8 Days Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Leshan and Mt. Emei Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu

   Welcome to Chengdu, the hometown of China's national treasure, the panda! Thank you very much for choosing us for your 8-day Jiuzhaigou Huanglong tour. This itinerary is just a suggestion and it can be customized according to your preferences and interests.

   Upon your arrival at Chengdu Airport, your private driver will greet you by holding a welcome sign with your name at the exit of the Arrival Hall. You'll then be escorted to your selected hotel in downtown Chengdu.

   The rest of the day will be left for you to explore the “Land of Abundance” on your own. Jinli Street is highly recommended. It is a well-known commercial pedestrian street in Chengdu and consists of a large area of antique buildings in the late Qing Dynasty (1616-1911) architecture style. Here, you can taste many of Chengdu's typical snacks and find specialty handicrafts.

   Meal: N/A

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

   

2. Day 2: Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Tour
   Visit Songpan Ancient City En Route to Jiuzhaigou, with Scenic Views

   After breakfast, you will take a scenic car ride to Jiuzhaigou. Along the way, you can enjoy some of the unique beauty of Sichuan. After about 5.5 hours, we first arrive at Songpan Ancient City.

   Anciently known as Songzhou, Songpan Ancient City has been an important military fortress in northwestern Sichuan since ancient times and an important post on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. The city is ancient and quiet, and you can walk or take a rickshaw (please tell your travel consultant in advance to arrange this for you) through the ancient buildings.

   Songpan Ancient City is divided into two inner and outer cities, which are connected by a city gate. The city wall is 6.2 kilometers long and 12.5 meters high, all made of green bricks. You can choose to climb up the city wall (extra charge) to get a breathtaking view of the surrounding area.

   

   Continuing to drive for about 3 hours, we arrive at Jiuzhaigou County. Your guide will assist you in checking in to your local hotel. Get a good night's rest tonight and prepare for your Jiuzhaigou trip tomorrow.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

   Accommodation: in Jiuzhaigou

3. Day 3: Jiuzhaigou Tour
   Explore Jiuzhai Valley's Stunning Waterfalls, Lakes, and Forests

   Bet you're already looking forward to today's visit as you eat breakfast! After breakfast, drive 1 hour to Jiuzhai Valley, a World Heritage Site. Spread out in a “Y-shape”, this national park is a picturesque wonderland where you will be amazed by spectacular waterfalls, sparkling lakes and colorful wild forests.

   Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve has four scenic spots, Shuzheng Valley, Zechawa Valley, Rize Valley, and Zharu Valley, with water features such as a group of plateau calcified lakes, calcified waterfalls, and calcified beach streams as the main landscapes. They are blue, turquoise, white, and emerald in different seasons.

   Jiuzhaigou is a large area and you will take a sightseeing bus to explore the entire area. Your private guide will organize your exploration of Jiuzhaigou's highlights at a comfortable pace, depending on your energy and time.

   

   Some of the classic attractions include Pearl Beach, Mirror Lake, Panda Sea, Five Colorful Pools, and Nuorilang Waterfall. One of the quite popular ones is Nuorilang Waterfall, which is the widest alpine calcified waterfall in China. The gushing water comes from the Norilang Group Sea and pours down from the top of the waterfall, like white hada (a piece of silk). In winter, the waterfall becomes a huge ice mantle, with differently shaped ice sculptures in blue color.

   After the tour, your driver will transfer you back to your hotel in Jiuzhaigou County for a relaxing evening.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

   Accommodation: in Jiuzhaigou

4. Day 4: Huanglong Tour
   Visit Huanglong Scenic Area for Colorful Lakes, Mountains, and Hot Springs

   After breakfast, we will drive to Huanglong Scenic Area where you will spend 3-4 hours sightseeing. Listed as a world cultural heritage in 1992, Huanglong is a famous scenic and historic interest area, highlighting its colorful lakes, snow-covered mountains, lush forests, and deep canyons.

   The milky yellow rocks in the valley make it look like a yellow dragon flying over the mountain. That is how the valley gained the name Huanglong (Yellow Dragon).

   

   You can also expect hot springs, ancient temples, waterfalls, travertine caves, etc. You are recommended to take the cable way to get up and down the mountain, which will help you save much more time and energy.

   At the end of your Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong tour, your driver will escort you back to your hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

   Accommodation: in Jiuzhaigou

5. Day 5: Jiuzhaigou to Mt. Emei Tour
   See the World's Tallest Stone Buddha, then Proceed to Mount Emei

   After breakfast, leave Jiuzhaigou Valley County to Mount Emei, one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China. On the way, we will visit Leshan.

   You are going to admire the tallest stone Buddha in the world, the Leshan Giant Buddha. It took 90 years for three generations of craftsmen to accomplish this 71-meter-high statue. There is more to it than what you see with your eyes. For example, there are 1051 buns of curly hair on the head of the Buddha, and it has an invisible irrigation system just behind its ears and head. Your knowledgeable guide will share the history and some fascinating stories of the colossal Buddha.

   

   Please note that it involves lots of stairs. So you’re highly recommended to wear comfortable walking shoes and watch your steps.

   Friendly Tips: There is another way to visit the Leshan Giant Buddha - taking a cruise along the river to take a far view of it. (Optional, at an additional cost)

   After the visit, continue your journey to Emei Mountain and arrive at the foothills. The guide will help you with the check-in. You can unwind amidst the tranquil surroundings.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: at Mt. Emei

6. Day 6: Mt. Emei Tour & Back to Chengdu
   Explore Mount Emei's Golden Summit, Encountering Buddhist Culture

   After breakfast, your tour guide will meet you at your hotel lobby and take you to the stunning Emei Mountain. Famous as both world natural heritage and world cultural heritage, it attracts numerous visitors every year for hiking, photography and profound Buddhist culture. It is also home to more than 3,200 plant species and over 2,300 animal species.

   You will be guided to explore the beautiful Baoguo Temple first, which is just located at the foot of the mountain. There were more than 100 temples in the past, but only 30 of them are left now and well maintained. Follow your guide to appreciate the architectural beauty, learn the ancient history behind it, and admire the unique porcelain Buddha statue which was made in the well-known porcelain capital Jingdezhen in the Ming Dynasty.

   After lunch, you will take a sightseeing bus to Leidongping, walk for about 30 minutes to Jieyin Hall, and then hop on a cable car up to Golden Summit. If you are lucky, you will see fantastic sea of clouds. There is a majestic golden statue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva which is regarded as the symbol of the mountain. You might be curious how the Buddha statue was built on such a high peak.

   

   After enjoying the breathtaking scenery, you will take cable car down to Leidongping and then go down the mountain by a sightseeing bus. Please note to hide your food in your bag because there are many monkeys on the mountain which can be quite aggressive sometimes. After the fantastic hiking, you will be escorted back to your Chengdu hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

7. Day 7: Chengdu Tour
   Get Up Close to the Cute Pandas & Enjoy a Sichuan Cooking Class

   At around 08:30 am, our English-speaking tour guide and driver will pick you up from your, and your amazing Chengdu panda tour begins!

   You will taken to visit the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, which is well known for the protection and breeding of the endangered giant pandas which are unique to China. The base is definitely a highlight for most visitors to Chengdu. There are adorable pandas everywhere. You can watch them eating bamboo, playing with each other, and of course sleeping. Your tour guide will navigate you through the huge area, share some information about the pandas, and help you take amazing photos.

   

   Afterwards, you will be transferred to the Sichuan Cuisine Museum, which features displays on the culture of Sichuan cuisine. Here, you will experience hands-on preparation of several representative Sichuan dishes under the guidance of a chef.

   During the class, you will learn about Sichuan cooking methods, precise cutting techniques, and temperature control. The chef will make an evaluation of your work. Finally, enjoy the delicious dishes you have prepared.

   After the cooking experience, escort you back to the hotel for rest. In the evening you can take a stroll on your own along the bustling Chunxi Road, lined with stores, restaurants and lively entertainment.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

   

8. Day 8: Departure from Chengdu

   Your 8-day Jiuzhaigou Huanglong tour will end today. Enjoy your leisurely morning until your driver escorts you to the airport for your flight to your next destination or home. Hope you had a good time with China Xian Tour and wish you all the best in the future.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: N/A