3 Days Mount Emei Classic Walking Tour with Moderate Pace

Day 1 Chengdu - Leshan Giant Buddha - Emeishan (L)

Today's highlights: Chengdu Panda Base, Leshan Giant Buddha

This morning you will make a stirring visit to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding which is not only the most important panda scientific research center, but also dwelling home for more than 100 Giant Pandas. Walk at leisure through the bamboo framed paths, and closely observe giant pandas of different ages eating bamboos, playing with each other, tumbling, climbing trees, etc. Don't miss the chance to visit the most adorable panda cubs in the panda kindergartens. If you are lucky, you may be able to see the precious panda babies in the nursery rooms.

Leaving the panda center, you will drive 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 is 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.

After the Giant Buddha visit, drive about 45mins to Emeishan City to check in your hotel. Have a good rest for tomorrow’s Mount Emei hiking.

Optional night activity: watch a fantastic performance show which is a combo of Emei Kung Fu, acrobatics, Sichuan opera, mask-changing, etc.during 19:30~21:00.

• Look up at Leshan Giant Buddha from its foot stage
• Cute Pandas Living in Their Natural Environment

Day 2 Mount Emei Hiking (B)

Today's highlights: hiking from Wannian Temple to Leidongping

Hiking  Sections of today: Wanniansi Temple – Leidongping (22km/about 7~9 hours)

Get up early to have breakfast and pack well, then go to Emeishan Tourist Center to take an eco-bus to Wannian Temple Parking Lot (30mins). You will start hiking from the parking lot, towards Wanniansi Temple. Visit the Buddhist halls, towers, beautiful gardens for about 1 hour. Then you need to set out for the long hiking to Leidongping. First, hike about 12km from Wannian Temple to Jiuling Hill. On route, you will meet three other old and peaceful Buddhist temples with little monks - Xixin Temple, Chu Dian and Huayan Temple. Jiuling Hill is the jointing place where you will join other travelers who come from another way from Qingyin Pavilion. Keep hiking 2.5 km to see the Xixiangchi Temple. Take the last hiking of today to the final destination Leidongping where you will stay the night.

• Xixiangchi Monastery (Elephant Bathing Pool)
• Wannian Temple is the most important Buddhist temple of Mount Emei

Day 3 Mount Emei Hiking - Chengdu (B)

Today's highlights: Sunrise, hiking from Leidongping to Golden Summit

Hiking Sections of today: Leidongping - Golden Summit (7.5km/about 1.5~2 hours)

Today’s hike can be completed in a half day so that you can use the rest time to transfer back to Chengdu or to catch a high speed train/flight leaving. If you want to see the sunrise from the Golden Summit, you have to get up around 4 o'clock to start hiking, or take the earliest cable car(usually 5AM) up to Golden Summit. If the sunrise is not your desire, you don’t have to start hiking that early.

This hiking from Leidongping to Golden Summit is about 7.5km long. The first part, from Leidongping to Jieyin Pavilion, is easy without many ups and downs. The hardest part comes after Jieyin Hall. Some sections are very steep. One has to walk carefully and slowly. However, don’t worry too much as all steps are well-paved. After getting to Taizi Ping, the paths get flat with little uprising, leading you to Golden Summit along beautiful wild forest. The Golden Summit (altitude:3,077m) is absolutely the highlight of every Emei Tour. Once you reach the top of the mountain, you will be amazed by the awe-inspiring view of Huazang Temple, which is the first temple established on Mount Emei whose history can be traced back to the 1st century CE. There is the highest golden Buddha Statue of Puxian in the world, casting in copper and plated in Gold. Also, you will indulge in panoramic view of Mount Emei and surrounding.

After spending some time wandering around the Golden Summit, take a cable car down to Jieyin Pavilion, then walk about 1.5km (20 mins) to Leidongping to catch an eco-bus to the tourist center. The rest time is to transfer back to Chengdu or to catch your flight/train to next destination. Your Mount Emei hiking adventure ends.

Optional visit to Wanfoding (Ten Thousands Buddha Peak): Wanfoding (3099m), the highest peak in Mount Emei, is currently reopening to tourists who are less 60 years old, but it is only open during 07:00~14:00, and the largest allowed capacity is only 2000 tourists per day. If you want to visit Wanfoding and time allows, please discuss with your tour guide. It usually takes about 2~3 hours to visit Wanfoding.

• The multi-faced golden statue (48m) of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva at Golden Summit
• Magnificent Mount Emei Sunrise