Eight days

Main Attractions: Chengdu, Kuanzhai Alley, Huanglong, Jiuzhaigou, China Ancient Qiang City, Mount Emei Golden Summit, Leshan Giant Buddha, Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Chengdu Panda Base, Qingcheng Mountain

Route Highlights

The fullest Sichuan itinerary we offer, built for travellers who want the north and the south without rushing. Eight days cover the alpine lakes of Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, Qiang heritage along the Min River, the Golden Summit of Mount Emei, the Leshan Giant Buddha, and a final day at Dujiangyan with a choice of pandas or Taoist Qingcheng Mountain. Everything is private, so the order can change with weather and your energy.

• The complete Sichuan circuit in eight unhurried days
• Four UNESCO World Heritage sites across nature, religion and engineering
• A choose-your-own final day: giant pandas or Qingcheng Mountain
• Private 7- or 9-seat vehicle and flexible start times

Itinerary Overview (8 Days)

Day	Attractions	Overnight
Day 1	Private airport or rail transfer, Kuanzhai Alley, Jinli Old Street, Chunxi Road	Chengdu
Day 2	Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, Five-Colour Pond	Chuanzhusi
Day 3	Nuorilang Falls, Shuzheng Lakes, Long Lake, Five-Colour Pond, Pearl Shoal, Five-Flower Lake	Jiuzhaigou valley entrance
Day 4	China Ancient Qiang City, Maoxian, Min River valley	Chengdu
Day 5	Mount Emei, Golden Summit, Ten-Direction Samantabhadra	Emeishan city
Day 6	Leshan Giant Buddha, Lingyun Temple, confluence of three rivers	Chengdu
Day 7	Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Panda Base or Qingcheng Mountain	Chengdu
Day 8	Free time in Chengdu, private transfer to airport or station	–

Detailed Daily Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu

Your driver meets you at Chengdu airport or the high-speed rail station for a private transfer to your city-centre hotel. The afternoon is yours: wander Kuanzhai Alley for old Chengdu courtyards, snack your way along Jinli Old Street, or browse the shops around Chunxi Road. No fixed schedule on day one, so long-haul arrivals can settle in gently.

Meals: on your own. Overnight: Chengdu.

Day 2: Chengdu to Huanglong and Chuanzhusi

After breakfast, travel into the Min River valley to Huanglong, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. Walk the boardwalks past thousands of travertine terraces and the 2,500-metre calcified cascade, the longest of its kind, ending at the brilliant Five-Colour Pond. Allow around three hours at altitude, then continue to Chuanzhusi for the night.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Chuanzhusi.

Day 3: A full day inside Jiuzhaigou

A whole day in Jiuzhaigou National Park, where turquoise lakes, tiered waterfalls, snow peaks and Tibetan villages fill three Y-shaped valleys. The park shuttle works like a city bus, so you set the pace between Nuorilang Falls, Long Lake, Five-Flower Lake and Pearl Shoal. Most travellers spend six to eight hours inside; lunch is at the park restaurant or from your own daypack.

Meals: breakfast, dinner (lunch on your own). Overnight: Jiuzhaigou valley entrance.

Day 4: Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu via the Ancient Qiang City

Drive back towards Chengdu along the Min River and stop at the Ancient Qiang City in Maoxian, the largest surviving complex of Qiang architecture and intangible heritage. It is a gentle cultural counterpoint to two days of high-altitude scenery before you return to your Chengdu hotel.

Meals: breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Chengdu.

Day 5: Chengdu to Mount Emei and the Golden Summit

Leave Chengdu for Mount Emei, one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ride the park bus up through mid-level monasteries and waterfalls, then continue to the Golden Summit at 3,077 metres for the sea of clouds, the gilded halls and, on a clear day, the famous Buddha’s halo. Overnight at the foot of the mountain.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Emeishan city.

Day 6: Leshan Giant Buddha and back to Chengdu

Drive to Leshan to see the 71-metre Tang-dynasty Maitreya carved into the cliff above the meeting of the Min, Qingyi and Dadu rivers. Walk the nine-bend plank path down towards the Buddha’s feet, or take a boat for the full frontal view, then visit Lingyun Temple before returning to Chengdu.

Meals: breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Chengdu.

Day 7: Dujiangyan, pandas or Qingcheng Mountain

Morning at Dujiangyan, the 2,000-year-old dam-free irrigation system that still waters the Chengdu plain. In the afternoon, choose your own ending: the Chengdu Panda Base, where giant pandas of all ages climb, play and chew bamboo, or Qingcheng Mountain, a green Taoist retreat of quiet temples, streams and shaded hiking trails.

Meals: breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Chengdu.

Day 8: Departure from Chengdu

Breakfast at the hotel and a flexible final morning. Browse a teahouse, pick up last-minute gifts or simply rest until your private transfer to the airport or rail station. Tell us your flight time and we will shape the day around it.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: -.

What’s Included

• Private airport and rail transfers with a dedicated driver and a name sign
• A comfortable 7- or 9-seat business vehicle for the full itinerary
• Quality hotels in city centres and at each scenic stop, with daily breakfast
• First-entry admission tickets to all sights listed in the itinerary
• Meals as specified day by day, and a local driver-guide throughout
• Round-trip high-speed rail tickets where the itinerary uses the Chengdu-Jiuzhaigou line

Good to Know

• Bring a valid passport or ID for every traveller; discounted and free tickets must be declared at booking.
• Huanglong and Chuanzhusi sit above 3,000 metres. Walk slowly, layer up, and tell us about any health concerns before booking.
• Smoking is prohibited inside Jiuzhaigou, and local customs in Tibetan and Qiang areas should be respected.
• Prices are quoted on request because hotels, season and group size change the final figure.