In the morning, your driver and guide will meet you at 8:00am of your Chengdu hotel then transfer to Chengdu Panda Base, need 30 minutes driving, 15km.

You will visit the Chengdu's Giant Panda Breeding Research Base which is home to over 80 of China's iconic pandas. Most are of the familiar black and white variety, but the Base is also home to a number of the smaller, lesser-known red pandas. You'll view the animals eating and at play in a carefully maintained habitat that is as close to their natural environment as possible. You'll also learn how scientists and ecologists are working to protect the few remaining wild pandas and expand the captive population. On that last note, over 100 bears have been born at the Base since 1987. The Base became even more important after the Sichuan earthquake of 2008, with eight bears sent here from the badly damaged Wolong reserve. Your visit provides both moral and financial support for the ongoing conservation effort.

Upon arrival in Leshan, you can have lunch at a restaurant within sight the Giant Buddha. You'll then explore the Giant Buddha and enjoy fantastic views of the surrounding landscape from atop the Buddha's head. You then pay a visit to Lingyun Temple and Museum and get a deeper insight into the history of this amazing Buddhist site and learn the story of the carving of the Giant Buddha. Dating from the 8th century, the Giant Buddha of Leshan is the largest carved stone Buddha and the tallest pre-modern statue in the world. It was cut from the cliffs of Lingyun Shan in the hopes of calming the turbulent waters of the three rivers that flow together under its gaze. Stairs are carved into the cliff that connect the area at the Buddha's feet with the land above, allowing you to view this astonishing sight from a range of vantage points. Views are stunning over elbows and knees, taking in the river scene and Leshan's skyline.

At the end, your guide will escort you to your hotel.