Two long-term China residents have opened an urban adventure tourism company in Shanghai that specializes in sightseeing runs, culinary experiences and cultural excursions.

“Dining in China can be an intimidating, but immensely rewarding experience. UnTour Shanghai takes the guesswork out of picking the right restaurants and ordering the best dishes,” says Jamie Barys, UnTour Shanghai’s Chief Eating Officer. “We take the stress out of eating out and make sure that all of our guests leave China with authentic culinary experience under their belts.

The company offers six culinary tours, including street food, cooking classes and market tours, in addition to their ‘Weird Meat’ option for those with an adventurous palate. In addition, UnTour Shanghai also offers a separate category of running and cultural tours.

“Sightjogging, or running tours, is very popular for active travelers who want to kill two birds with one stone by combining their exercise routine with sightseeing. I lead the run to help people get an idea of where things are – that way if they see something they are interested in, it’s easy for them to come back later,” says Kyle Long, Chief Running Officer. “It’s a great way to find your way around, and exercise helps beat jet lag!”

There are three set running tours scheduled for both morning and night that range from a run/walk 8km for beginners to a marathon-prepping 27km on their Dragon Tail XXL option. Running tours are set to a conversational pace, making the experience both relaxing and energizing.

The four cultural tour options include a Markets Extravaganza that ensures you will only need one tour to get all the trinkets for back home and a Cocktail Hour that shows off why Shanghai has some of the best nightlife in Asia.

UnTour Shanghai’s tours are private, but the company does offer some of its more popular options to the public, including the Street Eats (morning) and the Run This Town tours. All of UnTour’s native English speaking guides also speak Mandarin. Running tours start at US$70 and cultural and culinary tours start at US$150.

Jamie and Kyle created UnTour Shanghai after they became frustrated with the lack of quality tour companies when they had visitors in town. Too often, tour companies take guests to overcrowded tourist spots, leading them around with an umbrella in one hand and a loudspeaker in the other. An “UnTour”, on the other hand, is an art Jamie and Kyle, both avid travelers, have perfected. They avoid hordes of tourists and escape guidebook tedium by embarking on an urban adventure of a whole new kind. With UnTour Shanghai’s enticing offerings, now guests can explore the city like a local and take home unique memories from their trip.