Cuddly and Mysterious Kingdoms
40 kilometers north of central Chengdu, by the same highway as Chengdu's Giant Panda Breeding Base, the bronze-age Sanxingdui site is regarded one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.
Thousands of rare treasures from two large sacrificial pits dating back to Shang Dynasty times (1600–1046 BC) have recently been supplemented with finds from six new sacrificial pits, which visitors can see being prepared for display in Sanxingdui Museum.
This tour not only takes you to visit the cuddly kingdom of giant pandas, but also the mysterious Kingdom of Shu (a.k.a. the Sanxingdui Civilization). The protected pandas and Sanxingdui's relics are both considered national treasures.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Witness Rare Treasures Only Seen in China
Sanxingdui Museum had held exhibitions in more than ten overseas countries over the last twenty years, but many treasures have only been exhibited in China (like the four below).
Discover Sanxingdui's "Alien" Civilization
The archeological finds of the Sanxingdui Civilization show it to be quite "alien" to the contemporary Shang Dynasty by the Yellow River, traditionally the cradle of China, down to the way they made bronze. The protruding eyes of its bronze heads tally with local Shu Kingdom records of their "alien-looking", bulging-eyed, founder Cancong.
A Morning Date with Active Pandas
It is best to go early in the morning to see the pandas feeding at around 9:30am, which is their most active time of the day.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Evan was an amazing tour guide.
Evan was an amazing tour guide. Very friendly and english was perfect. He did a great job of explaining to us the history of china as well as his experience with his family and their traditions. We did the panda experience as well as the jiuzhaigou national park. We brought 3 kids with our group and we were a total of 7. He was patient with our kids and kept them entertained. Evan made a suggestion of visiting a local tea house since our itinerary was tight and he was incredibly thoughtful and made our experience seamless. more
Apr 2025, Ashley Murray
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Best Tour Guide
We had an amazing time exploring Chengdu with Fifi as our tour guide. She is very professional, knowledgeable and incredibly friendly. Her deep understanding of local history, culture and food made our trip truly unforgettable. Throughout the trip, Fifi was patient, attentive to our needs and always made sure we were comfortable and well taken care of to the smallest details. If you’re planning a trip to Chengdu, we highly recommend booking a tour with Fifi - she will definitely make your visit truly special! more
Mar 2025, Mark
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Enjoyable short stay in Chengdu
Although we only had half a day in Chengdu, Evan, our guide, made sure we had a great time at the Panda Breeding and research centre, feeding us little interesting nuggets of information about pandas throughout the tour. The Szechuan hot pot was also very enjoyable. Thoroughly enjoyable experience! more
Mar 2025, Del S
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Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Your personal private guide will contact you a day in advance and arrange the starting time according to your preference.
Visiting the city's panda base can be a challenge as it is quite large and has various animals. We've designed a smart route to beat the crowds as much as possible while timing it to the pandas' active period for you.
After the short road trip on to Sanxingdui, you will be served with a Sichuan meal at the restaurant of Sanxingdui Museum.
Sanxingdui Museum, in the northeast corner of the Sanxingdui Ruins archeological site, is where the Shu Kingdom's 3,000-year-old treasures are displayed. Discover a unique part of China's history in this large modern thematic museum.
As this is a private tour, you can decide whether to spend more or less time in the different areas according to your interests. The schedule is flexible and only for your reference.
Price includes:
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- English speaking local guide
- Activities and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Tour code: cd-87