A 71 m Tang dynasty Buddha — by the cliff path or from the river — then a canal town with no entry fee
An early start, a big Buddha and an old town on the way home — eleven hours, and the Buddha is the reason.
If the river boat is what you want, say so: the ticket covers either the stairs or the boat, not both.
The stairs down beside the Buddha are narrow, one-way and slow in high season. The boat sees the same face in twenty minutes.
Free pick-up inside Chengdu’s Third Ring Road between 06:30 and 07:00; outside the ring, meet at Yiguanmiao metro Exit D
Local time (GMT+8). Cliff path or boat — choose one when booking.
Collected in rotation from 06:30 to 07:00. On holidays it starts half an hour earlier and the wait is longer
Cliff route: Lingyun Temple, the main hall, then the zigzag plank path down alongside the figure, with the river confluence and Lingbao Pagoda below. Boat route: the whole Buddha from mid-river, plus the reclining-Buddha shape formed by the hills
A set meal is included. Leshan’s trio is braised beef hotpot, sweet-skinned duck and bobo chicken — order extra if you like
About two and a half hours: Ming-Qing timber lanes, Zhending and Gulong temples, and a stream running through the town. Entry is free, and there is tea to be drunk beside the water
About 90 minutes; sleep on the bus
Drop-off near Yiguanmiao on metro line 3
The tour starts and ends in Chengdu. Most travellers arrive at Chengdu East Railway Station — the pick-up loop is a short taxi or metro ride from the exits, and the tour returns you in time for an evening train. If you are coming from another city, check the direct high-speed trains and their first and last departures.
The boat gives a more complete view without queueing on the cliff path, which works better with children and grandparents. Huanglongxi has water to play in, which children rate highly.
$48 per person on the group tour, or from $256 per vehicle for a private car with driver and guide. The group price includes the driver, guide and admission; the private price is for the whole vehicle, whatever the party size.
It runs 06:30 to 17:30 — about 11 hours from pick-up to drop-off, including the drive. If you are catching a train or flight the same evening, book it for after 19:00.
Hotels inside the Third Ring Road. Your driver and guide meet you there; the exact spot is confirmed the day before travel.
Leshan Buddha admission (¥80) or the river boat ticket — one of the two; Lunch, ten to a table; Return coach and Mandarin-speaking guide.
Site audio headset ¥20; Leshan park shuttle ¥15 return.
Two days. We do not accept same-day or next-day bookings because the car, guide and admission have to be arranged in advance. Cancellation is free up to 7 days before the tour; inside that it steps to 20% (6–3 days) and 60% (2–1 days), and nothing is refunded on the day itself.
Carved into the cliff where three rivers meet, it is the largest stone Buddha in the world. You can see it from a boat in twenty minutes, but the stair path down beside it is what makes the scale land.
大佛坐落在三江交汇的凌云山栖鸾峰岩壁上，是世界现存最大的摩崖石刻弥勒坐像。
The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain — the whole cliff is the sculpture. Stand at the feet and look up; that is the moment.
依山崖整块红砂岩雕刻，不得不佩服古人的智慧和工匠的技艺，山是一尊佛，佛是一座山。
The Nine Bends plank path takes you down to the Buddha's feet. Steep, narrow and busy — go early. A guide adds the history of who paid for it and why.
走九曲栈道近距离瞻仰佛像，感受古人精湛雕刻技艺。江水滔滔景色开阔，建议请讲解，更了解背后的历史故事。
