Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha: Private day tour
Giant pandas at the breeding center, then a 90-year carving on a river cliff
A private day tour from Chengdu takes you to the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to watch pandas of all ages eating and see baby pandas, then drives you to Leshan to view the Leshan Giant Buddha: a 233-foot-high stone Maitreya carved at the confluence of three rivers. You pick whether to see the Buddha from a boat or walk into the park for a close view. Hotel pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking guide and a driver are included. Entrance fees and lunch are on your own.
Step-by-step itinerary
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding 3h
- Leshan Giant Buddha 5h
Visit Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha
- Hotel pickup at 8:00 am
- Visit Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
- Lunch on your own
- Drive to Leshan Giant Buddha
- Boat ride to view Giant Buddha
- Walk in park to see Buddha up close
- Return to Chengdu hotel
What’s included
- Private transportation and hotel pickup and drop-off.
- English-speaking tour guide.
- bottled water.
- licensed professional driver.
Times
- Every day 08:00
Information
Prices and times updated 4 days ago
Operated by TravofChina
The experience
The tour starts at 8 a.m. with pickup from your hotel lobby. Your guide and driver take you to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where the center recreates the panda's natural habitat so the animals can breed and grow in the best possible conditions. You'll watch pandas of all ages eating and have a chance to see the baby pandas: the main draw for most visitors on this tour.
After the panda base, lunch is your own arrangement, though your guide will recommend local specialties. Then you drive to Leshan to see the Giant Buddha. The statue sits at the confluence of the Min River, the Qingyi River and the Dadu River, carved into a cliff face over roughly 90 years. At 233 feet high, it's the largest stone Buddha in the world. You can take a boat to see the whole figure from the water, or walk into the park to stand close to it. The choice is yours depending on what appeals to you.
Your guide and driver return you to your hotel at the end of the day. The eight-hour duration is approximate and will shift with traffic conditions, especially on the drive out to Leshan.
Is this one for you?Eight hours leaves room for a full morning and afternoon but rules out combining this with another major Chengdu attraction in the same day. The private format means your guide adjusts the pace to your interest at each site, whether you linger with the pandas or spend more time at the Buddha.
Traveler reviews
Compare the 12 alternatives
Top questions
What is the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding like when you arrive?
The center is designed to imitate the panda's natural habitat so the animals can breed and rear young in the best possible environment. You'll see pandas of all ages eating and have a chance to watch the baby pandas.
Can you see the Leshan Giant Buddha up close, or only from a distance?
You have a choice: take a boat to view the entire 233-foot statue from the water, or walk into the park to see it close up. Either option is available on the tour.
What's included in the tour price?
Private transportation, hotel pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking tour guide, bottled water and a licensed professional driver are included. Entrance fees to both sites and lunch are paid separately on the day.
How long does the whole tour take?
The tour runs eight hours from pickup to drop-off, though the exact duration depends on traffic conditions, especially on the drive to Leshan.
Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha: Private day tour
8h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 238 per person