3-Day Xian & Chengdu Tour: Terracotta Warriors & Giant Pandas

Seven thousand terracotta warriors frozen mid-battle, then pandas at play in a research center.

A 3-day guided tour from Xian to Chengdu combining two of China's most significant sites: the Terracotta Warriors Museum (over 7,000 life-size figures arranged in battle formation), and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The itinerary covers Xian's city wall and Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a bullet train journey between cities, backstage access at a Sichuan Opera house, and an afternoon learning tea culture and mahjong in a local park.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Terracotta Warriors and city highlights

• Visit Terracotta Warriors Museum
• Explore Big Wild Goose Pagoda
• Walk South Gate city wall

Day 2: Bullet train and Chengdu city tour

• Take bullet train to Chengdu
• Visit Kuan Zhai Alley
• Enjoy foodie tour and dinner

Day 3: Giant Panda and local culture

• Visit Chengdu Giant Panda Base
• Explore Sichuan Opera backstage
• Experience tea culture and Mahjong

The experience

The tour opens in Xian at the Terracotta Warriors Museum, a 16,300-square-meter excavation that stands as one of the 20th century's most significant archaeological discoveries. Your guide walks you through the formations of warriors and horses, then moves to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a Buddhist structure built 1,300 years ago during the Tang Dynasty. You'll learn how it survived natural disasters and underwent restoration during the Ming Dynasty. The afternoon takes you to Xian's South Gate, part of an 8.5-mile city wall built around 1370: the oldest, biggest and best-preserved in China. You can walk or bike the top (bike rental is an additional cost) for views across the city.

Day two begins with a bullet train from Xian to Chengdu. Once there, you explore Kuan Zhai Alley, a 1,200-year-old street of courtyard houses that represents the only northern Chinese architecture in southwest China. The evening includes a foodie tour by tuk-tuk through the old city, ending at a local bar street with night views. Day three centers on the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where your guide explains how the pandas live, why they're here, and details about their behavior. You then visit the backstage of a nearby Sichuan Opera house to watch performers apply traditional masks and makeup. The day closes in People's Park, where you learn tea culture and play mahjong with locals.

Private transportation is included throughout, along with entrance tickets to the Terracotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, city wall, panda center, and the bullet train ticket between cities. Your guide speaks English and can accommodate children from age 3. Dinner is provided, though other meals are on your own.

What’s included

• Private transportation throughout the tour.
• entrance to the Terracotta Warriors Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian city wall, and Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
• bullet train ticket from Xian to Chengdu.
• opera house backstage experience.
• evening foodie tour by tuk-tuk.
• tea culture and mahjong learning in People's Park.
• dinner.
• English-speaking guide.
• hotel pickup.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

AgesAdult (16 to 80 years) · Youth (12 to 15 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by U2Panda

Is this one for you?The tour moves at a steady pace with walking at each major site and an early start on day one, so you'll want reasonable mobility and comfort with a full itinerary. The three days give you time to absorb both cities without rushing between them, and the private guide means the schedule adapts to your interests within the planned stops.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 15 years); Child (3 to 11 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What exactly will I see at the Terracotta Warriors Museum?

The Terracotta Warriors Museum holds more than 7,000 life-size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations across a 16,300-square-meter excavation. Your guide explains the significance of this archaeological site as you walk through the pits where the figures were discovered.

How does the bullet train work between Xian and Chengdu?

On day two, your ticket is included for the bullet train journey from Xian to Chengdu. The train connects the two cities, and you'll have time to settle in before the afternoon city tour begins in Chengdu.

What happens during the opera house backstage visit?

You visit the backstage area of a Sichuan Opera house near the panda center, where you see performers apply traditional masks and makeup. This gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how the opera's distinctive visual style is created.

What is Kuan Zhai Alley and why visit it?

Kuan Zhai Alley is an old street in downtown Chengdu built 1,200 years ago as a courtyard house area by the central government. It's the only example of northern Chinese architecture in southwest China and offers a glimpse into traditional Chengdu life.