1-Day Panda and Leshan Giant Buddha Tour

Suggested Itinerary

Please check the general itinerary of the whole day. The train schedule is for your reference and our trip advisor will choose the train based on the arrangements:

7:30am: In the morning, your guide will pick you up from your hotel in urban Chengdu. Your guide will call you one day in advance to your hotel or leave a message to double check the pick-up time with you.

8:30am: Arrive at the Panda Breeding and Research Center, which is the easiest way to catch a glimpse of lovely pandas outside of a zoo. The enclosures there are large and kept in good condition.

Panda Breeding and Research Center

10:30am: After the panda tour, your guide and driver will transfer you to Chengdu East Railway Station.

11:15am: Arrive at Chengdu East Railway Station. Your guide will assist you with the check-in process.

12:16pm–1:29pm (one hour): Take High-Speed Train C6305 from Chengdu to Leshan. Your guide will accompany you on the train. Note: Lunch is not included. Please prepare some packed food and snacks as lunch to enjoy on the train.

2:00pm: Go out of Leshan Railway Station and take a taxi. Note: It may take some time to wait for a taxi. The taxi cost is not included and is about CNY30/US$5 from the station to the Leshan Buddha each way. It is recommended to take CNY200–500 Chinese cash with you.

2:30pm: Arrive at the Leshan Giant Buddha and start the tour to climb up to the Buddha.

Leshan Giant Buddha

5:00pm: After the tour, your guide will escort you back to Leshan Railway Station via a taxi.

5:30pm: Arrive at Leshan Railway Station and the guide will help you with the check-in process.

6:35pm–7:28pm (one hour): Take train C6256 from Leshan back to Chengdu with your guide.

7:30pm: Your driver will be waiting for you at the Chengdu East Railway Station. Then your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Trip Notes

1. Can I have a private car in Leshan? I don't want to take a taxi or the high-speed train.

Since Leshan is a small developing city, there is no decent travel agency offering private transfer serivce. For you to enjoy private transfer in Leshan, we are happy to arrange a private car and a driver to escort you between Chengdu and Leshan. It will make the tour more worried-free but more pricy, as the distance is over 142 kilometers (88 miles) and it takes about two hours each way. The tour cost is approximately US$50–80 higher per person. Please inform our trip advisor of your preference.

2. Can I take a cruise to have an overlook at the Leshan Buddha?

Due to the limited time, there won't be enough time for both climbing the Buddha and taking a cruise. The cruise lasts for about 20 minutes but it may take some time to queue. You can choose either to climb or to take the cruise.

3. What if we cannot catch the train going back to Chengdu?

We will purchase the round-trip tickets for you in advance and your guide will forward them to you during the tour. If you miss the booked train going back to Chengdu, your guide can help you change to a later train at the train station without extra cost.

4. What information is required to book the tour?

Clear passport copy is required to purchase the train tickets for you. Please also inform the name and address of your hotel in downtown Chengdu. It's recommended to book the tour at least 7 days before departure date so that we can purchase the train tickets with the best schedule.

5. What are the Payment Methods:

We now offer 3 payment methods: PayPal, credit card authorization via fax and wire transfer. PayPal is recommended for its safety and efficiency. You can pay USA dollars, Australian dollars, European dollars and Great Britain Pound directly with your credit card or debit card, even if you don't have PayPal account.

6. What is the Cancellation Policy?

In the event of cancellation we will refund any payment made to China Highlights (unless any cancellation fee applicable) within 14 days of our receipt of your written cancellation request. Visit here for more details.

7. What about the Gratuities to Guide and Driver?

Tips to the guide and driver are not included. If the guide's and driver's service truly satisfy you, our suggestion to the tips would be:
1 person in the group, CNY150-200,
2 people in a group: CNY100/person,
3-5 people in a group: CNY50-70/person,
6-9 people in a group: CNY40-50/person,
≥10 people in a group: CNY20-30/person.
The driver would be half the amount, and separate offer to each is best.

8. Do I Need Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance is not included. We carefully selected some insurance providers from your region that give you the best value for money. Click here to go to the travel insurance page.