Chengdu Circle Route in 18 Days - Itinerary

This is not a family-friendly itinerary -- I’d only recommend this to seasoned travelers planning a well-rounded tour of the authentic Sichuan. Though ... you could turn this into a family-friendly trip simply by skipping the Eastern Himalayas (i.e. Kangding to Mount Siguniang) and by flying in and out of Jiuzhaigou.


But if you're looking for adventure in a culturally exotic region of China, this circle route took us to colorful Tibetan villages and alpine steppes, views of turquoise lakes and 7000m Himalayan peaks, some of China's best-preserved medieval townscapes, and classic Sichuanese sights from the Giant Buddha to the giant panda. It's a long, winding and occasionally treacherous road, but ultimately well worth the authentic experiences and gorgeous views.

Our final itinerary, as traveled, went like this:

Day 01: Arrival at Chengdu (Air)
Day 02: Chengdu
Day 03: Chengdu - Langzhong (Bus)
Day 04: Langzhong
Day 05: Langzhong - Chengdu (Minibus/Train) - Leshan (Bus)
Day 06: Leshan - Ya’an (Bus) - Shangli (Taxi)
Day 07: Shangli - Ya’an (Minibus) - Kangding (Bus)
Day 08: Kangding to Xinduqiao to Tagong to Danba (Taxi)
Day 09: Danba
Day 10: Danba
Day 11: Danba to Mount Siguniang (Minibuses via Xiaojin)
Day 12: Mount Siguniang to Dujiangyan (Bus)
Day 13: Dujiangyan, Mount Qingcheng, Jiezi Old Town (Local Buses)
Day 14: Dujiangyan - Songpan (Bus)
Day 15: Songpan - Huanglong (Taxi) - Jiuzhaigou (Taxi)
Day 16: Jiuzhaigou
Day 17: Jiuzhaigou - Chengdu (Air)
Day 18: Departure from Chengdu (Air)

I’m still sorting through the 3000+ photos so new posts will be added gradually.