Just an hour from Chengdu, Dujiangyan (都江堰) blends ancient engineering, cultural charm, and encounters with China’s most beloved animal — the giant panda. This Dujiangyan day trip itinerary goes over what we did during our visit, plus tips on how to make the best of your day there.
In This Dujiangyan Day Trip Itinerary
Getting to Dujiangyan
By Train
It takes about 1.5 hours to get to Dujiangyan from Chengdu by train. The train journey from Chengdu to Dujiangyan consists of 2 parts. Start by taking the Metro in Chengdu to Xipu Station (犀浦站), which will take around 50 minutes, with the service running from 06.10am – 11pm.
From Xipu, take a high-speed train to Dujiangyan Station or Lidui Park Station (离堆公园站) —the latter is the closest stop to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System. Trains run frequently between 06:20 and 21:00, and the journey takes just 20 to 40 minutes. From either Dujiangyan Station or Lidui Park Station, you can continue on a bus or Didi to your next destination in the Dujiangyan area.
This route is budget-friendly, making it a popular choice for independent travellers, as it costs around RMB 20 for one way, depending on where your starting point in Chengdu.
You can prebook high-speed train tickets (Xipu to Dujiangyan part of the journey) on Trip.com if you do not want to risk the seats being sold out. However, as Trip.com charges a booking fee, it would end up adding a few dollars to the cost.
You can purchase the tickets at the train station as well, but the popular train timings might be sold out. The popular timings tend to be the earlier ones heading out from Xipu and later ones heading out from Dujiangyan as day-trippers want to maximise their day in Dujiangyan.
By Car
If you prefer a more comfortable and hassle-free way to get to Dujiangyan, car might be a better option. We booked a Didi which got us straight to our first destination, Dujiangyan Panda Base in around 1.5 hours, costing us around RMB 100 during the morning peak period.
An alternative would be to book a private tour, so that you can choose your route and travel in comfort. Some travellers also have Dujiangyan as a stop on their trip to Western Sichuan.
Read also: Western Sichuan Road Trip Itinerary
Dujiangyan Panda Base (都江堰中华大熊猫苑)
Start your day at this peaceful panda sanctuary nestled in a bamboo-forested valley. The Dujiangyan Panda Base focuses on panda care and education and is currently home to about 20 pandas. Not to be confused with the Dujiangyan Panda Valley (都江堰熊猫谷), which is also in Dujiangyan, but fewer pandas in comparison.
For fellow Singaporeans looking to catch a glimpse of the panda born in Singapore, Lele 叻叻, he is currently housed here!
The enclosures in Dujiangyan Panda Base are built in a way to allow visitors to feel that they are “up close and personal” with the pandas. And you can really be real close to the pandas! If lucky, you’ll just be metres away from the bears. The walls around the enclosures are all pretty high though, so children might have difficulty seeing the animals. I am 152cm and I had to tip toe at some enclosures.
Tip: Get here early, especially if you’re visiting in the summer! Pandas don’t like the heat, and will return to their air conditioned room when it gets warm. We visited in July (summer, around 35 degrees) and all pandas were back in their rooms by 11am.
Recommended time spend: ~2 hours
Opening hours: 8.30am – 5pm, last entry at 4.30pm
Entrance fee:
Adults (19 – 59 years old): RMB 58
Children (below 1.3m): RMB 29
Seniors: Free
Students: RMB 29
Zhongshuge Bookstore (钟书阁 都江堰店)
Zhongshuge is one of China’s most stunning bookstores, with mirrored ceilings and spiral staircases, that creates an immersive reading experience. The bookstore is located in a shopping mall but you’ll feel like you stepped into another world once you enter the store.
Rongchuanmao mall, however, is pretty empty, so you’ll be visiting the mall just for this bookstore. If you’re short on time and/or not after a photo at this viral bookstore, you can probably skip it.
Recommended time spent: ~30 mins
Opening hours: 10am – 9pm
Entrance fee: Free
Address: No.1 Zhizhen Road, 2F Chengdu Rongchuanmao Mall, Dujiangyan (都江堰市至臻路1号成都融创茂2F)
Yangtianwo Square (仰天窝广场)
Pop by Yangtianwo Square for a selfie with the towering 12-meter-tall giant panda statue. While not a must-visit on its own, this playful landmark has become a recognisable symbol of Dujiangyan and is also located within walking distance next few attractions on this list. Yantianwo Square is about 30 minutes drive from Zhongshuge, It’s a fun, low-effort photo stop if you’re already in the area.
Recommended time spent: < 30 mins
Opening hours: All day
Wenmiao Mountain Street (文庙山街)
About a 5-minute walk from Yangtianwo Square, Wenmiao Mountain Street is a historic street filled with teahouses, and street vendors. A stroll in the area will bring you back in time.
Recommended time spent: ~ 1 hour
Dujiangyan Irrigation System (都江堰景区)
Also known as the Dujiangyan Scenic Area, this UNESCO World Heritage site is the heart of Dujiangyan. The ancient irrigation system, built in 256 BCE, and is still in use today, managing the water flow from the Minjiang River. We gave this spot a miss during our visit as it started to rain right when we were about to enter the area.
Recommended time spent: 2 – 3 hours
Opening hours:
Mar – Nov: 8am – 6pm
Dec – Feb: 8am – 5.30
Entrance fee: Adults RMB 80, Children RMB 40, free for children under 6 years or 1.2m
Nanqiao (南桥)
Conclude your day at the iconic bridge. Nanqiao is the arguably the most iconic photo spot in Dujiangyan. Known for it’s luminous blue water when it lights up, many flock to this spot for photos.
Tip: if you’re visiting during summer, take into account the sunset time. Sunset tends to be after 8.30pm, so you’ll have to stay until at least then for the sky to turn dark in order to see the water light up.
Recommended time spent: ~ 1 hour
Opening hours: All day
Entrance fee: Free
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is a day trip sufficient for Dujiangyan?
Yes, it is sufficient for the highlights of the city mentioned in this itinerary. However, if you want to do it at a slower pace, it’s recommended to stay at least 1 night in Dujiangyan, as there are other sites like Mount Qingcheng, which we did not have time for.
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