Shanghai | urban explorations

Our Urban Explorations take you to some of Shanghai's least visited districts or to destinations just beyond the city limits, still relatively untouched by mass tourism and the origins of little-known stories worth telling.

DISUNITY, CONFLICT & SPECULATION (half day)

> When the Capital of Capital Digs in for a Fight

Did you know thousands of bunkers had been built in Shanghai between the 1930s and 1960s? While most of them have been removed in recent decades, hundreds can still be found scattered across town, yet very little is recorded about these fortications. Hop on a (BYO or shared) bicycle and visit three different bunkers while we give you an insight into the what, when, who and why.

• Available daily all year | duration 2.5 hrs.
• Includes water & snack | (shared) bicycle NOT provided,
• +-9km of cycling w. limited walking | in Jing'an & Hongkou districts,
• 4 to 8 people (12+) | 250 RMB per person, 
• Not recommended for kids under 12.

REFUGEES, CATTLE PATHS & LIFE RELEASE (half day)

> Changing Fortunes in Sin City

Unravel the unlikely history of Suzhou Creek’s most prominent apartment building, as you wander its corridors and staircases. Continue via (BYO or shared) bicycle to Shanghai’s former slaughterhouse, an Art Deco & Feng Shui masterpiece, and discover its fascinating inner workings before finishing at a lesser-known Buddhist nunnery, once a seafaring folks’ favourite to pray for a safe maritime voyage.

• Available daily all year | duration 2.5 hrs.,
• Includes water & entrance fee | (shared) bicycle NOT provided,
• +-5km of cycling w. some walking | in Hongkou district,
• 4 to 8 people (12+) | 250 RMB per person, 
• Kids aged 6-12 get 10% discount | kids aged < 6 free of charge.
  

COBBLESTONES, GOD & URBAN YOUTH (full day)

> The Forgotten History of Magic City

Catch a glimpse of post Liberation Shanghai and witness a way of life once common in the downtown areas. Wander cobblestone alleyways flanked by communist era buildings, visit the Catholic’s first regional foothold, learn about the Japanese offensive that nearly wiped out the town and finish with a farmer’s lunch near the former countryside homes of ‘sent-down youths’.

• Available daily all year | duration 5.5 hrs.,
• Includes lunch with non-alcoholic drinks & private transportation by car from/to downtown,
• +-3km of walking | in Jiading district,
• 2-8 people (12+) | 950 - 450 RMB per person, 
• Kids aged 6-12 get 10% discount | kids aged < 6 free of charge.

CANALSIDE HERITAGE & REVOLUTION (full day)

> Beyond the Venice of the East

Visit a working water town and experience canal-side life free from mass tourism. Learn more about its glorious imperial origins, its revolutionary past and its quest to stay relevant in contemporary China with the mythicization of the ‘idyllic water town’. 

But wait, there's more! Personalise your trip with one of our additional experiences: venture into secret caves on a 'mountain' (for young ones), tour a private arts & handicrafts collection (for art enthusiasts) or explore by kayak (for active families).

• Available daily all year | duration 6 hrs.,
• Includes lunch with non-alcoholic drinks & private transportation by car from/to downtown, kayak rental (optional) or curated art tour (optional), 
• +-4km of walking | in Qingpu district,
• 2-8 people (12+) | 1,350 - 450 RMB per person,
• Kids aged 6-12 get 10% discount | kids aged < 6 free of charge.