For real travelers, plant enthusiasts, and photographers, the Sichuan region offers a captivating blend of breathtaking landscapes, vibrant flowers, and rich cultural heritage. This 8-day journey is designed to immerse you in the natural and cultural beauty of Sichuan, taking you from the bustling streets of Chengdu to serene nature reserves. Along the way, you will explore a variety of native flowers, such as azaleas, camellias, and orchids, in their natural habitats. You will also visit cultural sites, such as the Leshan Giant Buddha and ancient towns, offering a perfect balance of nature and culture.

Our journey starts in Chengdu, the gateway city of western China, famous for its relaxed atmosphere and proximity to numerous scenic spots. We will explore famous sites such as Du Fu Thatched Cottage and Qingcheng Mountain, before venturing into Bifeng Gorge to discover wildflowers and the panda base. As we continue to Emei Mountain and Leshan, you will witness magnificent alpine plants and China’s largest stone Buddha. Further south, we will enter the Bamboo Sea of Southern Sichuan in Yibin, where wild azaleas and orchids flourish amidst towering bamboo groves. Finally, in Luzhou’s Fangshan Mountain, we will encounter the colorful native flora before heading back to Chengdu.

This journey promises to showcase the rich botanical diversity and cultural heritage of Sichuan, a region deeply rooted in history and natural beauty. Be prepared to indulge in the local cuisine, explore ancient trade routes, and photograph some of China’s most stunning scenery, all while enjoying the serene landscapes and vibrant flora.

Trip highlights:

1. Visit Du Fu Thatched Cottage and admire plum blossoms, peonies.

2. Explore Qingcheng Mountain and see azaleas, camellias, and orchids.

3. Experience the ancient charm of Shangli Ancient Town in Ya'an and enjoy the wild azaleas in Bifeng Gorge.

4. Admire the Leshan Giant Buddha, the world's largest stone-carved Buddha.

5. Explore Emei Mountain, where you can see alpine azaleas, lotus flowers, and primroses.

6. Tour the Bamboo Sea of Southern Sichuan in Yibin, and view wildflowers, azaleas, and orchids in the bamboo forests.

7. Enjoy the beauty of Fangshan Mountain in Luzhou, with its vibrant azaleas, camellias, and redbud flowers.

The cost includes the following:

The cost does not include the following:

D1 Arrives at Chengdu. Meals: D
Arrives at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. Meet your guide and transfer to your hotel. The hotel is conveniently located near a subway station, allowing you to explore the city at your leisure. Welcome dinner and trip briefing in the evening.

Overnight: Atour X Hotel, Chengdu Shuangnan Wuhou Avenue Subway Station

D2 Chengdu Du Fu Thatched Cottage and Qingcheng Mountain. Meals: BLD
Visit Du Fu Thatched Cottage in Chengdu, where you can admire plum blossoms and peonies. Drive to Qingcheng Mountain (about 1-hour drive, 60 km) to see azaleas, camellias, and orchids. Later, drive to Bifeng Gorge in Ya'an (about 2.5 hours, 130 km).

Overnight: Bifeng Gorge Shuangya Hotel

D3 Bifeng Gorge. Meals: BLD
Explore Bifeng Gorge Scenic Area and visit the Bifeng Gorge Panda Base. Admire wild azaleas, and explore the panda base. In the afternoon, drive to Emei Mountain (about 2-hour drive, 110 km).

Overnight: Emei Mountain Jinding Hotel

D4 Emei Mountain and Leshan Giant Buddha. Meals: BLD
Spend the morning exploring Emei Mountain’s Jinding, enjoying alpine azaleas and other flowers. Visit Huazang Temple, Golden Pavilion, Silver Pavilion, Bronze Pavilion, and the Four-sided Ten-direction Golden Buddha. Explore the scenic spots on Emei Mountain, including Qingyin Pavilion and the monkey area. In the afternoon, drive to Leshan Giant Buddha (about 2-hour drive, 98 km), and admire osmanthus, azaleas, and jasmine.

Overnight: Jinye Zen Holiday Resort, Leshan

D5 Bamboo Sea of Southern Sichuan (Shunan Zhuhai). Meals: BLD
Drive to the Bamboo Sea of Southern Sichuan in Yibin (about 2.5-hour drive, 221 km). Explore the bamboo forest and admire wildflowers such as azaleas and orchids. Capture scenic views in this serene environment.

Overnight: Bamboo Sea Yunju Hotel, Yibin

D6 Fangshan Mountain in Luzhou. Meals: BLD
Drive to Fangshan Mountain in Luzhou (about 1.5-hour drive, 70 km). Admire azaleas, camellias, and redbud flowers. In the afternoon, explore the surrounding area and see lotus flowers, and primroses.

Overnight: Longjian Holiday Hotel, Luzhou

D7 Return to Chengdu. Meals: BLD
Drive back to Chengdu (about 3-hour drive, 280 km). Spend the afternoon shopping for local flower products and souvenirs. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner.

Overnight: Tianfu Airport Yuxiang Hotel, Chengdu

D8 Departure from Chengdu. Meals: B
Transfer to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport for your departure.

Overnight: None

Introduction to Trip Destinations:

Qingcheng Mountain

Qingcheng Mountain is located in Dujiangyan, northwest of Chengdu. It is considered one of the birthplaces of Taoism and one of the most important Taoist holy mountains in China. Mount Qingcheng can be divided into two parts - the anterior part and the posterior part. The anterior part is the main part of the scenic spot that possesses alluring natural beauty and an abundance of cultural relics and historic sites. The posterior part is wilder with beautiful forests, streams, valleys, and many endemic plants. Some of the plants are named after

Mount Emei

Bifeng Gorge

Bamboo Sea of Southern Sichuan

We will arrange one of our best flower guides for this trip who has rich experiences of guiding tours in this region. The following are some of our best local guides for your references.

Cory Li

Cory Li, co-founder, and general manager of WildFloraTour is a super fan of nature, especially for flowers. His passion for nature grows from the beauty of greens in the little boys' eyes. As a native of Sichuan Chengdu, he has spent a lot of time exploring nature in the mountains nearby his hometown. During his study at Sichuan University, he began to take lots of outdoor activities like hiking and mountain climbing and started to study knowledge about flora by himself. After graduation, he even spent more time in the wild than office exploring wildflowers in Sichuan and nearby provinces with other nature lovers and photographed about two thousand wildflower species. He even found several new distributions of some endemic species and even some new species of plants along with some other nature lovers. He loves to share his findings and stories behind the photos with other nature lovers on the internet and became a “flora idol” in southwest China. He never expected becoming famous out of this, he just enjoys sharing the beauty of those lovely flowers with others.

Philip

As a half Kangba Tibetan, Philip is the founder of WildfloraTour and is native of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He has a deep love for his Kangba Tibetan heritage and the land where he was born and raised. Philip's career has gone from mining technician to teacher, to translator, and finally to a guide and tour operator. Along the way, Philip discovered his passion and love for helping tourists understand the beauty and history of his people and homeland. Philip is known for his ability to plan and execute unique and exciting adventure trips exploring the sights off the usual tourist routes. He is active, open-minded, and adventurous and always ready to share interesting and useful information with his clients. As a travel professional working in this field for more than 15 years, Philip believes travel is an art and a process of learning and discovery. Each trip is a unique artistic work created with knowledge and expertise based on the resources available and the interests and tastes of travelers. To help more people to understand the unique resources in panda habitats and neighboring areas, he established Wildflora to bring his educational fun-filled tours to more people eager to explore and learn about China. Besides, Philip is an active and knowledgeable birder and a dedicated photographer.

Besides, one of WildFloraTour's local guides in Southeast China will participate in this trip to ensure a high-end traveling experience.