Six days is enough to photograph Chengdu by day and Chongqing by night, if you give Chongqing two evenings and let the next morning be slow. The river, the hills and the lit-up towers are the reason you came.
This plan is written for photographers and friend groups who share a room, a train seat and a battery charger.
Who is this route for?
It suits friends who like to wander with a camera and are happy to eat late. It also suits return visitors who have seen the classic Chengdu panda day and want the second city done properly.
If your group is more interested in food than in photographs, the food-led five-day route gives you a different pace.
What does the route look like?
- Day 1: arrive in Chengdu and rest
- Day 2: Chengdu by day, a short evening shoot
- Day 3: train to Chongqing, first night shoot
- Day 4: slow morning, Chongqing by day
- Day 5: second night shoot, with a spare evening for weather
- Day 6: fly home from Chongqing
Day by day
Day 1: arrive and rest
Chengdu is at about 500 m[1], so there is no altitude to worry about. Check in, charge every battery and sleep. You will want the energy later.
Day 2: Chengdu by day
Go to the panda base early, when the animals are most active. The base was founded in 1987 with six rescued pandas[2]. In the afternoon, wander the old lanes while the light softens, and shoot a short blue-hour set before dinner.
Day 3: Chengdu to Chongqing
Take a morning train. The intercity high-speed line opened in December 2015 and runs about 307 km[3]. Fast trains take roughly 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 30 minutes[4].
Arrive at the station 30 to 40 minutes early, because bag checks apply[5]. You also need your passport to buy a ticket and pass the gates[6].
Drop your bags, rest in the afternoon and head out at dusk for the first night shoot along the river and the lit-up cliffs near Hongyadong.
Day 4: a slow morning, then Chongqing by day
Sleep in. Chongqing is steep, so a late start saves your legs. In the afternoon, walk around Jiefangbei, look down on the rivers from a high point and scout the angles you want for tonight.
Day 5: second night shoot
If the first evening was grey, use tonight for the same frames. If it was clear, try different viewpoints and longer exposures. Our Chongqing night-view guide explains whether two nights are enough for you.
Day 6: fly home
Keep the morning free and leave for the airport early. Pack camera batteries in your hand luggage, and check your airline’s rules on spare lithium batteries before you fly.
How long are the transfers?
The Chengdu to Chongqing leg is short on the train, but allow half a day around it for hotel check-out, the station and check-in. Read the Chengdu and Chongqing rail pair guide for how the stations work.
Where should you stay?
- Chengdu: near a metro line, since you will go out at dusk
- Chongqing: close to the riverfront and Jiefangbei, so you can walk back after a late shoot
Our Chongqing hotel areas guide shows how the hills change the walk. Think in areas, not hotel names, and ask whether a taxi can reach the door.
How can you adapt it?
- Shorter: skip Day 2 pandas and go to Chongqing a day earlier, but keep both night shoots.
- Seniors: pick viewpoints reached by taxi, not by long stairs.
- Halal meals: ask for Hui-run restaurants, because the Hui avoid pork[7]. Muslim-owned is not the same as certified.
What should you book ahead?
Book flights, the rail tickets once sales open, and any attraction that sells timed tickets. Ask the quote whether the hotel can hold gear before check-in.
Check the plan with the pace checker, then price it in ringgit with the budget planner. The itineraries topic page lists more routes.