First Sichuan: Pandas, Buddha, Cloud Summit
A first week in Sichuan that moves from teahouses to river cliffs to a 3,099-metre summit. The distances are short, the transitions are gentle, and there is enough unscheduled time to eat properly.
The idea
A route with room to breathe.
A first week in Sichuan that moves from teahouses to river cliffs to a 3,099-metre summit. The distances are short, the transitions are gentle, and there is enough unscheduled time to eat properly.
The route
Where it goes.
Day by day
A sketch of the days.
Arrive at TFU or CTU and settle into a neighborhood hotel. A short walk, a bowl of noodles and an early night. No agenda beyond dinner.
Stay · Chengdu · boutique hotelWhat is included
The practical details.
Included
- 6 nights boutique or family-run hotels
- All high-speed train tickets within Sichuan
- Private guides in Chengdu, Leshan and Emei
- All entrance tickets and cable-car reservations
- Daily breakfast and four selected meals
Not included
- International flights
- China visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Personal spending and gratuities
Emei’s summit is 3,099 m. The route is designed with two low-altitude nights first, and the summit day can be swapped if the weather closes in.
Keep exploring
Other ways to go.
Slow · max 1,260 m
Tea & River: Chengdu, Qingcheng, Leshan
A short, gentle route for travelers who want Sichuan’s softer side: a Daoist mountain, a 2,000-year-old irrigation system, a giant Buddha and a lot of tea. No high passes, no rushing.
Chengdu · Dujiangyan · Qingcheng · Leshan · Chengdu
Food & culture · max 500 m
The Sichuan Table
A deep, delicious five days in Chengdu, with a day trip to Leshan for the river food that locals cross the province to eat. Markets, tea houses, a cooking class and a hotpot education — with naps built in.
Chengdu · Leshan · Chengdu
