Chengdu & Sichuan Wonders

Your English-speaking guide will meet you at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) or Shuangliu Airport (CTU) with a private vehicle. Transfer to your hotel in the city center (30–60 minutes depending on airport).

After checking in, explore Jinli Ancient Street, a bustling pedestrian lane lined with Qing-dynasty style architecture, artisan shops, and street food stalls. Try sugar paintings, shadow puppets, and chili-dusted snacks. In the evening, dive into Chengdu's culinary soul with an authentic Sichuan hotpot dinner — choose your spice level (mild, medium, or the legendary "numbing and spicy") and cook fresh meats, vegetables, and tofu in the bubbling broth.

• Private airport transfer (both airports available)
• Jinli Ancient Street walk (1–2 hours)
• Welcome Sichuan hotpot dinner included
• Overnight in Chengdu

Rise early to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding — arrive by 8:00 AM to catch the pandas at their most active during morning feeding time. Watch cubs tumble in the nursery, see adults munch bamboo, and learn about conservation efforts that have helped move pandas from "endangered" to "vulnerable." The base also houses red pandas in a separate forested area.

After lunch, drive 2 hours south to Leshan. Take a boat tour on the Minjiang River to view the Leshan Giant Buddha from the water — the best perspective to appreciate this 71-meter-tall Maitreya Buddha carved into a cliff face at the confluence of three rivers. Built over 90 years starting in 713 AD, it remains the world's largest stone Buddha statue.

• Panda Base early morning visit (8–10 AM, feeding time)
• Private transfer Chengdu → Leshan (2 hours)
• Leshan Giant Buddha boat tour included
• Overnight in Leshan or Emeishan

Drive to the base of Mount Emei, one of China's Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains. Take the scenic bus up to Leidongping, then ride the cable car to the Golden Summit (Jinding) at 3,079 meters. Here, a towering 48-meter golden statue of Samantabhadra (Puxian Pusa) stands above a sea of clouds. Visit Huazang Temple, perched at the summit, and on clear days, you can see the Gongga Mountains 150 km away.

Descend in the afternoon and relax in Emei's natural hot springs — mineral-rich waters drawn from deep underground that are perfect for soothing tired muscles. Emeishan's hot spring resorts are among the finest in Sichuan.

• Emei scenic bus + Golden Summit cable car included
• Huazang Temple and Golden Summit (3–4 hours)
• Hot spring experience in the evening
• Overnight in Emeishan

Begin the morning with a visit to Baoguo Temple, the largest temple at Mount Emei's base and the traditional starting point for pilgrimages. Admire the 800-year-old bronze pagoda and the massive copper bell weighing 12.5 tons. If time permits, take a short walk through the nearby forest trails where Tibetan macaques are often spotted.

Transfer to the airport for a flight to Jiuzhaigou (approximately 1 hour) or take the scenic overland route (8–9 hours through stunning mountain scenery — recommended only for travelers who enjoy road trips). Arrive at your hotel near the Jiuzhaigou National Park entrance, nestled in a Tibetan-Qiang valley at 2,000 meters elevation.

• Baoguo Temple morning visit (1.5 hours)
• Flight or private transfer to Jiuzhaigou
• Evening at leisure in Jiuzhaigou valley
• Overnight near Jiuzhaigou

Spend the full day exploring Jiuzhaigou National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site often described as a fairy-tale world. The park's shuttle bus system connects all major sites along the Y-shaped valley. Start at Five Flower Lake — the crown jewel of Jiuzhaigou — where the shallow lake bed is visible through crystal-clear turquoise water, revealing fallen tree trunks and mineral deposits in shades of blue, green, and amber.

Continue to the thundering Nuorilong Waterfall (320 meters wide), walk the boardwalk through the Pearl Shoal where water cascades over terraced calcite formations, and visit Long Lake — the park's deepest and highest lake, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Keep an eye out for the park's rare wildlife including golden snub-nosed monkeys and giant pandas in the wild.

• Full-day Jiuzhaigou park tour (7–8 hours)
• Park entrance + shuttle bus included
• All major sites visited
• Overnight near Jiuzhaigou

Depart early for Huanglong National Park (1 hour drive), another UNESCO site famous for its spectacular calcite terraces. Take the cable car up, then walk the 3.5 km boardwalk through alpine forest to the Five-Color Ponds — a series of terraced travertine pools in vivid shades of turquoise, gold, emerald, and sapphire, often compared to a smaller version of Pamukkale. The pools are formed by thousands of years of calcium carbonate deposits from thermal springs.

After lunch, drive to Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Airport (JZH) for your flight back to Chengdu (1 hour). Your guide will assist with connecting to your departure flight from Chengdu, or arrange an additional night's stay if needed.

• Huanglong National Park morning visit (3–4 hours)
• Cable car and entrance included
• Flight Jiuzhaigou → Chengdu
• Connecting departure transfer arranged