13 Days Sichuan Highlights: Chengdu, Leshan, Xinduqiao and Jiuzhaigou

Once arrive in Chengdu, you will be met at the airport and then be transferred to the hotel to have check-in. The rest of the day will be free for you to stroll around the city or just have a good rest.

Recommend site: Jinli Street, Wuhouci Street

Today get up early and then hop in a car to head to Peng Town. Have a cup of morning tea to freshen up yourself in the old tea house like most of the locals usually do.

Then we will drive to the famed Leshan Giant Buddha, which is a huge statue carved into the side of Lingyun Mountain. Taller by 17 meters than the standing Buddha in Afghanistan, the Leshan Giant Buddha is the tallest and largest Buddha in the world. It is carved on the cliff of Lingyun Mountain with a delicate design of drainage system. There is a local saying: "The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain". It was included by UNESCO on the list of World Heritage sites. We will also visit Lingyun Temple which is just in the Lingyun Mountain, and then take the Minjiang Cruise to have a panoramic view of the giant Buddha.

Afterwards, take a 30-minute drive to Mt. Emei. Upon arrival, we will take you to visit Baoguo Temple, which is Mt. Emei's largest temple and the doorway to the mountain. Then not far from Baoguo Temple is Fuhu Temple. It got its name from the small mountain behind it. “Fuhu” means the crouching tiger, and the mountain looks just like a crouching tiger.

Today you will have another day explore Mt. Emei, the highest one of China's four holy mountains. The sightseeing bus will bring you to Leidongping first, where you need to walk to Jieyin Palace to take the cable car up to appreciate the natural scenery around the Golden Summit, and descend by the cable car later. Golden Summit is the best place to appreciate the Golden Statue of Samantabhadra which has 10 faces facing toward 10 different directions.

In the afternoon, drive to Yaan. We will go to visit the Tea Museum in the Mongding Mountain, where to gain deeper knowledge about Chinese tea culture. Mongding Mountain is also one of the most famous hometowns of tea in China. We will have a chance to the tea plantation to try the local best tea.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we will start our wonderful journey today. On the way there are lots of amazing sights to visit. After passing over Erlang Mountain, we will have a rest in Kangding where to stop for lunch. You can have a leisure time here by strolling around the old street and downtown area. Kangding is famous for the love songs that is well-known in China. Sit down and look around, you may find some love stories here. 

In the afternoon, as we travel against the flow of Dadu River, upper reaches of Yangtze River, we will pass the first soaring peak on Tibetan Plateau, i.e. Zheduo Mountain (mountain pass 4298m), locals call it the first pass of Kangba Tibetan Area.

Keep heading west, after winding roads, we finally end up in Xinduqiao, known as a paradise for photography. You will surprised to find that though there is no specific sightseeing spot, unbroken picturesque scenes are everywhere alongside the 10 kilometers road. Excellent sunlight for photographing, vast grassland, winding stream, golden poplar, lush mountains, Tibetan villages... It is also the best place to overlook the King of Shushan Mountains -- Gongga Snow Mountain! There is nowhere to have such a wonderful view of this mountain except Xinduqiao!

Morning we will drive to Tagong. Upon arrival, visit monastery Lhagang Monastery (also known as Tagong Monastery) to take a look at Peace Dharma (including Gyergo Nunnery of Nun Temple, Dashijing Wall). Tagong Monastery is located in Kangding City, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway Line, about 400 kilometers apart from Chengdu City. With a history of more than a thousand years, it is an important sacred place of pilgrimage for Tibetan people in Khampa area. We will also visit Huiyuan Monastery which is constructed in Qing (17th century) Dynasty by the official construction ministry.

In the afternoon, we will go to Tagong Grassland. “Tagong” in Tibetan means “the land favored by Bodhisattva”. Tibetan nomads have been living on this grassland for thousands of years. You will see the white yaks walking slowly and sometimes stop to graze. You can ride horse or yak on the grassland and overlook the sacred snow mountain Yala Mountain.

Today we will continue to drive to Siguniang Mountain (Four Sisters Mountain). The first stop today is Jiaju Tibetan Residence, which ranks first in "the most beautiful villages in China". Enthusiastic locals will offer Hada to the distinguished guests. Visit old artists' houses and learn Mani stone painting experience. We will also learn to play buttered tea and other special activities in the Tibetan family.

Then we will again have a easy hiking in the Tibetan village Zhonglu, which also preserves an unique Tibetan culture. Compared to the Jiaju Tibetan village, Zhonglu is smaller in scale but less crowded, so many travelers call it secret land and are willing to spend more time strolling around. We will also spend whole day enjoy the picturesque scenery and knowing the daily life of locals by strolling around the village, enjoying local food and talking with locals.

Afterwards, drive to Siguniang Mountain, which is the high peak of the Qionglai Mount Range and also one of the highest peaks on the east part of Qinghai - Tibet Plateau. The sunset and sunrise here is rather breathtaking. We will visit Wori Tusi Manor which is the former official residence of the local Tusi, who once was the king of Tibetan tribes. Then to the Daya Red Army Linkup Memorial Hall to know the difficult days of Chinese red army and how brave the soldiers are.

In the morning, if weather permit, you will get up earlier to appreciate the stunning sunrise at Siguniang Mountain. The best place to see it is Maobiliang where you will have an excellent panoramic view of the 4 main peaks.

Afterwards, you will have a easy hiking in the Shuangqiao Valley (or Changping Valley) of Siguniang Mountain. On the way you will not only enjoy the stunning natural scenery, but also experience the scattered tracks of Tibetan culture.

In the morning, after breakfast, we will drive to Yangronghade. On the way we will visit Zhuokeji Tusi Manor which is located in Zhuokeji Township, Maerkang. The complex are all wooden-stone mixed house ranked in order. The main building is a six-story manor which once was the residence of Tusi. There are 63 rooms inside the building and each one has different decoration style. You will also appreciate the grassland scenery along the way.

Upon arriving in Yangronghade, we will go to visit Yangronghade Tibetan Village. “Yangronghade” in Tibetan means the place that immortals love. It is a typical Tibetan village with colorful prayer flags and golden prayer wheels everywhere and the stylish Tibetan roofs also showing its unique identification. It is an idea place to feel the authentic life of local Tibetans. And you will have a deeper knowledge of it by contrast with the other Tibetan villages we visit before.

After enjoying your breakfast, we will drive to Songpan via Hongyuan today. On the way we will visit Naizigou Valley (also called Milk Ditch). It is located in Heishui county on the western Sichuan plateau. Naizigou is famous for its red leaves in autumn, and each year from September to November here are full of the photographers and autumn catchers from all over the world. On the way to the valley, the scenery is described as the “80 Miles Colored Forest Gallery”, as the colorful forests looks like copied from the paintings.

In the afternoon, we will go to Waqietalin to see the “white pagoda forest”. There are 108 white pagodas in different size that was built by the local devout followers of Tibetan Buddhism in 1980s. You will also see the magnificent scenery of the miles of fluttering prayer flags surrounding the prayer wheels dotted among the white pagodas. That is the holy place of Tibetan Buddhism and also called the “Pearl of Northwestern Sichuan Prairie”. The prairies on the way are also stunning and you can take your time to appreciate the beauty. The newly built houses and tents of the local Tibetan nomads looks beautiful and lovely with modernized facilities and furnish and you could feel how the life changed in the recent decades due to the development of China. We can visit the nomads’ home and chat with them for a while.

Upon arriving in Songpan, we will stroll around the Songpan Ancient City, known as Songzhou in ancient times, is located in Jin'an Town, Songpan County, northeast of Aba Prefecture. It was built in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. An important station of mutual market". The ancient city of Songpan is ancient and quiet. You can walk or take a rickshaw to walk through the ancient buildings, looking for the traces of time left in this ancient city on the plateau, and feeling the thickness and vicissitudes of the ancient city. You can also climb up the ancient city tower and enjoy the magnificent scenery around you. 

This morning, we will drive to Jiuzhaigou to explore this wonderland! Upon arrival, we will have a full day sightseeing in Jiuzhaigou, a nature reserve in the north of Sichuan. It is known for its many multi-level waterfalls and colorful lakes, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. It belongs to the category V (Protected Landscape) in the IUCN system of protected area categorization. You will have a wonderful night here and have a nice dream in such a dream-like world!

Today you will have another full day to explore the charming Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area. Start the by enjoying the green lakes, double waterfalls, snowy mountains, and colorful forests. The Jiuzhai Valley National Park is an extravaganza of natural wonders, a pure unspoiled land with waterfalls, alpine lakes, tranquil grasslands, snowy mountain views and Tibetan villages.

Then you can take the tourist bus to the top, when you get there, you can walk down part way and take the bus down the rest of the way.

Say goodbye to Jiuzhaigou today and we will travel to visit the Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (Walking up and get off by the cable car), It is the only well protected plateau wetland in China. With the change of the surrounding scenery changes and the angle of the sunlight brings out the colorful color.

After visiting, we will drive to the railway station to take the high-speed train back to Chengdu.

In the morning, after breakfast, enjoy your time in People's Park. The park was built in 1911. It is now a relaxing place for locals. Enjoy the delicacy scenery and appreciate various flower shows. Drink a cup of tea in Heming Tea House is a must-do thing for you. Spend your morning there, order a pot of tea and do nothing but relax.

Followed by a trip to Kuan & Zhai Alley, a famous commercial and cultural pedestrian street in China. There is numerous delicious food, and you can enjoy your lunch there.

Then say farewell to Chengdu! You will be transferred to the airport to catch you flight. Wish you a pleasant journey home and hope to see you in your next China trip!