Dazu Rock Carvings & Ciqikou: Full-Day Chongqing Tour

Medieval Buddhist carvings cover an extensive cliff face at Beishan, carved between the Tang and Song dynasties.

A full-day tour from Chongqing west to three heritage sites: Changzhou Ancient Town with its stone-paved streets and wooden houses; Baodingshan and Beishan sections of the Dazu Rock Carvings, a UNESCO World Heritage site with Buddhist reliefs from the 12th and 13th centuries; and Ciqikou Ancient Town on the Jialing River. An English-speaking guide leads the tour or you can explore Beishan on your own. The group stays small, with a maximum of 15 travelers. Air-conditioned vehicle, entrance tickets and guide are included. Meals are not.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore ancient towns and rock carvings

• Visit Changzhou Ancient City
• Tour Baodingshan Rock Carvings
• Explore Beishan Rock Carvings
• Visit Ciqikou Ancient Town

The experience

Changzhou Ancient City opens the day. This riverside settlement in Dazu has stood for more than a thousand years, once serving as the seat of Changzhou Prefecture. Stone-paved streets wind past traditional wooden houses, guild halls and small temples that date to the Tang and Song dynasties. You walk through at your own pace, sampling local snacks and absorbing the everyday rhythm of the old town before moving on to the rock carvings.

Baodingshan holds the most impressive cluster of the Dazu Rock Carvings, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their religious art and scenes of daily life in medieval China. A walkway leads past huge rock reliefs carved between the 12th and 13th centuries: detailed Buddhist figures, narrative panels and expressive faces, all remarkably well preserved. Your guide explains how Buddhism, Taoism and Confucian ideas are woven into the carvings. Beishan Stone Carvings follow, renowned for their grand scale and exquisitely detailed statues carved along a 300-meter cliff face, earning them the reputation of a "museum of Tang and Song Buddhist sculpture." Dating from the late Tang to the Southern Song dynasties, they showcase rich Buddhist and Taoist themes across an immense expanse.

In the late afternoon, the tour returns toward Chongqing with a stop at Ciqikou Ancient Town, a historic quarter on the Jialing River. Once a busy porcelain port, it is now known for old streets, traditional courtyard houses, temples and teahouses. You wander the stone lanes, visit a temple or riverside pier, and sample local snacks as lanterns begin to glow. The full day runs 8 to 9 hours from start to finish.

What’s included

• English-speaking local guide (if selected).
• entrance tickets to Dazu Rock Carvings.
• English instructor at Baodingshan (if selected).
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.

Options for this experience

2 options

Simple English CommunicationGuide in Chinese · 09:00Pickup is included

English Guide-Entire Journey09:00Pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by 重庆市新干线国际旅行社有限公司

Is this one for you?Choose the English Guide option if you want the full narrative at Baodingshan and the late-afternoon visit to Ciqikou Ancient Town. Pick Simple English Communication if you prefer to explore Beishan at your own pace and need only basic logistical support.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years).

What are the Dazu Rock Carvings and why are they UNESCO-listed?

The Dazu Rock Carvings are a series of Buddhist and Taoist reliefs carved into cliff faces between the late Tang dynasty and the Southern Song period. They are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their outstanding religious art, vivid scenes of daily life in medieval China, and exquisite craftsmanship. Baodingshan and Beishan are the two main sections visited on this tour, with Beishan's 300-meter cliff face earning the nickname "museum of Tang and Song Buddhist sculpture."

Do I need to walk a lot on this tour?

Yes, you walk at your own pace through Changzhou Ancient Town's stone-paved streets and along the walkways at both Baodingshan and Beishan to view the rock carvings. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and you can move at a comfortable speed through each site.

What is included in the tour price?

The tour includes an English-speaking local guide (if you select the English Guide option), entrance tickets to the Dazu Rock Carvings, an English instructor at Baodingshan (if you select the English Guide option), and an air-conditioned vehicle for transport. Meals and gratuities are not included.

Will the tour visit Ciqikou Ancient Town?

Ciqikou Ancient Town is included if you select the English Guide option for the full journey. If you choose the Simple English Communication option, the late-afternoon stop at Ciqikou may not be part of your itinerary.

How many people travel in the group?

The group is kept small, with a maximum of 15 travelers. The tour operates on a Guaranteed Departure policy, meaning it will proceed as scheduled even if the minimum group size is not met, so you receive the same high-quality service regardless of final group numbers.