Pandas, Avatar Peaks & the Mountain City The 10-Day Chengdu, Zhangjiajie & Chongqing Tour

E mbark on an immersive 10-day multi-city tour through three of China’s most distinctive destinations: Chengdu, Zhangjiajie and Chongqing. Watch giant pandas up close at Dujiangyan Panda Valley and visit the UNESCO-listed Dujiangyan Irrigation System, built over 2,000 years ago and still in use today. Ride the high-speed train to Zhangjiajie for Tianmen Mountain and the towering sandstone pillars of the Avatar Mountains, then end in Chongqing, the Mountain City, with the glowing stilted buildings of Hongyadong, the Three Natural Bridges of Wulong and the meadows of Fairy Mountain, all with no forced shopping stops.

THE ROUTE

Itinerary Map

The journey

Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1–3

Pandas, Teahouses & Ancient Waterworks

Chengdu · Dujiangyan

Your journey begins in Chengdu, a city that has turned slowing down into an art form. Spend your first days among bamboo-loving pandas, ancient engineering that still works today, and the teahouses where locals gather to enjoy tea.

Dujiangyan Panda Valley

Tucked into a lush mountain valley wrapped in bamboo forest, this is where giant pandas are prepared for life back in the wild. Watch them lazily munch on bamboo, clamber up trees and tumble about at play, and keep an eye out for red pandas and black bears too.

Dujiangyan Irrigation System

More than 2,000 years ago, engineers tamed the river here without building a single dam, and their work still waters the Chengdu Plain today. Walk the Jin Gang Causeway, step into Erwang Temple and cross the swaying Anlan Suspension Bridge. After dark, Nanqiao lights up and the river beneath it shimmers with the glowing “Blue Tears.”

Heming Teahouse & Kuanzhai Alley

Settle into a bamboo chair at this Republican-era teahouse in People’s Park, where the aroma of freshly brewed tea fills the air, and watch Sichuan opera performers change their masks in the blink of an eye. Then wander the grey-brick courtyards of Kuanzhai Alley and greet the giant panda climbing the wall of Chengdu IFS.

Day 4–6

Peaks Above the Clouds

Zhangjiajie

A high-speed train carries you into a landscape that looks like it belongs on another planet. In Zhangjiajie, thousands of sandstone pillars rise from swirling mist, and every cliffside path brings a new view of peaks floating above a sea of clouds.

Dayong Ancient Town

Ease into Zhangjiajie with an evening stroll through winding stone lanes, stilt houses and grand city gates built in the Tujia style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Along the way, discover local traditions like Tujia brocade weaving, Yang opera and the lively Three-Stick Drum performance.

Tianmen Mountain

Ride the escalators and express cableway up Zhangjiajie’s most dramatic peak, then test your nerves on the Guigu Plank Road, clinging to the cliff face, and the Glass Skywalk, where you seem to walk on air. Your reward is Tianmen Cave, a vast natural archway that appears to hang high above the cliffs, especially magical when wrapped in mist.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Glide 335 metres up the cliff face in the Bailong Sky Elevator as the landscape unfolds beneath you. Stand before the First Bridge Under Heaven at Yuanjiajie and the Avatar Mountains that inspired the floating peaks of the film, gaze across Tianzi Mountain, then unwind along the Golden Whip Stream, where wild monkeys often appear among the trees.

Day 7–10

The Mountain City & Wulong Karst

Chongqing · Wulong

Your final chapter unfolds in Chongqing, a city built up and down the hillsides, where stairways replace streets and trains run through buildings. Venture out to the karst landscapes of Wulong before saying goodbye at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport on Day 10.

Shibati & Hongyadong

Climb the stone stairways and winding alleys of Shibati and Shancheng Alley, where everyday life in old Chongqing still plays out on the hillside. As night falls, Hongyadong’s 11 storeys of stilt-house architecture light up along the riverbank, their reflections shimmering across the water in a scene straight out of Spirited Away.

Wulong Three Natural Bridges

Descend into a world of giants. Three immense stone arches, the Tianlong, Qinglong and Heilong bridges, soar above gorges more than 200 metres deep in this UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. The scenery is so otherworldly it became a filming location for Transformers: Age of Extinction.

Fairy Mountain & Chongqing Icons

Ride the sightseeing train across rolling green meadows on Fairy Mountain, known as the “Switzerland of the East.” Back in the city, float across the Yangtze River on the cableway locals call their “flying machine,” watch a train glide right through a residential building at Liziba Station, and end your adventure with sweeping views from Danzishi Old Street.

THE FINE PRINT

Transparent Pricing & Inclusions

We believe in complete pricing transparency tailored for international travelers. No hidden fees, no optional up-sells, no mandatory shopping traps.

COMMON QUESTIONS

FAQ

Q1. How do we travel between Chengdu, Zhangjiajie and Chongqing?
The two long journeys, Chengdu–Zhangjiajie and Zhangjiajie–Chongqing, are by high-speed train, with second-class tickets included in the tour price. A dedicated, certified tour coach covers all other transfers throughout the trip.

Q2. Are there any shopping stops or optional tours?
No. There are no shopping stops and no optional tours throughout the trip.

Q3. Will I be able to use my usual apps in China?
Yes. Every traveler receives a complimentary e-SIM with an integrated VPN, so you can access the internet and your favorite apps worry-free.

Q4. Is the boat ride at Dayong Ancient Town included?
No. The visit to Dayong Ancient Town on Day 4 is included, but the boat ride is not.

Q5. What kind of hotels will we stay in?
You’ll stay 9 nights at selected high-value 4-star-standard hotels: 3 nights in Chengdu, 3 nights in Zhangjiajie, 2 nights in Chongqing and 1 night in Wulong.

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