Explore the route, then refine the details.
A China Adventure Club route through western China’s varied heritage and scenery. Explore the operator’s itinerary outline, then refine its pace and arrangements for your dates.
Adapted from China Adventure Club’s original regional and national collection. The outline below describes the source route; your written proposal establishes the current order, overnight stops and service arrangements.
Itinerary outline
Select a route section to explore the map. Tap a stop for its location or use the directions link for the next leg. Flights, trains, cruises and hiking arrangements follow your itinerary.
1 Chengdu Directions to Wenjiang
2 Wenjiang Directions to Pixian
3 Pixian Directions to Dujiangyan Panda Valley
4 Dujiangyan Panda Valley Directions to Anren
5 Anren Directions to Pingle
6 Pingle Directions to Shangli
7 Shangli Directions to Caoba
8 Caoba Directions to Hongya
9 Hongya Directions to Leshan
10 Leshan Directions to Huanglongxi
11 Huanglongxi Directions to Xinglong Lake
12 Xinglong Lake Directions to Chengdu
13 Chengdu
At A Glance
Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu. Welcome dinner. A briefing will be presented.
Day 2: Wenjiang to Pixian. Visit "Chengdu's Garden" and Sichuan Cuisine Museum. 43 km of cycling.
Day 3: Dujiangyan Panda Valley to Anren Ancient Town. Say hello to the pandas. Reach China's "Museum Town" of Anren by riding through the famous less-explored country road "Chongqing Road." 73 ks of cycling.
Day 4: Pingle Ancient Town to Shangli Ancient Town. Riding on the riverbanks, visit the famous "Tea Market" at Pingle. Meet the White Horse Spring that gives the soar of horses. Tour the extremely picturesque Shangli Ancient Town where tea was fermented and pressed for sale and where Tibetan tea traders gathered. 45 km of cycling.
Day 5: Caoba to Hongya. Riding through the ta plantation farms for the stunning views following Qingyi River. Get thrilled to meet the ferociou rapids pouring out of Caoyutan Dam. Find out the fact of riverside rural life as they wind through forestry, bamboo and the occasional hamlet in Hongya. 55 km of cycling.
Day 6: Hongya to Leshan. It is another day of varied scenery on a small road, with views alternating from the river and its cliffs to terraced tea plantations and dense forestry. Meet Sichuan Handmade Paper Museum and the Thousand Buddha Cliff alongside the Qingyi River. End by Leshan, home of the largest and tallest carved stone Buddha in the world. 64 km of cycling.
Day 7: Cycle about 55 kilometers from Leshan toward Huanglongxi Ancient Town. Follow the Minjiang River and visit Zhongyan Temple, known for its historic Buddhist carvings. Explore Huanglongxi’s traditional streets and riverside setting before settling in for the night.
Day 8: Huanglongxi to Xinglong Lake. Reach tongzhi Dragon Kiln to learn the traditional pottery-making. A celebration meal will be served once we arrive at our final destination at Xinglong Lake, the suburb of Chengdu. 50 km of cycling.
Day 9: Chengdu departure. Free airport or train-station drop-off.
Please refer to the cycling map in the below section.
Detailed Itinerary is located on the bottom of the page.
What to refine before booking
Protect the travel days
Review the full hotel-to-hotel transfer for every intercity leg. Avoid relying on a flight or train arriving early enough for a tightly timed major attraction unless the final schedule supports it.
Choose a comfortable pace
Confirm stairs, slopes and time on foot. Ask which optional visits can be shortened or removed, and where an additional night would make the biggest difference.
Make inclusions explicit
Request the actual hotel and room choices, guide language, vehicle arrangements, admission coverage, meals and any activity-specific support in the written quotation.
Participation, eligibility and permitted tasks depend on the center’s current program. Close contact, feeding, holding and volunteering are not guaranteed by this outline.
Compare another approach
For a more spacious route, explore the original journey briefs in our national and regional collections. These show overnight allocations, transfer days and the tradeoffs behind each route.