5 Days Leshan Emeishan Photography Tour

Leshan and Mount Emei are simultaneously listed as World Cultural Heritage, creating a sacred Buddha Kingdom. Both Leshan and Mount Emei have a long history and tradition of Buddhism. Leshan prides itself on having the world’s largest stone Buddha statue, which is by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world. Mount Emei is one of the most sacred Buddhist mountains in China and is known for its fabulous temples, Buddha statues and fascinating mountain views.

Highlights:

  • Visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.
  • Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Leshan Giant Buddha which is the largest and tallest stone-carved statue of Buddha in the world.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Chengdu Arrival

Sightseeing and Activities
Accommodation
Meals:

Welcome to Chengdu, the hometown of the Giant Panda. Your local guide will meet you at the airport and then escort you to your hotel in a private vehicle. The rest of today is yours to enjoy the leisurely life pace of this city on your own.

Day 2 Chengdu

Sightseeing and Activities: Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Renmin Park 
Accommodation
Meals:

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Today, you will first visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, where you can explore the daily life of cute pandas and get in touch with cute animals.

After spending time with the giant pandas, you will visit People’s Park and experience the most authentic local life in Chengdu. Have a cup of tea in a traditional teahouse, watch the local old couples dance, and play mahjong or cards with the locals in the teahouse … You will enjoy the typical leisure lifestyle of Chengdu.

Then, head to Wuhou Temple, a shrine that blends Liubei and Zhuge Liang’s tombs. The temple is surrounded by ancient cypress trees and classic red walls, creating a nostalgic atmosphere. As you walk into the temple, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the deep ocean of ancient culture and history.

Day 3 Chengdu – Leshan – Mt. Emei

Sightseeing and Activities: Leshan Giant Buddha, Baoguo Temple
Accommodation
Meals:

In the morning, you will be picked up at your hotel, and then drive around Chengdu for about 2 hours to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest and tallest stone sculpture in the world. It was carved on a rocky cliff by the river from 713 to 803 AD, with its head reaching the top of the mountain and its feet on the river. The total height is 71 meters; the head is 14.7 meters high, 10 meters wide, ears 7 meters high, and 28 meters between knees and insteps. Its instep can hold more than a hundred people. On the right cliff of the Buddha, there is a boardwalk built with the Buddha. From top to bottom, the boardwalk has 9 turns, so it is called a nine-turn boardwalk. The widest part of the road is 1.45m, the narrowest part is only 0.6m, and there are 217 stone steps. You will walk along the boardwalk to the feet of the Big Buddha and take a closer look.

After visiting the Big Buddha, drive for about half an hour to reach Baoguo Temple at the foot of Mount Emei. It has several tranquil gardens with rare plants, a Buddhist scripture library and a huge porcelain Buddha. Another famous historical site in the temple is the 25-ton bronze bell, which is said to be the second largest bell in China. As you go deeper into the temple, you will admire the different views of Mount Emei.

Finally, drive to your hotel. On tomorrow’s Emei trip, take a break and rest more.

Day 4 Mt. Emei – Chengdu

Sightseeing and Activities: Mount Emei
Accommodation
Meals:

The Golden Summit Temple of Mount Emei

This morning after breakfast, meet your tour guide and set out for Mount Emei. As one of the few World Heritage Sites of both cultural and natural heritages, Mount Emei is an enchanted combination of lush forest and cultural relics. It is one of the Four Great Buddhist Mountains in China, also the home to 5000 kinds of plants (more than the total plants of Europe) and over 2300 kinds of wild animals.

You will first take your private car to the tourist center, then shift on to an Eco-Bus which will take you up to the mountain top area in 1.5~2 hours. Once you reaching at Leidongping (2400m), keep on walking about 30mins along a mountain pass to the cable car station, along which you will have chance to see the wild monkeys. Take a cable car (about 5mins) up to the Golden Summit (3077m) which is the biggest highlight of Mount Emei, featuring a 48meters high golden Buddha statue, bronze temples and far-reaching views. On some days, you may have luck to enjoy its magnificent wonder of Cloud Sea. Sightsee around 1.5 hours on the Golden Summit area, then descend by cable car to Leidoping and take Eco-Bus again back to the tourist center. Your private car is ready to transfer you back to Chengdu (about 1.5~2hrs).

Read this if you are a hiking lover:

Above itinerary is classic visit route which is suitable for different ages of tourists. If you want more hiking experience in your trip, please contact your travel consultant to tailor-make the hiking routes according to your time and physical condition. There are routes of 2 hours (Qingyin Pavilion to Wannian Temple), 4 hours (Qingyin Pavilion to Wannian Temple + Leidongping to Golden Summit), one day (Wannian Temple to Leidongping) and 2 days (Qingyin Pavilion to Golden Summit).

Day 5 Chengdu Departure

Sightseeing and Activities
Accommodation
Meals:

Today is free for you until to be transferred to the airport / railway station for your flight or train to your next destination.

Service Included:

  • Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary;
  • Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
  • Private English-speaking tour guide;
  • Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
  • Service charge & government taxes;
  • Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
  • Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.

Service Excluded:

  • Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
  • Chinese visa fees;
  • Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
  • Single room supplement;
  • Tips to guides and drivers;
  • Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
  • Personal travel accident insurance;
  • All optional programs.