Sichuan & Chongqing · 8 days / 7 nights
8-Day Sichuan: Chengdu, Leshan & Chongqing
Pandas, a 71-metre Buddha carved into a cliff, and the karst bridges of Wulong — the best eight days in southwest China, and the spiciest.
Sichuan and Chongqing are one food culture and two very different cities. This route gives you Chengdu’s teahouse pace, then Chongqing’s vertical, neon, three-dimensional chaos.
Day by dayExactly what happens, in order — nothing added for the brochure.
Chengdu Arrival & Sichuan Feast
Upon arrival at Chengdu airport, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel. After check-in, enjoy a special Sichuan Cuisine Welcome Dinner – a flavorful introduction to the province’s famous spicy and numbing dishes. Relax and prepare for the days ahead.
Pandas, Poets & Ancient Alleys
Visit the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base, a world-renowned research center where you can see giant pandas and red pandas in a naturalistic environment. Then, explore Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage, the former residence of the great Tang-dynasty poet, now a peaceful garden museum. End the day walking through Kuanzhai Alley (Broad and Narrow Alley), a preserved Qing-era street complex with traditional architecture, teahouses, and local snacks.
Leshan Giant Buddha & Return to Chengdu
Take a high-speed train from Chengdu to Leshan. Experience the Leshan Giant Buddha from a boat cruise along the river – the best way to see the 71-meter-tall stone carving in full. Then, visit the nearby Oriental Buddha Scenic Area, which features over 3,000 Buddha statues in various styles, including a 170-meter reclining Buddha. Afterward, take the train back to Chengdu and transfer to your hotel; the evening is free for your own exploration.
High-speed to Chongqing & Historic Stairs
Take a bullet train from Chengdu to Chongqing. Upon arrival, walk the Mountain City Trail – a scenic path winding through the hilly city, offering panoramic views. Descend the Eighteen Stairs (Shibati), a centuries-old stone staircase that preserves the authentic old-town atmosphere. Continue to Longmenhao Old Street, a revitalized waterfront area with century-old buildings, now filled with cafes and galleries. Check into your hotel in Chongqing.
Karst Wonders of Wulong
Drive from Chongqing to the Wulong Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore the Three Natural Bridges – three colossal limestone arches (Tianlong, Qinglong, and Heilong) carved by water over millennia. Then, visit the Longshuixia Fissure, a narrow, deep gorge with waterfalls and boardwalks winding between sheer cliffs. Overnight at a hotel near Wulong.
Fairy Mountain & Neon Cityscape
Begin at Fairy Mountain National Forest Park, a high-altitude grassland at over 2,000 meters, offering fresh air and panoramic alpine views. Return to downtown Chongqing and visit Hongyadong – a spectacular stilt-house complex built on a cliffside, beautifully lit at night. End at Liberation Monument, the city’s commercial heart, surrounded by bustling shopping streets and neon lights.
Light Rail & Ancient Town
Stop at the famous Liziba Light Rail Viewing Point, where the monorail train passes right through a residential building – a unique symbol of Chongqing’s 3-D transport. Then, visit Eling Park, a hilltop garden with views of the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. Finally, wander through Ciqikou Ancient Town, a millennium-old riverside town with well-preserved Ming-Qing architecture and lively snack streets. Return to your hotel.
Departure from Chongqing
Enjoy your last breakfast in Chongqing. Your driver will transfer you to the airport according to your flight schedule. Safe travels and we hope you take home wonderful memories of Sichuan and Chongqing!
What is in the priceAnd what is not. We would rather you knew now.
✓Included
- Admission fees for every sight listed in the itinerary
- Private vehicle with a skilled driver for all transfers and sightseeing
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Driver and guide accommodation and meal allowance
- High-speed train tickets, second class
- English-speaking guides
- Service charge and government taxes
- Luggage transfers between airports, stations and hotels
- Accommodation as listed above, with breakfast daily
- The Sichuan dinner mentioned in the itinerary
- China travel insurance
−Not included
- International flights to and from China
- Meals not listed above
- Chinese visa fees
- Excess baggage charged by airlines
- Tips to guides and drivers (suggested USD 20 per group per guide, USD 15 per driver)
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Personal travel accident insurance
- Optional programs and personal expenses
Prices depend on dates, party size and the hotels you choose, so we quote per trip rather than publish a number that would be wrong. Send us your dates and we will come back with one figure — in writing, with the hotels named.
PracticalThe things people ask before booking.
Tell us the dates. We will send this route back priced, with the hotels named.
Everything here is a starting point — we cut days, add nights, swap hotels and change the order of cities all the time. Rebecca answers in English, usually within a few hours.
