3-Day Chongqing: the Zoo Pandas, the Old Town & the Yangtze by Night

Chongqing is built on a peninsula of hills between two rivers, and the city's shape is the reason for most of what makes it unusual: the monorail that passes through a residential building, the stilt houses stacked up the bank at Hongya Cave, and the cableway that crosses the Yangtze because a bridge would take too long.

This three-day programme is written for families and for short stays. The zoo's pandas are taken in the morning when they are active, the old port of Ciqikou fills the afternoon, and the Yangtze cruise closes the first day after dark. The third day is left open for the Dazu carvings or the Wulong karst for those with the time.

• The Chongqing Zoo, whose giant panda house has kept and bred pandas since 1960 and is one of the few places to see several together
• Ciqikou, the old river port on the Jialing, with its stone lanes, teahouses and the temple of the same name
• The Liziba monorail station, where the Line 2 train runs through the eighth floor of a residential block
• Eling Park on the peninsula ridge, with the view over the Yangtze and Jialing confluence
• Hongya Cave and its stilt-house terraces lit after dark, one of the city's best-known images
• A Yangtze night cruise from Chaotianmen, with the lit bridges and the two river banks
• The Dazu Rock Carvings as an option for the third day, inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1999

• Accommodation for 2 nights at a 4-star or equivalent hotel, twin share, with daily breakfast
• Meals as listed in the daily itinerary (breakfasts and lunches as shown)
• Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver throughout
• English-speaking local guide (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese on request)
• All entrance fees for the sites listed, including shuttle buses, eco-buses and cable cars where the site requires them
• Local handling and coordination service throughout the programme
• Bottled water (2 bottles per person per day) and audio headsets where group size requires them
• Travel accident insurance for the duration of the tour

• International air tickets and any domestic flights not listed in the itinerary
• China visa or visa-free entry documentation fees
• Meals not specified in the daily itinerary and all beverages/alcohol
• Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff (suggested USD 8-12 per person per day)
• Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping
• Optional activities and any item not listed under Price Includes
• Single-room supplement if a traveller requires a room alone
• The Yangtze cableway crossing is a popular local transport line with long queues and is payable locally if you choose to ride it

Please read these notes before booking. Chongqing is a city of steps and steep lanes, and a good deal of the sightseeing is on foot and uphill; a private vehicle shortens the distances but does not remove the stairs. The night cruise follows the river authority's schedule and can be affected by high water. Summer temperatures here regularly exceed 38C and the city is known as one of China's three furnaces.

Q: Is this tour private or shared?
A: It is a private tour for your own party, with a dedicated English-speaking guide and vehicle.

Q: Are airport transfers included?
A: Yes. Arrival and departure transfers in Chongqing are included, and your guide meets you with a name sign at the airport or rail station.

Q: Can the itinerary be customised?
A: Yes. Days can be added, removed or swapped, hotel categories upgraded, and business or school visits arranged, all before you confirm.

Q: How do we book and pay?
A: Send us your dates and group size for a same-day quotation. A deposit confirms the booking, the balance is due before arrival, and prices are guaranteed for 7 days.