Private Chengdu Day Tour: Panda Base & Leshan Giant Buddha

See giant pandas in the morning, then boat past the world's largest sitting Buddha

A private full-day tour of Chengdu with a dedicated English or Chinese-speaking guide takes you to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in the early morning, then 2.5 hours south to Leshan Giant Buddha for a boat tour that frames the 71-meter statue. Hotel pickup and drop-off, both entrance fees, and private air-conditioned transport are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding4h · entry included
2. Leshan Giant Buddha4h · entry included

Visit Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Buddha

• Pickup from hotel in morning
• Drive 0.5 hour to Chengdu Panda Base
• Walk and observe giant and red pandas
• See panda cubs in nursery (summer)
• Drive 2.5 hours to Leshan Giant Buddha
• Boat tour to view Leshan Giant Buddha
• Return transfer to hotel

The experience

Your guide picks you up from your hotel and drives roughly half an hour to the Chengdu panda base, where you'll walk through a peaceful bamboo park to watch giant pandas and red pandas. The giant panda is most active in early morning and late afternoon, so the timing lets you catch them eating and playing. In summer, you may see panda cubs in the nursery thanks to the center's successful breeding program.

After the panda base, you'll drive 2.5 hours to Leshan, where the Leshan Giant Buddha sits carved into a cliff face at 71 meters tall: the world's largest sitting Buddha. The boat tour is the way to see it: from the water, you get the full image of the statue and, on clear days, you can spot the silhouette of a sleeping Buddha formed by the surrounding mountains. The carving began in the Tang dynasty and took more than 90 years to finish. Your guide will explain the history as you pass.

The day ends with a transfer back to your hotel. The entire tour runs about eight hours, with the panda base visit in the morning and the Buddha tour in the afternoon.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• professional guide in English or Chinese.
• entrance to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
• entrance to Leshan Giant Buddha.
• private air-conditioned vehicle transport for the full day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to12h before

AgesUp to age 80

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.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Jeff Ning China Tour

Is this one for you?Book this private tour if you want a dedicated guide and your own vehicle for the full day, so you can move at your own pace between the panda base in the morning and the Buddha boat tour in the afternoon without waiting for a group schedule.

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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 time does the tour start and when will I be back at my hotel?

Your guide picks you up from your hotel in the morning when the pandas are most active. The full day is roughly eight hours, including the half-hour drive to the panda base, time there, the 2.5-hour drive to Leshan, the boat tour, and the return journey to your hotel.

Can I see baby pandas on this tour?

Panda cubs are born and raised in the nursery at the Chengdu Research Base, and you may see them during summer months when they are on display. The timing of your visit determines whether cubs will be visible.

What is the Leshan Giant Buddha and why is it seen from a boat?

The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-meter-tall statue carved directly into a cliff face over more than 90 years starting in the Tang dynasty. The boat tour lets you float past it on the river to see the full height and detail of the carving, and on clear days you can see the outline of a sleeping Buddha formed by the mountains around it.

Is the tour private or will I be with other travelers?

This is a private tour with a dedicated guide for your group only, traveling in a private air-conditioned vehicle throughout the day.