A softer side of China
Come for the pandas. Stay for Sichuan.
Start with Chengdu’s pandas, then discover a city of teahouses, lively streets and layered history. Beyond it lie Sichuan’s mountain lakes, sacred summits and remarkable journeys. Tell us what draws you here, and we’ll shape a private trip around your time and pace.
01 · A place to begin
Chengdu, one city with many rhythms
Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan and an easy place to begin. Spend a morning with giant pandas, pause for gaiwan tea in a park, then follow the streets towards old courtyards, neighbourhood markets and the flavours of Sichuan cooking.
There is another side to the city after dark: lit bridges, busy dining streets and small places where people linger over conversation. We can make room for the pace that suits you, whether that means a compact city stay or a gentler start before travelling further.
02 · Into the landscape
From Chengdu to a wider Sichuan
Sichuan changes character as you travel. The Chengdu Plain gives way to mountain roads, Huanglong’s terraced pools and the lakes and waterfalls of Jiuzhaigou. South of the city, the Leshan Giant Buddha and Mount Emei offer a different encounter with the province’s history and landscape.
Our suggested routes give you three starting points: three days in Chengdu, five days combining rail and mountain parks, or seven days by road through more of the province. Travel times, altitude, weather and ticket availability all shape the final plan. We will confirm the details in your written itinerary before you book.
Planning your arrival
Check your entry options for China
China currently offers visa-free entry for tourism to eligible travellers holding ordinary passports from certain countries, usually for stays of up to 30 days. Eligibility depends on your nationality, passport, purpose of visit and travel date. Check the latest official guidance before booking flights.
Entry information checked on 23 September 2026. Rules may change; final admission is decided by border authorities.
Choose your route
Three ways to travel Sichuan.
Three starting points: three days in Chengdu, five days combining high-speed rail with the mountain parks, or seven days by road through more of the province. Each journey stays private — your dates, your pace, your guide.
3 days · Pandas & the flavours of Chengdu
Meet Chengdu's pandas, settle into a teahouse and discover the city's food and heritage. Two nights in Chengdu, with a full sightseeing day in between.
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5 days · Chengdu, Huanglong & Jiuzhaigou
Two nights in Chengdu and two near Jiuzhaigou. Travel north by high-speed train, with private station transfers, Huanglong's pools and a full day among Jiuzhaigou's lakes.
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7 days · Pandas, alpine lakes & sacred summits
A varied private road journey through Wolong, Huanglong, Jiuzhaigou, Dujiangyan, Leshan and Mount Emei. An active route with several long drives and six overnight stays.
View routeA sense of scale
Stand before something extraordinary.
From a cliff-carved Buddha in Leshan to the Golden Summit of Mount Emei, southern Sichuan invites you to look up.
Leshan · Carved into the cliff
Mount Emei · Above the clouds
Where you stay
Room for a different rhythm.
Long days among pandas, mountain roads and old streets end somewhere calm. In Chengdu we look for bases you can walk from — near Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li — so the evening is yours: a dining street, a riverside walk, or an early night.
Mercure Chengdu Taikoo Li is our current planning reference, with city-view rooms and family suites among the options. The exact branch, room category and availability are confirmed in your written proposal before you book.
From an idea to an itinerary
We will join the dots.
Tell us how much time you have, and we will shape a route with room for what matters to you. Mount Siguniang, in western Sichuan, is an option for a custom trip — it is not part of every itinerary.