Chengdu
The city that takes life at its own pace. Home to the giant panda, the world’s most addictive cuisine and a culture built around the pleasure of being alive.
China’s most liveable city and its most delicious
Chengdu moves at a different speed to the rest of China. In a country defined by relentless ambition, this is a city that stops to savour a pot of tea, to linger over a mahjong game in the afternoon, to spend three hours over a hotpot dinner with friends. It has been called the happiest city in China. It is not hard to understand why.
Sichuan cuisine — numbing, fiery, complex and deeply pleasurable — was born here, and nowhere does it better. The Giant Panda Breeding Research Base allows guests to spend a morning watching these extraordinary animals in something close to their natural habitat. And the surrounding province contains some of China’s most dramatic landscapes: the turquoise lakes of Jiuzhaigou, the golden summit of Mount Emei, the colossal Leshan Buddha carved from a cliff face.
Chengdu is also the principal gateway to Tibet. Our specialists handle every permit, every detail, ensuring that what follows the city is as extraordinary as the city itself.
Spring (March–May) — Mild weather, pandas most active in the mornings, cherry blossom at Wangjiang Park.
Autumn (September–November) — Clear skies ideal for day trips to Jiuzhaigou and Mount Emei, cool evenings perfect for hotpot.
Essential Chengdu
All Chengdu Tours →Private early-morning visits before the gates open to the public. Pandas are most active at dawn — and you will have them almost to yourself.
The world’s largest stone Buddha, carved from a cliff face in the 8th century. Arrive by river boat for the most dramatic approach.
A dinner experience unlike any other — numbing Sichuan peppercorn, fiery chilli broth, and enough dishes to last four hours. We know the kitchens worth finding.
One of China’s Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains. A cable car ascends to the Golden Summit at 3,099 metres — cloud sea, monasteries and resident macaques.
Chengdu’s most atmospheric old quarter — Qing Dynasty architecture, street food, Sichuan opera face-changing performances and shadow puppet shows.
A UNESCO World Heritage site of impossibly turquoise lakes and multi-tiered waterfalls. A full-day excursion from Chengdu unlike anything in China.
Your Chengdu
journey starts here
Speak with a Chengdu specialist. Whether you’re here for the pandas, the food, the mountains beyond, or as a gateway to Tibet — we’ll design a journey built entirely around what matters most to you.
Or write directly: info@openchinatours.com — we respond within 24 hours