Classic route · 5 days / 4 nights
Sichuan Panda Trail
Three bases in five days, from the famous city site to a mountain valley at 1,700 metres, with Chengdu’s food in between.
Duration
5 days / 4 nights
Group style
Private departure
Pace
Moderate
Best months
Mar–May, Sep–Nov
Our most-booked route, and the one we would choose for a first proper panda trip. You see the breeding base, the semi-wild valley, and the mountain reserve, which between them cover almost everything a giant panda does in captivity.
Day by day
-
Day 01
Chengdu
Arrival, a slow first evening, and a briefing on the days ahead.
- · Airport transfer
- · Tea house orientation walk
- · Route briefing with your guide
-
Day 02
The city base
Opening-time entry at the Chengdu base, then an afternoon that belongs to food.
- · 07:30 gate entry
- · Cub nursery and red panda loop
- · Afternoon market and cooking session
-
Day 03
Panda Valley and the old weir
Dujiangyan in the morning for pandas, the irrigation system after lunch.
- · Red panda boardwalk
- · Hillside semi-wild enclosures
- · 2,200-year-old weir with a guide
-
Day 04
Into Wolong
The mountain road to Gengda, an afternoon at Shenshuping, a cold night at altitude.
- · Two-hour drive via Yingxiu
- · Outer loop and kindergarten pavilions
- · Valley dinner, early night
-
Day 05
Back down
A second, quieter pass at the mountain base before the road back to Chengdu.
- · Morning at the base as it opens
- · Optional Dengsheng valley walk
- · Return transfer by late afternoon
Included
- — Four nights, three cities, breakfast daily
- — Private vehicle and guide for the full route
- — All base tickets and internal shuttles
- — One Sichuan cooking session in Chengdu
Not included
- — Flights
- — Visa fees
- — Most dinners
- — Travel insurance
