Private Shenzhen Historic Tour from Hong Kong
- Duration9 hours
- Daily
- Private
- Fair, honest prices
- Real people, not bots
- Confirm, then pay
- Secure payment
Overview
This private Shenzhen historic tour from Hong Kong tells the story of how a quiet market town and a walled county seat became one of the world's great modern cities. You meet your private English-speaking guide on the Hong Kong side of the Lo Wu (Luohu) crossing, cross the border with visa support, and spend the day travelling by private car or local transfers arranged by your guide. Explore Xin'an Ancient City, the old capital of the county that once included Hong Kong, see the futuristic Nanshan tech district, relax on the Shenzhen Bay Talent Park waterfront and finish among the lively lanes of Dongmen Old Street. Only your party joins and the pace adapts to you, ideal for couples, families and friends.
Highlights
- Border crossing at Luohu with your private guide and visa support
- Xin'an Ancient City: old gates, stone lanes and ancestral halls
- The shared history of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, explained on the spot
- Nanshan tech district: the futuristic face of the city
- Waterfront stroll at Shenzhen Bay Talent Park with views of Hong Kong
- Optional hilltop view over Futian's skyline from Lianhua Mountain Park
- Dongmen Old Street, the market quarter where Shenzhen began
- Private, flexible day of about nine hours, back to Luohu at the end
Full Description
Crossing at Luohu: how to get to Shenzhen from Hong Kong
How to get to Shenzhen from Hong Kong for this tour? Take the MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu, the last station on the Hong Kong side, where your guide meets you at the station terminal. Together you pass Hong Kong departures, cross the footbridge over the Shenzhen River and enter mainland China at Luohu Port, one of the busiest land crossings in the world.
Your guide helps with the entry formalities and, where your passport requires it, the visa procedure available at the border. Rules have changed a lot, with many nationalities now visa-free or eligible for the 240-hour transit policy, so we check your passport's options after booking. From Luohu, the drive to the first stop takes about 45 minutes.
Xin'an Ancient City (Nantou)
Xin'an Ancient City, also called Nantou Ancient Town, is the historic heart of the region. A county seat stood here as early as the fourth century, and from the Ming dynasty it was the walled capital of Xin'an County, which governed both today's Shenzhen and Hong Kong until the 19th century. The south gate, stretches of old wall, the reconstructed county office, ancestral halls and small temples survive among narrow stone lanes.
Your guide explains how one county split into two very different cities, and why families on both sides of the border still share surnames and ancestral villages. Restored courtyards now hold cafés, bookshops and craft studios, making it a pleasant place to linger. Allow about one and a half hours, including time for photos.
Nanshan tech district and Shenzhen Bay Talent Park
A short drive away, Nanshan shows the opposite face of Shenzhen: glass towers, headquarters of major technology companies, driverless taxis and delivery drones. In 1980 Shenzhen became China's first Special Economic Zone, and within a few decades the farmland and fishing villages here turned into a megacity of more than seventeen million people.
The tour continues to Shenzhen Bay Talent Park, one of the city's most beautiful waterfront parks, with lakes, lawns, public art and a long promenade along the bay. On clear days you look across the water to the hills of Hong Kong's New Territories, a view that sums up the two cities' shared story. A relaxed stroll here takes about 45 minutes.
Lianhua Mountain Park and the Futian skyline
If time and energy allow, your guide can add Lianhua Mountain Park in Futian, a green hill in the city centre. A gentle uphill path leads to a hilltop square with a panoramic view over the central business district, the Civic Centre with its wing-shaped roof and the long axis of parks and towers that forms the city's planned core. Locals fly kites on the lawns at weekends.
Nearby rises Shenzhen's tallest tower, close to 600 metres high, whose observation deck offers a 360-degree view of the city, the bay and, on clear days, Hong Kong. The deck ticket is optional and not included; your guide can arrange it on the day if you wish. These optional stops take one to two hours.
Dongmen Old Street: where Shenzhen began
The name Shenzhen means deep drains, after the ditches of the rice fields around a small market town that stood at Dongmen. That market grew into today's Dongmen Old Street, a bustling pedestrian quarter of shops, street snacks, clothing stalls and old shopfronts beside modern malls, and one of the best places to feel everyday local life.
Is Shenzhen worth visiting for its history? This last stop answers it: few places show so clearly how fast the city has changed, from market town to metropolis within a lifetime. You have about an hour to explore and shop before your guide drives you back to Luohu Port for your return to Hong Kong.
Itinerary
- 10:00 or 11:00 Meet at Lo Wu stationYour guide meets you at the Lo Wu station terminal on the Hong Kong side and crosses the border with you at Luohu, about 30 to 60 minutes depending on queues.
- Xin'an Ancient CityA drive of about 45 minutes, then a guided visit of the old gates, lanes and ancestral halls, about one and a half hours.
- Nanshan tech districtA drive through the modern tech district with photo stops, about 30 minutes.
- Shenzhen Bay Talent ParkA relaxed waterfront stroll with views towards Hong Kong, about 45 minutes.
- Optional: Lianhua Mountain Park and the city's tallest towerA hilltop view over Futian and, if you wish, the observation deck at your own cost, one to two hours.
- Dongmen Old StreetFree time in the old market quarter for snacks and shopping, about one hour.
- Return to Luohu PortA drive of about 20 minutes back to Luohu, where your guide sees you off for your return to Hong Kong, about nine hours after the start.
What's included
- Private English-speaking guide
- China visa support for border entry
- Meet and drop-off at Luohu Port
- Private car or arranged local transfers in Shenzhen
- Guided visits to Xin'an Ancient City and Dongmen Old Street
- Waterfront walk at Shenzhen Bay Talent Park
Not included
- Meals and drinks
- Observation deck ticket (optional)
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Is this right for you?
Great for
- Couples, families and friends who want a private tour, just your group
- History and culture lovers
Think twice if
- You need hotel pickup — you meet at the meeting point
Not suitable for
- Babies under 1 year
- Travellers without a valid passport or the required entry documents for mainland China
Meeting point
Meet your guide at the Lo Wu (Luohu) station terminal on the Hong Kong side of the border, the last stop of the MTR East Rail Line, at 10:00 or 11:00 depending on your booking. The exact spot is confirmed on WhatsApp after booking. Bring your passport. The tour ends at Luohu Port, where you cross back to Hong Kong.
Important information
- Bring your passport and any Hong Kong immigration slip received on arrival; both are checked at the border.
- Visa support is included, but entry rules depend on your nationality; we check your passport's options after booking, and any visa fees are your responsibility.
- Moderate walking is required throughout the day, including stone lanes and a gentle hill if you choose Lianhua Mountain Park.
- Wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing; Shenzhen is warm and humid much of the year.
- Meals and drinks, the tallest tower's observation deck, tips and personal expenses are not included.
- Shenzhen has halal (qingzhen) restaurants run by Hui Muslim families; your guide can suggest one for lunch.
- Many Western apps are blocked in mainland China; make sure you can receive WhatsApp messages (a roaming data plan usually works).
- Mobile payment apps are used everywhere; carry some cash for small purchases.
- Peak hours at the border may cause short waiting times.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
Is this a shared or a private tour?
It is private: your guide is only for your party, and you never join other travellers.
Can we change the itinerary or the pace?
Yes. This is a private tour, so the guide can spend longer where you are most interested, add Lianhua Mountain Park and the observation deck, or skip a stop.
How many people can join?
Only your own party. Please tell us the exact number of travellers when booking so we can arrange the right transport in Shenzhen.
Is the price per person or per group?
Prices are per person. The booking panel on this page shows the current price for your group size.
Is hotel pickup included?
No. You meet your guide at Lo Wu station on the Hong Kong side, easy to reach on the MTR East Rail Line, and the tour ends back at Luohu Port.
What is included?
Your private English-speaking guide, China visa support for border entry, the meeting and drop-off at Luohu, a private car or local transfers arranged by your guide in Shenzhen, guided visits to Xin'an Ancient City and Dongmen Old Street, and the waterfront stroll at Shenzhen Bay Talent Park.
Do I need a visa?
It depends on your passport. Many nationalities can now enter visa-free or under the 240-hour transit policy; others can use the visa support included in this tour. We check your options after booking.
How long is the tour?
About nine hours from the meeting at Lo Wu to the return at Luohu Port.
Is it suitable for children or travellers with reduced mobility?
Children over one year are welcome, and the stops can be shortened for young legs. The day involves moderate walking and the border crossing has stairs and queues, so tell us about any mobility needs in advance.
What should I bring?
Your passport, any Hong Kong immigration slip, comfortable shoes, sun protection, water and a way to pay for meals.
When is the best time to go?
October to March is the most comfortable season, with mild, drier days. Summer is hot and humid with showers. Weekdays are quieter at the border and in Dongmen.
How do I book and confirm?
Choose your date and start time in the booking panel on this page and complete the booking. Our team confirms on WhatsApp within minutes and checks your passport entry options with you.
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