5-Day Chengdu & Panda Itinerary 2026: Pandas, Hotpot, and Leshan

Five days in and around Chengdu: the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Sichuan cuisine, Leshan Giant Buddha, and Mount Qingcheng.

5 일

total trip length · 4~10월 best

18 km

total walking (3.6 km/day avg)

UNESCO World Heritage sites

$1,100

total per person (mid-range)

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Chengdu works as a base for five days even if pandas are the headline. Day 1: arrive, Jinli Old Street, hotpot dinner. Day 2: Panda Base at dawn (panda activity peaks 7–9am), People's Park teahouse. Day 3: day trip to Leshan Giant Buddha (1.5h drive). Day 4: Mount Qingcheng (1h drive, Taoist mountain). Day 5: Sichuan cuisine market crawl, depart. The city is one of China's most relaxed — pace yourself; Sichuan food is intense for first-time visitors.

Day 1 · 월

Chengdu arrival and old town

Arrive at Tianfu International Airport; Metro Line 18 to city center (¥10, 30 minutes) · Check into hotel near Chunxi Road or Taikoo Li · Afternoon: People's Park (free) — watch locals doing tai chi, ear cleaning, and matchmaking corners · Evening: Jinli Old Street (free entry, vendors charge) — lantern-lit lanes with Sichuan snacks and crafts

09:00Arrive at Tianfu International Airport; Metro Line 18 to cit…
¥10, 30 minutes
11:00Check into hotel near Chunxi Road or Taikoo Li
Check into hotel near Chunxi Road or Taikoo Li
13:00Afternoon: People's Park
free) watch locals doing tai chi, ear cleaning, and matchmaking corners
15:00Evening: Jinli Old Street
free entry, vendors charge) lantern lit lanes with Sichuan snacks and crafts

🏨오늘 밤 숙소Chunxi Road or Taikoo Li area· B: flight · L: airport noodle shop · D: hotpot at Shuxiangzi or Xiaolongkan (¥120/person)

Day 2 · 화

Giant Panda Base and teahouse culture

Pre-dawn departure: Panda Base opens 7:30am — arrive by 7:00 to see pandas eating breakfast and playing (¥55, 3 hours minimum) · Return to city by noon · Afternoon: Kuanzhai Alley (Wide and Narrow Alleys) — restored Qing-era neighborhood with teahouses and craft shops · Evening: Sichuan opera face-changing show at Shufeng Yayun Teahouse (¥180, 90 min)

09:00Pre
dawn departure: Panda Base opens 7:30am arrive by 7:00 to see pandas eating breakfast and playing ¥55, 3 hours minimum
11:00Return to city by noon
Return to city by noon
13:00Afternoon: Kuanzhai Alley
Wide and Narrow Alleys) restored Qing era neighborhood with teahouses and craft shops
15:00Evening: Sichuan opera face
changing show at Shufeng Yayun Teahouse ¥180, 90 min

🏨오늘 밤 숙소same as Day 1· B: hotel · L: noodle shop near Panda Base · D: Sichuan opera teahouse set meal

Day 3 · 수

Leshan Giant Buddha day trip

High-speed train from Chengdu East to Leshan (1h, ¥80 one-way) · Leshan Giant Buddha (¥80) — 71-meter tall Tang-dynasty carved Buddha; descend the cliff-side staircases for the well-known boat-view from below (¥70 boat ride) · Allow 3–4 hours at the site · Return to Chengdu by early evening · Dinner: mild Sichuan mapo tofu or boiled vegetables (save the stomach for a spicy day tomorrow)

09:00High
speed train from Chengdu East to Leshan 1h, ¥80 one way
11:00Leshan Giant Buddha
¥80) 71 meter tall Tang dynasty carved Buddha; descend the cliff side staircases for the well known boat view from below ¥70 boat ride
13:00Allow 3
4 hours at the site
15:00Return to Chengdu by early evening
Return to Chengdu by early evening
17:00Dinner: mild Sichuan mapo tofu or boiled vegetables
save the stomach for a spicy day tomorrow

🏨오늘 밤 숙소same as Day 1· B: hotel · L: Leshan street food (bobochi, xiaomi bing) · D: Chengdu

Day 4 · 목

Mount Qingcheng and Taoist roots

High-speed train from Xipu Station to Qingchengshan (30 min, ¥15) · Mount Qingcheng (¥80) — Taoist mountain with ancient temples, bamboo forests, and quiet trails; allow 4–5 hours for the front mountain loop · Cable car option (¥60) to skip the steepest climb · Return to Chengdu by evening · Dinner: Tibetan-style yak hotpot or Qingcheng mountain vegetables

09:00High
speed train from Xipu Station to Qingchengshan 30 min, ¥15
11:00Mount Qingcheng
¥80) Taoist mountain with ancient temples, bamboo forests, and quiet trails; allow 4 5 hours for the front mountain loop
13:00Cable car option
¥60) to skip the steepest climb
15:00Return to Chengdu by evening
Return to Chengdu by evening
17:00Dinner: Tibetan
style yak hotpot or Qingcheng mountain vegetables

🏨오늘 밤 숙소same as Day 1· B: hotel · L: temple vegetarian restaurant on the mountain · D: Qingcheng mountain town

Day 5 · 금

Sichuan market crawl and departure

Morning: Chunxi Road shopping or visit the Sichuan Cuisine Museum (¥60) for context on regional flavors · Lunch: Chuan'er Chuan'er (skewer) crawl in Yulin district — the local version of late-night skewers · Afternoon: depart from Tianfu Airport

09:00Morning: Chunxi Road shopping or visit the Sichuan Cuisine M…
¥60) for context on regional flavors
11:00Lunch: Chuan'er Chuan'er
skewer) crawl in Yulin district the local version of late night skewers
13:00Afternoon: depart from Tianfu Airport
Afternoon: depart from Tianfu Airport

✈️출발호텔· B: hotel · L: Yulin skewers · D: flight