World Heritage Discovery
In Sichuan, the Land of Abundance, you will visit the lovely giant pandas, go to see Giant Buddha in Leshan, and climb up the magnificent Emei Mountain, explore different museums in Zigong and head to Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing. All are the best!
Highlights of this tour
Welcome to Chengdu, the hometown of Giant Pandas! Clear the customs and retrieve your baggage by yourself upon arrival, be greeted by our tour guide in the Arrival Hall who is holding a sign on which says your name. A comfortable vehicle (non-smoking) with an experienced driver will transfer you directly to your hotel. Your guide will help you check in. The rest of today is yours to enjoy the leisurely life pace of this city on your own.
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 watch female pandas nursing their cubs in the nursery rooms. There is also a very informative Panda Museum for you to learn more scientific facts about Giant Pandas.
Following the pandas, you will be taken to a hidden spiritual Buddhist temple in the hustling downtown of Chengdu – Wenshu Temple. Marvel at the exquisite Buddhist architecture, soak in the reverent atmosphere, and wander on the peaceful paths.
Chengdu is famous for its relaxing and leisure pace throughout China, which will be proved after a stay in Renmin Park. Sit down, order a pot of Chinese tea, make a casual chat with your friends and watching locals indulging themselves in different kinds of folk entertainment – napping in a lively teahouse, playing mahjong, disco dancing, neck massage, ear cleaning… Next is an impressive trip to the famous Jinli Old Street. Time steals away from you quietly while walking on the lively streets which are full of delicious local snacks, delicate artifacts, interesting folk shows, etc.
Today you will first have a visit to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. Then our local guide escorts you to the airport for your onward flight to Shanghai.
Upon arrival at Shanghai airport, you’ll be met and taken to have an 8-minute high-tech Maglev Train. It’s not a bird or a plane, just Shanghai’s Maglev Train, the world’s fastest train running 430km/hr. Your driver is ready to pick you up at the Longyang Road station, and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of today is at your leisure.
Note: The Maglev Train time is 09:45--21:42, please kindly make sure if your arrival time is able to take it or not.
In the morning, after a two-hour drive from Chengdu, head to Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest carved statue of Buddha in the world. Sitting at the confluence of three rivers, the Giant Buddha was carved on the cliff of Lingyun Mountain, used to suppress the flood. Enjoy spectacular view of the huge statue as you walking down through the narrow staircases to the foot of the Buddha.
After visiting the Giant Buddha, move on to Mt. Emei which locates 30 minutes away from Leshan by road. Then, take an eco-car in the Scenic Area to Leidongpin and hiking to Jieyin Hall, to take a cable car up to the Golden Summit (altitude: 3077 m). Stay overnight at the top of Mt. Emei.
Today in the morning, get up early to appreciate the beautiful sunrise. At the highest peak of the mountain, you will be amazed by the awe-inspiring view of Huazang Temple and witness the breathtaking sea of clouds if it’s sunny.
Next, go down to Wannian Temple parking lot by car. Take a cable car up to Wannian Temple at the middle of the mountain. Appreciate the most beautiful landscape of Mt. Emei in Qingyin Pavilion as you hike from Wannian Temple to Wuxiangang parking lot.
After the tour in Emei, drive to Salt City - Zigong for night.
After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel. On this day, you’ll visit three must-see of Zigong City - Zigong Salt Industry History Museum, Shenhai Well and Zigong Dinosaur Museum. After the city tour in Zigong, drive to Dazu County in Chongqing. Overnight in Dazu County.
Zigong Salt Industry History Museum, situated in the Western Shaanxi Guild Hall, is an icon and a cultural symbol of Zigong. It is considered to be a gem of Chinese architecture as well as a cultural relic of Sichuan history of salt industry.
Dug in 1835 with a shaft 1,001.42m long, Shenhai Well was the world’s first manually sunk well over a kilometer deep. It’s laid out exactly like what it used to: a typical Qing-style salt well of the early 19th century. It is by far China’s only salt well operated with the traditional technique, producing both brine and natural gas.
Zigong Dinosaur Museum is the first specialized museum of dinosaurs in China. It has been rated “World’s Best Dinosaur Museum” by the National Geographic Magazine for it has collected and exhibited the largest number of Jurassic-dinosaur fossils. There is the reversion of Emei Dinosaur which is about 10 meters high in the exhibition hall.
The only stop of today is a visit to the two major sites of Dazu Rock Carvings (North Mountain) Grottoes and Baoding Grottoes. Dazu Rock Carvings was first built from 650AD on the steep hillsides and has been listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site due to its large scales, delicate carvings, rich themes, complete preservation, and bright reflection of the social daily life as well as the harmonious coexistence of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism in China from 9th-13th centuries. Standing for the record level of rock carvings in that period in whole China, Dazu Rock Carving is listed as one of the “World Eight Great Stone Carvings”. During your side trip, make full exploration at the top 2 popular large clusters: Baodingshan Hill and Beishan Hill.
In the afternoon, drive to Chongqing for night.
On this day, the tour first goes to the Eling Park to have a birds-eye-view of the whole city. It is one of the old private gardens in Chongqing, built in late Qing Dynasty around 1909 AD.
Then, followed a trip to Ciqikou Old Town. It was Chongqing's old harbor and was once the home of many of Chongqing's rich merchants, where you can still see lots of Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, local shops, tea houses, local Sichuan street performance and so on.
The last stop of the day is the famous Three Gorges Museum - the largest monographic museum. The exterior of the museum has cambered walls and vitreous dome, representing the history & culture of Three Gorges Project and its origins.
After the tour, transfer to the airport or port for your departure flight or Yangtze Three Gorges cruise. (Note: the cruise boarding time changes based on the ships, season, water level, weather, etc.)
Chengdu / Shunan Bamboo Forest
Chengdu / Leshan / Mt. Emei / Chengdu
Chengdu / Huanglong / Jiuzhaigou / Chengdu
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