2-Day Chengdu Walking Journey: Teahouses, Qing Lanes & the River

A two-day private walking programme that treats Chengdu at the speed the city prefers. Day one covers People's Park, the teahouse and Kuanzhai Xiangzi; day two follows the Jinjiang river from Wangjiang Tower Park to the Anshun Bridge. About ten kilometres in total, with a hotel night in between.

• Two walking days, about 10 km in total, at a slow pace
• Heming Teahouse and People's Park on day one
• Kuanzhai Xiangzi's restored Qing courtyard lanes
• Wangjiang Tower Park and its bamboo collection
• Jinjiang river bank walk to the Anshun Bridge
• One night in a 4-star Chengdu hotel with 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

A two-day private walking programme of about ten kilometres in total at a slow pace, with one night in a Chengdu hotel with breakfast. Vehicle support is available if anyone tires.

How far do we walk?

About ten kilometres in total across the two days, which is a gentle amount split over two afternoons. The pace is deliberately slow, because the point of the walk is the teahouses and the lanes rather than the distance. Seats appear constantly, which is the city's own solution to summer heat.

Is the pace suitable for older travellers?

Yes. The walking is flat, the distances are short between stops, and a teahouse chair is never more than a few minutes away. Vehicle support follows the route for anyone who would rather ride a section. This is one of our easiest Chengdu programmes.

What is Kuanzhai Xiangzi?

Three parallel restored Qing-dynasty lanes of courtyard houses, now the best-known walking quarter in the city. The wide, narrow and well-shaped alleys take their name from their widths. We read them at teahouse pace rather than as a checklist, which is the only way they make sense.

Why do we go to Wangjiang Tower Park?

For its bamboo collection, which is one of the largest in China, and for its position on the Jinjiang. The park is a working public space rather than a sight, and the bamboo gives the second day a subject of its own. From here the walk follows the river downstream.

Where does the river walk end?

At the Anshun Bridge, where the Jinjiang is at its most photogenic and the evening crowd begins to gather. The final stretch is riverside path rather than street, and it is flat throughout. Your guide will point out where to come back to for dinner.

Is the Heming Teahouse only for tourists?

No. It has been in continuous use for about a century and its regulars are Chengdu residents. The covered-bowl tea and the bamboo chairs are unchanged from what they were. Chengdu was designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2010, and teahouse culture is a large part of why. That is precisely why we schedule the afternoon here rather than a hotel lounge.

Is a hotel night included?

Yes, one night in a Chengdu hotel with breakfast, between the two walking days. The walking, the guide and the vehicle support are all in the price. Meals other than breakfast are taken locally as you go, which suits a route built around teahouses and snack streets.