing trip!! Portia was an incredible tour guide who went above and beyond. She was knowledgeable, super personable and made sure we were having a great time the whole time. Her English was also exceptional. The dumpling class was a real look into the lifestyle of the area and added such a nice homey touch to the experience. We had a wonderful time!
Awesome Trip
R5792WTjuliane,
Oct 23, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a perfect day with Portia. On our way to Watertown, she told us a lot about Shanghai, Zhoujiajiao and China in general. When we arrived, we went with a boat to Zhoujiajio, walked through the streets, tasted some food and visited a garden and a temple. Thanks for a wonderful day!
If you're in Shanghai, BOOK. THIS. TOUR
tinaZN642,
Sep 23, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.0011/10 would recommend in a heartbeat! I ended up booking this tour less than 8 hours in advance, just on a whim late one Sunday night as my plans for the following day had fallen through, and I've always wanted to visit Zhujiajiao Water Town but never really been sure how to navigate it as a solo traveler. I wasn't sure if the tour company would even receive or entertain my last-minute booking, but Joy from the Wanderlust Shanghai team contacted me the same evening without delay, clarifying the meeting point etc. and even offering to meet at a subway station closer to my hotel, as I was centrally located. Right from my fabulous tour guide, Portia, to the convenience of being able to take public transport with the help of a seasoned guide (they even bought me a 24-hour metro pass!), to the "bites and sips" inclusion in the tour (which was SUCH a pleasant surprise for this perpetually hungry-for-a-snack traveler), to the 🤌INCREDIBLE🤌 views of Zhujiajiao Ancient Water Town, the Hexin Garden, and Taoism Temple -- honestly, I felt so at peace just being in that gorgeous, gorgeous environment. Throughout the way, Portia shared insightful information about Shanghai, the watertown, its history, geography, daily life, and so much more. She was effortlessly knowledgeable about the city she calls home, and it was so inspiring to see how passionate she is about Shanghai and travel. These are the kinds of tour guides you want -- the ones who see travel and history not as a job, but as a passion and calling. Portia also helped me find (and bargain for!) some amazing souvenirs for my friends and family back home. She took me off the beaten path, to local craftspeople as opposed to the kitschy tourist souvenir shops, so I could really find something special for my loved ones. She was also constantly going out of her way to find me vegetarian snacks (and we found plenty!) and taking 5 million photos until she was sure I was happy with everything. It was so unexpected, and so very kind. The Wanderlust Shanghai team also gave me a LOVELY souvenir at the end of the tour -- thank you so much!! Truly touched my heart. Portia and Joy are genuinely kind people who do what they do because they love it, and people like that are just a delight to be around. If you're looking for a tour that will give you all you need in terms of history, culture, understanding how to get around, and also leave your heart feeling full, 1000% book with Wanderlust Shanghai without hesitation.
Thoroughly enjoyable day out
Katrina S,
May 26, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00From the beginning, both Sophia and Mia were excellent guides. I was greeted at the pickup point and accompanied to the Watertown without any hassles. I was amazed by the deep knowledge of the guides and enjoyed learning about the 36 bridges, gardens, temple and local culture. Mia and Sophia had wonderful friendly natures and a great sense of humour which made things even better. The bites and sips of local foods were tasty with lots of variation for everyone’s taste. The boat ride and attractions were all handled seamlessly by the guides and I couldn’t imagine a better organized day out and, as a non Chinese speaker, the girls’ English was excellent.
must be done in Shanghai
15654550,
Apr 24, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had half a day left in Shanghai, I asked Wanderlust for recommendations on places to visit. That's when I booked with Wanderlust Shanghai for the second time, and went to Zujiajio with the same guide. The name was a bit hard to remember, but it's a water town. I told them I love taking photos, so they took me to various hidden spots in the water town for photos. I'm really, really grateful for their thoughtfulness. I'm not someone who usually joins organized tours. But here is just too many people and Wanderlust Shanghai is a team listening to my wants and needs and then coming up with recommendations that not only met, but exceeded, them, based on their detailed knowledge of the cities we want to visit.
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