# Chengdu & Chongqing 15-Day Private Journey: Pandas, Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong, Leshan & the Mountain City

A 15-day private trip (code CY15, 15 days / 14 nights) for your group only, with no shopping stops: Chengdu teahouses, Jiuzhaigou's lakes, Huanglong's travertine pools, the Leshan Giant Buddha and Chongqing's vertical skyline — travelled by private van and high-speed train, with a gentle version of every day available.

## At a glance

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Length | 15 days / 14 nights |
| Route | Chengdu → Jiuzhaigou (Zhangzha) → Chengdu → Chongqing → Xiannüshan (Wulong) → Chongqing |
| Group | Your group only, 2–6 guests, private van with driver |
| Highest night | 2,000 m — Jiuzhaigou gate (Zhangzha), Day 4 |
| Highest point | 3,576 m — Day 6 |
| Walking | 2k–11k steps a day; gentle version ≤6k steps |
| Longest drive | Chengdu → Leshan ~2 h / 200 km each way; Chongqing → Xiannüshan ~2 h / 180 km on a winding road |
| Best months | Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov |
| From, per person | ¥8,908 CNY · reference rate |

From, per person: CNY ¥8,908 ≈ USD US$1,334 · EUR €1,189 · SGD S$1,706 (site reference rates; the written quote is in CNY).

The from-price is per person, 15 days / 14 nights, twin share, based on groups of 2, 4 and 6 adults (group total ÷ guests); it excludes international flights and all main meals. An estimate is not a booking — ask for a written quote: [Email quote](https://unclepandatravel.com/quote?route=CY15). **David Hu** replies 08:30–22:00 your time, and asking is free.

Places on this route: [Chengdu](https://unclepandatravel.com/destinations/chengdu), [Jiuzhaigou (Zhangzha)](https://unclepandatravel.com/destinations/jiuzhaigou), [Chongqing](https://unclepandatravel.com/destinations/chongqing), [Xiannüshan (Wulong)](https://unclepandatravel.com/destinations/wulong).

## Is this trip right for you?

**Great for**

- First-time visitors to China who want two cities plus one high-altitude nature highlight in one trip
- Families or friends travelling as a 2–6 person group; a driver accompanies the group throughout the tour
- Photographers drawn to lake colours, travertine terraces and Hongya Cave's night lights

**Think twice if**

- Guests with heart or respiratory conditions — days 4–6 sit between 2,000 m and 3,576 m
- Anyone unwilling to start at 06:30 for the pandas or to walk stone stairs in Chongqing

## Highlights

- Seven nights in Chengdu, 07:30 entry to the Giant Panda Base and a gaiwan tea house dating from 1923
- A gradual plateau climb: night at 2,000 m in Jiuzhaigou, a full park day, then Huanglong's 3,576 m Five-Colour Pools
- Sanxingdui bronzes, the Leshan Giant Buddha and Dujiangyan's working 2,000-year-old water system
- Chongqing by cableway, monorail and riverbank, ending with Hongya Cave lit at blue hour

## Day-by-day itinerary

Altitude by day: the whole trip stays low — the highest night is 2,000 m and the highest point is 3,576 m. Steps and drive times are estimates for planning, altitudes are from public data, and your guide adjusts on the day. Each day below has a standard plan and a gentle plan for grandparents and kids.

### Day 1: Arrive in Chengdu — Kuanzhai Alleys & Taikoo Li

- Stay: Chengdu, sleeping altitude 500 m
- Standard: starts according to your actual flight landing time, about 6,000 steps, highest point 500 m. Airport pick-up, check in, Kuanzhai Alleys at 16:30, Taikoo Li and the IFS climbing panda at 18:30.
- Gentle: about 3,500 steps, highest point 500 m. Longer rest, only the wide lane and a courtyard seat, Taikoo Li by taxi with a coffee stop.
- Stairs: a few stone steps in the alleys; gentle version almost none, main lane only
- Travel: airport → hotel 40–50 min; hotel → alleys 10–15 min
- Rest: hotel rest 15:30–16:15
- Meals: none included – own arrangement · Long Chao Shou dumplings or a split-pot hotpot
- Kids: the IFS panda and snack shops keep children happy
- Note: Chengdu is only 500 m – no altitude issue

### Day 2: Matchmaking Corner, Heming Teahouse & Sichuan Opera

- Stay: Chengdu, sleeping altitude 500 m
- Standard: start 09:00, about 7,000 steps, highest point 500 m. People's Park corner, Heming gaiwan tea and ear cleaning, Daci Temple, Taikoo Li, 19:30 Liyuan hotpot with face-changing.
- Gentle: start 09:30, about 4,000 steps, highest point 500 m. Walk only inside People's Park, sit 1.5 h at Heming, skip Taikoo Li, early aisle seat at Liyuan.
- Stairs: temple thresholds, otherwise flat; gentle version nearly none
- Travel: 15–25 min between stops
- Rest: seated 10:30–11:45 at Heming Teahouse
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · gaiwan tea, mapo tofu and hotpot
- Kids: face-changing is the highlight; ear cleaning is optional
- Note: do not photograph names or phone numbers on the matchmaking notices

### Day 3: Giant Panda Base at Dawn & Dongjiao Jiyi

- Stay: Chengdu, sleeping altitude 500 m
- Standard: start 07:00, about 9,000 steps, highest point 500 m. Enter the base before 07:30, back for lunch and rest, Dongjiao Jiyi 14:00–17:00, optional foot soak at night.
- Gentle: start 07:30, about 5,000 steps, highest point 500 m. Use the ¥30 shuttle cart, 2 h only, skip Dongjiao Jiyi and rest in the hotel all afternoon.
- Stairs: slopes and some steps in the base; gentle version uses the shuttle cart between enclosures
- Travel: hotel → base 40 min / 17 km; base → Dongjiao Jiyi 35 min
- Rest: hotel rest 12:00–14:00
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · Yulin skewers or mild hotpot; ice jelly
- Kids: best day for children; the cub nursery opens around 08:00
- Note: real-name booking 7 days ahead; 07:30 entry is the only window for active pandas

### Day 4: Onto the Plateau — Train to Huanglong Jiuzhai, down to Jiuzhaigou

- Stay: Jiuzhaigou gate (Zhangzha), sleeping altitude 2,000 m
- Standard: start 09:00, about 3,500 steps, highest point 2,980 m. Morning train, Chuanzhusi stupas at 11:00, reach Zhangzha by 15:30, evening walk at the gate.
- Gentle: start 09:30, about 2,000 steps, highest point 2,980 m. Same train, drive straight to the hotel, lie down an hour, only a 20-min walk nearby.
- Stairs: a few steps at the station; gentle version nearly none
- Travel: train 2 h to Huanglong Jiuzhai; station → Chuanzhusi 1 h / 40 km; → gate 2 h / 93 km (gentle version: same train, station → gate 2 h, no Chuanzhusi stop)
- Rest: check in by 15:30 and rest an hour
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · yak meat hotpot, yak yoghurt
- Kids: the train is easy; keep children quiet and warm
- Note: the station sits at 2,977 m – no rushing, no heavy bags, no alcohol; Rhodiola 5–7 days ahead

### Day 5: Jiuzhaigou — Long Lake, Five Flower Lake & Nuorilang Falls

- Stay: Jiuzhaigou gate (Zhangzha), sleeping altitude 2,000 m
- Standard: start 08:00, about 11,000 steps, highest point 3,101 m. Long Lake (3,101 m), Five Flower Lake, Shuzheng lakes and Nuorilang Falls; out before the last bus.
- Gentle: start 08:30, about 6,000 steps, highest point 3,101 m. Bus between the three valleys, walk only the flat stretches at Five Flower Lake and Nuorilang.
- Stairs: boardwalk steps at Long Lake and Shuzheng lakes; gentle version buses plus flat boardwalks only
- Travel: hotel → gate 10 min; sightseeing buses inside
- Rest: seated lunch and break at Nuorilang centre around 13:00
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · yak yoghurt, potato cakes, barley pancakes
- Kids: bus-hopping makes it manageable
- Note: Long Lake is 3,101 m – walk slowly; last bus 17:30–18:00

### Day 6: Huanglong's 3,576 m Travertine Pools, then Train Back to Chengdu

- Stay: Chengdu, sleeping altitude 500 m
- Standard: start 08:00, about 8,500 steps, highest point 3,576 m. Cable car up, past the Five-Colour Pools (3,576 m) and down the terraces, then train to Chengdu East.
- Gentle: start 08:30, about 3,500 steps, highest point 3,576 m. Cable car up and down, only the 1.5 km upper loop, wait at the top station if breathing is hard.
- Stairs: cable car up, then 3.5 km of descending steps; gentle version cable car both ways, upper loop only
- Travel: Jiuzhaigou → Huanglong 2 h / 128 km; → station 35 min; train 2 h 20 m
- Rest: sit at the top station before walking; quiet evening in Chengdu
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · light wonton or beef noodle soup
- Kids: watch for headache and go down if needed
- Note: highest point of the trip 3,576 m; oxygen in the van

### Day 7: Sanxingdui Bronzes, with Jinsha or Wenshu Temple Options

- Stay: Chengdu, sleeping altitude 500 m
- Standard: start 09:30, about 6,500 steps, highest point 500 m. Sanxingdui's three halls, Guanghan lunch, then Jinsha site museum or Wenshu Temple with Wuhou Shrine.
- Gentle: start 10:00, about 4,000 steps, highest point 500 m. Sanxingdui only with a seat every hour, long lunch, then a teahouse at Wenshu Temple instead of Jinsha.
- Stairs: the museum is flat; temple courtyards have steps; gentle version uses lifts where available
- Travel: Chengdu → Sanxingdui 60 min / 47–60 km; Guanghan 20 min; Jinsha 50 min
- Rest: long lunch in Guanghan 13:00–14:15
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · Guanghan cold noodles and lianguo soup
- Kids: bronze masks and the gold sun bird are the quick wins
- Note: tickets released 5 days ahead at 20:00; galleries are heavily air-conditioned

### Day 8: Leshan Giant Buddha — Cliff Plank Road & River View

- Stay: Chengdu, sleeping altitude 500 m
- Standard: start 08:30, about 9,000 steps, highest point 500 m. Plank road down to the Buddha's feet, qiaojiao beef lunch, 14:00 river cruise for the full cliff, back to Chengdu.
- Gentle: start 09:00, about 4,500 steps, highest point 500 m. River boat (about ¥70, own account) to see the Buddha, flat top terrace only, long teahouse lunch.
- Stairs: nine-bend Lingyun plank road – steep, narrow steps; gentle version takes the boat instead of the cliff stairs
- Travel: Chengdu → Leshan 2 h / 200 km each way
- Rest: seated cruise 14:00–15:00; teahouse at the dock
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · qiaojiao beef, bobo chicken, sweet-skin duck
- Kids: cliff stairs not for small children – take the boat
- Note: the plank road is crowded after 09:30; leave Chengdu by 07:00

### Day 9: Dujiangyan — A Water System Running for 2,000 Years

- Stay: Chengdu, sleeping altitude 500 m
- Standard: start 09:00, about 8,000 steps, highest point 730 m. Lidui Park viewpoint, Baopingkou, Flying Sand Weir and Fish Mouth, across the Anlan bridge to Nanqiao and the old town.
- Gentle: start 09:30, about 4,500 steps, highest point 730 m. Electric cart (¥10–20) between the three works, skip the Fulong climb, tea by the river.
- Stairs: stone steps at Fulong Temple and the Anlan bridge; gentle version electric carts, few stairs
- Travel: Chengdu → Dujiangyan 60 min / 54 km each way
- Rest: tea break in Guanxian old town 14:00–15:30
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · Dujiangyan cold noodles, river fish
- Kids: the suspension bridge wobbles – hold hands
- Note: leave by 16:00 to miss the 17:30–19:30 rush hour

### Day 10: Train to Chongqing — Jiefangbei & Hongya Cave by Night

- Stay: Chongqing (Jiefangbei), sleeping altitude 250 m
- Standard: start 10:00, about 8,000 steps, highest point 500 m. Sleep in and wake up naturally, then take a high-speed train to Chongqing. After checking in, head to Jiefangbei for Chongqing small noodles, then go to the opposite bank at Jiangtan Park to wait for the city lights to come on.
- Gentle: start 10:30, about 4,000 steps, highest point 500 m. Skip the shopping streets, go straight to the riverbank with a folding stool, taxi back after the lights.
- Stairs: slopes and steps around Jiefangbei and the river park; gentle version taxis to the viewpoint and a level bank
- Travel: train 1.5 h to Chongqing West; station → Jiefangbei 25 min / 12 km
- Rest: free morning in Chengdu; rest after check-in
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · Chongqing xiaomian and air-raid-shelter hotpot
- Kids: the light-up is the day's highlight for children
- Note: Chongqing is hilly – real walking times are longer than the map

### Day 11: Yangtze Cableway, Liziba Monorail & 'Chongqing 1949'

- Stay: Chongqing (Jiefangbei), sleeping altitude 250 m
- Standard: start 09:30, about 7,000 steps, highest point 400 m. Cableway at 09:30 before queues, Liziba at 11:30, free afternoon (Eling, S95 or San Ceng Malu), 19:30 'Chongqing 1949'.
- Gentle: start 10:00, about 4,000 steps, highest point 400 m. Cableway one way with a window seat, Liziba from the street-level café, hotel rest, aisle seats for the show.
- Stairs: steps at the cableway station and Liziba platform; gentle version uses lifts where available
- Travel: 15–30 min between stops; to Ciqikou 25 min / 12 km
- Rest: hotel rest 14:00–16:30
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · Ciqikou mahua, suan la fen, hotpot
- Kids: the monorail through the building is a hit; the show has vibration and mist
- Note: 'Chongqing 1949' has no Monday performance – check the date

### Day 12: Xiannüshan — Grassland, the Wave Road & Sunset

- Stay: Xiannüshan (Wulong), sleeping altitude 1,300 m
- Standard: start 10:00, about 7,000 steps, highest point 1,850 m. Wujiang viewpoint at noon, park train to the grassland, wave road and treetop walk, sunset on the ridge.
- Gentle: start 10:30, about 4,000 steps, highest point 1,850 m. Train straight to the grassland, skip the treetop walkway, sunset from the visitor centre terrace.
- Stairs: boardwalk steps at the treetop walk; gentle version park train and shuttle only
- Travel: Chongqing → Xiannüshan 2 h / 180 km, winding road
- Rest: seated break at the visitor centre 14:00–15:00
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · Wujiang river fish, baked potatoes, highland corn
- Kids: safe grassland to run on; bring warm layers
- Note: night 3–8 °C; motion-sickness pills before the winding road

### Day 13: Wulong — Three Natural Bridges & Longshuixia Fissure

- Stay: Chongqing (Jiefangbei), sleeping altitude 250 m
- Standard: start 09:00, about 10,000 steps, highest point 1,300 m. Tianlong Bridge, Tianfu Post Station, Qinglong and Heilong bridges, Longshuixia fissure, back by 17:30.
- Gentle: start 09:30, about 5,000 steps, highest point 1,300 m. Lift down and cliff elevator up at Three Bridges, skip the fissure, wait in the visitor centre.
- Stairs: steep stone staircases into the tiankeng and in the gorge; gentle version lift and electric cart instead of stairs
- Travel: Xiannüshan → Three Bridges 40 min / 30 km; Wulong → Chongqing 2 h / 180 km
- Rest: seated lunch at the park exit 13:00–14:00
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · Wulong fat-intestine noodles; Jianghu dishes in town
- Kids: the fissure is wet and slippery for small children
- Note: leave Wulong by 16:00 to avoid the highway peak

### Day 14: Longmenhao, Xiahaoli & a River-View Dinner on Nanbin Road

- Stay: Chongqing (Jiefangbei), sleeping altitude 250 m
- Standard: start 10:00, about 8,000 steps, highest point 350 m. Longmenhao's old foreign banks, Xiahaoli's stilt houses, an afternoon seat on Nanbin Road, 18:00 river-view dinner.
- Gentle: start 10:30, about 4,000 steps, highest point 350 m. Only Longmenhao's main lane, café seat on Nanbin Road from 14:30, keep the dinner booking.
- Stairs: stone slopes and stairways in the old streets; gentle version upper street only, taxi between lanes
- Travel: hotel → Longmenhao 20 min / 10 km; Nanbin Road 15 min
- Rest: café seat on Nanbin Road 14:30–17:30
- Meals: hotel breakfast; other meals own arrangement · Laifeng fish, Qiuyue barbecue, cold noodles
- Kids: narrow lanes with drops – keep children close
- Note: old residential lanes – keep voices low, no private courtyards

### Day 15: Departure — Slow Morning & Airport Transfer

- Stay: your home, sleeping altitude 250 m
- Standard: starts according to your return flight time, about 2,000 steps, highest point 250 m. The schedule is arranged around your return flight; if time permits you may arrange your own activities.
- Gentle: about 1,500 steps, highest point 250 m. Wait in the hotel lobby until the van, buy souvenirs at the airport instead.
- Stairs: none
- Travel: city centre → Jiangbei airport 40–50 min / 30 km
- Rest: hotel lobby until departure
- Meals: hotel breakfast · one last bowl of Chongqing xiaomian
- Note: for international flights arrive 3 hours ahead; hotpot paste goes in checked bags

## Meals & local food

Breakfast is included at every hotel. Lunches and dinners are booked by your guide and paid at the table.

| Where | Dishes | Tip |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chengdu | Mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, Long Chao Shou dumplings, split-pot hotpot | Sichuan "mild" is still warm – say 微辣 and keep half the pot clear on a first hotpot |
| Jiuzhaigou / Songpan | Yak meat hotpot, Tibetan clay-pot hotpot, potato cakes, barley pancakes, yak yoghurt | Eat light on plateau evenings; only taste alcohol the first night |
| Leshan | Qiaojiao beef, bobo chicken, sweet-skin duck | Qiaojiao beef broth is not spicy; bobo chicken comes sweet-chilli or green-pepper |
| Chongqing | Xiaomian, air-raid-shelter hotpot, suan la fen, Laifeng fish, Jianghu dishes | Order '二两豌杂' mild for a first bowl; most hotpot shops do a split pot |
| Wulong / Xiannüshan | Wujiang river fish, fat-intestine noodles, baked mountain potatoes, highland corn | Mountain restaurants close early – eat before 19:30 off peak |

Dietary needs

- Vegetarian, allergies or no spicy food: tell your travel designer before booking
- Your driver-guide explains your needs to each restaurant in Chinese
- Mild dishes for kids and grandparents on request

## Hotels & transport

14 nights in comfortable local hotels in the cities listed: Chengdu 7, Jiuzhaigou gate 2, Chongqing 4, Xiannüshan 1. Twin rooms with breakfast. Jiuzhaigou and Xiannüshan rooms should be locked early in peak season.

| Group | Vehicle | Luggage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2 guests | 5-seat business van | 2–3 medium suitcases |
| 4 guests | 7-seat business van | About 4–5 medium suitcases |
| 6 guests | 9-seat business van | About 6–8 medium suitcases |

## What will your group pay?

Per person, 15 days / 14 nights, twin share: from ¥8,908 CNY (reference rate), based on groups of 2, 4 and 6 adults (group total ÷ guests); the per-adult price depends on group size. Excludes international flights and all main meals. An estimate is not a booking — your travel designer sends a written quote with the currency locked, valid for 7 days.

### Included

- 14 nights' hotel accommodation, twin share, with breakfast
- Private van with driver for the whole route (driver fee, fuel, tolls, parking, driver's meals and lodging); 5/7/9-seat van by group size
- Second-class rail: Chengdu East ⇄ Huanglong Jiuzhai (¥143 pp each way) and Chengdu East → Chongqing West (¥153 pp)
- Tickets: Panda Base ¥55, Sanxingdui ¥72, Leshan ¥80 + ¥70, Dujiangyan ¥80, Jiuzhaigou ticket + shuttle ¥160 (low season), Huanglong ticket + cableways + shuttle ¥200 (low season), Xiannüshan ticket + train ¥75, Three Natural Bridges + Tianfu Post Station ¥95, Yangtze Cableway one way ¥30
- Shows: Liyuan Sichuan opera with hotpot ¥118 pp; 'Chongqing 1949' ¥299 pp
- Travel accident insurance with high-altitude cover, ¥200 pp

### Not included

- International and domestic flights or trains to Chengdu and from Chongqing
- All lunches and dinners
- Teahouse seats, ear cleaning (¥30), foot massage, yak yoghurt and other extras
- Second purchases inside sights: treetop glass walkway, park carts, extra cable rides, audio guides
- Optional shows and cruises: Jiuzhai Qianguqing ¥220–320, Liangjiang cruise ¥100–150, Leshan river boat ~¥70, cliff lift ¥40–60
- Single supplement and lake-view / river-view room upgrades
- Laundry, porters, minibar and personal items
- Extra costs from weather, sight closures, traffic control or flight cancellation

### What can change the price

- Hotel and van rates move quickly in peak season – the quote is valid 15 days
- Single supplement and room upgrades are quoted on request
- Ticket refunds for guests over 65 are settled at the price actually paid
- Show and cruise prices are for reference and may change

## Paying & cancelling

1. **Free plan & quote** — change it until it fits. You pay nothing.
2. **30% deposit** — only after you approve the written plan and sign the contract.
3. **Balance** — 30 days before arrival. Booking later? Full payment, told upfront.

| If you cancel | We keep |
| --- | --- |
| 7 or more days before departure | 10% of the total tour price; the rest is refunded |
| 6–4 days before departure | 20% of the total tour price; the rest is refunded |
| 3–1 days before departure | 40% of the total tour price; the rest is refunded |
| On the day the trip starts | 60% of the total tour price; the rest is refunded |
| After the trip has started | 60%, plus a share of the other 40% for each day travelled |

### Leaving this 15-day trip early

If you leave before the end, the contract's day-by-day table applies: the share kept rises with every day travelled, from day 1 up to day 14. The day you leave counts as a day travelled, and the rest is refunded. Train and flight tickets we bought for you follow the carrier's own rules. This exact table is printed in your contract. See also [Payment methods · who receives your money](https://unclepandatravel.com/licence-payment#payment).

## Who is in charge of this trip

Names and phone numbers go into your confirmation pack 7 days before you fly.

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- Source page: https://unclepandatravel.com/tours/chengdu-jiuzhaigou-chongqing-15d
- Language: English · Updated: 2026-10-22
- Operator: Hunan Panda International Travel Service Co., Ltd. (Uncle Panda Travel), licensed China travel agency, licence L-HUN-304745
- Contact: service@unclepandatravel.com · WhatsApp +8615580812229
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