7-Day Sichuan Discovery Tour with Pandas, Mount Emei & Jiuzhaigou

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu

   Hello, so happy to see you on our 7-day Sichuan tour. Your Chengdu guide will pick you up and transfer you to the well-selected hotel in the city center.

   Take a short rest and then walk around at your own pace.

   Free Time Ideas: Head over to the Tower of Vitality, which is blowing up on Instagram right now. It lights up for one of Chengdu’s most amazing night views.

   

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   4-Star Hotel in Chengdu
2. Day 2: Chengdu City Highlights
   Experience Chengdu's pandas, Buddhist heritage, teahouse culture, and culinary delights

   The guided tour begins at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where you can see China's most iconic 'national treasure' animal. Stroll through thebamboo-shaded park and watch pandas of all ages enjoying their leisurely daily lives. Learn about the important achievements in panda conservation, research, and breeding through detailed exhibits and interesting guide's explanation.

   From the playful world of pandas, step into the tranquil Wenshu Monastery. Ancient halls, drifting incense, and the quiet footsteps of worshippers create a striking contrast, revealing another side of Chengdu shaped by Buddhist tradition.

   

   Spend a relaxing afternoon at People’s Park, the heart of Chengdu's slow-paced lifestyle. Find a seat in a traditional teahouse, sip a fragrant cup of tea. You can also join the locals in dancing or learn the rules of mahjong.

   Kuanzhai Alley is not just a historic district, but an open 'Old Chengdu Life Experience Hall'. It's a symbol of fashion and youth. The alleys are filled with creative shops, bars, and nightclubs, making it a great place to enjoy Chengdu's nightlife and pick up unique souvenirs.

   Optional Activities:

   • Experience Chengdu's local 'ear cleaning' at for a stress-relieving sense of ultimate relaxation.
   • Discover the mysterious art of Sichuan Opera face-changing in the Kuanzhai Alley, often described as an "Eastern magic" performance.

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   4-Star Hotel in Chengdu
3. Day 3: Chengdu to Leshan by Private Vehicle
   Marvel at the Leshan Giant Buddha carved above three rivers

   After breakfast, travel to Leshan to visit the world-famous Leshan Giant Buddha. Carved into a cliff face during the Tang Dynasty, this colossal stone Buddha rises dramatically above the confluence of three rivers. Admire this awe-inspiring UNESCO Heritage Site from different angles - from its shoulders, its feet, or from across the river.

   Then, journey to Mount Emei, where bustling city streets gradually fade into misty peaks and ancient forests. At the foot of the mountain, visit the Baoguo Temple, the first stop on a tour of Mount Emei, where you can admire its exquisitely carved cliff inscriptions.

   

   Check into the hotel in Emei city after the visit.

   Friendly Reminders:

   • If you want to look up at the Buddha from its feet during peak season, be prepared to wait in line for at least an hour.
   • There are two ways to visit the Leshan Giant Buddha: Follow the cliffside pathways for a close-up view; or take a boat for a panoramic perspective from the water.

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   4-Star Hotel in Chengdu
4. Day 4: Mount Emei Hiking
   Ride to Mount Emei's Golden Summit above the clouds

   Mount Emei is one of China’s four famous Buddhist mountains and is renowned for its spectacular sights, such as sea of clouds, sunrises, and the Buddha’s light.

   Follow your guide to take the cable car deep into the mountains to reach the highlight of the journey – the Golden Summit. As the altitude rises, dense forests gradually give way to open mountain views, with the scenery unfolding in ever more magnificent layers. At over 3,000 metres above sea level, the magnificent Golden Summit of Mount Emei comes into view.

   On clear days, Mount Emei reveals its most famous spectacle – the sea of clouds. If you're lucky, you might even catch a rare glimpse of the 'Buddha's Light', a mysterious halo phenomenon that has fascinated pilgrims and visitors for centuries.

   

   After enjoying the scenery, you will take the cable car down to Leidongping and then go down the mountain by a sightseeing bus.

   After a rewarding hike on Mount Emei, return to Chengdu for a good rest.

   Warm Tips:

   • The temperature difference between the foot and the top of the mountain is quite significant, so it's recommended to bring a windbreaker.
   • If you want to watch the magnificent sunrise from the Golden Summit, let your travel advisor know in advance to arrange an overnight stay on Mount Emei for you.
   • The monkeys on Mount Emei act like 'bandits' and could easily steal your belongings. Make sure not to eat snacks or rummage through your bag in front of them.

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   4-Star Hotel in Chengdu
5. Day 5: Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou by High-speed Train
   Follow mountain boardwalks through Huanglong's colorful travertine pools

   After breakfast, take the high-speed train from Chengdu to Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station (about 1 hour and 40 minutes) and then transfer for 2 hours to Huanglong Scenic Area. It's a World Natural Heritage site, famous for its colourful pools, snow-capped mountains, gorges, and forests.

   The valleys are covered with milky-yellow travertine deposits, making it look like a 'paradise on earth'. You will see unique travertine landscapes: the world's largest and most complex travertine terraced pools, like the Five-Color Pool, and the world's longest travertine beach flow: the golden sands stretching out.

   

   When walking in the forest, have you ever taken a moment to quietly listen to the birds singing? Your guide will lead you into the world‘s first 'soundprint walkway', a path that can 'listen'. The park uses AI technology to turn bird songs into visualised soundprint maps. Here, you can 'see' the shapes of bird calls on interactive screens and even interact with 'bird AI pets', awakening real-time educational explanations with a single bird call.

   Travel Tips:

   • Some areas of Huanglong National Park are located at an elevation of over 3,500 meters, so you may experience altitude sickness. We recommend that you take it slow.
   • There are no restaurants in the park. It's recommended to eat after leaving the park or bring some snacks with you.

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   4-Star Hotel in Jiuzhaigou
6. Day 6: Jiuzhaigou Valley Day Tour
   Take in Jiuzhaigou's colorful lakes and breathtaking scenery

   Your last highlight of this tour is in Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area. It has 114 tiered lakes, which show brilliant colors like deep blue, emerald green, and yellow depending on the angle of the light due to the calcium carbonate and algae in the water, such as Five Flower Lak, giving you a real visual feast.

   Besides, there's the amazing Nuorilang Waterfall, the widest calcified waterfall in China, where water flows over a broad calcified surface with tremendous force. Such stunning scenery is definitely perfect for taking photos!

   

   Travel Tip: Late September to early November is the best time to visit Jiuzhaigou, and photographers should not miss this period.

   Special Note: The only restaurant in Jiuzhaigou is the Nuorilang Restaurant, which offers buffet lunch. However, the menu options are limited.

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   4-Star Hotel in Jiuzhaigou
7. Day 7: Jiuzhaigou Departure

   Enjoy your own morning before the departure. Our driver will pick you up from the hotel lobby and take you to the airport/station. Take home with memories and stories!

   Extend Your Adventure:

   If your trip falls between mid-June and late July, don't miss the Ruoergai Grasslands, where Gesang flowers will carpet the shallow lakes, and you’ll spot rare birds such as black-necked cranes.

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