Sichuan, in the southeast of Tibet, hosts several UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites. One of them is the Leshan Giant Buddha Statue, the largest Buddha statue carved into a mountain in the world. It is over 71m high and there is enough space for more than 100 people to sit between its feet. The Wolong Panda Natural Reserve is the only panda reserve in the world, providing the ideal natural environment for panda, mountains, rivers and bamboo forests. It is different from the Panda Breeding Center in the capital Chengdu.

After the disastrous May 12, 2008 earthquake the Pandas from the famous Wolong Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base were re-located to the Ya’an Reserve for safe keeping. This tour now visits the Ya'an Giant Panda Reserve.

Highlights

* Hold a panda and take photos in the nature reserve.
* Go to the top of the largest Buddha statue carved in the mountain in the world.
* Try the authentic Sichuan food in Chengdu.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Chengdu
Beijing departure:  Fly to Chengdu at around 08:30 - 11:00;

Shanghai departure: Fly to Chengdu  around 08:30 - 11:00;
Other locales: we welcome those to join us from other locales and meet us in Chengdu.

Have lunch in a famous Chengdu snack restaurant and visit one of few local neighborhood that have not yet been demolished and replaced by new highrises. And check in the 5 star Tibetan styled hotel and free time for you to visit Jinli Street (optional, because it is already a touristy sounenir street).  We enjoy another authentic Sichuan dinner and Sichuan opera, variety show and magical face-changing performance.

Day 2 Chengdu / Leshan Giant Buddha / Ya'an

We drive to Leshan City by coach (2 hours) to see Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest carved stone Buddha in the world. Take a boat to the river in front of the mountain where the Buddha was carved into the cliff and view the huge Buddha on boat at the foot of the mountain and then climb up the mountain to see the Buddha in different perspectives from the top.

Then we drive to Ya'an, have dinner and check in to our hotel.

Day 3  Ya'an  / Chengdu / Fly out
We spend the whole morning in the Panda Reserve. There are more than 20 Pandas (adults and babies) in the reserve eating, meadering and playing around. You can hold a panda or take a picture with them if you wish to pay.

Charges for holding and taking photos with pandas:
The prices rose since 2007 and the money paid is a donation for the reserve; photos must be taken with your own camera:
-RMB 1000/person for holding and playing a 6-8 month old panda
-RMB500 for taking a photo while standing behind pandas over 1 years old (no holding or touching)

We return to Chengdu to enjoy some free time to browse Jinli, a cultural & food street with old-style architecture dating from Ming and Qing Dynasties. Transfer to the airport by coach and fly out.

Chengdu - Beijing (arrival around 10-11pm)
Chengdu - Shanghai Hongqiao (arrival around 10-11pm)