Sichuan

From the Chengdu Plain to the western Sichuan plateau, this large southwestern province offers pandas, food, Jiuzhaigou, and snow-capped mountain scenery with a Tibetan flavor.

Sichuan lies in southwestern China. The east is the fertile Sichuan Basin, while the west holds the Garze and Ngawa plateaus on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The capital, Chengdu, is known for its food, teahouses and giant panda breeding base. Key destinations include Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, Mount Emei and the Leshan Giant Buddha, Dujiangyan and Mount Qingcheng, Daocheng Yading, Xinduqiao and Mount Siguniang. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit, with Jiuzhaigou's fall colors at their finest around October, and the plateau areas are also pleasant in summer. The gateways are Chengdu Tianfu and Shuangliu international airports, and high-speed trains run to Chongqing, Xi'an and elsewhere, while western Sichuan relies mostly on roads and regional airports.

Destinations

• Chengdu
• Ya'an
• Mount Emei & Leshan
• Barkam
• Mount Siguniang
• Daocheng Yading
• Zigong
• Yibin (Bamboo Sea & Lizhuang)
• Panzhihua
• Lugu Lake
• Hailuogou & Kangding
• Luzhou
• Xichang
• Guangyuan & Jianmen Pass
• Langzhong Ancient City
• Jiangyou & Beichuan
• Maoxian
• Garze (Ganzi) County
• Dege
• Zoigê
• Xinlong (Nyagrong)
• Daofu
• Xiangcheng
• Xinduqiao & Tagong
• Litang
• Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong
• Sêrtar
• Danba
• Hongyuan
• Guangwu Mountain
• Heishui
• Jiulong & Wuxu Lake
• Anyue Rock Carvings
• Huili Ancient Town
• Bashan Grand Canyon
• Batang
• Pingwu, Baima & Wanglang
• Guang'an
• Langmusi & Zhagana
• Rongchang
• Maotai Town
• Nyenpo Yurtse

Itineraries

• Western Sichuan Grand Loop: Seda & Daocheng – A panoramic loop from Danba, Seda, Garzê, and Xinlong south to Litang and Daocheng, returning to Chengdu along Highway…
• Northern Sichuan-Tibet Highway (G317) Northern Kham Culture – Follow Highway G317 through Seda and Garzê to Dege to see the Parkhang Printing House and Xinluhai Lake, returning via…
• Jiuzhaigou East Loop & Zoigê-Hongyuan Grassland – Enter Jiuzhaigou from the east via the Jiumian Expressway, and return to Chengdu via Huanglong, Zoigê, Hongyuan, and Da…
• Western Sichuan Small Loop: Snow Mountains & Tibetan Villages – From Mount Siguniang, Danba, Tagong, and Xinduqiao to Hailuogou, cover the highlights of Western Sichuan in one week.
• Daocheng Yading to Shangri-La & Lijiang Overland – Enter Daocheng along Highway 318 from Chengdu, cross into Yunnan via Xiangcheng, and conclude in Shangri-La and Lijiang.
• Sichuan-Tibet Highway G318: Chengdu to Lhasa – Traverse Western Sichuan and Eastern Tibet along National Highway 318, crossing high mountain passes, glaciers, and lus…
• Chengdu to Lanzhou via Jiuzhaigou, Zoige & Gannan – A one-way road trip starting in Chengdu and ending in Lanzhou, covering Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong, Zoige Grassland, and Gan…
• Southern Sichuan: Salt, Bamboo & Liquor – A low-altitude self-drive loop covering Zigong's dinosaurs and salt history, Lijiang Ancient Town, Shunan Bamboo Sea, a…
• Panxi Sunshine & Lugu Lake – Follow the Anning River Valley in winter through Xichang, Miyi, Panzhihua, and Huili, then cross the mountains to Lugu…
• Sichuan Pandas, Mount Emei & Jiuzhaigou 7-Day High-Speed Rail Classic – Connect Chengdu, Leshan, Mount Emei, Huanglong, and Jiuzhaigou by high-speed rail for the standard first-time Sichuan i…
• Amdo Loop: Golog, Gannan & Rebgong – A classic Amdo loop starting from Xining, passing through Golog, Langmusi, Labrang Monastery, and Rebgong, before retur…
• Daocheng Yading and Xiangcheng in Depth – Acclimatize in the county town, spend a night in Xiangcheng, then enter Yading for the short and long routes, and finis…