Louise on her tour of China.
Day 1
The flight from Sydney to Chengdu takes around 10 hours so Louise is glad to be flying overnight, eager not to waste any daylight hours in transit. Louise says she lucked out with Air China, stretching her legs in the exit row. After enjoying dinner and a film, which had subtitles in six different languages, she quickly nods off.Day 2
As the wheels hit the tarmac in Chengdu, Louise and her fellow travellers burst into excited chatter about the adventures to come. The group heads straight for the hotel to freshen up. “The rooms at the Crowne Plaza Panda Garden were beautiful and very modern”, Louise says. Travellers on the 10 day Charming Chengdu tour have some down time after the flight to relax and enjoy the hotel facilities. “Some of us had a swim at the indoor pool, some went to the bar, but I had a cheeky nap”, Louise admits. The hotel has two restaurants on-site, but there isn’t much else in the immediate vicinity. Tired from the flight, most travellers choose to eat at the hotel and have an early night. Louise and two other travellers decide to head into the city for dinner. The variety of restaurants they discover is well worth the 30-minute taxi ride.Day 3
To fuel up for a busy day of sightseeing, the group rendezvous in the main restaurant for a plentiful buffet breakfast. Setting out at 10am, the charming city of Chengdu begins to unfold. Kicking things off with a visit to Jinil Street, Louise wanders in and out of boutique stores, tasting delicious street food along the way. Making sure to save room for lunch, the group arrive at an ornately-decorated restaurant. Banquet-style dining throughout the trip ensures no one ever leaves hungry. “There’s always a mix of western-style Chinese and local food”, Louise says. After lunch, the group continues on to the ‘People Park’. “It was beautiful”, Louise tells us. “It gave us a chance to relax, but still learn about Chengdu people’s lifestyle and history.” The day ends with a special treat – a Chinese Opera Performance. This is something not on the regular itinerary but can be organised on the day if travellers are keen to experience this unique part of Chinese culture. Although the performance is not in English, the show is still entertaining.
Old buildings in Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley, Chengdu, Sichuan
Day 4
For animal lovers, this day is usually the highlight. Heading to Chengdu’s western district, the group arrives at the famous Chengdu Panda Sanctuary. “It was very open and you could see that the pandas were treated well. This was great and a highlight of the trip,” says Louise. After snapping plenty of selfies of the loveable creatures, the group head for Chengdu’s premier shopping district. Plenty of lunch options are available including fast food, sit-down restaurants, western and traditional Chinese cuisine. Dining out in China is generally quite cheap so it’s easy for travellers to stay within their budget. Returning to the hotel to gather their things and checking out, the group make their way to the second hotel, the Holiday Inn. “I was very impressed with the accommodation standards”, Louise says. SNA Tours exclusively use minimum 4-star hotels on their trips.
Chengdu Panda Sanctuary
Day 5
After another delightful breakfast, Louise jumps on one of the optional excursions on offer throughout the tour. The day trip to Leshan Buddha requires an early start. At the end of the three-hour drive, an enormous Buddha carved out of a cliff face greets the group. The impressive 71-metre tall statue was built between AD713-803. Though some parts are under restoration, it is still a sight to behold. A boat trip takes the group to the foot of the statue, which sits at the junction of the Min and Dadu Rivers. After a quick lunch, the group head to Leshan’s Old Town for a spot of shopping and people-watching. “The old-style buildings and shops were stunning”, Louise tells us. The drive back to the hotel is long, around 2.5 hours, but it gives the group a chance to rest and work up their appetite for tonight’s feast – a traditional hot pot dinner in the hotel restaurant (at an additional cost).
The 71m tall Giant Buddha (Dafo), carved out of the mountain in the 8th century CE, Leshan, Sichuan province
Day 6
The trip’s mid-way point brings a change of scenery, and transportation. Waving goodbye to Chengdu, the group gears up for a scenic 6.5-hour train ride. Bobbing in the port at Yichang, their luxury Yangtze River Cruise awaits. After check-in, Louise admits she’s pleasantly surprised with the ship. “The common areas are inviting and the cabins are very comfortable,” Louise tells us. Dinner onboard is plentiful and filling. Some members of her group stay for a drink at the bar, but Louise opts for an early night.Day 7
Each morning on the ship, travellers enjoy a buffet breakfast between 7-8am. Louise chooses to upgrade to the VIP dining experience for a touch of extra luxury. Full and ready to explore, she heads out on an optional excursion to the Tribe of the Three Gorges. “The tour guides had a good level of English. There was lots of walking but all at a slow pace,” says Louise. “It was an interesting way to learn about the ‘Ba’ and ‘Shu’ people’s culture. The second excursion of the day takes Louise to the spectacular Three Gorges Dam site. Boarding a smaller boat, the group travel through the dam shiplift and set out on foot to explore the wilderness. The sail back to the cruise ship takes around an hour. After dinner, Louise enjoys a drink at the main bar and swaps holiday stories with her fellow travellers.
Three Gorges dam China. Picture: Louise Shuhin
Day 8
Today, the group sets off to explore the Lesser Three Gorges. This optional tour comes highly recommended as it’s “very scenic and possible for anyone, regardless of fitness level”, according to Louise. Louise chooses to transfer to a smaller private boat at an additional cost but tells us it was well worth it. “It was more serene and allowed for great pictures,” Louise says. Returning to the ship after lunch, Louise takes on the White Emperor City tour. Although worthwhile, she says this is the most physically demanding excursion on the tour. The walk up to the Buddhist temples requires a lot of stairs, so travellers with mobility or fitness restrictions should consider skipping this one. Luckily, Louise has a delicious meal to look forward to on her return. This evening, the staff onboard put on a music show for the passengers.
Walkway Built on Mountain Precipice in the Three Lesser Gorges – Wushan, Chongqing, China
Day 9
A quiet morning onboard the ship, Louise and her fellow passengers enjoy some downtime and take some photos of the Yangtze River and surroundings. After lunch, the group embark on a visit to the Fengdu Ghost City. The group encounter a fair number of stairs, but they cut their uphill hike in half by riding the cable car to the top. The group discovers a range of Buddhist and Tao temples littered throughout the hilltop. “The guide told us this is the place where they believe people go for judgement after they die”, Louise recounts. After a rather ominous, but enlightening, day in Fengdu Ghost City, the mood lifts at dinner. The passengers participate in a live talent show, clinking glasses and laughing along with each other.Day 10
Disembarking around 8am, the group welcomes the feeling of solid ground, heading into the city of Chongqing. This isn’t included in the itinerary, but the SNA team will try to squeeze in additional experiences if time permits. They visit the Chongqing History Museum, a thriving shopping district called Hongyadong and a street food hub known as ‘Ciqikou’. After soaking up as much of the city as possible, the group piles into the bus and heads back to Chengdu. The tour ends in high spirits as passengers say their goodbyes and board they return flights home.
Chongqing, China at Great Hall of the People and People’s Square
We asked Louise a few final questions about her overall experience with SNA.
- What should travellers know before embarking on an SNA Tour? “For tours that include a Yangtze River Cruise, passengers cannot get off the boat unless they book an optional excursion. Some of the optional excursions require a bit of walking so you should ask the tour guide if it’s suitable for you before you book. These excursions can be added prior to departure or as you go. Also, itinerary changes can also occur due to weather or traffic conditions but it’s generally for the best.”
- What was the highlight of the trip? “Definitely visit the Panda Research Centre. It wasn’t a regular zoo. The pandas each had plenty of bamboo to chomp on and so much room to move around. We could walk around the lush, green gardens and see the new-born baby pandas rolling about. Another highlight for me was Chengdu city. It’s smaller and more authentic than Shanghai and Beijing. I loved the spicy Sichuan food!”
- Why should MyDiscoveries customers book a trip to China with SNA? “I’ve travelled to China several times before, but the SNA itinerary allowed me to visit a few lesser-known spots. Most of the crowds go to Beijing, but Chengdu and the Yangtze River show a different side of China.”
