Sichuan Explorer - Wendy Wu Tours

Days 1-2 : UK – Chengdu
Fly overnight via Hong Kong to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province.

Day 3 : Chengdu – Dazu
Travel to the small and rural town of Dazu. In the afternoon, we see some of the most fascinating rock carvings in the world – the Beishan Frescoes, which are a UNESCO world heritage site.

Day 4 : Dazu – Chengdu
We visit the magnificent Baodin stone carvings, which are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings, depicting and influenced by Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist beliefs. Often compared to other great Buddhist cave sculptures at Dunhuang, Luoyang and Datong; these sculptures date from the Tang Dynasty (9th century) to the Song Dynasty (13th century). The thousands of exquisitely carved and painted figures form a graceful horseshoe round the mountainside. After lunch, we return to Chengdu.

Day 5 : Leshan – Mt Emei
Travel to Leshan to visit the Grand Buddha, the world's largest stonecarved Buddhist statue. We take a short boat trip to view the statue from the river. The carving of the Buddha into the side of Lingyun Mountain began in 713AD and was completed in 803AD. After lunch, continue to Mt Emei (Emeishan) – a UNESCO world heritage site, one of China's most picturesque mountains and the highest of the four sacred Buddhist mountains in China. We stay in the area for two nights.

Day 6 : Mt Emei
We spend the day exploring the magnificent mountain and mingle with the locals and the many pilgrims that pay homage to this holy site. Mt Emei once had more than 100 monasteries and occupies an area of more than 300 square kilometers. The mountain is known for its steep cliffs, lofty peaks, roaring waterfalls, gurgling springs, towering trees and fragrant flowers.

Day 7 : Mt Emei – Chengdu
Return to Chengdu and stay overnight.

Day 8 : Chengdu – Mianyang
Visit the famous Panda Reserve to see these adorable animals being reared in wooded surroundings reminiscent of their natural habitat. We also explore a local bamboo park. Later we visit the Sanxingdui Museum before continuing to Mianyang, which houses pieces of ceramics, jade, bronze and gold.

Days 9-10 : Mianyang – Nine Villages Valley
Travel by coach to the breathtaking Nine Villages Valley (Jiuzhaigou), a botanical gallery that is heavily forested and home to many protected species. Entering the valley is like being transported into a different world, where crystal clear lakes gather at the foot of every waterfall and rich dense forests are dotted with colourful flowers. The entire valley presents a seemingly never-ending display of stunning natural scenery that will inspire any budding photographer. We stay in the area for two nights.

Day 11 : Nine Villages Valley – Jiangyou
Travel by coach to Huanglong, which is renowned for its hundreds of sparkling mineral pools where beautiful colours intertwine and the waters cascade down the mountainside. We have the option to take a cable car or walk past the many waterfalls to visit Huanglong Temple at the head of the valley. After lunch, we continue to the rural town of Jiangyou.

Day 12 : Jiangyou – Chengdu
Return to Chengdu, stay overnight and enjoy a delicious Sichuan meal.

Days 13-14 : Chengdu – UK
Fly overnight to the UK via Hong Kong, arriving home the following day.

N.B. Varying road conditions in Sichuan Province may require an alternative route to be taken to Nine Villages Valley or flights may be used.