Hi! This itinerary is based on my personal experiences.
I’m a native Chinese and the creator of this website, Yenkid In China.
With my all-in-one guide, you will find it much easier to plan your trip!
Introduction 🐼
This page contains my personal itineraries for Chengdu and Sichuan.
In this itinerary, you will discover:
➡️ China’s panda and spice capital
➡️ ancient irrigation marvel
➡️ tallest stone Buddha
➡️ a sacred mountain
➡️ two of China’s water wonders
I have personally visited them. Sichuan is one of my favourite provinces for travel.
A great balance of city life, historical sites, rich culture, natural wonders, and man-made marvels.
And of course many delicious Sichuan dishes!
(You DO NOT have to visit all of this! This is a FLEXIBLE itinerary for you to customise)
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I have provided a detailed day-by-day breakdown, my secret tips, and recommended links for you to book your trip.
You can organise this trip entirely by yourself. You do not have to book with a tour agency to organise this.
I’m not an agency. I’ve shared this itinerary to help you organise it independently like I did.
That’s part of the fun!
You can still book tours for individual attractions + activities like food tours separately.
The whole itinerary can be done by high speed rail. There are zero domestic flights.
It’s possible to do this itinerary in reverse!
NOTE: Most museums are closed on Mondays so plan your museum days for the days before or after.
First, you could save money on your China trip by:
Planning Resources
🛏️ I book hotels on Trip because it gives me the best prices ($26 cheaper for one booking!) + has way more hotels for China. What made it even cheaper was getting exclusive discounts as a new user. Register here!
🚅 I recommend booking trains on Trip as it offers the best English language interface + you can reserve tickets further in advance.
📲 The Apps You Need 🛜 Internet Access + Data 🧳 Before You Arrive Guide
Quick Summary
Chengdu (3 days) ➡️ Dujiangyan (1 day) ➡️ Leshan (1 day) ➡️ Emeishan (1 day) ➡️ Jiuzhaigou (2 days) ➡️ Huanglong (1 day)
SEE FULL ITINERARY FOR EACH DAY BELOW
💡You don’t have to visit all cities. This is a flexible itinerary.
You’ll see three options: 3-day, 7-day, 10-day itineraries.
Use this as your template + modify + delete to suit your length of stay & preferences
My suggested 3-DAY itinerary 👣
3 days is good for visiting Chengdu and a nearby destination.
Day 1 - CHENGDU
Why I find this day special: getting close up to so many pandas + relaxing in one of China’s most laid-back cities
AM - Panda Base 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Wenshu Monastery ➡️ Tianfu Square ➡️ People’s Park ➡️ Wuhou Shrine ➡️ Jinli Ancient Street ➡️ Chunxi Lu
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🛏️Sleep in Chengdu (3 nights)
👉🏻 Consider staying in a panda themed hotel (an example is this one)
➡️ For further details about best districts, check out my Ultimate Chengdu Travel Guide
🍜My suggested meals: kung pao chicken 宫保鸡丁, mapo tofu 麻婆豆腐, Sichuan hotpot 四川火锅
🥢My suggested eating districts: Chunxi Lu + Taikoo Li (春熙路 + 太古里), Jinli Ancient Street 锦里古街
Activities to consider
👉🏻 Food tour with a local guide
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Day 2 - CHENGDU
Why I find this day special: visiting one of China’s most underrated museums + relaxing vibes + seeing futuristic architecture
AM - Sanxingdui Museum 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Dufu Thatched Cottage ➡️ New Century Global Center ➡️ Towers of Vitality ➡️ Panda Twin Towers ➡️ Anshun Bridge
Sleep in Chengdu
Day 3 - DUJIANGYAN + CHENGDU
Why I find this day special: learning about the best of Sichuan cuisine + the 2,000 year old engineering wonder
AM - Sichuan Cuisine Museum 👉🏻 take a taxi
PM - Dujiangyan Scenic Area 👉🏻 take a taxi
Sleep in Chengdu
❗For more details, check out my Chengdu Ultimate Travel Guide
My suggested 7-DAY itinerary 👣
7 days is great for visiting 4-5 places.
Day 1 - CHENGDU
Why I find this day special: getting close up to so many pandas + relaxing in one of China’s most laid-back cities
AM - Panda Base 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Wenshu Monastery ➡️ Tianfu Square ➡️ People’s Park ➡️ Wuhou Shrine ➡️ Jinli Ancient Street ➡️ Chunxi Lu
⬇️
🛏️Sleep in Chengdu (4 nights)
👉🏻 Consider staying in a panda themed hotel (an example is this one)
➡️ For further details about best districts, check out my Ultimate Chengdu Travel Guide
🍜My suggested meals: kung pao chicken 宫保鸡丁, mapo tofu 麻婆豆腐, Sichuan hotpot 四川火锅
🥢My suggested eating districts: Chunxi Lu + Taikoo Li (春熙路 + 太古里), Jinli Ancient Street 锦里古街
Activities to consider
👉🏻 Food tour with a local guide
⬇️
Day 2 - CHENGDU
Why I find this day special: visiting one of China’s most underrated museums + relaxing vibes + seeing futuristic architecture
AM - Sanxingdui Museum 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Dufu Thatched Cottage ➡️ New Century Global Center ➡️ Towers of Vitality ➡️ Panda Twin Towers ➡️ Anshun Bridge ➡️ Jiuyanqiao Bar Street
Sleep in Chengdu
Day 3 - CHENGDU + DUJIANGYAN
Why I find this day special: learning about the best of Sichuan cuisine + the 2,000 year old engineering wonder
AM - Sichuan Cuisine Museum 👉🏻 take a taxi
PM - Dujiangyan Scenic Area 👉🏻 take a taxi
Sleep in Chengdu
❗For more details, check out my Chengdu Ultimate Travel Guide
Day 4 - LESHAN
Why I find this day special: the world’s biggest stone Buddha statue + ancient town vibes
🚅Take the train from Chengdu East to Leshan 👉🏻 book your train here
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AM - Giant Buddha and river cruise
PM - Suji Ancient Town
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🚅Return to Chengdu by train + Sleep in Chengdu
Day 5 - TRAVEL TO JIUZHAIGOU
Why I find this day special: seeing the mountain scenery and villages on the way to Jiuzhaigou
🚅Take the high speed train from Chengdu East to Huanglong Jiuzhaigou station👉🏻 book your train here
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take the bus to village near scenic area entrance (Pengfeng village)
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Sleep in Jiuzhaigou (2 nights)
❗For more details, check out my Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Ultimate Travel Guide
Day 6 - JIUZHAIGOU
Why I find this day special: one of the water wonders of the world for me
All day - Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
⬇️
Sleep in Jiuzhaigou
Day 7 - HUANGLONG
Why I find this day special: thousands of gorgeous travertine pools with a mountain backdrop. Sublime.
AM - Huanglong Scenic Area 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Take the bus back to Huanglongjiuzhai station + return to Chengdu for next destination/home🚅
❗For more details, check out my Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Ultimate Travel Guide
My suggested 10-DAY itinerary 👣
10 days is perfect for visiting at least 5-6 places.
Day 1 - CHENGDU
Why I find this day special: getting close up to so many pandas + relaxing in one of China’s most laid-back cities
AM - Panda Base 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Wenshu Monastery ➡️ Tianfu Square ➡️ People’s Park ➡️ Wuhou Shrine ➡️ Jinli Ancient Street ➡️ Chunxi Lu
⬇️
🛏️Sleep in Chengdu (4 nights)
👉🏻 Consider staying in a panda themed hotel (an example is this one)
➡️ For further details about best districts, check out my Ultimate Chengdu Travel Guide
🍜My suggested meals: kung pao chicken 宫保鸡丁, mapo tofu 麻婆豆腐, Sichuan hotpot 四川火锅
🥢My suggested eating districts: Chunxi Lu + Taikoo Li (春熙路 + 太古里), Jinli Ancient Street 锦里古街
Activities to consider
👉🏻 Food tour with a local guide
⬇️
Day 2 - CHENGDU
Why I find this day special: visiting one of China’s most underrated museums + relaxing vibes
AM - Sanxingdui Museum 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Dufu Thatched Cottage ➡️ Kuanzhai Alleys ➡️ Fuqin Night Market
Sleep in Chengdu
Day 3 - CHENGDU
Why I find this day special: learning about the best of Sichuan cuisine + seeing futuristic architecture
AM - Sichuan Cuisine Museum 👉🏻 take a taxi
PM - New Century Global Center ➡️ Towers of Vitality ➡️ Panda Twin Towers ➡️ Anshun Bridge ➡️ Jiuyanqiao Bar Street
Sleep in Chengdu
❗For more details, check out my Chengdu Ultimate Travel Guide
Day 4 - DUJIANGYAN
Why I find this day special: the 2,000 year old engineering wonder
🚅Take the Line 2 metro to Xipu station + take the train to Liduigongyuan station 👉🏻 book your train here
⬇️
AM - Dujiangyan Scenic Area 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Qingchengshan or Panda Valley
⬇️
Sleep in Chengdu
Day 5 - LESHAN
Why I find this day special: the world’s biggest stone Buddha statue + ancient town vibes
🚅Take the train from Chengdu East to Leshan 👉🏻 book your train here
⬇️
AM - Giant Buddha and river cruise 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Suji Ancient Town ➡️ take the train from Leshan to Emeishan 👉🏻 book your train here
⬇️
Sleep in Emeishan (2 nights)
Day 6 - EMEISHAN
Why I find this day special: one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains with golden temples and statues
All day - Emeishan Scenic Area 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
Sleep in Emeishan
Day 7 - TRAVEL TO JIUZHAIGOU
Why I find this day special: seeing the mountain scenery and villages on the way to Jiuzhaigou
🚅Take the high speed train from Emeishan back to Chengdu East 👉🏻 book your train here
⬇️
transfer to a train to Huanglongjiuzhai station (you need to book two trains)
⬇️
take the bus to village near scenic area entrance (Pengfeng village)
⬇️
Sleep in Jiuzhaigou (2 nights)
❗For more details, check out my Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Ultimate Travel Guide
Day 8 - JIUZHAIGOU
Why I find this day special: one of the water wonders of the world for me
All day - Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
⬇️
Sleep in Jiuzhaigou
Day 9 - HUANGLONG
Why I find this day special: thousands of gorgeous travertine pools with a mountain backdrop. Sublime.
AM - Huanglong Scenic Area 👉🏻 buy your ticket here
PM - Take the bus back to Huanglongjiuzhai station ➡️ return to Chengdu by high speed train🚅
⬇️
Sleep in Chengdu (1 night)
❗For more details, check out my Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Ultimate Travel Guide
Day 10 - CHENGDU
Rest day + depart for next destination/home
❗Check out my Chengdu Ultimate Travel Guide
📲 Save my guide to your homescreen so you have it handy when you’re in China!
☕ Thanks for checking out my guide! If you found it helpful, you can support my site by tipping a coffee here
SUMMARY NOTES📝
You don’t have to do the full itinerary. Cut and swap depending on what interests you the most!
LENGTH OF STAY 📅
If you’re mainly here for Chengdu, I recommend at least 3 days.
If you want to explore areas like Leshan Giant Buddha and Jiuzhaigou, I recommend at least 7 days.
If you want a more full-on experience of the scenery in Sichuan province, I recommend at least 10-14 days.
⬇️
MY ADVICE FOR ARRIVAL CITY 🛬
If you’re not planning to visit Beijing or Shanghai, I recommend you fly directly into Chengdu for this itinerary.
Note that Chengdu has two airports.
Check out my article The 9 Best Airports To Fly Into China
If you want an even longer trip in Sichuan, consider adding the following destinations:
➡️ Siguniangshan 四姑娘山
➡️ Daochengyading 稻城亚丁
Beware of the risks of altitude sickness at these locations + do your own research/preparation accordingly!
For ticket prices, see ultimate guide for each city!
These articles are particularly relevant for planning your trip:
By the way, check if you can save money on your China trip by:
For more itinerary ideas, see:
My selected China itineraries for 2026
BEST Jiuzhaigou, Zhangjiajie, Guilin Itinerary: 5-15 Days
BEST Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing Itinerary: 3 Days, 7 Days, 10+ Days
BEST Shanghai, Zhangjiajie, Chongqing, Chengdu Itinerary: 2-14 Days
BEST Beijing, Xi’an, Nanjing, Shanghai Itinerary: 3 Days, 7 Days, 10+ Days
BEST Shanghai + East China Itineraries: 3 Days, 7 Days, 10 Days
BEST Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Guilin Itinerary: 3, 7, 10 Days
To work out how much time to spend in China, check out:
How Long Should I Spend In China On My First Trip? Example Itineraries
