Chengdu Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Chengdu tours, the laid-back capital of Sichuan and home of the giant panda: get up close to these beloved bears at the Chengdu Panda Base, marvel at the colossal Leshan Giant Buddha carved into a cliff, hike the sacred slopes of Mount Emei, set your mouth alight with a fiery hotpot cooking class, and watch the magical face-changing of Sichuan opera. Compare top-rated experiences and plan your perfect Sichuan adventure.
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Explore Chengdu by interest
Whatever brings you to Chengdu — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Chengdu
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Panda Base
Giant pandas.
Leshan Buddha
World’s largest.
Sichuan Hotpot
Fiery feast.
Sichuan Opera
Face-changing.
Jinli Street
Old town snacks.
Mount Emei
Sacred peak.
Dujiangyan Pandas
Volunteer base.
Jiuzhaigou
Turquoise lakes.
Chengdu in 2 days
- 1Day 1: pandas & city
- 2Day 2: Leshan Buddha
- 3Hotpot class
- 4Opera show
Chengdu in 3 days
- 1Day 1: pandas & city
- 2Day 2: Leshan & Emei
- 3Day 3: panda volunteer
- 4Food & opera
Half day awayPanda Base
Giant pandas.
2 hrs awayLeshan Buddha
World’s largest.
2.5 hrs awayMount Emei
Sacred peak.
Day trip awayDujiangyan Pandas
Volunteer base.
In city awayJinli Street
Old town snacks.
Multi-day awayJiuzhaigou
Turquoise lakes.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Chengdu visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
March–June and September–November bring the most comfortable, drier weather, ideal for pandas and day trips.
Spring (Mar–Jun)
Mild and pleasant with blossoms — one of the best times for sightseeing and active pandas.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Warm, humid and rainy; pandas are most active in the cooler mornings, so start early.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Comfortable and drier with golden colours, especially beautiful for Jiuzhaigou and the mountains.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Cool, damp and quiet, but the pandas are lively in the cold and crowds are smaller.
See pandas early
Whatever the season, visit the Panda Base early morning when the bears are most active and feeding.
One day
The Panda Base, old streets and opera.
Two days
Add the Leshan Giant Buddha.
Three days
Add Mount Emei or a panda volunteer day.
Nature
Add Jiuzhaigou and Mount Siguniang.
Foodies
Add hotpot classes and food tours.
With kids
Mix pandas, opera and the old streets.
Metro
Chengdu’s extensive, cheap metro reaches most city sights and connects to the Panda Base area.
Tours & transfers
Guided tours and transfers with pickup are the easiest way to reach the Panda Base, Leshan and Mount Emei.
Taxis & ride apps
Taxis and ride-hailing (DiDi) are affordable for getting around the city.
Old streets
Jinli, Kuanzhai Alley and the city parks are best explored on foot.
Getting there
Chengdu has two international airports and high-speed rail links across China.
Day-trip distances
Leshan and Emei are a couple of hours away, so plan full days or overnights.
Chinese yuan & apps
China uses the yuan (RMB); mobile payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay) dominate, so set these up or carry some cash, as cards are less accepted.
See pandas at opening
Arrive at the Panda Base early, when the bears are most active and before the crowds and midday heat.
Book panda volunteering early
Keeper and volunteer programmes have very limited daily places — book well ahead.
Spice levels
Sichuan food is famously spicy and numbing; ask for milder versions if you’re sensitive to chilli.
Pre-book popular sites
Reserve the Panda Base, Leshan and opera shows ahead in peak seasons.
A VPN for the web
Many foreign apps and sites are restricted in China, so prepare offline maps and any needed VPN before you arrive.
Panda Base & volunteering
Limited daily places sell out — book well ahead.
Leshan Buddha tours
Popular day trips fill up — reserve early.
Sichuan opera
Top opera shows sell out — book ahead.
Cooking classes
Small-group hotpot classes are popular — reserve early.
Mount Emei trips
Long day and overnight tours have limited places — book ahead.
Holiday peaks
Chinese holidays are extremely busy — plan ahead.
Panda Base tour
Around €20–60 for a guided Panda Base half-day with transfers.
Leshan Buddha day trip
About €50–100 for a full-day tour, more with Emei.
Hotpot cooking class
Roughly €40–80 for a class with a market visit.
Sichuan opera show
Around €20–50 for a face-changing opera ticket.
Panda volunteer day
About €90–180 for a keeper or volunteer programme.
How to save
Join group tours and combine the pandas with the Leshan Buddha.
Chengdu through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Mild, blossoms.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Great for pandas.
- Best for
- Active pandas (am).
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Humid; rainy.
- Best for
- Drier, golden.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Best for nature.
- Best for
- Lively pandas, quiet.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cool, damp.