9 Days 8 Nights | Departing from Chengdu to Chongqing's Mountain City! Experience Sichuan and Chongqing's Two Major Trendy Metropolises

• Tour Agency: DIANDA TRAVEL

• Tour Code: DT-CT-007

• Tour Type: Private Custom Tour (Flexible travel dates and traveler numbers)

• Destinations: Chengdu, Chongqing

• Core Route Features: Meet national treasure pandas, stroll through Tianfu street life, explore the earthly fairylands of Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, check in at the 8D magical mountain city, immerse in cyber night views and Bayu fireworks, combining urban humanity and plateau fairylands in a Sichuan-Chongqing panoramic tour.

• Core Landmarks: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, People's Park, Jinli Ancient Street, Jiuzhaigou, Yangtze River Cableway, Liziba Monorail, Kuixinglou, Two Rivers Night Cruise (viewing Hongya Cave by boat).

Tour Overview & Introduction

The "Sichuan-Chongqing Fairyland Twin-City Custom Roaming Tour" encompasses the urban fireworks of Chengdu, the natural fairyland landscapes of Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, and the 8D fog city scenery. Trace national treasure pandas and traditional old streets in Chengdu, head to the northwest Sichuan plateau to encounter colorful pools and waterfalls, deeply explore the banks of the two rivers in Chongqing, and check out ancient towns, original old streets, the Yangtze River Cableway, and the iconic monorail passing through buildings. It blends the slow life of Tianfu, highland natural wonders, and the three-dimensional urban night view of Bayu.

The itinerary sequentially visits the Panda Base, People's Park, and Jinli Ancient Street, passes through Songzhou Ancient City and Zhongchagou, and explores Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong. Upon arriving in Chongqing, stroll through Ciqikou and Xiahaoli, ride the Yangtze River Cableway, view the Liziba Monorail, ascend Kuixinglou, visit the Chongqing Science and Technology Museum, take a night cruise across the two rivers, and enjoy the stunning night view of Hongya Cave from the water. This is a pure sightseeing custom tour with self-selected food, accommodation, and transportation, featuring no bundled consumption. It is ideal for photography, family travel, youth check-ins, and light leisure vacations, providing a one-stop experience of mountain-water fairylands and the diverse styles of the Sichuan-Chongqing twin cities.

Three Core Highlights

• Encountering Tianfu Cute Street Life in One City: Visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base to meet national treasure cute beasts; stroll around People's Park and Jinli Ancient Street; lounge in old teahouses to experience Chengdu's relaxed slow life; and taste authentic western Sichuan firework vibes.

• Heading to the Plateau Fairyland Secret Realm in Northwest Sichuan: Enjoy the emerald seas and stacked waterfalls of Jiuzhaigou and the colorful pools of Huanglong; pass through Songzhou Ancient City and Zhongchagou; encounter plateau mountain and river spectacles; and appreciate a shocking world-class natural landscape painting.

• Experiencing a One-of-a-Kind 8D Three-Dimensional Mountain City Wonder: Check in at the Yangtze River Cableway crossing the river in the air and the Liziba Monorail passing through buildings; shuttle through magical terrain with high and low elevation differences; closely experience a rare three-dimensional urban space aesthetic in the world; and harvest urban visual shocks that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

• Seeking Bayu Night Scenery Interweaving Old and New: Roam the millennium-old ancient town of Ciqikou and the original old street of Xiahaoli; ascend Kuixinglou to explore mountain city topography; board the Two Rivers Night Cruise ship to appreciate the dazzling lights of Hongya Cave from a water perspective; and immerse yourself in the dual daytime and nighttime charms of the fog city.

Itinerary at a Glance

Detailed Daily Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu | Airport/Station Pickup & Hotel Check-in

• Tour Arrangement: Welcome to Chengdu, the leisurely Tianfu land of abundance! Our driver will greet you at the airport/train station exit and transfer you to your hotel for check-in and rest. After settling down, enjoy free time to stroll through downtown commercial districts, experience Chengdu's urban fireworks, and relieve travel fatigue.

• Transportation Notes:

  1. Flight: Chengdu Tianfu International Airport and Shuangliu International Airport have numerous international routes with direct flights from Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Australia, Canada, Japan, Cambodia, etc.; domestic direct flights are available from Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Zhangjiajie, Chongqing, Shanghai, etc.

  2. Train: Chengdu's high-speed rail network is well-connected, with direct access to popular domestic tourist cities like Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing.

• Recommended Dining: Local specialties (Cold skewers, Sweet water noodles)

• Recommended Accommodation: Downtown Chengdu Hotel

• Tour Intensity: Relaxed & Leisurely

Day 2: Chengdu Urban Cultural Tour

• Morning: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

  • A 30-minute private transfer in the early morning brings you to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the world's largest giant panda scientific research, protection, and breeding center. The park simulates the pandas' native bamboo forest habitat, divided into young panda villas, adult panda active areas, and panda maternity wards. Early morning is the active peak for pandas foraging, tree-climbing, and playing, allowing close viewing of soft, cute cubs and adult pandas. Complete with a golden monkey pavilion and panda science museum, you can deeply understand national treasure breeding and conservation science, making it a must-visit cute pet landmark when coming to Sichuan.

• Afternoon: People's Park

  • Arrive at People's Park in the afternoon, the core landmark of Chengdu's local slow life. The century-old Heming Teahouse is located in the park, with bamboo chairs and tables laid out along the artificial lake. Here you can experience Gaiwan tea, ear cleaning, and Sichuan Opera face-changing, while local seniors drink tea, play cards, and chat, fully experiencing Chengdu's "cozy and leisurely" urban slow life atmosphere.

• Dusk: Jinli Ancient Street

  • Take a vehicle to Jinli Ancient Street, a Three Kingdoms culture pseudo-classical commercial street adjacent to the Wuhou Shrine. Grey-tiled western Sichuan residences are scattered around, red lanterns hang along the street, and Three Kingdoms cultural reliefs, ancient stages, and intangible cultural heritage handicraft shops are distributed everywhere. Along the street are gathered Sichuan snacks like San Da Pao, sugar oil fruit, and Dan Dan noodles. At night, lights are brilliant, blending ancient style and street fireworks, providing an immersive experience of Three Kingdoms Shu folk customs.

• Recommended Dining: Local specialties (Mapo tofu, Maoxuewang)

• Recommended Accommodation: Downtown Chengdu Hotel

• Tour Intensity: Moderate Exercise

Day 3: Chengdu → Songpan Ancient City + Zhongchagou

• Morning: Songpan Ancient City

  • Take a high-altitude tourist bus for 6.5 hours to Ngawa, western Sichuan, stopping briefly at a service area to rest along the way. Upon arrival, stroll through Songpan Ancient City (Songzhou Ancient City), a millennial frontier ancient town initially built in the Tang Dynasty that completely preserves the Ming Dynasty city wall. Tibetan, Qiang, Hui, and Han ethnic groups live and blend here, lined with Thangka shops, Tibetan silver handicrafts, and yak meat specialty shops. Climbing the city wall offers a bird's-eye view of the plateau river valley and distant rolling snow mountains, letting you feel the profound history and diverse ethnic cultural features of the ancient Silk Road border.

• Afternoon: Zhongchagou

  • Arrive at Zhongchagou in the afternoon, known as the "back garden of Jiuzhaigou". It is a 10-kilometer-long pristine Tibetan valley, with the valley mouth at an altitude of 2,189 meters and the mountain peak reaching 4,000-meter snow mountains. Primeval forests, alpine meadows, and stream valleys interweave, dotted with primitive Tibetan villages where Tibetan watchtowers, prayer flags, and mani stones can be seen everywhere. You can stroll through the Tibetan village fields, experience Tibetan folk customs, look out at snow mountains and forests, avoid the crowds of Jiuzhaigou, and enjoy a quiet plateau pastoral scenery exclusively. Check into a hotel along the Songpan route at night.

• Recommended Dining: Local specialties (Highland barley cake, hand-grabbed mutton)

• Accommodation: Downtown Chengdu Hotel

• Tour Intensity: Moderate Exercise

Day 4: Full-Day In-Depth Tour of Jiuzhaigou

• Daytime: Jiuzhaigou

  • After breakfast, arrive at the World Natural Heritage Jiuzhaigou, located in the Minshan Mountain range at the transition from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the Sichuan Basin. Cold-karst landforms create three Y-shaped valleys, with hundreds of glacial barrier lakes (Haitzi) showing layered colors. Emerald seas, stacked waterfalls, colorful forests, snow peaks, Tibetan customs, and blue ice are known as the six wonders of Jiuzhaigou. In Shuzheng Valley, check out Shuzheng Group Lakes and Norilang Waterfall (the widest calcified waterfall in China); in Zechawa Valley, reach Changhai and Five-Color Pond, where lake water presents layered gradients of sapphire blue and emerald green; in Rize Valley, view Five Flower Lake, Pearl Shoal, and Mirror Lake, where the water surface reflects snow mountains and colorful forests like a mirror. The off-season itinerary includes scenic sightseeing cable cars for transportation throughout the park, reducing long-distance hiking and allowing a smooth tour of the plateau water features. Four-season scenery has unique features: spring has blooming flowers, summer has clear water, autumn has colorful forests, and winter has blue ice, earning it the title of an earthly fairytale world. All day long, scenic sightseeing buses shuttle between viewing platforms, and after the tour, a bus returns to Songpan.

• Recommended Dining: Local specialties (Butter tea, yak meat soup hot pot)

• Accommodation: Downtown Chengdu Hotel

• Tour Intensity: Relaxed & Leisurely

Day 5: Huanglong Scenic Area Half-Day Tour + Return to Chengdu

• Daytime: Huanglong

  • Tour arrangement: Arrive in 40 minutes by bus at the "Earthly Fairyland" Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area, a world-class calcified colorful pond landform. Over 3,600 layered colorful pools at the foot of snow mountains are distributed along the valley. Pool water exhibits gradients of light yellow, lake blue, and emerald green due to mineral refraction, with calcified terraced fields stretching 3.6 kilometers, paired with snow mountains, canyons, and primeval forests for a globally unique landscape. Peak season tours include an upstream cable car for transportation, allowing easy arrival at the core Five-Color Pond viewing platform to overlook the panoramic view of the entire calcified terraced fields, and visiting core spots like Zhengyan Pond, Jinsha Pudi, and Xishen Cave sequentially. After the tour, return to Chengdu, arriving in the downtown area in the evening for free rest.

• Recommended Dining: Local specialties (Fragrant leaf vegetables, roasted lamb chops)

• Accommodation: Downtown Chengdu Hotel

• Tour Intensity: Moderate Exercise

Day 6: Chengdu → Chongqing: Direct High-Speed Rail

• Daytime:

  • After hotel breakfast, the driver will transfer you to the Chengdu High-Speed Railway Station to head to Chongqing. Upon arriving at the Chongqing high-speed railway station, a private pickup service will be provided; our staff will greet you at the exit and escort you to your downtown Chongqing hotel to check in. You can arrange the remaining time freely; if you are tired, you can rest in the hotel to build up your energy, or if it is still early, you can walk around the surrounding area.

• Recommended Dining: Local specialties (Chongqing noodles, roasted sweet potato skins)

• Recommended Accommodation: Downtown Chongqing Hotel

• Tour Intensity: Relaxed & Leisurely

Day 7: Mountain City Trendy Landmarks Day Tour: Ciqikou + Xiahaoli + Yangtze River Cableway + Liziba Monorail

• Morning: Ciqikou, Xiahaoli

  • After breakfast, head to stroll around Ciqikou Ancient Town, a millennium-old Bayu ancient town leaning against mountains and rivers, featuring winding bluestone ancient streets and well-preserved Ming and Qing old buildings. Chongqing specialty snacks like Chen Mahua, ancient town hot pot, hot and sour noodles, and mountain city small tangyuan gather along the street, alongside old teahouses, Sichuan Opera stages, intangible cultural heritage bamboo weaving, and Shu embroidery shops, retaining the street fireworks of old Chongqing docks while allowing bird's-eye views of the Jialing River scenery.

  • Subsequently, take a 20-minute private transfer to Xiahaoli Old Street, a vintage, artistic, and niche old street in Chongqing built along the mountain with stepped residences, old stilt houses, mottled banyan trees, retro graffiti, and literary cafes. It is a popular film and television shooting location, perfectly preserving the original street scenery of old Chongqing with a strong vintage cinematic atmosphere.

• Afternoon: Yangtze River Cableway, Liziba Monorail

  • In the afternoon, a private transfer will take you to the North Station of the Yangtze River Cableway to ride the Yangtze River Cableway, known as the "Aerial Corridor of the Ten-Thousand-Li Yangtze River". Built in 1987, this cross-river aerial cable car was once a commuting tool for Chongqing people and is now a city landmark. The cabin crosses the Yangtze River with rolling river water beneath your feet, bringing the buildings of the Yuzhong Peninsula, Nanshan, and Jiangbei into panoramic view. Experience the three-dimensional urban layout integrating mountains and rivers from high altitude in all directions, watching the stacked buildings of the mountain city by day and enjoying sunset river views by dusk.

  • Afterwards, check in at the Liziba Monorail Station Viewing Platform, the world's unique monorail-through-building wonder where Rail Transit Line 2 passes directly through the 6th to 8th floors of a residential building. Trains roar through the buildings, and the viewing platform provides a head-on view of the monorail, showcasing 8D magical city landmark scenery for free photo check-ins and letting you feel Chongqing's unique urban architectural design.

• Recommended Dining: Local specialties (Chongqing hot pot, ice jelly)

• Recommended Accommodation: Downtown Chongqing Hotel

• Tour Intensity: Moderate Exercise

Day 8: Urban Science Popularization + Two Rivers Night Cruise — Kuixinglou + Chongqing Science and Technology Museum + Two Rivers Night Cruise (Viewing Hongya Cave by Boat)

• Daytime: Kuixinglou, Chongqing Science and Technology Museum

  • Head out during the day to check in at the Kuixinglou internet-famous viewing platform. A double-layer overpass connects two high-rise buildings, with the suspended overpass facing a cluster of high-rises on the Yuzhong Peninsula, overlooking stepped old town streets, making it a niche high-altitude city photo spot to closely experience the high-and-low intertwined architectural texture of the mountain city.

  • Next, visit the Chongqing Science and Technology Museum, a riverside landmark in Jiangbei District and a large-scale science popularization venue. It features comprehensive exhibition halls for aerospace, mechanics, life sciences, and transportation technology, equipped with rich interactive experiences combining popular science and leisure sightseeing, while the riverside footpath outside offers distant views of the Jialing River and Yuzhong architectural clusters.

• Dusk: Hongya Cave

  • Arrive at Chaotianmen Pier at dusk to board a boat and start the Two Rivers Night Cruise. The cruise ship weaves through the intersection waters of the Yangtze River and Jialing River, passing Chaotianmen, Qiansimen Bridge, Grand Theater, Hongya Cave, and Nanbin Road. Enjoy the peak night view of Chongqing from a water perspective — Hongya Cave, an 11-story Bayu stilted building built against the mountain. Under the night sky, warm yellow lights stack layer upon layer like the fantasy bathhouse from Spirited Away, while river lights, bridge neon, and city buildings intersect, fully immersing you in the dazzling river night scenery of the mountain city.

• Recommended Dining: Local specialties (Hot and sour noodles, glutinous rice balls)

• Recommended Accommodation: Downtown Chongqing Hotel

• Tour Intensity: Moderate Exercise

Day 9: Departure from Chongqing: Airport/Station Drop-off Service

• Daytime:

  • After breakfast, we will conclude this wonderful journey. Our staff will transfer you to the airport or train station for your next destination. If you wish to extend this trip to explore more Chinese destinations such as Tibet, Yunnan, Guilin, Harbin, etc., please contact us to arrange it for you. Finally, thank you sincerely for choosing Dianda Travel to explore China with us. We look forward to welcoming you again in the future. Have a safe trip!

What's Included

• Guide Service: Licensed bilingual (Chinese & English) custom tour guides throughout the journey, providing exclusive local commentary for each segment, and planning optimal commuting routes and off-peak travel plans.

• Attraction Admission Tickets: First-entry admission tickets for all listed attractions in the itinerary, sightseeing vehicles, cruise ships, and basic show performance tickets are all included.

• Local Transfer Transportation: Private vehicle / tourist bus for round-trip transfers between scenic spots in all cities throughout the trip (short local urban transfers only; cross-city high-speed rail and long-distance transportation tickets are not included), including driver, fuel fees, parking fees, and scenic area mountain entry fees.

• Itinerary Planning: Pre-trip exclusive itinerary fine-tuning, attraction route optimization, reasonable driving duration arrangement, and niche check-in spot recommendations.

• Itinerary Coordination: Full-journey attraction reservations, staggered off-peak scenic tour arrangements, and show seat coordination.

What's Not Included

1. Scenic Area Optional Transportation: Cruise ship cabin upgrades, bicycle rentals.

2. Full-Journey Accommodation: Hotel and homestay fees are not included; separate booking services can be provided as needed.

3. Meals: All breakfast, lunch, and dinner are at your own expense; the tour guide can recommend local specialty restaurants.

4. Personal Expenses: Scenic area cultural & creative products, snacks and drinks, self-funded characteristic upgraded projects.

5. China Visa Application Fees: At your own expense.

6. Single Room Supplements, Luggage Storage, Hotel Laundry, Scenic Audio Guide Rentals, etc.

7. Tipping for Tour Guides and Drivers: At your own expense.

8. Extra Expenses Caused by Force Majeure & Price Differences from Temporary Itinerary Changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How to book a private tour?

  • Step 1: Choose a route and consult for free: Pick your favorite tour route and inform us of your travel dates, number of companions, and personalized preferences. No payment is required at this stage.

  • Step 2: Professional custom plan: Within 0.5 to 24 hours, our dedicated travel consultant will contact you to tailor an exclusive itinerary and provide professional travel advice.

  • Step 3: Confirm itinerary and pay deposit: If you are satisfied with the plan, you can complete the booking and pay a deposit to lock in all travel service resources including vehicles, guides, and hotels.

  • Step 4: Seamless communication throughout: You can contact your dedicated consultant at any time before the trip to adjust the itinerary, ask questions, or make special requests.

• How to extend your China trip? The above itinerary is just an example, and most travelers choose this route. If you wish to extend your trip, please choose a private custom tour and simply tell us your favorite destinations and desired activities. Our professional travel consultants will redesign the itinerary for you and your team at the best price.

• Tour Transportation You will travel to various scenic spots in the city via private vehicle. The vehicles we choose are spacious, comfortable, and equipped with air conditioning, driven by experienced drivers. For transportation between cities, we typically choose domestic flights (economy class) or high-speed rail (second class, usually under 6 hours). Local guides and drivers will meet you at the airport/train station and escort you to your hotel.

Accommodation Standards for Custom Tours

During your trip in China, ensuring sufficient sleep every day is very important. This route is a private custom tour, and accommodation is not included in the tour fee, but we can provide booking services for you under the following standards:

• Room Type: Standard twin room (twin beds) for basic room types; natural single rooms (king bed rooms) are not guaranteed. Children without a bed do not include breakfast.

• Location Standard: We carefully select hotels with prime locations in each destination, adjacent to commercial streets or tourist attractions.

• Quality Assurance: We maintain long-term cooperative relationships with these hotels to ensure they meet comfortable sleeping standards.

• Facilities & Services: All booked hotels are equipped with windows, air conditioning, hot water, showers, and Wi-Fi. Hotel staff can communicate in English and are committed to providing quality service, and you can contact the front desk for assistance at any time.

• Note: Hotel booking services incur additional charges, and actual prices are subject to real-time reservation rates. If you need to upgrade your room type (such as king rooms, suites, etc.), please let us know so we can check prices and arrange it for you.

Itinerary Suitability Description

• Crowd Suitability: Elderly / family groups can adjust bus segmented stops for rest, shorten long-distance items, and increase leisure sightseeing experiences; outdoor enthusiasts can increase hiking duration.

• Duration Extension: Can add visits to Luoyang, Dunhuang, Yunnan, Qingdao, and other destinations as needed, with corresponding cross-city transportation duration and transfer plans added synchronously.

• Dietary Suitability: Advance notice of vegetarian, halal, allergy, or other dietary requirements allows the guide to plan and recommend corresponding dining districts in advance, with rest stop recommendations along long-distance drives.