A slow Sichuan holiday works when each day has one main sight, a long lunch and a rest. Chengdu is flat and gentle. Chongqing is dramatic but hilly, so we keep it to a short stay.
If your parents like to sit, look and eat, this plan gives them tea houses, panda viewing and a night view, and keeps the steps small.
Who is this route for?
It suits seniors, grandparents with their families and anyone who finds hills and crowds tiring. It also suits couples who want to eat well and not rush. It does not suit travellers who want long hikes or night markets every night.
Read the Chengdu or Chongqing first-base guide if you are not sure why we start in Chengdu.
What does the route look like?
- Day 1: arrive in Chengdu and rest
- Day 2: pandas in the morning, tea house in the afternoon
- Day 3: slow day: People’s Park and the old alleys
- Day 4: train to Chongqing, hotel rest
- Day 5: monorail, old town and river view
- Day 6: fly home
Day by day
Day 1: arrive and rest
Chengdu’s urban area is at about 500 m[1], so there is no altitude concern. Check in, eat a light dinner and sleep early.
Day 2: pandas and tea
Go to the panda base in the morning, when the animals are awake and the heat is mild. The base was founded in 1987 with six rescued pandas[2]. Our panda base guide covers the walking distance.
Spend the afternoon in a tea house, where everyone has a seat.
Day 3: a gentle city day
Sit in the shade at People’s Park and watch the city. The tea house guide explains how to order. Walk the Wide and Narrow Alleys for a short time and stop for lunch.
Day 4: train to Chongqing
Take a high-speed train. Chengdu East to Chongqing West takes roughly 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 30 minutes on typical fast trains[3]. Arrive at the station 30 to 40 minutes before departure at major stations, because there are X-ray bag checks[4].
You need your passport to buy the ticket and to pass the platform gates[5]. Check in, rest and eat nearby.
Day 5: monorail and river view
Ride the Liziba monorail, which passes through a building and needs no stairs once you are on the platform. Visit Ciqikou old town in the morning and see the river in the late afternoon.
Take taxis between sights rather than walking the hills.
Day 6: fly home
Leave for the airport with time to spare. Confirm your flight leaves from Chongqing, not Chengdu.
Where should you stay?
- Chengdu: close to a metro station, with a lift in the hotel
- Chongqing: near the river or the city centre, with a flat approach
The Chongqing hotel area guide explains the hills.
How can you adapt it?
- Wheelchair or stick: ask your agent for step-free viewpoints in Chongqing and book an accessible room.
- Shorter trip: drop Chongqing and add a rest day in Chengdu.
- Halal meals: ask for Hui-run restaurants, because the Hui avoid pork[6]. Muslim-owned is not the same as certified.
What should you book ahead?
Book flights, hotels and train tickets first. Ask the quote to show every rest day and any extra charge for a private car.
The number for an ambulance in China is 120[7]. Save it in your phone, and run the plan through the pace checker and the budget planner.