Dazu Rock Carvings and Hong Ya Done: Private Chongqing Tour

Two thousand years of carving and a building that looks like Spirited Away

This private tour covers Chongqing's two defining landmarks in a single day: Dazu's Baoding site, a World Heritage Buddhist rock carving complex with over 10,000 statues carved over nine centuries, and Hong Ya Done, a riverside structure built into the mountainside with multiple street levels and the architectural style of the Oscar-winning film. Hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, a driver-guide, and bottled water are included. The tour runs 8 to 9 hours and requires moderate English or Mandarin comprehension.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Dazu and Chongqing highlights

• Pick up from hotel
• Drive 2 hours to Baoding site
• Tour Dazu Ancient Rock Carvings for 2 hours
• Lunch in Dazu village with local cuisine
• Drive 2 hours to Chongqing downtown
• Visit Kui Xing Lo Trick Floor Building
• Walk through local neighborhood to Hong Ya Done
• Tour Hong Ya Done and enjoy nightview walk
• Drop off at hotel or downtown spot

The experience

The day starts with a two-hour drive through Chongqing's countryside to Baoding, the major site within Dazu Carvings. This is one of two World Heritage sites in the city, and the statues, mostly depicting ancient Chinese Buddhism, span over 900 years of carving. You'll ride internal shuttle buses and golf cars (required for preservation) to move through the site, spending roughly two hours exploring the carvings and their historical context. The site entrance fee (100 to 135 yuan depending on season) is paid on arrival.

After Baoding, you'll head to a small village near Dazu downtown for lunch: local specialties including fish fillet with pickled cabbage, homemade tofu, and fresh vegetables. Prepared without heat, so no spice. The meal is included. Then comes a two-hour drive back to central Chongqing and a stop at Kui Xing Lo, the Trick Floor Building, a structure with multiple street levels built into the mountain. Your guide will show you the hidden elevator that makes the building's unusual design actually make sense. It's the kind of detail that transforms a confusing layout into something memorable.

The final stretch is a walk through a local neighborhood to Hong Ya Done, now the most visited site in Chongqing. The building sits by the river and shares the architectural style of Spirited Away. You'll take an interior tour and a nighttime walking route designed to show you the best views and local snacks without wasting time or money on wrong turns. The tour ends with drop-off at your hotel or a designated downtown location.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• a driver-guide who speaks English or Mandarin.
• lunch in a village near Dazu.
• bottled water.
• and all transportation between the three main stops (hotel to Baoding, Baoding to lunch, lunch to Chongqing, Chongqing to Hong Ya Done, and return to hotel or downtown).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except TuesdayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to12h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 19.05

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Legend Tour

Is this one for you?This tour works best for travelers visiting Chongqing alone or in a small group who want to see both the city's ancient Buddhist heritage and its modern riverside architecture in one day without navigating the sites independently. The private format means your guide can adjust the pace and spend extra time at whichever stop interests you most.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Dazu's Baoding site and why is it considered so important?

Baoding is the largest and best-preserved Buddhist rock carving complex in southern China, with over 10,000 statues carved across more than 900 years. It's one of Chongqing's two World Heritage sites and is valued for its cultural and historical significance, showing ancient Chinese Buddhism and philosophy through the carvings themselves.

How does Hong Ya Done's architecture actually work with all those street levels?

Hong Ya Done is built into the mountainside with multiple street levels that make the building confusing to navigate on your own. Your guide uses a hidden elevator to show you how the levels connect, which transforms the layout from disorienting to logical and reveals why the design works the way it does.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food will we eat?

Lunch is included and served in a small village near Dazu downtown. The meal features local specialties: fish fillet with pickled cabbage, homemade tofu, and fresh country vegetables, all prepared without spice.

Do I need to pay anything extra on the day of the tour?

Yes, the entrance fee for Baoding (100 to 135 yuan depending on season) and the internal shuttle or golf car rides at the site are paid on arrival. Everything else (hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, the guide, and transportation between sites) is included.