Private Leshan Giant Buddha and Local Food Tasting Trip
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Chengdu, China
- 8 to 9 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
The 1,300-year-old Leshan Giant Buddha—the largest stone Buddha in the world—is one of China’s most visited UNESCO World Heritage sites. Navigating the crowds and logistics on your own can be challenging, but this private tour from Chengdu simplifies the experience by combining insight with a guide-led route. Gain deeper insight into the Buddha's history and significance before sampling authentic local cuisine at a nearby restaurant for a well-rounded, cultural day out.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off included for a seamless experience
- Travel by high-speed rail from Chengdu to save precious vacation time
- Eat like a local with a restaurant lunch of typical Sichuan cuisine
- Entrance fees are included for ease
What's Included
- Professional English-speaking tour guide
- Tasty lunch in authentic local restaurant
- Free hotel tour guide pickup and drop-off service with 3rd ring road.
- Private transportation in Leshan ( from Leshan railway station -Leshan Giant Buddha-lunch place-railway station)
- Public transportation(Metro or taxi) to/from Chengdu railway station from Chengdu hotel
- Chengdu-Leshan roundtrip high-speed train ticket
- Private expenses
- River Cruise to view Leshan Giant Buddha(120rmb/person)
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
We offer free hotel pick-up&drop-off within 3rd ring road
Operating hours
- 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2028
Monday - Sunday : 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Itinerary
1
Chengdu East Railway Station East Square
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Leshan Giant Buddha (Da Fo)
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
3
Leshan
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please provide all travelers' names & passport numbers at time of booking for purchasing train tickets
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Subject to availability of high speed train. If no train ticket available, tour operator will use private car for transportation instead
- During busy season, there might be a wait of more than an hour to go down to the foot of Giant Buddha. In this case, a river cruise is recommended (own expense).
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Near public transportation
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- Other language((besides English and Chinese) tour guide is depend on the availability
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 46 reviews
Cecilia_N, Aug 2024
it was quite busy and crowded but fortunately we were with our guide Molly who speaks English very well and she was so kind and she explained to us a lot of aspects of local Chinese culture, very interesting!! The boat tour was beautiful, Giant Buddha was Amazing!
Irene P, Jan 2020
What an amazing tour! Everything was super well organized and I really loved every minute of it. Taking the train is definitely the way to go as we didn’t have to deal with traffic despite the fact that it was a holiday.
JosephC2717, Sep 2019
Had a great day, The Tour guide - Sharlene. was on time, in fact she arrived early, The tour was well organised, went off without a hitch. Sharlene's English was good, and has a lot of knowledge. she was able to answer any of my questions. The Buddah was magnificent, well worth seeing. Went on a weekday to avoid the tourist jam
Response from Host, Sep 2019
Hi Joseph,
Very glad you had a good time with Sharlene.
It is true to avoid weekend and any other public holidays :)
Thank you again for taking your time to leave a review for us.
Best Regards
Lily Chen
Natalie K, Apr 2018
Flora was a tremendous guide, and this was a tremendous and very well organised day! Flora - who is very relaxed, chatty and full of interesting information - met us at our hotel, ahead of a short metro, and hour or so train ride to Leshan. From there we were met by a driver who took us to a local hot spot for some super-delicious food. Flora ordered perfectly, and was also kind enough to jot down a few other dishes and restaurants that she thought we might enjoy back in Chengdu. The Buddha is an jaw-dropping feat of design and engineering, Giant indeed, and we took the not very hard route down to its feet, and back up and though the UNESCO national park, all the time, happily nattering away. Travelling back, we could not help but notice the traffic jams from the train window, and were very pleased that we opted for this time saving, and scenic option. We highly recommend this day tour, and Flora as a guide.
Brian L, Feb 2018
Our guide, Terry, was really nice and knowledgeable. The lunch provided was good, too even though the food was very oily. However, the trip out there took FOREVER. It was 2.5 hours each way. Also, we had to pay 70 RMB extra each to see the entire Buddha. The line to climb down was INSANE, so we skipped it. As we were waiting in line for the boat to see the Buddha, we were told that the water was too law, and the only we we could see the Buddha was by speedboat. So that's what we did. It was kind of annoying because the boat took us out there, let us take pictures for 5 minutes, and then took us back. Only about 10 minutes total trip. Plus, this trip was VERY overpriced. Only do it if you have money to burn in your pocket.
Response from Host, Feb 2018
TOUR OPERATOR COMMENT: Thanks for your review and affirmation of our guide service and meal arrangement. We're sorry that the travel experience did not meet your expectations. However, the heavy traffic, long queues, and crowds during the Chinese New Year Holiday was unfortunately out of our control.
As mentioned in advance of your tour date, the train tickets had already sold out by the time you had booked and we offered either a cancellation with full refund or a private vehicle at an additional cost. Please understand, the private vehicle did contribute to the price which was higher than this tour typically costs, as did the fact that you requested pick up outside the 3rd Ring Road, which added to the cost and time incurred.
Other operators were charging a premium rate for private vehicles as all other methods of transportation were sold out, but we did everything in our power to keep costs to a minimum for your stay. We're sorry to hear this affected your overall enjoyment of the tour but hope you had an enjoyable stay in Chengdu.
Justin Gar Wai L, Nov 2017
To say that I had a tremendous experience would be an overwhelming understatement. Amy X was exceptionally early and punctual in all of our agendas. Incredibly friendly, intuitive,knowledgeable in historical facts has keen culinary interest,well spoken English . We sang Beatles songs and had some good mood food after the tour. Should I ever venture into a business in tourism in Chengdu I would steal Amy from you. She has an indelible passion for all the great ornaments Chengdu has to offer.Thanks a million TripAdvisor and please thank Amy X. I left my heart in Chengdu. Ciao
Alison W, Oct 2017
The day didn't meet expectations. I know it was golden week and the whole of China was on the move. We left the hotel at 5.50am to get to see the Buddha . When we got there the queues were 4 hours long. I suggested a plan B. The guide was very sweet but spent a lot of time on her mobile or asleep in car or train. We then spent two hours at the train station on our return trip instead of looking at local things of interest. Lunch was very nice. So the day could have been better planned.
Response from Host, Oct 2017
TOUR OPERATOR COMMENT: We're sorry to hear the trip did not meet your expectation. Regrettably, the time you traveled with us was Golden Week, which is incredibly busy. We tried to book the earliest train to get to Leshan Giant Buddha early enough to avoid the crowds but even with doing so there was still long queues. As an insider, we always recommend trying to avoid travel during busy public holidays so the excess crowds do not reduce the experience. We hope you were still able to enjoy your time in Chengdu.
Eduardo H, Sep 2017
Great experience with our guide Heather, she is very knowledgeable and fluent in English. Leshan is quite the sight to behold, impressive structure and the confluence of the three rivers is astonishing. The caves with contemporary Buddhist carvings is also beautiful -not ancient, but still imposing and beautiful.
Ramses D, Jul 2017
Penny was a great tour guide. Very knowledgeable about the history of the Leshan Buddha! Punctual and communicated well in English! Had a great time with her as my tour guide!
Bronwyn P, May 2017
Fantastic tour! Our wonderful guide Cassie made it more like a day hanging out with a new friend (with excellent local knowledge) than like being on a tour. The Buddha is incredible, a must see. The food in the fishing village was so delicious and the view just gorgeous. Do this tour!
Chalita S, Apr 2017
It was very nice trip. Starting with High speed train which is convenience and comfortable for me and my mom. We had spend a whole day in Giant Buddha. The local delicious nice lunch was offered. Highly recommended for who have a short time visit in Chengdu.
Lisa M, Apr 2017
This is a great tour - but what made it truly memorable and special was my guide Penny! We had a blast - and she was able to give me lots of insight into the history of what we were seeing. She also knows all the ins and outs of navigating the sites. Fabulous day! But wear walking shoes and be prepared to walk and climb! I'm very fit and thoroughly enjoyed the physical aspect of the day, but if you aren't especially fit, you might find it a bit taxing. And ask for PENNY!!!
Chris F, Apr 2017
This tour was excellent, very well organised and trouble free. Our guide, Jamie, was very energetic, very professional and knowledgeable, a lot of fun, spoke excellent English and she made our trip a fabulous experience. The bullet train ride to and from Leshan gave us an opportunity to see a lot of great countryside and experience a little of the Chinese way of life.
The giant Buddha was amazing, both up close and from the river boat cruise and lunch at the local village was delicious. We even has some time to explore the local markets and stroll along the river.
I would recommend the trip to all but don't forget to ask for Jamie.
Richard L, Mar 2017
Lily Chen of West China Go Travel Service is fantastic! Before our travels, she was very helpful in answering all my questions about timing and food preferences. She communicates very well in English, and she is very knowledgeable about the Leshan Giant Buddha and surrounding area. We enjoyed the high speed train ride, seeing the Giant Buddha, and touring the temple grounds, the fishing village where we ate, and even old Leshan -- where we saw daily life in the market and nearby, as well as walked along the waterfront and old wall to get another look at the Buddha from across the river. At the end of the day, Lily even rode the metro with us to Tianfu Square to explain the Mao statue. A magnificent and memorable day, thanks to our guide Lily Chen.
Ramn_S, Jan 2017
First off, we really need to thank Lily Chen from the West China Go Travel Services for coordinating our tour. The week we were supposed to travel to Chengdu, our infant baby fell ill and we couldn't make the trip to China. Since we had already booked our tours, we contacted Viator and Ms. Chen kindly understood our predicament and rescheduled us for the tour the following week after our child recovered and graciously waived all trip/cancellation fees for the high-speed train. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Ivy, who was kind, pleasant and very informative. The high-speed train was fun and the Leshan Giant Buddha was awe-inspiring. It was quite busy that day so, with an infant child, we decided to forgo walking the many steps down and around the Buddha. We believe it would have been magnificent but we were just being cautious about our child. Instead, Ivy guided us one of the ferry boats that sailed in front of the Buddha for a wonderful view and photo ops. That was also a spectacular view. Ivy also took us to have a nice Chinese lunch overlooking the Minjiang River. We enjoyed the rustic and traditional experience. There was a lot of ground covered in one day to see one major, yet historical, landmark but it was well worth it. Ms. Chen and Ivy made the experience even more pleasant and enjoyable.
James L, Dec 2016
We had an amazing time. The guide Cassie was very well informed and helpful. Strongly recommend this tour.
s4040, Dec 2016
Private Leshan Giant Buddha Tour from Chengdu with High Speed Train was one of our most memorable day trip in China due to Lily Chen, who was our local guide. Lily speaks excellent English and customized our tour as per our request. Lily genuinely enjoys what she does and made us feel at home from the moment the tour started. As part of the Leshan Giant Buddha trip we visited the nearby fishing village and had our lunch in one of the family restaurant there. The meal that we had there was one of our best meal in China. We are so glad that we followed Lilys recommendation. With Lily you are always in great hand. The Leshan Giant Buddha along with Giant Panda are must see if you visit Chengdu.
David B, Nov 2016
We had an absolutely amazing day with Lily from WestChinaGo Travel Service. The entire experience was incredibly personalized, well-balanced, and fun from start to finish. Lily was extremely professional and thoughtful and incredibly responsive to our inquiries and needs. Would absolutely recommend this tour and Lily!
BarbaraJ_B, Oct 2016
If you want to experience a real authentic, Chinese, culture experience, then this is THE way to do it! We had a wonderful time and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Our guide, Mrs. Lili was the perfect tour guide: experienced knowledgeable, friendly and full of good humor and spirit. We ventured on to the high speed train which was a very comfortable and smooth ride to Leshan that only lasted an hour. We were the driven by a personnel river to the Leshan Giant Buddha entrance and had a wonderful time during the visit to the temple at the top of the Buddha and also when going down alongside the Buddha. After having been in awe of the giant Buddha at its feet we went on to the hike up the trail to the top. We did not go the normal route but instead went the side route that ended in a local fishing village. We were then invited for a local lunch at one of the fishermans stalls. This is the best Chinese cuisine we ever tasted and it was delicious! The traditional Sichuan kitchen is the bomb! We then proceeded along the canal that provided some beautiful scenery. Afterwards our driver took us into the area of Leshan down town where we sipped a wonderful jasmine tea at a local tea house alongside the river. Afterwards we were treated to the wonderful , colors, smells and sights and sounds of the local market in town. Our trip ended with the high speed train taking us back. Our guide, Mrs. Lili was so kind to show us the way to the ancient streets in Chengdu where we were able to browse for some wonderful souvenirs. We are very grateful to Mrs. Lily for showing us this wonderful place called Leshan and for taking us to see the giant Buddha and its surroundings. An unforgettable journey into authentic Chinese culture, which was worth every penny!
craig g, Jun 2016
Wonderful day trip perhaps we were a little lucky with the weather as it wasn't too hot. Guide was very well informed and took us to a wonderful local address for lunch. The walk down the side of the Buddha was rather crowded but well worth it when you reach the foot and look back at the marvelous Buddha above you.
Diana N, Jun 2016
It was a very enjoyable day. Our guide was knowledgeable and she never rushed us through the itinerary like some others might. The Leshan Giant Buddha is very impressive!
Sylvie B, May 2016
We had a great time. Our guide was awesome, so informative and interesting.
This is a must see.
From $199.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Private Leshan Giant Buddha and Local Food Tasting Trip
46
9 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$199.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in Chengdu, China
- Du Fu Cottage Tours & Tickets
- Dujiangyan Irrigation System Tours & Tickets
- Luodai Ancient Town Tours & Tickets
- Leshan Giant Buddha (Da Fo) Tours & Tickets
- Wenshu Monastery (Wenshu Yuan) Tours & Tickets
- Wuhou Memorial Temple (Temple of Marquis Wu) Tours & Tickets
- Huanglongxi Ancient Town Tours & Tickets
- Shufen Yayun Teahouse (Shufeng Yayun) Tours & Tickets
- Museum of Sichuan Cuisine (Chuancai Bowuguan) Tours & Tickets
- Jiuzhai Valley National Park (Jiuzhaigou) Tours & Tickets
- Jinsha Site Museum Tours & Tickets
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Tours & Tickets
- Sanxingdui Museum Tours & Tickets
- Kuan Zhai Alley (Kuan Zhai Xiang Zi) Tours & Tickets
More attractions near Chengdu, China
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Tours & Tickets
- Leshan Giant Buddha (Da Fo) Tours & Tickets
- Dujiangyan Panda Base Tours & Tickets
- Jiuzhai Valley National Park (Jiuzhaigou) Tours & Tickets
- Huanglong National Park (Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area) Tours & Tickets
- Mt. Emei (Emeishan) Tours & Tickets
- Sanxingdui Museum Tours & Tickets