10 Days Best Sichuan & Yunnan Highlight Tour

Nihao! Welcome to Chengdu, the Hometown of Giant Pandas! Your private driver and guide will be ready for you when you arrive in Chengdu. Enjoy a trouble-free transfer to your hotel. The rest of today is yours to relax in panda city on your own.

Arrival Ideas:
Chengdu is well connected by air and high-speed rail. There are two airports - Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport operating many international and domestic airlines. Travelers can go to Chengdu by air from most cities in China, like Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xian, Guilin, Hangzhou, Kunming, Lhasa, Lanzhou, Wuhan, Xiamen, Guiyang, Chongqing… In addition, travelers can take high speed train to Chengdu from Xian (3-4 hours), Chongqing (1.5-2 hours), Guiyang (3.5-4.5 hours), Kunming (6-6.5hours), etc.

Free Time Ideas:
You are welcome to ask your tour guide for some useful tips to spend your free time based on your time and interest.

In the morning, you will be picked up at your hotel, then be driven about 2 hours from Chengdu to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site - Leshan Giant Buddha which is the largest and tallest stone-carved statue of Buddha in the world. Standing at the confluence of two rivers, the extraordinary, monumental 1200-year-old Buddha image at Le Shan is carved directly into the rock face. The monument stands 71m (233ft) tall and 28m (92ft) wide making it the largest ancient Buddha in the world. His shoulders span 28m, and each of his big toes is 8.5m long. His ears are 7m. He is indeed grand. There is a local saying: "The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain".

You will walk down and up and watch the Buddha from a very close distance. It allows you to see each part of Leshan Giant Buddha closely and presents you with a surprising experience with many ancient Buddhist temples, sculptures, caves and religious relics on the way up to mountain top near the head of the Buddha.(Recommended Optional Activity: the plank pathways are steep and narrow. If it is not convenient for you to walk, you can take a cruise to get a panoramic view and fully appreciate this Buddha’s magnitude on the river.)

Later you will be driven about 45 kilometers to Baoguo Temple, which is the biggest temple of Mount Emei at the mountain foot. After tour, drive to check in at your hotel and have a good rest.

You will spend a full day visiting Mount Emei, which is one of the World Heritage Sites for both cultural and natural heritages. Mount Emei is one of the four famous sacred Buddhist mountains in China, with numerous Buddhist temples and monasteries. Beyond its rich cultural heritage, the mountain also stands on the edge of the eastern Himalayan highlands and hosts a diverse range of plants and animals and amazing natural scenery.

You will take a relaxing way to visit Mount Emei by sightseeing bus+hiking+cable car. Tourist Center - Sightseeing Bus to Leidongping ( about 1.5~2 hours) - Walk 30mins to Jieyin Hall - Go up to Golden Summit by cable car(5mins) - Sightseeing in Golden Summit - Ascend the Mountain in the Same Way.

It will help you save energy and focus on the highlights of Mount Emei. The Golden Summit is an extravagance of natural wonders and Buddhism spiritualism, which comprises of four marvelous spectacles of Sunrise, Cloud Sea, Buddhist Light and sacred lamp. You can stroll around the Golden Summit to explore Buddhist architecture and tradition, and enjoy a panoramic view of Mount Emei and surrounding. If weather permits, you will have luck to enjoy its magnificent wonder of Cloud Sea. After the tour, be transferred back to Chengdu.

After breakfast, you are going to fulfill your panda dream with a 17-kilometer drive to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Also called Chengdu Panda Base, accommodated over 100 pandas, it is the base with the largest population of captive giant pandas in the world. You will see giant pandas of different ages there. It’s great fun to watch them playing, eating, climbing, sleeping… If you come in autumn, you will have the chance to see the pink newborn giant panda cubs in the Sunshine Nursery House and the Moonlight Nursery House. Besides giant pandas, you can also meet the cute red pandas walking by your side in the Red Panda Playgrounds. Then follow your guide to discover more about panda’s secrets through the Panda Museum. (Note: Pandas like cool weather, so we advise you to arrive there early as pandas are more active in the morning.)

Later, be transferred to the ancient Buddhist monastery in Chengdu - Wenshu Monastery to feel thousand years of history. Pay a visit to Chengdu’s Renmin Park to witness the city’s leisurely lifestyle and how the local people are doing. Order a cup of fragrant green tea while sitting in the He Ming tea house, chat with your friends and see local playing mahjong and having fun. After that, return to Chengdu downtown for a relaxing stroll at Jinli Old Street. With a history over 1,800 years, it showcases the profound cultures of Ancient Shu Kingdom. Take a nice walk on the traditional stone-paved street full of delicious local snacks, delicate artifacts, interesting folk shows, etc. (Optional Activity: Try some local spicy dishes such as hot pot, chuanchuan, dandan noodles, or even get out of your comfort zone and try some rabbit's head!) After the tour, you will be escorted to a hotel in downtown.

Recommended Optional Evening Activities: 1)Watch a wonderful Sichuan Opera performance which includes face changing, spitting fire, hand shadows, puppet show, dancing, singing and acrobatics. (usually from 20:00 to 21:30).2)Appreciate the city’s night view by boat (30mins) along the Jinjiang River, which winds through central Chengdu ( 18:00~23:30).

After breakfast, you will be free to enjoy more time in Chengdu until be escorted to the airport for a flight to Lijiang (about 1.5 hours).

Welcome to Lijiang! The local guide and driver will meet you at the airport and transfer you to Lijiang Ancient Town area for accommodation. In this afternoon, you will make a leisure visit to the Old Town of Lijiang (2,400m) which has a history of over 1,000 years. As a World Heritage Site, Lijiang Old Town was once a confluence for trade along the "Old Tea Horse Caravan Trail". In Lijiang Old Town, a well-preserved old city of the Naxi minority, you can hike leisurely and enjoy the unique Naxi culture on each corner of the town. After dark, Lijiang Old Town presents you with a more charming image with lamps, red lanterns, and alive songs and music. If time permits, you will visit Mufu Palace and Wanggu Tower.

This morning you will drive 37km (about 1.5 hours) to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain National Park (Yulong Snow Mountain). The name comes from its appearance in the winter when its thick snow cover is thought to make its peak look like a stainless jade dragon. As the highest mountain on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain soars to some 5596m, you can take the cable car to the Spruce Meadow (3,000m) and admire the holy mountain of the Naxi people. Keep in mind that this is a very popular destination so it can be very crowded.

After the tour, you will have lunch at Baisha Ancient Town, the earliest settlement of the Naxi ethnic minority. The town has a history of more than 800 years, you will like the ancient constructions built in the Ming Dynasty, such as the Dabaoji Palace, the Liuli Temple, and the Wenchang Palace. It is a great ancient town for you to discover the incredibly beautiful sights and the culture of ethnic minorities.

In this afternoon, we can explore Lijiang through Black Dragon Pool Park (Heilongtan Park) and the Old Town of Lijiang. Black Dragon Pool Park is a popular attraction to take brilliant photos of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain if the weather permits. As the Dongba Cultural Institute is part of a renovated complex on the hillside inside, you can explore more about Naxi cultural artifacts and scrolls featuring the unique Naxi pictograph script.

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel and drive from Lijiang to Shangri-La (185km, about 4 hours). On the way, you will first visit the First Bend of the Yangtze River. It is called the “first bend” because the river makes a 90 degree turn from south to east within a distance of 1 kilometer. Reach the observation deck to capture the panoramic view of the bend and marvel at the beauty of the turn which like a wonderful landscape painting unfolding before your eyes.

Later, continue your driving to Tiger Leaping Gorge (1800m) on the way. The Upper Section of Tiger Leaping Gorge is 115km (about 2.5 hours) away from Shangri-La, it got its name from a legend about a hunter chasing a tiger through the gorge until they reached the narrowest point. The tiger found itself trapped between the hunter and the rushing river at the base of the gorge. As one of the deepest gorges in the world, Tiger Leaping Gorge is a good spot for you to view the roaring Jinsha River (part of the Yangtze River) and feel the strong power of nature. Also, as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5596m) and Haba Snow Mountain (5386m) stand on each side, you will immerse yourself in the beautiful and diverse landscapes.

After that, you will drive to Shangri-La, in the northwestern part of Yunnan in Diqing, a beautiful and peaceful Tibetan world. Your guide will help you check in your hotel.

In this morning, you will be transferred to visit Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery (Songzanlin Monastery, 3,380 meters), the largest Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Yunnan that built-in 1679. Built according to the structure of Potala Palace, Songzanlin Monastery is also reputed as the "Little Potala Palace". You will learn more about this monastery through its architecture which is a fusion of the Tibetan and Han Chinese. Currently, there are about 700 monks accommodated in its 200 associated houses. You may get the chance to discover the life of a Tibetan Lama and even meet monks who chant and meditate in the hall lit with incense and yak butter oil lamps.

Then with a drive of 25km (about 30min) to visit Potatso National Park (Pudacuo National Park), the first national park in China that open in 2007. Situated on the vast Tibetan Plateau, an important part of the "Three Parallel Rivers" scenic spot, the park is famous for its primitive landscape and features several scenic hills, meadows, lakes, plants, birds, and more than 100 endangered animals, including leopards, cranes, macaques, lynxes, and so on. Enjoy a relaxing hike in the amazing highland nature reserve, and view the mirror-like mountain lakes, pastures with clean water and green grass, wetlands full of flowers, and mystery forests hidden with birds and animals.

Before heading back to your hotel, we can visit a local Tibetan family to get a better understanding of Tibetan culture while trying some local snacks and yak butter tea.

After the tour, pay a leisure visit to 1300-year-old Dukezong Ancient Town with Tibetan cultures. It is a world of traditional Tibetan houses, ancient temples and beautiful pagodas, and narrow, winding alleyways, all adorned with iconic Tibetan prayer flags of various colors. Walk through the featured alleys to have a bite of Tibetan culture and climb to the Guishan Park for a panoramic view of the town.

After breakfast, you will have some free time in Shangri-La till your guide escorts you to the airport for a flight to Kunming (about 1 hour). Welcome to Kunming, the Spring City of China! Upon arrival, the local tour guide and driver will meet you in the arrival hall and escort you to your hotel and help you check in.

In this afternoon, you’ll explore in Kunming city. Walk in the Yuantong Temple (Yuantong Si). It is the largest Buddhist temple in Kunming with a history of more than 1,200 years (founded in the Tang dynasty). Differing from most other temples that were built with an ascending entrance, you will enter the Yuantong Temple (Zen Buddhist Temple) from above. The temple's great hall is at the lowest point of the temple. It gains a high reputation in the Southeast Asia area and attracts many pilgrims and locals to visit every year. To the rear, a hall has been added with a statue of Sakyamuni, a gift from Thailand's King. You will see people throngs swarm to the temple, especially during the Qingming Festivals and the first and fifth days of each lunar month. If there is time, you can hike in the Green Lake Park (Cui Hu Park, Jade in Kunming), an urban park in Kunming. Then have a good rest at your hotel.

This morning, drive 78km (about 1.5 hours) from Kunming to the must-see Stone Forest (Shilin), which covers an area of more than 300 square kilometers. You will see a large forest of black limestone standing through winds and rains that formed about 270 million years ago. This amazing natural scenery used to be covered by an ancient sea. There are thousands of meters of calciferous shells that would one day become limestone and dolomite. This deep layer was later uplifted and shaped like trees at an altitude of 1,500 meters. You will take a sightseeing bus to visit Big Stone Forest and Small Stone Forest. With its touching legend of Ashima and unique minority culture, you will fall in love with this famous tourist spot.

After the tour, it is time to end your 10-day Sichuan Yunnan tour. You will be transferred to the airport or train station for your flight/high speed train to next destination.

Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel for your China tour, and we are always here working for you and hope to see you again for your next trip to China/Asia. Safe journey!