How long to spend in Chengdu? For a well-paced Chengdu itinerary covering pandas, food, and cultural highlights, 3 days is ideal. 1-2 days can mainly focus on certain interests.
If you get more time, such as 4-7 days, you can extend your trip to nearby Jiuzhaigou, Chongqing, Leshan, Emei, Xiling Snow Mountain, and more. More detailed itinerary suggestions are as follows.
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- Chengdu in 7 Days
- Chengdu in 6 Days
- Chengdu in 5 Days
- Chengdu in 3 Days
- Chengdu in 2 Days
- Chengdu in 1 Day
How to Spend 7 Days in Chengdu
7 days is more than enough to explore Chengdu, and you still have extra time to explore nearby cities, such as Jiuzhaigou, Chongqing, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Lhasa, and more, connecting with direct bullet trains or direct flights.
The top two to pick are Jiuzhaigou and Chongqing. They're close to Chengdu and easily accessible by high-speed train in just about 2 hours.
In Jiuzhaigou, you can admire China's most beautiful water views. While Chongqing, though it has a similar food and cultural vibe to Chengdu, you can still catch the amazing 8D building layouts and spectacular Yangtze River.
With frequent direct flights from Singapore and Malaysia, both Chengdu and Chongqing are also convenient to fly in or out of.
7-day Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou, and Chongqing Itinerary
- Day 1: Chengdu Arrival, Chunxi Road IFS climbing panda statue
- Day 2: Chengdu Panda Base, Wide and Narrow Alleys, People's Park, Shufeng Yayun Opera with face-changing
- Day 3: Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou by bullet train, Huanglong Scenic Area
- Day 4: Jiuzhaigou day trip
- Day 5: Jiuzhaigou to Chongqing by bullet train
- Day 6: Xiahaoli and Longmenhao Old Streets, air bus across the Yangtze River, Jiefangbei, Hongya Cave
- Day 7: Ciqikou Ancient Town, Mountain City Alley, Shiba Ti, Liziba, Kuixinglou, Ring Mall
Traveling from Jiuzhaigou to Chongqing requires a transfer in Chengdu. It'll take half a day for the bullet train tour, so we won't arrange any itinerary during the day. You can have a rest after arriving in Chongqing.
How to Arrange 6 Days in Chengdu
In the 6 days, after deducting time for city exploration in Chengdu (2 days are reasonable), there are still 4 days left. This period of time is suitable for visiting 2-3 scenic spots around Chengdu:
- Dujiangyan (1-2 days): if you want to see the intelligent irrigation system and Mt. Qingcheng, or you want to visit more panda bases and join the panda volunteer program.
- Jiuzhaigou (2 days): highly recommended if you like natural views
- Leshan Giant Buddha (1 day): if you like the culture and are interested in the big Buddha
- Mount Emei (1 day): a good option if you prefer cloud sea, golden peak, temples, mountain views, and wild monkeys
- Xiling Snow Mountain (2 days): if you come in winter and want to see snow scenery and do some ski activities
It is also possible to visit both Chengdu and Chongqing in 6 days, but in this way, the time is only enough for both cities' downtown areas, and no extra time for nearby exploration, such as Jiuzhaigou or Wulong.
6-Day Chengdu and Xiling Snow Mountain
Here we will give you a popular 6-day winter Chengdu itinerary with Xiling Snow Mountain. If you come in winter and prefer to ski, you could take it into consideration.
- Day 1: Chengdu Arrival
- Day 2: Chengdu to Xiling Snow Mountain, ski in the Ski Resort
- Day 3: Ski and Hot Spring
- Day 4: Anren Ancient Town
- Day 5: Chengdu Panda Base, Wide and Narrow Alleys
- Day 6: departure
We recommend staying overnight on the mountain. That way, you can hit the slopes early the next morning and pick your suitable ski boot size, as sizes tend to run out later in the day.
If you stay at the mountain foot, though there are more hot spring resorts, they can be expensive in winter. And you'll need to repurchase lift tickets if you go back up the next day. So we arrange a hot spring after you come down from the mountain, and it can also soothe your tired muscles.
On the way back to Chengdu, you'll have a stop at Anren Ancient Town. It offers a relaxing break from the 2.5-hour drive. Also, this quiet old town with a Republic-era vibe is best to experience a laid-back lifestyle and take photos.
Winter is a great time to see pandas. They love the cold, so during winter, you can see they staying outdoors all day instead of being moved indoors.
If you plan to visit in other seasons, or you are not that interested in Xiling Snow Mountain, here are some other popular combinations:
Ideas for 5 Days in Chengdu
With 5 days, you have enough time to explore Chengdu's city highlights, and choose 1 or 2 nearby attractions that are perfect for day trips from Chengdu, such as the Leshan Giant Buddha, Mt. Emei, and Dujiangyan, or spend 2 days in Jiuzhaigou.
Or you can start from Chengdu, and spend the days visiting further spots, such as Bipenggou, Hailuogou, Daocheng Yading, etc.
We recommend visiting Chengdu with Leshan Giant Buddha and Mt. Emei. These two UNESCO sites are popular choices for first-timers to Chengdu. They're also close to each other, and only a 2-hour drive from Chengdu, making it best for having a side trip.
5-Day Chendgu, Leshan and Emei Tour
- Day 1: Chengdu arrival
- Day 2: Chengdu Panda Base, People's Park
- Day 3: Leshan Giant Buddha
- Day 4: Mt. Emei
- Day 5: Chengdu departure
For a full experience of Leshan Giant Buddha, we recommend visiting by both mountain hiking and by boat. Hiking offers more viewpoints and photo spots, and you can closely look at the Buddha. While by boat, it's the best way to capture a panoramic view, and it's not crowded.
Visiting Mt. Emei from Chengdu with a same-day return can be rushed, so you can spend a night in Emei city center. It's a 1-hour drive to both Leshan Giant Buddha and Mt. Emei, and convenient to visit.
If you want to go to Bipenggou, Hailuogou, Daocheng Yading from Chengdu, we also have more tours for reference:
Chengdu Itinerary for 3 days
With 3 days in Chengdu, you can indulge in a range of activities, such as visiting the adorable pandas, enjoying a food tour, and paying a visit to the famous Leshan Giant Buddha, the world's largest Buddha carved in a huge mountain.
- Day 1: Chengdu Panda Base, People's Park, Wide and Narrow Alleys food tour, Sichuan Opera face-changing show
- Day 2: Visit Leshan Giant Buddha (both hiking and boat visiting)
- Day 3: Departure (if time permits, Chunxi Road or Dongjiao Memory for some last-minute shopping and photos.)
The Chengdu Panda Base is currently home to the largest number of giant pandas. Here, you could see pandas playing outdoors, eating bamboo, climbing trees, and even their babies!
If you would like a closer encounter with these creatures, we can arrange for you to participate in a one-day panda volunteer program, where you could make panda cakes, clean the glass of their enclosures, watch them being fed, and receive a volunteer certificate.
Explore Chengdu in 2 Days
For a two-day trip to Chengdu, you can dedicate one day to pandas and the other day to sightseeing in the city.
- Day 1: Arrival and City Highlights tour (such as a food tour, ancient streets, and more)
- Day 2: Experience a panda volunteer program and depart
For the best panda experience, our panda volunteer program will allow you to observe pandas more closely and understand them better.
But if you only want to have a look at the pandas, we could make adjustments for you. All our tours are customized based on your interests and needs. Just contact us to create your Chengdu itinerary.
Chengdu 1-Day Itinerary
If you only have one day in Chengdu, we suggest focusing mainly on the things that interest you the most.
If you want to punch the card of the most Chengdu highlights, including the panda and Buddha, a day trip is possible. Visit the panda base first at 8am, then head to Leshan Giant Buddha before noon. Follow this 1-Day Giant Panda and Giant Buddha Tour to get ideas.
For big panda fans, we suggest a 1-Day Dujiangyan Panda Volunteer Program Tour. You would be closer to learn about pandas' habitat, dining preferences, and chat with breeders.
If panda is not your things, and you want to know more about Chengdu's life, then we recommend visiting People's Park. See our 1-Day Chengdu Lifestyle Tour.
For food lovers, join our 1-Day Chengdu food and panda tour. Besides tasting local snacks, you'll also visit a local chef's home to learn how to cook authentic Sichuan dishes.
Tour China with Us
All our tours can be adjusted to meet your needs – whether you're traveling with friends, or with family. We welcome you to have us customize your trip based on your group size, interests, and other needs. Tell us your needs in our Create My Trip service.