Leshan Giant Buddha & Huanglongxi Ancient Town Private Day Trip

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/7

Duration8h–10h

GroupPrivate

PickupAt your hotel

A 71-Meter Buddha Carved into Cliff Face, Then an Ancient Town Built for Tea Trade

You get private transportation from Chengdu to two major sights: a 71-meter Tang dynasty Buddha carved into a cliff face at the confluence of two rivers, and a thousand-year-old tea town with traditional architecture and ancient banyan trees. Your driver handles all logistics and stays with you both places. Bring your passport and budget separately for entry tickets.

8h–10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Leshan Buddha and Huanglongxi Town

Travel to Leshan Giant Buddha
Explore Leshan Giant Buddha site
Learn about Buddha's history
Travel to Huanglongxi Ancient Town
Walk through Huanglongxi streets
See temples and banyan trees

The Experience

Your driver picks you up from your Chengdu hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle and heads south toward Leshan, about two hours away. The Leshan Giant Buddha sits where the Min and Dadu rivers meet, a 71-meter stone figure carved directly into a red sandstone cliff between 713 and 803 during the Tang dynasty. It's the tallest pre-modern statue in the world, and when you stand in front of it—or better, when you walk the viewing paths around it—the scale stops being a number and becomes something you feel in your neck. The monk who started the project, Hai Tong, supposedly gouged out his own eyes to prove his commitment when funding ran dry. Whether that's literal or legend, the thing got finished 90 years later, and the stone removed during carving apparently altered the river currents enough to calm the waters that had been dangerous for boats.

After Leshan, you head to Huanglongxi Ancient Town, where the streets still follow the Qing Dynasty layout—seven streets, nine alleys, seventy-six traditional Sichuan-style houses scattered across them. The town grew up around tea farming and the old Tea Horse Road trade routes, and you can still feel that history in the way the place is built. There are six banyan trees over a thousand years old standing in the town, which you won't see in other ancient towns in the region. Three temples line Zheng Street, the main thoroughfare. The town is also a film and television base—they call it Chinese Hollywood—so if you recognize a building from a movie, that's why. Your driver stays with you throughout, and bottled water is provided.

You'll need to bring your passport for entry to the attractions. Tickets are not included in the price, which keeps costs down, and some older visitors don't need to pay anyway. The driver is someone who works with foreign tourists year-round, so navigation and safety are handled. The day is paced for you to see both sites without rushing, and the air-conditioned vehicle means the drive itself isn't a hardship even in Sichuan's heat.

What’s included

Your day includes private transportation from your Chengdu hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, and a professional driver who speaks English and explains the attractions.
The driver stays with you at both Leshan Giant Buddha and Huanglongxi Ancient Town.
Entry tickets to the attractions are not included and must be purchased separately on the day.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by pandachinago

Is this one for you?This works well if you want to see two major sights south of Chengdu without arranging your own transport or negotiating with drivers—the private vehicle and fixed itinerary mean you move at your own pace between the Buddha statue and the ancient town without coordinating schedules or timing yourself.