Day 1 – Arrival in Chengdu

Our guide will meet you outside the baggage claim area at Chengdu Airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province. It has a long history and is famous as the first place in the world to produce paper money in 1023.

Meals: No meals provided

Day 2 – Chengdu

Attractions: Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Centre, Wenshu Temple, Jinli Ancient Street, Sichuan Opera Show

Due to habitat destruction and other reasons, the giant panda is probably the most famous endangered animal in the world. Today you will have the chance to visit the Chengdu Panda Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding which is home to more than sixty giant pandas. The tour guide will pick you up early as the best time to visit is in the morning when the pandas are most active.

In the afternoon you will visit the Wenshu Temple. This Tang Dynasty Buddhist temple is the most impressive, and perhaps also the most used, temple in Chengdu. Afterwards, you will visit Jinli Ancient Street which is part of the old city of Chengdu.

In the evening you will enjoy a Sichuan Opera show featuring traditional musicians. Quick face-changing and fire spitting are the highlights here.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 3 – Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Valley

Attractions: Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area

Today you will fly from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Valley. On the way from the airport we will stop at Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area. It is famous for its colourful terrace ponds of different sizes and shapes formed by a variety of mineral deposits. The park is at an average altitude of 3,200m so be careful not to push yourself too hard.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 4 – Jiuzhaigou Valley

Attractions: Jiuzhaigou Valley

Jiuzhaigou means Valley of the Nine Villages because of the nine Tibetan villages located there. At its highest point it is 4,700 metres above sea level with most of the main sightseeing areas between 1,980m and 3,100m.

Today you will spend the whole day exploring the natural wonders of Jiuzhaigou Valley. Its main scenic area stretches for 80 kilometres in the form of the letter Y with three main valleys – Shuzheng, Rize and Zechewa. There are a staggering 108 lakes as well as waterfalls, forests and mountain scenery. The water is incredibly clear and in amazingly different colours. Some of the highlights are the Multi Coloured Lake, Nuorilang Waterfall, Long Lake and Pearl Beach.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 5 – Jiuzhaigou Valley to Chengdu and Emeishan

Attractions: Leshan Giant Buddha, Hot Springs

Today you will return to Jiuzhaigou Airport for your flight back to Chengdu. Our tour guide and driver will meet you outside the baggage claim area at Chengdu Airport then you will travel by car for about 2 hours to Leshan to visit the Giant Buddha. It is 71 metres high and was constructed more than 1200 years ago.  It is the largest stone Buddha in the world and is by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world.

From Leshan it is another forty minutes’ drive to Emei Mountain where you will stay overnight at the Emeishan Hot Spring Hotel with access to the hot springs. Time to relax!

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 6 – Emeishan to Chengdu

Attractions: Emeishan, Wide and Narrow Alleys

After breakfast at your hotel you will be driven to visit E’mei Mountain. It is one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains in China and is traditionally regarded as a place of enlightenment. Because of its breathtaking scenery, mysterious natural wonders and historical Buddhist sites it was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 1996. Today you will have the opportunity to explore this amazing mountain.

In the afternoon you will return to Chengdu. After checking in to your hotel you will enjoy wandering through Kuan Zhai Xiang Zi or the Wide and Narrow Alleys. This area is actually mainly composed of three lanes – Kuan Lane, Zhai Lane and Jing Xiang Zi as well as the old grid pattern streets and courtyards formed by the three parallel alleys. Dating from the Qing Dynasty these alleyways have been renovated into an important cultural site where you will find exquisitely decorated tea houses, cafes, boutiques and bookshops.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 7 – Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, Mt Qingcheng

Attractions: Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, Mt Qingcheng

This morning we will drive out of Chengdu city to visit the Dujiangyan Irrigation Project. This amazing system was developed over 2,200 years ago to stop Chengdu being flooded by the Minjiang River. It still plays a crucial role in draining off floodwater, irrigating farms and providing water resources for more than fifty cities.
It is the oldest and only surviving no-dam irrigation system in the world and consists of three main parts namely Yuzui (Fish Mouth Levee), Feishayan and Baopingkou (Bottleneck Channel). There is also a magnificent bridge called the Anlan Cable Bridge from which you can see the entire layout of the project.

In the afternoon you will visit Mt Qingcheng. You can take a cable car up to visit the many cultural relics and historic sites among the mountains. If time permits you can walk down the mountain to better enjoy the natural environment.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 8 – Departure from Chengdu

After breakfast you will be driven to Chengdu Airport to check in for your onward flight.