6 Days Chengdu Chongqing Tour with Leshan and Mount Emei
Culture, Nature & City Vibes
Culture, Nature & City Vibes
Looking for a trip that mixes modern city wonders, ancient spiritual sites, and stunning nature?
This 6-day adventure has it all! Over six unforgettable days, you'll discover the vibrant charm of southwest China through Chengdu and Chongqing, two neighboring cities offering a captivating mix of cultural treasures, scenic beauty, and vibrant urban life, all conveniently connected by international flights, especially from South Asia. Chengdu, home to adorable giant pandas and famed for its laid-back culture, pairs perfectly with Chongqing, a dynamic metropolis draped over misty hills where the Yangtze River meets jaw-dropping 8D cityscapes. Beyond the cities, the journey unfolds to reveal UNESCO Natural and Cultural Heritage Site: the awe-inspiring Leshan Giant Buddha, carved into a cliffside overlooking the confluence of rivers, and the sacred Mount Emei, where cloud-shrouded peaks, Buddhist temples, and ancient forests create a serene retreat for both nature lovers and spiritual seekers alike.
This itinerary is fully customizable to match your travel dates, interests, and budget. Enjoy stress-free arrivals and departures with convenient airport/train station pickups and drop-offs, ensuring a smooth and enriching journey from start to finish.
Day 1 Chengdu Arrival
Airport / railway station pick up
Welcome to Chengdu, the hometown of the Giant Panda. Your local guide will meet you at the airport/train station and then escort you to your hotel in a private vehicle. The rest of today is yours to relax in the panda city on your own.
Arrival Ideas: Chengdu is only about 2~3 hours flying from the majority of big cities in China, such as Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc. You can also get to Chengdu by high speed trains from Xian (4hrs), Chongqing (1hr), Guilin (6hrs), Kunming (6hrs), etc.
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Pick Up
Day 2 Chengdu Sightseeing (B, L)
Highlights of today: Chengdu Panda Base, People's Park, Wuhou Temple, Jinli Old Street
This morning you will make a memorable visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. This facility is not only the most important panda scientific research center in the world, but also the home for more than 100 Giant Pandas. You will walk at leisure through the bamboo-framed paths and closely observe giant pandas of different ages eating bamboos, playing with each other, tumbling, and climbing trees. Be sure to not miss the chance to visit the most adorable panda babies in the nursery rooms and panda kindergartens. There is also a very informative Panda Museum where you can learn more scientific facts about Giant Pandas.
Chengdu is famous throughout China for its relaxing and leisurely pace and lifestyle, which will be demonstrated by a visit to the City’s People's Park. Sit down, order a pot of Chinese tea, have a casual chat with your friends and watch locals indulging themselves in different kinds of folk entertainment - napping, playing mahjong, disco dancing, and giving neck massages!
After that, you will move on to Wuhou Temple This unique site combines emperor Liu Bei's tomb with his prime minister Zhuge Liang's shrine and is hailed as the most influential Three Kingdoms museum. Stroll through its solemn courtyard lined with cypress trees, admire Tang-era tablet scripts, and encounter Liu Bei's and Zhuge Liang’s statues and hear their legendary story.
Next will be an impressive visit to the famous Jinli Old Street. Time will steal away as you quietly walk on the lively streets full of delicious local snacks, delicate artifacts, interesting folk shows, and other activities.
Recommended Optional Evening Activities: 1) enjoy a delicious dinner of Sichuan cuisine (or hotpot) at a local restaurant; 2) watch a wonderful performance of Sichuan Opera which includes folk opera, face changing, fire spitting, rolling lights, and other delightful entertainment (usually performs during 20:00~21:30).
Day 3 Chengdu - Leshan Giant Buddha - Mount Emei (B, L)
Today's highlights: Leshan Giant Buddha, Baoguo Temple
In the morning, you will be picked up at your hotel, then be driven about 2 hours from Chengdu to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site - Leshan Giant Buddha which is the largest and tallest stone-carved statue of Buddha in the world. It was carved during AD713~803 on a mountain rock cliff by the river, with its head reaching to the mountain top and its feet standing next to the river. The total height is 71m; while the head is 14.7m high and 10m wide, ear is 7meters high, 28 meters between knees and insteps. Its insteps can hold over a hundred people. You may be wondering why such a giant Buddha was built? It is said to have been built to calm the turbulent waters that plagued passing boats and killed many people each year in ancient time. On the right cliff of the Giant Buddha, there is a plank road built along with the Giant Buddha. From the top to foot, the plank road has nine turns, thus it’s called Nine Bends Plank Road. The widest part of the road is 1.45m and the narrowest part is only 0.6m, and there are 217 stone steps in total. You will walk down to the feet of the Giant Buddha for a closer view. Please note you may have to queue up to enter the stone stairway if you visit the Giant Buddha during the busy hours.
After the Giant Buddha visit, drive about 45mins to Baoguo Temple, the biggest temple of Mount Emei at the mountain foot. It has several serene gardens with rare plants, a library of sutras and a huge porcelain Buddha. Another famous historical relic in the temple is the 25-ton bronze Bell, reputedly as the second largest bell in China. While traveling deeper into the temple, you will enjoy different views of Mount Emei.
Lastly, drive to check in your hotel. Have a good rest for tomorrow's Mount Emei trip which has some walkings involved.
Recommended Optional Activity: take a 30 minutes’ sightseeing boat to enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of the Giant Buddha on the river.
Day 4 Mount Emei – Chongqing (B, L)
Highlights of today: Mount Emei (Leidongping, Golden Summit, Huazang Temple)
This morning after breakfast, meet your tour guide and set out for Mount Emei. As one of the few World Heritage Sites of both cultural and natural heritages, Mount Emei is an enchanted combination of lush forest and cultural relics. It is one of the Four Great Buddhist Mountains in China, also the home to 5000 kinds of plants (more than the total species in Europe) and over 2300 kinds of wild animals.
You will first take your private car to the tourist center, then shift on to an Eco-Bus which will take you up to the mountain top area in 1.5~2 hours. Once you reaching at Leidongping (2400m), keep on walking about 30mins along stone steps to the cable car station, along which you will have a chance to see the wild monkeys. Take a cable car (about 5mins) up to the Golden Summit (3077m) which is the biggest highlight and very essence of Mount Emei. Once you get to the Golden Summit, the first view appearing in front of you is a towering multi-faced golden statue (48m) of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Next to the golden statue sits the bronze Huazang Temple which is the first temple established on Mount Emei whose history can be traced back to the 1st century CE. You can stroll around the Golden Summit to explore Buddhist architecture and tradition, and enjoy a panoramic view of Mount Emei and surrounding. On clear days, you can even see the snow-clad of Mount Gongga (7556m), Asia’s largest table mountain - Wawu Mountain and winding rivers flowing through Emeishan city. If weather permits, you will have luck to enjoy its magnificent wonder of Cloud Sea. Sightsee around 1.5 hours on the Golden Summit area, then descend by cable car to Leidoping and take Eco-Bus again back to the tourist center.
Your private car is ready to drive you to the train station to catch a 2-hour high-speed train to Chongqing. Upon arrival, your local travel guide will meet you at the train station and then escort you to your hote. The rest of today is yours to relax.
Day 5 Chongqing City Tour (B, L)
Chongqing's Highlights: Nanshan Tree Viewing Platform, Longmenhao Old Street, WFC Huixianlou Observation Deck, Hongya Cave
Good morning! After breakfast, your guide and driver will greet you at your hotel to continue your Chongqing discovery.
First, drive up to Nanshan Tree Viewing Platform on Nanshan Mountain. It is the most classic location to admire Chongqing skyline and overlook the Yuzhong Peninsula embraced by the Yangtze River.
Next, explore the mountain leaning Longmenhao Old Street of 6 layers, which preserves around 200 precious buildings for Chongqing history seeking. Wander from the upper gate down along the alleys to imagine the past decades and take contrasting photos of the present vibrant urban Chongqing.
Then, go up to the open-air WFC Huixianlou Observation Deck of 339 meters high to appreciate the spectacular 360° Chongqing cityscape!
Finally, visit Chongqing’s landmark - Hongya Cave where 11 layers of traditional wood tilted houses overlapping against the mountain to create an antique flavor. (Note: Hongya Cave night view is usually available after 19:30 in summer and 18:30 in winter, so if you want to enjoy the nightscape, please discuss with your travel expert or tour guide to adjust the itinerary.)
After the visit, be sent to your hotel in Chongqing downtown. Have a great rest! (You can decide whether to enjoy dinner at Hongya Cave or directly be escorted to your hotel.)
Day 6 Chongqing & Departure (B)
Chongqing's Highlights: Three Gorges Museum, People's Assembly Hall, Liziba
Good morning! After breakfast, your guide and driver will greet you at your hotel to continue your Chongqing discovery.
First, head to the Three Gorges Museum, boasting an impressive collection of over 280,000 pieces of precious historical relics. This museum offers a fascinating glimpse into the Yangtze River, formation of the Three Gorges, and Chongqing City, from 3,000 years ago, to its war defense in the 20th century, and to nowadays as one of the four prosperous municipalities in China.
Step outside to appreciate the People’s Assembly Hall, renowned for its elegant classical façade and listed in the History of Architecture compiled in London in 1987!
Then, go to experience Chongqing Light Rail Line 2 from Huanghuayuan to Liziba Station (15 minutes’ ride) with the beautiful cityscape of streets, bridges, flyovers, and Jialing River. Get off at Liziba to watch the unbelievable view of a train traveling through a 19-floor building, a successful demonstration of Chongqing’s urban design.
After the visit, your guide and driver will escort you to the airport or railway station for departure from Chongqing. Tour ends!
1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in a 4-star hotel and traveling with our private tour in low seasons. It will drop greatly if your group has 4 or more members.
2. This price is subject to change according to your traveling season, month and date. There may be huge price increasing during public Chinese holidays, school summer vacations, tourism peak seasons or some special dates. (China Public Holiday 2025 Schedule Released)
3. Other factors that may change the final tour price include group size, hotel class, tour activities, fluctuation of currency exchange rate, etc.
4. This price is based on exchange rate USD 1=RMB 7.00. The final price will be based on the exchange rate in effect at the time of agreement with our quotation.
5. This price is only valid to March 31, 2026.
6. This price is not the final price until the Confirmation Letter is sent.
7. The items included and excluded in this price are for reference only. The final services included, please refer to the confirmation letter sent to you by the travel consultant.
Morning Wonder,
The tour is very good, the tour guide and driver services are also excellent, everybody is happy, thank you very much for the arrangements!
We are enjoying the food and nice weather in Guangzhou.
Ting
Hi Phoebe,
MUST TO VISITS are Panda Base and Jinli Street!
文君WenJun Hotel is very good. Its meals are delicous with good variety. Service is attentive with personal touch.
Tour guide speaks clear and fluent English, able to explain very well.
Driver's attitude is good and friendly, with steady driving, up to expectation.
Your service is very good and standard already.
Eugene
Hi Shirley,
Thank for the good small tour, it went very well and the lady very helpful.
The two site turn out to be very interesting to me so a good tour. Thanks.
Kind regards
Paul
Wonder,
Good morning and Happy New Year!
My family is looking to visit China again this year. We are tentatively thinking about Xian, do you have any recommendations for our visit beside Xian?
P.s. Derek was the best tour guide we met, we adored his enthusiasm, his knowledge, and his sense of humor, he truly made our trip to Hangzhou a memorable experience. We would love to have individual like him for our future trips to China.
Yan
Hi Wonder,
The tour is so far so good. Thank you for the arrangement.
Yes, please keep trying for the train tickets for us.
Regards,
Benny
We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years!
"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.
Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.
Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!
After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.
Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.
We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.
Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.
Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.
Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!
Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!
Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.
Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!
In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!
The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.
If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.
Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.
We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.
The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.
There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.
All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Pick Up
Beautiful Jinli Old Street Shot by Our Customer Rick
Chengdu Wuhou Temple
Our clients enjoying local Chinese tea in the People's Park
Lovely Pandas in Chengdu Panda Base - Photographed by Our Guest Chona
Leshan Giant Buddha in summer
Baoguo Temple at the foot of Mount Emei
UNESCO World Heritage Site - Leshan Giant Buddha
Pilgrims whorshiped Samantabhadra Bodhisattva in Golden Summit
Stunning scenery of Cloud Sea on Golden Summit
Emei Mountain Golden Summit View
Nanshan Tree Viewing Platform
Longmenhao Old Street
Hongya Cave Daytime-2023-Wilson from Singapore
Beautiful Appearance of People's Assembly Hall
Chongqing Light Rail Going Through a Building at Liziba Metro Station
Chengdu / Leshan / Emei / Chongqing
Chengdu / Leshan / Emei / Chengdu / Dujiangyan / Chengdu
Chengdu / Leshan / Emei / Chengdu / Jiuzhaigou
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