Chengdu
Giant Panda Base Private Day Tour
At the gates for 07:30 when the pandas are feeding, then the nurseries, then a Sichuan lunch and a teahouse afternoon.
From US$109/per person
View tourChengdu
Leshan Giant Buddha Private Day Tour
A 71-metre Tang Buddha carved into a cliff above three rivers, and the Lingyun temple complex behind it — two hours south of Chengdu.
The short version
The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-metre Maitreya carved out of a sandstone cliff above the confluence of three rivers, begun in 713 and finished 90 years later. It is two hours south of Chengdu in Sichuan, and a day trip combines the cliff stairway down the Buddha's side, the Lingyun temple complex behind it, and lunch in Leshan. About 10 hours.
- 71 metres tall, carved from the cliff between 713 and 803 — the largest stone Buddha in the world.
- The stairway down the side is steep, single-file and worth the queue.
- Two hours from Chengdu each way; ten hours door to door.
- A boat on the river gives you the full-figure view the stairway cannot.
What not to miss
07:00
Hotel pickup
Private vehicle south on the expressway. Two hours to Leshan, and leaving now puts us ahead of the coaches from Chengdu.
09:15
Lingyun Temple and the cliff path
Through the temple complex and out onto the cliff path at the Buddha's shoulder — the first full view comes as a genuine surprise.
10:00
Down the stairway
A single-file stair cut into the rock beside the figure, from shoulder to foot. Steep, narrow, and the only way to understand the scale.
11:30
The feet and the river
At the bottom, the toes are the size of a room each, and the three rivers converge a few metres away.
12:30
Leshan lunch
The town's own dishes: sweet-skin duck, qiaojiao beef simmered in a herbal broth, and a bowl of tofu pudding with rice.
14:30
Boat on the river
Twenty minutes on the water for the full-figure view from the front, then the drive back to Chengdu around 17:00.
What's included and what isn't
Includes
- Private vehicle and driver for the full day
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Leshan Giant Buddha entrance ticket
- River boat ticket
- Leshan lunch
- Tolls, fuel and parking
Not included
- Breakfast and dinner
- Gratuities
- The paid cable car alternative to the stairway
- Personal travel insurance
Pickup, timing and getting around
Pickup at 07:00 from hotels in Chengdu's central districts. It is two hours each way, so the day is long; if you would rather not commit ten hours, stay in Chengdu and do the old town tour.
The stairway is closed for maintenance a few weeks a year, usually in the low season. If it is shut on your date we take the cable car and the boat instead, and tell you at booking rather than on the day.
Route diagrams are schematic and illustrative, not to scale.
More day tours from Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu Teahouses & Old Town Day Tour
A morning in People's Park with the retired crowd, sichuan opera at lunch, and an evening of hotpot — the city's own version of a good day.
From US$95/per person
View tourFrequently asked questions
How big is the Buddha?
71 metres tall, with shoulders 28 metres across and feet large enough to seat a hundred people on each. It was carved from the cliff face between 713 and 803, which is 90 years of work in the open air.
Is the stairway difficult?
It is steep and narrow, and you go down single file, sometimes waiting behind other visitors. Anyone who can manage a steep flight of stairs can do it. The cable car is an alternative if your knees disagree.
Is the boat worth it?
Yes, for one reason: from the water you see the whole figure at once, which the cliff path never allows. It takes 20 minutes and it is the photograph you came for.
Can we combine Leshan with pandas?
Not well. Both need four hours plus travel in opposite directions from the city. Pick one and stay two nights in Chengdu if you want both.
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