Itinerary · 5 days · balanced
Chengdu and Chongqing in 5 days
Two and a half days each: pandas and Leshan from Chengdu, Dazu rock carvings and hotpot from Chongqing.
Chengdu and Chongqing are two hours apart by high-speed rail but feel like different civilisations. Chengdu is flat, teahouse-paced, and famous for its giant pandas and mahjong afternoons; Chongqing is a vertical city of fog, cable cars, and the spiciest hotpot in China. Together they make a satisfying Sichuan–Chongqing circuit, often with a day-trip to Leshan's giant Buddha or Dazu's Tang-dynasty rock carvings to break the city rhythm.
Day by day
Day 1 · chengdu
Arrive Chengdu — teahouses and Wuhou Shrine
Arrive and settle into a guesthouse near Jinli Street. Afternoon walk to Wuhou Shrine, which adjoins the Jinli pedestrian area. The shrine commemorates the Three Kingdoms general Zhuge Liang and takes about two hours. Evening: Kuanzhai Alley for snacks and tea.
Attractions: wuhou-shrine, kuanzhai-alley
Day 2 · chengdu
Panda Research Base, then Sanxingdui
Early bus or Didi to the Giant Panda Research Base — pandas are most active before 10 am. Return to Chengdu by midday. Afternoon: take a high-speed train 40 minutes north to Sanxingdui Museum (Guanghan) to see the bronze-masked civilisation from 3,000 years ago, then return.
Attractions: panda-base-chengdu, sanxingdui-museum
Day 3 · chengdu
Day trip to Leshan Giant Buddha, then on to Chongqing
Early morning high-speed rail to Leshan (approximately 1.5 hours). The giant Buddha sits at the confluence of three rivers; the best view is from the riverboat, though the cliff-side staircase is the proper approach. Return to Chengdu station by mid-afternoon and connect to Chongqing (2 hours). Check in and explore the Chaotianmen riverfront.
Attractions: leshan-giant-buddha
Day 4 · chongqing
Dazu Rock Carvings day trip
Dazu county is 2 hours by high-speed rail or road from Chongqing. The Baoding Hill carvings are the main draw — a 500-metre curved cliff of Song-dynasty Buddhist iconography. The North Hill site adds Daoist carvings if time allows. Return by evening for Chongqing hotpot dinner.
Day 5 · chongqing
Chongqing — cable cars, old streets, depart
Morning on the Yangtze River cable car across to the south bank for the city panorama. Walk the Ciqikou old street — a Ming-dynasty riverside settlement now converted to craft and food shops. Afternoon departure from Jiangbei Airport or Chongqing North Station.
Attractions: jiuzhaigou-valley
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥300 |
| Mid-range | ¥750 |
| Comfortable | ¥1900 |
Dazu day trip adds roughly CNY 150–200 in transport; Leshan adds similar. Budget figures are blended Chengdu/Chongqing averages.
Cities covered
Attractions covered
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