4-Day Chengdu Panda Volunteer Tour: Mount Qingcheng & Leshan Giant Buddha

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu

   Welcome to Chengdu, home of the giant panda! Meet your private tour guide and driver and they will transfer you to the downtown hotel for check-in. For the rest of the time, you can explore the city on your own. And here are some recommendations.

   Free Time Ideas:

   • Explore Chengdu's new trendy spot at the SKP Vitality of Tower cyberpunk light show. It runs every day from 19:30 to 22:30, perfect for great INS shots
   • Enjoy a hotpot dinner with the option of a double-flavor pot: spicy and mild broths for those who can't handle spicy food

   

   Vehicle

   4-Star Hotel in Chengdu
2. Day 2: Wolong Panda Volunteer Program
   Create your special moment as a panda keeper

   Today, you will spend a whole day at the Wolong Panda Center, one of the largest wild giant panda habitats in the world. From here, your unforgettable day as a panda keeper will begin.

   Here is the detailed workflow for volunteer service for your reference:

   • Collect work clothes, gloves, and a work card
   • Pre-duty training, group assignment, and allocation of responsible areas
   • Clean the panda activity area, carry and split the bamboo
   • Watch the keepers feed pandas; an educator explains panda habits, diet, and conservation status
   • Enjoy lunch at the base staff canteen (Sichuan simple meal)
   • Watch panda documentaries
   • Make pandas' food - Wowotou (steamed corn buns)
   • Get the official volunteer certificate

   After the program, drive to Chengdu and have a good rest at your hotel.

   

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   4-Star Hotel in Chengdu
3. Day 3: Dujiangyan Back to Chengdu
   Journey through sacred mountains, lost civilizations, and the colorful rhythm of Chengdu

   Qingcheng Mountain is famous for its saying 'Qingcheng, the most serene under heaven' and has over 1,800 years of Taoist heritage, making it one of the birthplaces of native Chinese Taoism. As a World Cultural Heritage site, it not only has ancient temples like Jianfu Palace and Tianshi Cave, but it's also a great place to experience the 'Tao follows nature' lifestyle.

   Friendly Reminder: Qingcheng Mountain is divided into the Front Mountain and the Back Mountain. The Front Mountain is mainly known for Taoist historical sites and cultural scenery, and the climb is quite challenging, so it's recommended to take the cable car (an optional activity). The Back Mountain is known for its natural scenery and hiking experience; the routes are gentler but longer, so you can choose based on your stamina.

   

   After leaving the serenity of the mountains, return to Chengdu and travel back in time at the Jinsha Site Museum, where there are thousands of cultural relics dating back three thousand years. Appreciate precious cultural relics such as the golden sunbird disc, golden mask, bronze standing figure, and learn about the stories behind them.

   Note: To better protect the site itself and the museum's collections, the Jinsha Site Museum will start its first major renovation since its opening on 5 December 2025. It is expected to reopen in May 2027.

   Move forward in the People's Park. Sip tea alongside locals and enjoy all kinds of beautiful flowers in different seasons, like tulips and crabapples in spring, lotuses in summer, and chrysanthemums in autumn, all of which are really beautiful sights. Another highlight is the famous 'marriage market'. It really is a very interesting scene.

   Walk to Jinli Street, a great place to experience folk culture. It's an old-style street that blends Three Kingdoms culture, Sichuan customs and authentic snacks.

   

   Optional Activities:

   Enjoy traditional ear cleaning popular with locals at People's Park.

   Learn to play an authentic game of Sichuan Mahjong and dive into the comfy lifestyle of people.

   Watch Sichuan Opera Face-Changing performance, where performers switch their brightly coloured masks in the blink of an eye.

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   4-Star Hotel in Dujiangyan
4. Day 4: Chengdu Departure
   Descend beside the towering Buddha and admire its breathtaking scale up close

   Leshan Giant Buddha is another highlight of this Chengdu Tour.

   The Great Buddha stands 71 metres tall, carved into the mountainside and perched above the river, with a foot width of 8.5 metres, enough for over a hundred people to sit around. The river view here is beautiful, the environment is peaceful, and you can leisurely hike up the hill and get a close look at the giant Buddha.

   

   Travel Tips:

   Visit the Giant Buddha Grottoes Digital Exhibition Centre and use VR/AR technology to 'step into' grottoes that have never been open to the public.

   Want to save energy or see a panoramic view of the Giant Buddha? Then take a boat ride on the river. Your tour guide can arrange it for you.

   At the end of the day, we will transfer you to Chengdu Airport or the railway station for departure.

   Note: We recommend booking a flight departing after 6:00 PM.

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