Outline:

Day 1. Arrive in Chengdu. (D)
Airport pick-up. Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
 
Day 2. Chengdu-Dujiangyan. 64km 2h (BLD)
Visit Chengdu Panda Base and Jinsha Site Museum (closed on Monday), then head to Dujiangyan. Overnight: Dujiangyan (700m)
 
Day 3. Dujiangyan-Wolong Panda Habitat. 66km 1.5h (BLD)
Explore Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan Irrigation System, then drive to Wolong. Overnight: Wolong (2,000m) 
 
Day 4. Wolong Panda Habitat. (BLD)
Panda Volunteer Program at Wolong Panda Base and hiking in natural Panda Habitat. Overnight: Wolong (2,000m) 
 
Day 5. Wolong-Jiuzhaigou. 369km 8h (BLD)
Drive to Jiuzhaigou, enjoy the scenery along Minjiang Valley and the ethnic culture along the way. Overnight: Jiuzhaigou (2,000m) 
 
Day 6. Jiuzhaigou. (BLD)
Wonder in the valleys of scenic Jiuzhaigou. Overnight: Jiuzhaigou (2,000m)
 
Day 7. Jiuzhaigou-Fairy Ponds-Huanglong. 114km 3h (BLD)
Drive to Huanglong via Fairy Ponds. Overnight: Huanglong (3,200m)
 
Day 8. Huanglong. (BLD)
Spend most of the day visiting Huanglong National Park. Overnight: Huanglong (3,200m) 
 
Day 9. Huanglong-Bao’en Temple-Tangjiahe Nature Reserve. 193km 5h (BLD)
Head to Tangjiahe Nature Reserve via Bao’en Temple. Overnight: Tangjiahe (1,400m) 
 
Day 10. Tangjiahe Nature Reserve. (BLD)
Spend a whole day searching for wildlife in this panda habitat. Overnight: Tangjiahe (1,400m) 
 
Day 11. Tangjiahe-Chengdu. 350km 6h (BLD)
Drive back to Chengdu. Overnight: Chengdu (500m)
 
Day 12. Chengdu departure. (B)
Airport drop-off. 


Details:

Day 1. Arrive in Chengdu. Meals: D
The airport pick-up. Based on the time you arrive, we can plan some free city tour programs such as visiting People’s Park to experience the typical laid-back lifestyles of Chengdu or visiting Jinli Street to feel the bustling shopping street with all types of shops selling unique local souvenirs and an array of food stands offering different delicious local take-away food.

Overnight: Chengdu (500m)

Day 2. Chengdu-Dujiangyan. 64km 2h Meals: BLD
After enjoying an early breakfast at your hotel, we will take you to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. This innovative facility is home to the largest captive panda population in the world. During our stay at the center, you can watch these delightful animals relaxing in naturalistic enclosures. After lunch, we will pay a visit to the Jinsha Site Museum (closed on Monday) to discover a unique civilization created by Shu people more than 3,000 years ago. Then we will head to Dujiangyan. 

Overnight: Dujiangyan (700m)

Day 3. Dujianyan-Wolong Panda Habitat. 66km 1.5h Meals: BLD
In the morning, we will visit the Taoist Qingcheng Mountain. This mountain holds a special distinction of being one of the holy mountains of Taoism and is populated with ornate Taoist temples. After lunch, we will visit the world-famous Dujiangyan Irrigation System. This premodern irrigation system was constructed in 265 BC and still functions to this day. Both Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Then we head to Wolong.

Overnight: Wolong (2,000m) 

Day 4. Wolong Panda Habitat. Meals: BLD
In the morning, we will depart from our hotel to venture into the heart of the panda’s natural habitat. We will visit the Wolong Panda Base of CCRCGP(China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas) with the option of participating in a Panda Volunteer Program. This base gives guests a perfect opportunity to watch these animals quietly against the backdrop of their natural habitat. In the afternoon, we will drive to Balang Mountain to see the beautiful scenery or hike in Dengshengou Valley based on the weather conditions.

Overnight: Wolong (2,000m) 

Day 5. Wolong-Jiuzhaigou. 369km 8h Meals: BLD
After breakfast at our hotel, we will hava a long drive along the scenic Minjiang Gorge which will be a rewarding journey for us since we are going to drive through a corridor of ethnic minorities represented by Qiang, Hui, Han and Tibetan people. We can also visit the ancient city wall in Songpan built in 1,300 years ago that keep the productive agriculture area from harassment of nomadic tribes. Qiang people used to live in the further western part of China, they migrated here hundreds of years ago because of wars among different tribes and settled down here under the protection of steep mountains. As one of the oldest ethnic minorities in China, Qiang is extremely famous for architecture and unique costume. A balance of living and defense can be easily detected in traditional Qiang architectures.

Overnight: Jiuzhaigou (2,000m) 

Day 6. Jiuzhaigou National Park. Meals: BLD
Our exploration of Jiuzhaigou National Park (Jiuzhaigou Valley) will begin after enjoying breakfast at our hotel. We will spend the day touring the natural splendor of this coveted heritage site. The main attractions of the valley are the colorful mirror-like lakes and splendid waterfalls. At the end of the valley, water from melting snow mixes with limestone water from underground, flowing down the mountain terraces, depositing the calcium carbonate from the limestone water on the rocks, stones, and fallen branches in its path. This natural phenomenon is the cause of vibrantly colored waters of the park.

Overnight: Jiuzhaigou (2,000m) 

Day 7. Jiuzhaigou-Fairy Ponds-Huanglong. 114km 3h Meals: BLD
In the morning, we will drive to another wonderful site called Fairy Ponds. On the way, we will be greeted by yak herds grazing on the small grasslands by the side of the road, hospitable Tibetan people waving toward us with their smiling faces. If we are lucky, we can even encounter flocks of blood pheasants running across the road or hear the loud calls of Blue Eared Pheasant. Fairy Ponds is the miniature of Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong with the beauty of exquisite. These pools feature a variety of beautiful colors ranging from white to pale yellow that result from natural processes of calcification. When the sun shines, brilliant light will be reflected and fresh air will rush to your face, straight into the heart. Then, we will head to Huanglong for a good rest.

Overnight: Huanglong (3,200m) 

Day 8. Huanglong National Park. Meals: BLD
Today, we will spend most of the day exploring Huanglong National Park. After breakfast, we walk to take the cable car to see ponds of different shapes and colors in the best morning ray and with fewer crowds. We will walk on a wooden walkway made through the virgin forest. Occasional some cute squirrels may hop up in front of us. With some luck, we can also encounter some birds like blood pheasants and eloquent laughingthrushes. From the top, we will enjoy the most beautiful group of ponds named Multicoloured Ponds. A Taoist temple sitting by the side of the ponds shows a blend of culture between Tibetan and Han in the past time. From Multicoloured Ponds, a huge calcified carpet stretches all the way to the bottom like a dragon. That is how Huanglong (literally means yellow dragon in Chinese) got its name. Surrounded by picturesque snow-capped mountain peaks, and with virgin forests on both sides, we will get lots of chances to photograph the golden ponds filled with gem-like water from your preferred angel. The whole park is just like a paradise on earth. And both Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong are panda habitats. As we slowly descend, the scenery changes as if we look through a kaleidoscope. We will prepare a picnic lunch for the day so that we can maximize our time inside this beautiful park.

Overnight: Huanglong (3,200m)  

Day 9. Huanglong-Bao’en Temple-Tangjiahe Nature Reserve. 193km 5h Meals: BLD
Today, we will continue our journey to the Tangjiahe Nature Reserve. Along the way, we will have a brief stop at the Bao’en Temple in Pingwu. The temple is a unique miniature replica of the Forbidden City located in the capital of this country. Bao’en Temple covers an area of more than 27,800 square meters and has three main halls.  It has nearly 10,000 dragon totems which are in different style and delightful to watch. Then, we will drive straight to Tangjiahe.

Overnight: Tangjiahe (1,400m) 

Day 10. Tangjiahe Nature Reserve. Meals: BLD
This entire day will be dedicated to exploring Tangjiahe Nature Reserve in search of native animal species. This reserve is home to wild pandas as well as a slew of other species that also benefit from panda conservation efforts. As we set our foot on this wild panda habitat, the animal species we may come across based on our knowledge from past trips include Sichuan Takin, Golden Snub-nosed Monkey, Asiatic Black Bear, Tibetan Macaque, Golden Pheasant, Wild Boar, Chinese Goral, Reeve's Muntjac, Chinese Serow, Masked Palm Civet, Eurasian Otter, Tufted Deer, Yellow-throated Marten, and Rhesus Macaque. It’s a precious experience to be here and know the present conservation status of wild pandas and the efforts for protecting them.

Overnight: Tangjiahe (1,400m) 

Day 11. Tangjiahe Nature Reserve-Chengdu. 350km 6h Meals: BLD
After preparing our bags and eating breakfast, we will board our transportation back to Chengdu. Upon arrival, you have the option to join in a Sichuan Opera (Face-changing Show). The art of Sichuan Opera is a theater-style showcasing attractions like fire breathing performers and actors with face-changing masks. As an audience member, you can relax and drink tea as costumed actors breathing fire and quickly swap between ornate masks in a blink of an eye. These shows host a variety of acts ranging from life-like puppets and comedy to traditional music instruments and singing. For anyone visiting Chengdu, the visit is not complete until you’ve witnessed Sichuan Opera.

Overnight: Chengdu (500m)

Day 12. Chengdu departure. Meals: B
On the final day of the itinerary, our team will escort you to the airport or train station to depart from Chengdu on time. 


Notes:
1. If you need help in arranging a flight to Chengdu from other major cities of China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, or a departure flight from Chengdu, please feel free to contact us, we are more than happy to provide any support we can to facilitate your trip planning.
2. This trip ventures into an area that features high altitude. Follow the advice from your doctor on altitude sickness before deciding to join this trip. In some events, high elevation can cause severe health complications for those with cardiovascular diseases or other poor cardiopulmonary function.
3. The overnight altitudes and driving hours listed in the itinerary are just for your rough reference.
4. Jinsha Site Museum do not open on Monday. So be sure to skip a Monday trip to Jinsha Site Museum.