How to spend days in Chengdu help

Question

Hello everyone I'm trying to organize our days in Chengdu.

We will arrive from Chongquing early in the morning and we will have that+ 2 other full days. In those days we would like to:

-explore Chengdu city

-see Pandas (wolong vs panda base research close to the city)

-hike Qingcheng back Mountain (our chosen option over leshan and emei)

I have two questions,

Do you think it's possible to hike qingcheng back Mountain and visit wolong panda base in the same day or is it too rushed? We would be sleeping in Chengdu city .

Which one will you choose : wolong or the panda base close to the city?

Thanks

Answer

Planning your days in Chengdu with a mix of city exploration, pandas, and hiking requires balancing distance, travel time, and energy levels. Here's a detailed breakdown:

1. Chengdu city exploration:

Chengdu city has many attractions like Jinli Ancient Street, Wuhou Shrine, Kuanzhai Alley, and the local teahouses. You can dedicate part of your first day to getting familiar with the city, enjoying local food, and visiting a few landmarks near the city center.

2. Panda viewing:

There are two main panda facilities near Chengdu:

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding: Located within 30–40 minutes of Chengdu city center, this is very convenient for a half-day trip. You can see pandas of all ages, and it is well organized for tourists.
Wolong Panda Base: Approximately 2–3 hours from Chengdu, located further away near the Wolong Nature Reserve. It is more remote, less crowded, and gives you a more natural experience, but it requires a full day for travel and visit.

For a short stay and staying in Chengdu city, the base close to the city is more practical, especially if you want to combine other activities.

3. Qingcheng Back Mountain hike:

The mountain is about 1.5–2 hours from Chengdu by car or bus. Hiking the Back Mountain trail can take around 3–5 hours depending on pace and stops. It's best done as a half-day or full-day trip. Combining this with the Wolong Panda Base in a single day is not recommended because:

Travel time to Wolong is already 2–3 hours each way, plus at least 2–3 hours at the facility.
Hiking Qingcheng Back Mountain requires 3–5 hours.
Trying to do both in one day would make the day extremely rushed and tiring, with very little time to enjoy either experience.

4. Suggested itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive from Chongqing in the morning, explore Chengdu city, try local food, and visit nearby sights.
Day 2: Visit Chengdu Panda Base in the morning, then spend the afternoon exploring city neighborhoods or markets.
Day 3: Full day trip to Qingcheng Back Mountain, starting early to have enough time for hiking and return to Chengdu by evening.

In summary, for a short stay with limited days, it's more practical to choose the panda base near Chengdu and dedicate a separate day to Qingcheng Back Mountain. Trying to combine both into one day would be overly rushed and reduce enjoyment of each activity.

How to spend days in Chengdu help

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