Overview
How to make the most of your time and money in Chengdu over two days? Immersing yourself in Chengdu’s tranquil rhythm is highly recommended to experience the soul of the homeland of Giant Pandas, combined with a visit to the nearby Leshan Giant Buddha.
In just two days, you can embrace the local culture by slowing down to Chengdu’s unhurried pace. Each site provides a unique opportunity to delve into the rich tapestry of life in this city. At the Chengdu Panda Base, you’ll find yourself up close with the endearing Giant Pandas, an encounter you’ll cherish. Take a peaceful break at the serene Wenshu Monastery, an invitation to still your heart and be present. Immerse yourself in the epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms tale at the historic Wuhou Temple. Let the vibrant energy of bustling Jinli Street, a pedestrian area steeped in history, captivate you.
Venturing beyond Chengdu, a trip to Leshan brings you to the awe-inspiring Leshan Giant Buddha. This magnificent statue, carved into a cliff face during the Tang Dynasty, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and testament to China’s rich cultural heritage. Cap off your tour with a relaxing boat ride offering unique views of the Giant Buddha. This two-day itinerary allows you to experience the cultural highlights of Chengdu and Leshan in a meaningful way.
You Can Experience “Must-see & Must-do” with This Tour
- Highlight 1: Enjoy an enchanting encounter with giant pandas and their precious cubs in their home - Chengdu Panda Base, where the largest captive panda population in the world roams freely.
- Highlight 2: Visit the world's largest Buddha statue in Leshan, standing at an impressive 71 meters tall. Be awe-inspired by this monumental masterpiece, carved into a cliff face and overlooking the surrounding rivers.
- Highlight 3: Indulge in the captivating tales of Romance of the Three Kingdoms as you explore Wuhou Temple and Jinli Street, delving into the lives of renowned figures such as Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei.
- Highlight 4: Stroll inside Renmin Park like a local and enjoy Chengdu's leisurely life. Have a cup of tea in its old tea house and experience Sichuan tea house culture.
Itinerary Day by Day
In the morning, you will meet your guide early at the appointed time in your hotel lobby. Since pandas prefer cool weather and are more active in the morning, we advise you to arrive early at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Chengdu Panda Base), located only about 17 kilometers away from the city center. This is the closest panda base around Chengdu for you fulfill your panda dream.
Chengdu Panda Base is the base with the largest population of captive giant pandas in the world, accommodating over 100 pandas of different ages. You can watch pandas playing, eating, climbing, sleeping, and in autumn, even see the pink newborn giant panda cubs in the Sunshine Nursery House and the Moonlight Nursery House. Discover the charming panda stars at this base, such as Hua Hua, the most adored and celebrated panda who has captured the hearts of the nation, and Zhi Ma, the real-life inspiration behind the panda mascot of the World University Games. Besides giant pandas, the cute red pandas (rarer than giant pandas) at the Red Panda Playgrounds are also the highlight of the Chengdu Panda Base. Nowadays, the panda base has also become an urban birding spot for local birders and kids to search for Red-billed Leiothrix, Black-throated Tit, Chinese Blackbird, Spotted Dove, White-browed Laughingthrush, and more. If you’re interested, you can follow your guide to discover more about pandas’ secrets through the Chengdu Giant Panda Museum, which is free to enter but requires advance reservation, and closed on Mondays.
After lunch, drive about 2.5 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. Carved into a cliff face overlooking the confluence of three rivers: the Dadu, Min, and Qingyi, the 1200-year-old Grand Buddha at a towering height of 71 meters (233 feet) and 28m (92ft) wide. His shoulders span 28m, and each of his big toes is 8.5m long. His ears are 7m. The Buddhist monk Haitong conceived the project in AD 713, hoping that Buddha would protect the boats and calm the lethal currents.
To witness this architectural marvel from a unique and captivating perspective, you can enjoy a boat trip (about 20~30 minutes) to view the statue from the water. This allows you to fully appreciate the grandeur of the Leshan Giant Buddha. The play of light and shadow, coupled with the surrounding natural beauty, enhances the ethereal experience. Immersed in this extraordinary setting, one can’t help but be reminded of the local saying: “The mountain is a Buddha, and the Buddha is a mountain.” Indeed, he is grand.
After the tour, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel in Chengdu downtown.
Dining: Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in downtown Chengdu
Take Boat Trip to View Leshan Giant Buddha
Visit Leshan Giant Buddha
A panda is taking a nap on the tree
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
On this day, start your day with a delightful morning visit to Wenshu Monastery, a 1400-year-old temple dedicated to honoring Manjushri Bodhisattva, the Symbol of Wisdom. It is one of the four great temples of the Chan (Zen) school of Buddhism in China. Before entering the temple, take a moment to capture the beauty of the Red Wall. Once inside, stroll leisurely through the temple’s beautiful Qing Dynasty-style buildings and marvel at the Heavenly Kings Hall, Three Saints Hall, Grand Buddha Hall, Dharma Hall, and Scripture Library in that order. The temple’s buildings, such as the bell tower and corridor, are seamlessly integrated with the main complex, creating a peaceful and immersive atmosphere where you can explore and reflect on the teachings of Buddhism. If you like, indulge in the delicious vegetarian food served inside the monastery, which is both healthy and satisfying.
Then, it’s time to take a leisurely stroll inside Chengdu Renmin Park (Chengdu People’s Park) like a local and enjoy the city’s slow lifestyle. You can watch locals square dancing, practicing Taiji, singing Chinese folk songs, playing traditional Chinese musical instruments, as well as playing Chinese chess and boating on the lake. Don’t miss the blind date corner (a marriage market) where parents of unmarried adults flock to the park to find a partner for their daughter or son. Then, order a cup of fragrant jasmine green tea (a favorite of Chengdu locals) while sitting in a time-honored tea house, such as Heming Tea House. Chat with your friends, try Chengdu Ear Cleaning by professional ear cleaner, and see locals having fun playing mahjong.
Later, enjoy a historical trip to explore the renowned Wuhou Temple (the Temple of Marquis Wu). Walk in the footsteps of legendary figures from the classic novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and delve into the intriguing stories of this pivotal period in Chinese history. Wuhou Temple is the only temple in China where a ruler and his officials are worshipped together. The temple is famous for its dedication to Zhuge Liang, a prominent military strategist and politician of the Shu Han kingdom (221AD – 263AD), revered as a symbol of wisdom and loyalty. Start your tour at the Han Zhao Lie Temple, dedicated to Liu Bei, the emperor who founded the Shu Han state and was known for his charisma and leadership skills. Continue to the main hall of Wuhou Temple, where you can discover the fascinating life story of Zhuge Liang, who devoted himself to the Shu Kingdom until his death. Marvel at the 24 civil and military generals depicted in the novel as you explore the temple’s intricate architecture and beautiful gardens. Also, be sure to visit Sanyi Temple to learn about the famous story of “The Oath of the Peach Garden”, which tells the tale of three sworn brothers, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, who pledged to support each other and fight against tyranny and injustice. Don’t miss the chance to take brilliant photos at the Red Wall, and if time allows, pay a visit to the Hui Mausoleum, where Liu Bei is buried.
When the sun sets, the nightlife on Jinli Street becomes even more charming. Known as the “Chengdu Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival Scroll” and ranked at the top of the world’s most beautiful streets by CNN Travel in 2021, Jinli Street was first built during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) and was then known as “Shu Jinli”. Walking on Jinli Street, you can appreciate the brilliant Chinese Traditional buildings of Qing Dynasty style (1616-1911), buy all kinds of souvenirs (Shu embroidery, lacquer products, folk handicrafts, calligraphy, and paintings), try delicious local snacks (Dan Dan Noodles, Egg Pancake, Bon Bon Chicken, Sweet Potato Noodles with Pork Intestines, Iced Jelly, Sour and Spicy Tofu Pudding), and discover intangible heritages like Sugar Painting, Shadow Puppy Play, Sichuan Opera Show…
After the tour, you will be escorted back to your hotel, or we can take you to the airport or train station.
Dining: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: None
Drinking tea at Chengdu's Renmin Park
Chengdu Jinli Old Street
Chengdu Wenshu Monastery
Wu Hou Memorial Temple
Price: What’s Included & What’s Excluded
What’s Included?
- Experienced drivers & air-conditioned vehicles
- Professional licensed English-speaking local guide
- Hotel accommodation with breakfasts
- Domestic flights (economy class) or high-speed trains (second class) listed in the itinerary
- Admission tickets, activities, meals listed in the itinerary
- Accident insurance
- Our service from tour planning, handling, operational and finishing your trip
What’s Excluded?
- International airfares
- Entry visa fees
- Personal expenses
- Single room supplement
- Recommended optional activities
- Arrival/departure flights or train on the first and last day
- Tips or gratuities for guides and drivers
Important Trip Notes for Booking a Private China Tour
How do I book a private China tour?It is very simple to book a private China tour. Select the tour you are interested, and click “Make an Enquiry for Free”. Tell us your demands and likes while submitting the form. During this process, you don’t need to pay immediately. After sending us your requirements, one of our professional travel experts will get back to you within 0.5 to 24 hours. When all the information have confirmed, then you make the deposit. Please feel free to contact the travel expert directly if you have any questions prior to booking.
Extend Your China TourThe above itinerary is the sample one that most travelers would go like that. The tour can be customized based on your likes, interests and budget. At the same time, if you want to extend this tour, just tell us your favored destinations and things to do. Our professional travel experts will redesign the trip totally for you and your group at the best price. Tell us your ideas now >>
TransportationIn a private tour, it means you will transfer to the tourist attractions in one city by private vehicle. The private car we selected is spacious, comfortable and air-conditioned. And the driver we use are very experienced. As for traveling between two destinations, we use domestic flights (economy seat) or high speed trains (second class seat, usually less than 6 hours). The local guides and drivers will pick you up at the airport/train stations, and escort you to the hotel.
Meals
“B” stands for breakfast. You will have it at your hotel in the morning.
“L” stands for lunch. The restaurants we will arrange for you are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. All are in good sanitary conditions. Your guide will assist you with ordering the dishes.
“D” means dinner. All dinners are excluded in the itinerary. You have the chance to taste some authentic Chinese food and local snacks.
If you have special dietary requirements (vegetarian, halal, kosher, Indian, or gluten-free), please let us know before your booking. We will try our best to take care of you.
Accommodation & Hotel Condition for Your China Tour
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