Chengdu and Chongqing are two large cities in western central China, with colorful and interesting cultures, including Sichuan hotpot.
Attend the one-day giant panda keeping program in Dujiangyan Base and visit the ancient alleys in Chengdu. Visit “the Mountain City” — Chongqing — and learn the history of the Yangtze River before your Yangtze cruise (or onward transport). This is a relaxing cultural experience tour.
Highlights
- Visit Ancient Ciqikou Town.
- Learn the history and culture of the Yangtze and Chongqing in Three Gorges Museum.
- Have a taste of Sichuan hotpot.
- Enjoy the interesting Sichuan Opera.
- Attend the giant panda keeping program to cuddle the cute panda baby.
What's Included
- Expert service from an experienced English-speaking tour guide
- Entrance to scenic spots listed in the itinerary
- Lunch mentioned in the itinerary
- Private transfers between attractions and hotel
- Hotel accommodation with breakfast
- Panda Keeper Program fee at Dujiangyan Panda Base
- Simple lunch at Dujiangyan Panda Base
- Golf cart ride inside the panda base
Suggested Itinerary
Your private guide and driver will meet you at the airport or the railway station when you arrive in Chengdu. Then you will be escorted to your hotel in the city center of Chengdu and helped check in. Take a rest or try some free time ideas:
Free Time Ideas
- Go shopping at Chunxi Pedestrian Street, where many large shopping malls and souvenir shops are located.
- Enjoy a Sichuan Opera night show.
- Have a taste of Sichuan hotpot.
Accommodation
Tibet Hotel Chengdu (4-star) / Sofitel Chengdu Taihe (5-star)
You can discover some highlights of the ancient Chengdu at the Jinsha Civilization Museum. It is in northwest Chengdu, and has relics dating back more than 3,000 years.
Jinli Old Street was a popular business center in the Three Kingdoms Period (220–280). Retaining its ancient building style, it is very popular with tourists. Have a taste of the spicy local snacks. Discover Chengdu’s local culture, including the face-changing masks of Sichuan Opera, the puppet plays, and sugar figurines.
Temple of Heaven
Relax in the bamboo forest, visit the famous romantic poet Xue Tao's tomb, and see the ancient Sichuan-style architectures in Wangjiang Park.
Accommodation
Tibet Hotel Chengdu (4-star) / Sofitel Chengdu Taihe (5-star)
Dujiangyan Giant Panda Base is 1½ hours’ drive from your hotel. Currently, it is the only Giant Panda Base that provides a panda keeping program. Their one-day program includes cleaning the panda house, touring around the base, feeding the pandas lunch and dinner, watching panda movies, making panda cakes, and at the end getting a participation certificate.
It is a unique and memorable experience in Chengdu. You can also hold a cute panda baby for photos (at extra cost).
Wenshu Monastery is a Buddhist center in Chengdu. It was built in the Sui Dynasty (581–618). The wooden buildings are in the ancient style, creating a peaceful atmosphere. You can also see beautiful gardens in the monastery.
The Wide and Narrow Alleys are actually three old alleys: Wide Alley, Narrow Alley, and Well Alley. The old houses and roads are well-preserved/restored. Some coffee bars, boutique stores, and snack shops are on the street. One special activity is the ear cleaning service.
In the afternoon, the guide and driver will take you the railway station.
After two hours by high-speed train, you will arrive at Chongqing North Railway Station. Your private guide and driver in Chongqing will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel. For the activities for the rest of this day, see our free time ideas:
- Go shopping in Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street.
- Taste a Sichuan hotpot.
- Take a trip on the Yangtze cableway.
If you have any interest in the Yangtze River, the Three Gorges Museum won’t let you down. You can see almost every aspect of the Yangtze River exhibited, including the wildlife, and the world-famous Three Gorges Dam. It has five floors, with some temporary art exhibitions.
Ciqikou Ancient Town is an ancient business center, where a number of stores are located. Interesting and handmade artifacts, and other souvenirs of Chongqing are sold there. Walking on the stone road and taking pictures of the ancient Chinese-style buildings is also fascinating.
Visit Hongya Cave (#3 for Chongqing on TA) — it’s good for views, shopping, food, and nightlife.
Your private driver and guide will transfer you to the railway station, the airport, or the Yangtze cruise pier.
Trip Notes
1. Panda Keeper Program
As the first tour company in China to operate the program, China Highlights has developed stable relationship with the Dujiangyan Panda Base. Sometimes the program is subject to change due to force majeure. Usually we are able to get the first-hand information that is very helpful for your tour arrangement. Your early booking (at least two weeks before departure) is also useful to guarantee the availability of the program. Sometimes the activities listed in the description will be adjusted according to health condition of the pandas. Hope customers can understand this.
If your time is limited, you can only join the activities in the morning. The price is the same.
2. Taking Photos with Panda
It costs as much as CNY100,000 (US$16,260) to raise one panda each month. A donation program that allows you to take pictures with a panda next to you for about one minute is not included in the Panda Keeper Program. It is only available in Dujiangyan Panda Base and the donation amount is CNY1,800 per person [July 2015].
Only 30 tourists are allowed to take close-up photos with pandas each day. If you would like to take part in this donation program, please tell your travel advisor in advance because we have to book it at least one week in advance. This program is subject to the availability of pandas on that day. Please take enough CNY cash, as payment by a non-Chinese credit card is not accepted there.
Please note the photo program is totally depends on the availability of the pandas on that day. We will double check on the booking one day in advance and inform you as soon as there is any unexpected change.
3. More Trip Information
Want to learn more about this trip? Please click here to see details about traveling in China, booking, payment and responsible travel.
