Jiuzhaigou is a long mountain valley in the north of Sichuan, full of lakes so clear and blue that you can see fallen trees lying on the bottom. Waterfalls link the lakes, and Tibetan villages sit along the road. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and on the December and March departures you may see the waterfalls partly frozen.

The bullet train makes this trip possible in six days. On Day 2 you see People's Park and the Wide and Narrow Alley in Chengdu, then ride the train north towards Jiuzhaigou, with a photo stop at Songpan Ancient Town. Day 3 is a full day in Jiuzhaigou Valley. After a day back in Chengdu, you take the train to Chongqing, a hilly city built over two rivers. There you see Shibati, Hongya Cave lit up at night, the pandas at Chongqing Zoo, and the monorail that runs straight through an apartment building at Liziba.

There is a lot of travel, with three train journeys in five days, and Jiuzhaigou is high and cold in winter. Several stops are wholesale markets. In return, almost every meal is included, there are mosque visits in Chengdu and Chongqing, and the gratuities are included.

Quick facts

Duration: 6 days 5 nights
Route: Chengdu, Songpan, Jiuzhaigou and Chongqing
Package type: group tour on fixed departure dates
Flights: included, from KLIA to Chengdu and from Chongqing back to KLIA, with airport taxes, checked luggage and meals on board
Trains: bullet trains from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou, Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu, and Chengdu to Chongqing
Hotels: 2 nights in Chengdu, 2 in Jiuzhaigou and 1 in Chongqing
Meals: 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners
Booking: seats are subject to availability. We confirm with the tour operator and email you once your seats are secured.

Highlights

A full day in Jiuzhaigou Valley
Three bullet train journeys through Sichuan
People's Park and the Wide and Narrow Alley in Chengdu
Hongya Cave and Shibati in Chongqing
The Liziba monorail running through a building
The pandas at Chongqing Zoo

Itinerary

Day 1: Kuala Lumpur to Chengdu

Fly from KLIA to Chengdu.

Meals: on the flight. Overnight: Chengdu.

Day 2: Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou by bullet train

Start at People's Park, where local people drink tea, dance and play cards. Walk through the Wide and Narrow Alley, three old lanes of grey-brick courtyard houses from the Qing dynasty, now full of snack shops. Visit Huangcheng Mosque, the main mosque of Chengdu.

Take the bullet train north towards Jiuzhaigou, with a photo stop at Songpan Ancient Town, an old walled town on the edge of the Tibetan plateau.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Jiuzhaigou.

Day 3: Jiuzhaigou Valley

A full day in Jiuzhaigou Valley. Paths and park buses take you between the lakes, waterfalls and forests along the valley.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Jiuzhaigou.

Day 4: Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu by bullet train

Take the bullet train back to Chengdu. Shop at Lotus Pond Market, a large wholesale market, and walk along Chunxi Road, the city's busiest shopping street.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Chengdu.

Day 5: Chengdu to Chongqing by bullet train

Take the bullet train to Chongqing. Walk through Shibati, an old hillside neighbourhood of steps and lanes, and visit the Chongqing International Small Commodity Wholesale Center. In the evening, see Hongya Cave, a tall stack of traditional stilt houses built against the cliff above the Jialing River, lit up at night.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Chongqing.

Day 6: Chongqing to Kuala Lumpur

See the giant pandas at the Panda House in Chongqing Zoo, and visit Chongqing Mosque. Then go to the viewing platform at Liziba, where the monorail train runs right through a residential building. Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Meals: breakfast, lunch.

What's included

Flights from KLIA to Chengdu and from Chongqing back to KLIA
Bullet trains as listed in the itinerary
Airport taxes
Checked luggage
Meals on the flights
Hotels: 2 nights in Chengdu, 2 in Jiuzhaigou and 1 in Chongqing
Meals as listed in the itinerary
Gratuities

Good to know

Jiuzhaigou is high in the mountains and cold in December and March. Bring warm clothes and good walking shoes.
Chongqing is a city of hills and steps, so expect plenty of climbing.
The tour includes stops at Lotus Pond Market and a wholesale centre in Chongqing. Buying anything is up to you.