Guizhou + Sichuan Emei-Leshan 8-Day Tour: How to Experience the Best of Both Provinces in One Itinerary

Mr. Tan from Singapore, traveling with his family of three, wants to visit both the Guizhou Miao Villages and Mount Emei in Sichuan on a single trip. How should we connect these two destinations? Is 8 days enough? Will it be too tiring for our child, who is 12 years old, to climb?

We've operated this cross-province route for 7–8 years, guiding at least 20+ overseas Chinese families each summer. Today, we'll break down the itinerary and share our hands-on experience.

Guizhou Section (4 Days): Miao Villages, Ancient Towns, Huangguoshu Waterfall

Day 1: Pick up at Guiyang Airport, visit Qingyun Market in the afternoon. Enjoy sour soup fish for dinner, then stay near Guanshanhu for easy access to your next activities.

Day 2: 3.5-hour drive to Xijiang Miao Village. Explore the village at a leisurely pace in the afternoon, enjoy the night view from the observation deck at dusk, and stay in a scenic homestay with balconies overlooking the stilt houses.

Day 3: Travel from Xijiang to Zhenyuan Ancient Town (approx. 2.5 hours). Have lunch by the Wuyang River, visit Qinglong Cave and the Old Lane, then stay overnight in Zhenyuan to enjoy the night view.

Day 4: Head to Huangguoshu from Zhenyuan (approx. 4 hours). Visit Doupotang first, then Tianxingqiao, and end with the main Huangguoshu Waterfall—walk through the Water Curtain Cave for a closer look.

MeituShuo ReminderFor Xijiang Miao Village, arrive by 3 PM for the best lighting. After 5 PM, the viewing platform will be backlit. For Huangguoshu Waterfall, visit the Water Curtain Cave first before heading to the front. It's less crowded in the morning; tour groups arrive in the afternoon.

Cross-province connection: High-speed rail from Guiyang to Chengdu takes 7 hours.

Day 5 is a travel day. Take the high-speed train from Guiyang North to Chengdu East (approx. 7 hours, Second Class ¥458), then transfer directly in Chengdu for the high-speed train to Leshan (1 hours).

Viewed the Giant Buddha in Leshan this afternoon. We recommend taking a boat for a distant view at 90 per person; it offers the most complete photo of the full statue. Walking down via the boardwalk is also possible, but expect queues of at least 1 hours during peak season. The steps are narrow and difficult to pass, making it less suitable for families with children. The entrance fee is 80.

Avoid These PitfallsLeshan Giant Buddha: The wooden walkway queues are long during peak season; wait times often exceed 2 hours after 3 PM. Arrive early to catch the first batch at 8 AM, or take the boat instead of deciding to climb last minute in the afternoon.

MeituShuo ReminderQueueing for the Leshan Giant Buddha plank road during peak season can be exhausting. We generally recommend arriving right at opening time (8) or taking a boat tour to save time and effort while enjoying more breathtaking panoramic views.

Emei & Leshan 3 Days: Giant Buddha, Mount Emei, Golden Summit

Day 6: Travel from Leshan to Mount Emei (approx. 1.5 hours). After touring the Baoguosi area, take the sightseeing bus to Leidongping, walk to Jieyindian, and ride the cable car to the Golden Summit.

View the sunrise at the Golden Summit at 5 AM on Day 7. The climb from Jieyin Hall to the Golden Summit involves nearly 3800 steps; most guests take the cable car one-way for 30 yuan. When the sun rises above the sea of clouds, the Ten-Faced Samantabhadra Golden Statue glows gold—a sight worth waking up early for. Temperatures are low year-round, so bring a heavy jacket even in summer.

Watch the Emei macaques near Qingyin Pavilion on your way down. These monkeys are not afraid of people. Keep your food and phone tightly secured; at least four or five guests per tour have had their snacks snatched.

Avoid These PitfallsMacques are active at Qingyin Pavilion and the First Line Sky area on Mount Emei. Please exercise extra caution with children and seniors: keep backpack zippers closed, store handbags securely, and do not feed snacks in public (monkeys may snatch them). We remind every tour group, yet incidents still occur annually.

Day 8: Take the high-speed train from Mount Emei back to Chengdu (approx. 1.5 hours). In the morning, explore Jinli or Kuanzhai Alley. In the afternoon, fly home from Chengdu. If you have extra energy, add a visit to Suqi Ancient Town in Leshan the day before to enjoy authentic Qiaojiao Beef and Sweet Skin Duck.

Transportation and Costs

High-speed train from Guiyang to Chengdu (second class): 458 yuan. Tickets are generally available when booked two weeks in advance. Round-trip sightseeing bus at Mount Emei: 90 yuan. Summit cable car: 30 up, 20 down. Total cost per person exceeds 300 yuan.

Most hassle-free option: We provide a private car with a driver for the Guizhou section, and our local ground partner of 5 years handles the Sichuan leg. We oversee quality throughout, so you won't need to worry about connections from Guiyang to Leshan to Emei.

Total budget for 8 days and 7 nights is approximately 7000–8500 USD per person, including private car rental, accommodation, inter-provincial high-speed rail tickets, entrance fees, tour guide services, and specialty meals.

A few closing remarks.

Experience Guizhou's mountains and rivers plus Emei's sea of clouds. 8 days to explore the highlights of both provinces at a relaxed pace, perfect for families. We handle airport pickup in Guiyang, drop-off in Chengdu, cross-province transfers, local transportation, and accommodations—you just pack and go.

Read more

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