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Chengdu boasts large public parks and atmospheric tea houses, full of local life, but it's the pandas that attract most visitors.

Chengdu is China's fifth-largest city, but in contrast to some other urban centres, it has managed to preserve an atmosphere that evokes a sense of history. Founded over 2,000 years ago, it may be the only major city in China to have remained in the same location and still bear the same name. The highlight of Chengdu is the People's Park, where you can get a glimpse into everyday life as locals gather to sing, take exercise, relax and share a drink at one of the bustling tea houses.

Of course, for most the main reasons for any visit to Chengdu is to see the the famous Panda Research & Breeding Centre, close to the city. Far from being a zoo, the ongoing conservation efforts made here are respected the world over and are crucial to the sustainment of the species. The inhabitants (including red pandas) have large areas in which to roam and play, designed to replicate their natural habitat to encourage breeding. We visit in the morning to see the pandas at their most active, particularly the young babies.

A short drive south of Chengdu leads to the Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest carved stone Buddha in the world.

Leshan Giant Buddha - Holidays in Chengdu & Pandas China

乐山大佛
by kevinmcgill - CC

Leshan Giant Buddha

The mind-boggling Leshan Giant Buddha is located around 90 miles south of Chengdu and so makes the perfect extension to a visit here.

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Insights - Leshan Giant Buddha

Leshan Giant Buddha - Holidays in Chengdu & Pandas China

乐山大佛
by kevinmcgill - CC

Carved in a sitting position into the cliff face over the course of 90 years, the Giant Buddha of Leshan is a mind-boggling 71 metres tall (its ears alone measure seven metres high) and nearly ten metres wide. Also known as Dafo, it was finally completed in 803, at the confluence of three major rivers and looking out towards the sacred Mount Emei. Visitors can take boat rides along the river and walk from its huge toes, past its three metres long finers, all the way up to its eyeline. From here it is possible to appreciate the astonishing detail of the sculpture, with over 1,000 separate coils on its head.

From Leshan it is a short drive to the nearby sacred Mount Emei.

Mount Emei - Holidays in Chengdu & Pandas China

Emei shan view
by Cory M. Grenier - CC

Mount Emei

The sacred Mount Emei is just a short drive from Leshan and a three and half hour drive from central Chengdu.

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Insights - Mount Emei

Mount Emei - Holidays in Chengdu & Pandas China

Emei shan view
by Cory M. Grenier - CC

The nearby Mount Emei (Emeishan) is one of four sacred Buddhist mountains in China. Spread throughout are many elaborately decorated monasteries, pavilions and temples, connected via a combination of cable cars and picturesque (though steep) walks. The mountain is a cultural monument, brought to life by a local expert guide, who will share with you the fascinating tales hidden here and help fend off any overly eager monkeys of course.

The Golden Summit, reachable in a day via buses and cable cars, stands over 3,000 metres above sea level, which means that upon reaching it, you are often rewarded with a mesmarising (and disorientating) view over the sea of clouds below.

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panda trio sichuan china 2011
by chensiyuan - CC

The Emperor Tour - Holidays to China

China

Emperor Tour

17 Nights from £6,170 €6,504 $7,021

Contrast China's imperial and communist past in Beijing to its booming present in Shanghai, via the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army, historic Xi'an, storyb…

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The Emperor Tour
Tours in China

17 Nights from £6,170 €6,504 $7,021

Full Itinerary Contact Specialist

Itinerary Summary

  1. Day 1 - Fly to Beijing

    Day 2 - Welcome to Beijing

    Day 3 - Special tour - Beijing's past & present

    Day 4 - At leisure or optional tours

  2. Day 5 - Hike the Great Wall of China

  3. Day 6 - Fly to Xi'an

    Day 7 - See the 8,000 strong Terracotta Army

    Day 8 - Xi'an at leisure or optional tours

  4. Day 9 - Bullet Train to Chengdu & time at leisure

    Day 10 - Baby & Giant Pandas up close

  5. Day 11 - Come face-to-face with the 71m Giant Buddha

  6. Day 12 - Spectacular caves & drive to Rice Terraces

    Day 13 - Magnificent views of Longji Rice Terraces

  7. Day 14 - Cruise past the karst peaks along the Li River

    Day 15 - Hike or cycle through the wonderful landscapes

  8. Day 16 - Welcome to Shanghai

    Day 17 - Highlights of Shanghai

    Day 18 - Free time or optional tours

    Day 19 - Return flight to the UK

The Dynasty Tour - Holidays to China

China

Dynasty Tour

14 Nights from £5,026 €5,131 $5,533

Journey through China's past in Beijing, hike the Great Wall, see baby pandas and a giant buddha, marvel at storybook landscapes and discover Hong Kong and…

Overview View Trip

The Dynasty Tour
Tours in China

14 Nights from £5,026 €5,131 $5,533

Full Itinerary Contact Specialist

Itinerary Summary

  1. Day 1 - Fly to Beijing

    Day 2 - Welcome to Beijing

    Day 3 - Special tour - Beijing's past & present

    Day 4 - At leisure or optional tours

  2. Day 5 - Hike the Great Wall of China

  3. Day 6 - Fly to Xi'an

    Day 7 - See the 8,000 strong Terracotta Army

  4. Day 8 - Bullet Train to Chengdu

    Day 9 - Baby & Giant Pandas up close

  5. Day 10 - Come face-to-face with the 71m Giant Buddha

  6. Day 11 - Magnificent views of Longji Rice Terraces

  7. Day 12 - Cruise past the karst peaks along the Li River

  8. Day 13 - Welcome to Hong Kong

    Day 14 - Special 'local life' Hong Kong tour

    Day 15 - Tranquil islands or Portuguese heritage

    Day 16 - Time at leisure & return flight to UK

The Mandarin Tour - Holidays to China

China

Mandarin Tour

20 Nights from £7,071 €7,585 $8,192

Enjoy a grand cross-country tour of China, visiting its most iconic sights, seeing pandas up close, journeying through spellbinding scenery and exploring i…

Overview View Trip

The Mandarin Tour
Tours in China

20 Nights from £7,071 €7,585 $8,192

Full Itinerary Contact Specialist

Itinerary Summary

  1. Day 1 - Fly to Beijing

    Day 2 - Welcome to Beijing

    Day 3 - Special tour - Beijing's past & present

    Day 4 - At leisure or optional tours

  2. Day 5 - Hike the Great Wall of China

  3. Day 6 - Fly to Xi'an

    Day 7 - See the 8,000 strong Terracotta Army

    Day 8 - Xi'an at leisure

  4. Day 9 - Welcome to Tibet & Summer Palace

    Day 10 - Potala Palace, Pilgrims & Jokhang Temple

    Day 11 - Sacred Lake & Monks Debate

  5. Day 12 - Fly to Chengdu & time at leisure

    Day 13 - Baby & Giant Pandas up close

  6. Day 14 - Come face-to-face with the 71m Giant Buddha

  7. Day 15 - Spectacular caves & drive to Rice Terraces

    Day 16 - Magnificent views of Longji Rice Terraces

  8. Day 17 - Cruise past the karst peaks along the Li River

    Day 18 - Hike or cycle through the wonderful landscapes

  9. Day 19 - Ride the Bullet train to Hong Kong

    Day 20 - Special 'local life' Hong Kong tour

    Day 21 - Tranquil islands or Portuguese heritage

    Day 22 - Time at leisure & return flight to UK

The Yak Tour - Holidays to China

China

Yak Tour

15 Nights from £5,284 €5,440 $5,869

Venture into Tibet by train to admire historic monasteries and visit Mount Everest Base Camp. Along the way discover how this holy land is adapting to life…

Overview View Trip

The Yak Tour
Tours in China

15 Nights from £5,284 €5,440 $5,869

Full Itinerary Contact Specialist

Itinerary Summary

  1. Day 1 - Fly to Beijing

    Day 2 - Welcome to Beijing

    Day 3 - Special tour - Beijing's past & present

    Day 4 - At leisure or optional tours

  2. Day 5 - Hike the Great Wall of China

  3. Day 6 - Summer Palace, Art District & Fly to Xining

    Day 7 - Overnight scenic train to Lhasa

  4. Day 8 - Transfer to Tibet & Summer Palace tour

    Day 9 - Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple & Sera Monastery

  5. Day 10 - Sacred lake & Gyantse's Dzong architecture

    Day 11 - Tashilhunpo Monastery & Everest Base Camp

  6. Day 12 - Everest Base Camp & Sakya Monastery

  7. Day 13 - Fly to Chengdu & time at leisure

    Day 14 - Baby & Giant Pandas up close

  8. Day 15 - Come face-to-face with the 71m Giant Buddha

    Day 16 - Return to Beijing

    Day 17 - Return flight to UK

The China Family Tour - Holidays to China

China

China Family Tour

13 Nights from £3,870 €3,744 $4,031

Our specially designed family tour to China's most iconic sights. Visit Beijing's Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army, then get up close…

Overview View Trip

The China Family Tour
Tours in China

13 Nights from £3,870 €3,744 $4,031

Full Itinerary Contact Specialist

Itinerary Summary

  1. Day 1 - Fly to Beijing

    Day 2 - Welcome to Beijing

    Day 3 - Special tour - Beijing's past & present

    Day 4 - At leisure or optional tours

  2. Day 5 - Hike the Great Wall of China

  3. Day 6 - Bullet Train to Xi'an

    Day 7 - See the 8,000 strong Terracotta Army

    Day 8 - Cycle the city walls & visit traditional home

  4. Day 9 - Bullet Train to Chengdu & time at leisure

    Day 10 - Baby & Giant Pandas up close

  5. Day 11 - Come face-to-face with the 71m Giant Buddha

  6. Day 12 - Welcome to Hong Kong

    Day 13 - Special 'local life' Hong Kong tour

    Day 14 - Tranquil islands or Portuguese heritage

    Day 15 - Time at leisure & return flight to UK

Tour Finder

Chengdu & Pandas
Accommodation

The Ritz-Carlton - Chengdu & Pandas Accommodation

The Ritz-Carlton

A multi-award winning luxury hotel, located in the heart of Chengdu, on the site of a former imperial palace.

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Sofitel Tahie - Chengdu & Pandas Accommodation

Sofitel Tahie

The Sofitel is described as "a meeting of Chinese modernity and Sichuan tradition, mingled with French passion", creating…

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Buddha Zen - Chengdu & Pandas Accommodation

Buddha Zen

This character hotel offers a peaceful and spiritual retreat in the heart of the bustling metropolis, designed in true Bu…

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Dorsett Grand - Chengdu & Pandas Accommodation

Dorsett Grand

This modern city hotel delivers stylish rooms, modern facilities and a great location, making it an ideal place to base y…

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