5 Days | Sichuan: Interesting Parent-Child Tour

Tour Overview

Cradled by the Himalayas and the Yangtze River, Sichuan is China’s cultural and culinary treasure trove. From the numbing spice of Sichuan peppercorns to the serene beauty of Jiuzhaigou Valley, this province dazzles with contrasts—ancient Buddhist temples whisper beside neon-lit cities, while giant pandas munch bamboo in misty mountains.

During this five-day parent-child tour, you will delve into the Giant Panda Research Base and children will act as "panda nannies" to clean enclosures and make panda food, participate in panda behavior observation and bamboo leaf feeding, and obtain an NGO-certified volunteer certificate. What's more, they will simulate archaeological excavation in a replica excavation square and polish ancient-style jade artifacts, unlocking a new archaeological experience in Sanxingdui Museum. In the Sichuan Cuisine Museum, they will view a thousand-year-old kitchenware exhibition to experience the traditional craftsmanship of hundreds of Sichuan snacks—such as grinding chili peppers by hand and cooking Gongbao Chicken, and take home the delicious memories of Sichuan cuisine. Besides, professional tutors will explain the interactive principles of Yuzui, Feisha Yan, and Baopingkou, and participants will use bamboo cages and wooden frameworks to recreate Li Bing's wisdom in Dujiangyan.

If you want to feel the glamour of Chinese poems, you can sail through time with poetry to converse with the Poet-Saint, using the cottage as a scroll to unlock the vivid Chengdu depicted in Tang poems at Du Fu's Thatched Cottage. In Kuanzhai Alleys, visitors will encounter intangible heritage inheritors like face-changing artists and sugar painting craftsmen, also savor century-old authentic snacks and exquisite afternoon tea, ultimately embracing a slow-paced life to enjoy a wonderful vacation.

 

Highlights of this tour:

1.Become a Panda Nanny and gain internationally certified volunteer experience.

2. Dive into the bronze workshop at Sanxingdui Museum for an immersive archaeological experience to uncover the lost-wax bronze casting technique, and hand-cast mini bronze artifacts.

3. Experience wonderful taste on your tongue at the Sichuan Cuisine Museum.

4. Witness the world heritage water management code at Dujiangyan and appreciate the ancient philosophy of harmony between human and nature.

5. Explore the architectural secrets of Western Sichuan dwellings in the old Chengdu of Kuanzhai Alleys and experience the unique covered-bowl tea ceremony.

6. Cultivate childlike poetic charm at Du Fu's Thatched Cottage and enjoy the a traditional poetry game of Tang poems.

 

Day-by-day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu (Shenzhen - Chengdu ZH9401 07:50-10:30)

Upon arrival in Chengdu, your driver will meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel. After check-in, you can relax and explore Chengdu's vibrant atmosphere at your free time, maybe take a scroll through the local markets and try the authentic Sichuan cuisine.

Meal: N/A

Hotel: Chengdu Hotel

 

Day 2: Sichuan Cuisine Museum and Dujiangyan Experience

Hotel Opening Ceremony → Sichuan Cuisine Museum → Dujiangyan → Nanqiao Bridge

After breakfast, set off for the Sichuan Cuisine Museum. Its aim is to learn about the evolution of Sichuan cuisine, taste Sichuan specialty snacks in the Shaocheng Food Area, such as Zhong Shui Jiao (dumplings in chili sauce), Long Chao Shou (wonton), Dandan Noodles, etc. With regard to the intangible cultural heritage cooking technique experience, your kids will enjoy making tender and delicious Gongbao Chicken and spicy Mapo Tofu, they will put on a chef's hat and apron to make panda-shaped steamed dumplings, and understand the stories of Sichuan cuisine through the ages. Afterwards, the museum holds a closing ceremony, where the intangible cultural heritage inheritor awards the course certificates and kids summarize and share the day's gains.

After that, you will be taken to Dujiangyan, a world heritage site featuring damless water diversion. It consists of three main projects: Yuzui (Fish Mouth), Feisha Yan (Flying Sand Weir), and Baopingkou (Jade Bottle Neck), scientifically solving problems of water distribution, sediment discharge, and flow control, making the Chengdu Plain a "land of abundance", where "floods and droughts are controlled, and the fields are fertile for thousands miles". Until now, it still plays a vital role in irrigation and flood control. As an outstanding example of ancient technology and wisdom, the scenic area not only exists spectacular water conservancy projects but also boasts historical and cultural relics like Erwang Temple, Fulong Guan (Fulong Temple), Anlan Rope Bridge, and beautiful natural scenery. Visitors can feel the wisdom of the ancients, appreciate the beauty of western Sichuan landscapes, and experience profound historical and cultural heritage here.

Afterwards, you can experience Nanqiao Bridge, where the thousand-year water capital dreams meet the Blue Bridge. When night falls, Nanqiao is bathed in a sea of lights with neon lights on the bridge shining brightly like a dream and the Minjiang River flows slowly under the bridge in the quiet night, thus presenting a magical blue light against the illumination, as if stars from the sky have fallen to the earth and become twinkling blue tears exuding alluring light. The beauty of "Blue Tears" is no accident but a masterpiece of the thousand-year-old Dujiangyan water conservancy project. It is not merely a unique landscape of Dujiangyan but also a symbol of the ancient city's culture. It has witnessed the rise and fall of Dujiangyan over the millennia, carrying people's respect and emotion for the water irrigation project. Each drop of blue tear is a tribute to history and a hope for the future.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Hotel: Dujiangyan Hotel

 

Day 3: Kids' Volunteer Experience & Kuanzhai Alleys Exploration

Children's Panda Base Volunteering / Parents' Exquisite Afternoon Tea → Kuanzhai Alleys 

After breakfast, children can engage in volunteer experience at the Panda Paradise. The Dujiangyan Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, also known as "Panda Paradise" or "Dujiangyan Giant Panda Garden", it is located on Huaizhong Road, Shiqiao Village, Qingsheng Town. Adjacent to the World Heritage-listed giant panda habitat area, it boasts a climate and natural environment ideal for giant pandas. As the only domestic scientific research institution focusing on giant panda disease prevention and control as well as wild rescue, the park features lush bamboo groves and verdant bamboo, patches of lawn, a well as winding walkways. Stepping inside, one will instantly feel refreshed. Parents can head to Qingcheng Mountain to savor Zhang's Fermented Glutinous Rice Snacks, century-old authentic local treats, and exquisite afternoon tea.

After the delicate afternoon tea, you will leave for exploring Kuanzhai Alleys. In old Chengdu, tea-drinking is a form of social interaction, and such lively, everyday pleasures are an integral part of people's daily lives. Tea houses are not just places to drink tea but also social hubs where citizens gather. The tea, teapots, and even the way of refilling water here all carry human warmth and stories behind them. Kuanzhai Alleys consist of three parallel lanes: Kuan Alley (Wide Alley), Zhai Alley (Narrow Alley), and Jing Alley (Well Alley). Kuan Alley exudes a strong nostalgic charm, preserving quadrangle dwellings and old-fashioned residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Zhai Alley is a street with a slow-living district showcasing Chengdu's courtyard culture. Jing Alley, adjacent to the southern side of Kuanzhai Alleys, connects Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley. In the Qing Dynasty, it was named Ruyi Hutong and Mingde Hutong.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

Hotel: Chengdu Hotel

 

Day 4: Bronze Workshop Experience 

Sanxingdui Museum→ Bronze Workshop Experience 

After breakfast, proceed to the Sanxingdui Museum, a place that slept for thousands of years and astonished the world upon its discovery. This thematic museum displays cultural relics unearthed from the Sanxingdui Ruins, an ancient Shu civilization site dating from approximately 4800 to 3100 years ago, hailed as "one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of humanity in the 20th century". The museum's Comprehensive Hall unlocks pottery, jade artifacts, bronze wares, and other relics, introducing the historical context of the ancient Shu civilization. The Bronze Hall, themed around bronze wares, exhibits precious relics such as the Bronze Sacred Tree, Bronze Standing Statue, and Bronze Masks, embodying the sacrificial culture and artistic achievements of the ancient Shu people. Its Sacrificial Pit Exhibition Area reproduces the excavation site of the Sanxingdui sacrificial pits and allows visitors to feel the mystery and shock of archaeology.

Afterwards, an archaeological experience in the bronze workshop will be arranged. Led by teachers, children will visit the largest bronze ware production workshop in Southwest China, which can deepen their understanding about the craftsmanship of bronze wares and learn the differences between the casting method and the lost-wax casting technique. By visiting the four production workshops—mold making, pattern making, casting, and finishing—kids can observe the entire production process of bronze wares, listen to the stories of bronze craftsmen, and gain the most intuitive insights of the production flow of bronze wares. Ultimately, they will witness the birth of bronze wares firsthand and experience the enormous charm of bronze culture!

Meal: Breakfast 

Hotel: Chengdu Hotel

 

Day 5: Departure

Du Fu's Thatched Cottage → Airport → Shenzhen (ZH9408 18:30-21:15)

After breakfast in the hotel, head to Du Fu's Thatched Cottage, which sits in the Huanhua Brook outside the west gate of Chengdu. It was the former residence of Du Fu, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty, during his sojourn in Chengdu. Du Fu lived here for nearly four years, composing over 240 poems. In the late Tang Dynasty, poet Wei Zhuang found the cottage ruins and rebuilt the thatched house, ensuring its preservation. It was repaired and expanded in successive dynasties including the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing. The current cottage covers an area of nearly 49 acres, still completely retaining the architectural layout from its renovations in the 13th year of Hongzhi in the Ming Dynasty (1500 AD) and the 16th year of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty (1811 AD). With its simple and elegant architecture and quiet, beautiful gardens, as a holy land in Chinese literary history, it is well worth a careful visit to appreciate its glamour. After lunch, you will be escorted to the station/airport according to the flight schedule for your onward journey.

Meal: Breakfast

Tour Price ($=USD)

From $ P.P, which is based on a private tour for 2-16 people.

The price varies depending on the activity, number of people, travel date, and selected hotel.

 

Price Includes

√ Flight Tickets: Round-trip tickets between Shenzhen and Chengdu;

√ Transportation: Dedicated chauffeur service for airport/station pick-up and drop-off;

√ Included Tickets: Dujiangyan Scenic Area (with round-trip sightseeing bus & audio guide), Panda Paradise or Wolong Chinese Giant Panda Garden, Sanxingdui Museum (with audio guide), Du Fu's Thatched Cottage;

√ Experience Projects: Research-based Labor Course (New Chef) at Sichuan Cuisine Museum (visit + hands-on making Gongbao Chicken & panda-shaped steamed dumplings + social practice certificate), archaeological experience at Bronze Workshop, panda volunteer experience (both volunteer work and workshop include certificates);

√ Parents' activity: Tasting century-old authentic snacks + exquisite afternoon tea (parents do not participate in experience projects);

√ Meals: 4 breakfasts in the hotel, 1 meal of Chengdu famous snacks, 1 Sichuan-style hot pot, 1 simple meal for panda volunteer work, 1 meal of Dujiangyan century-old brand snacks, 1 exquisite afternoon tea;

√ Accommodation: Listed in the itinerary;

√ Guide Service: Professional tour guide service for knowledge interpretation and thoughtful service;

√ Other Inclusions: Basic travel accident insurance, official travel invoices (issued after the activity ends), mineral water, souvenirs, etc.;

√ Children's Package: Round-trip flight tickets, half-price tickets, parent-child experience projects, parking fees, guide service.

Price Excludes

√ Items not included in the itinerary standards;

√ Personal consumption expenses during the trip;

√ Additional fees for extra beds in hotel or additional accommodation;

√ Extra costs incurred due to transportation delays, strikes, weather, or other force majeure factors;

√ Aviation accident insurance.