Cuddly and Mysterious Kingdoms
40 kilometers north of central Chengdu, by the same highway as Chengdu's Giant Panda Breeding Base, the bronze-age Sanxingdui site is regarded one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.
Thousands of rare treasures from two large sacrificial pits dating back to Shang Dynasty times (1600–1046 BC) have recently been supplemented with finds from six new sacrificial pits, which visitors can see being prepared for display in Sanxingdui Museum.
This tour not only takes you to visit the cuddly kingdom of giant pandas, but also the mysterious Kingdom of Shu (a.k.a. the Sanxingdui Civilization). The protected pandas and Sanxingdui's relics are both considered national treasures.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Witness Rare Treasures Only Seen in China
Sanxingdui Museum had held exhibitions in more than ten overseas countries over the last twenty years, but many treasures have only been exhibited in China (like the four below).
Discover Sanxingdui's "Alien" Civilization
The archeological finds of the Sanxingdui Civilization show it to be quite "alien" to the contemporary Shang Dynasty by the Yellow River, traditionally the cradle of China, down to the way they made bronze. The protruding eyes of its bronze heads tally with local Shu Kingdom records of their "alien-looking", bulging-eyed, founder Cancong.
A Morning Date with Active Pandas
It is best to go early in the morning to see the pandas feeding at around 9:30am, which is their most active time of the day.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Overview of Chengdu.
We were able to see the most notable areas of a very large city in s short period of time. Mr. Evan was friendly, knowledgeable and patient. more
May 2025, John V
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Fantastic chengdu with China highlights.
Our tour guide was Evan who was very helpful and provided us with local recommendations and was informative. Whilst in Chengdu we went to the panda base, leshan Buddha, mount Qing Chen and the Dujiangyan irrigation site all guided by Evan. During our month touring China, we found Chengdu to be one of the highlights. more
May 2025, mcgahano
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All the tour guides we had arranged via Carrie at China Highlights were excellent. We had Jessica in Beijing for the Forbidden City, the hutongs, followed by Mutianyu at the Great Wall. At the last minute, we arranged to go to the summer palace and had Mary as our guide. Paul in Xi'an guided us to the terracotta warriors and was very informative. We had Evan in Chengdu for the panda base, Mount Qing Chen, the Leshan Buddha and Dujiangan irrigation site. Evan was helpful and able to adapt to our pace. He also provided us with useful recommendations for local places to eat in Chengdu. When we went to Guilin and Yangshuo, we had LiPing, who was very good. She accompanied us to the Longji rice terraces, the boat trip to Yangshuo and the cormorant fisherman photo shoot. In Suzhou, we had Juliette who accompanied us to Tongli water town, the Tongli garden and the humble administrators garden. It was a truly relaxing morning on the boat in Tongli. Our day trips were well organised and enjoyable. more
May 2025, Mcgahano
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Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Your personal private guide will contact you a day in advance and arrange the starting time according to your preference.
Visiting the city's panda base can be a challenge as it is quite large and has various animals. We've designed a smart route to beat the crowds as much as possible while timing it to the pandas' active period for you.
After the short road trip on to Sanxingdui, you will be served with a Sichuan meal at the restaurant of Sanxingdui Museum.
Sanxingdui Museum, in the northeast corner of the Sanxingdui Ruins archeological site, is where the Shu Kingdom's 3,000-year-old treasures are displayed. Discover a unique part of China's history in this large modern thematic museum.
As this is a private tour, you can decide whether to spend more or less time in the different areas according to your interests. The schedule is flexible and only for your reference.
Price includes:
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- English speaking local guide
- Activities and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Tour code: cd-87