Questions, answered

You can see the Leshan Giant Buddha comfortably in a single day from Chengdu, about 10–11 hours door to door. To add Mount Emei and catch the Golden Summit sunrise, plan two days with one overnight near the mountain.

From a Leshan hotel it's possible with a private car and an early start, but it's a long, rushed day and you'd miss the famous Golden Summit sunrise. From Chengdu it doesn't fit in one day: the drive leaves time for the Giant Buddha only. We usually recommend a relaxed two-day plan for both, and we'll always tell you honestly what fits your time.

Yes. For families, older travellers or anyone with limited mobility we recommend a private car for door-to-door comfort, plus a companion to help with tickets, shuttles and the river boat. We adjust the pace to you.

Not at all. Sichuan food can be mild too. We take you to dishes that aren't fiery, ask kitchens to reduce the chili and Sichuan pepper, and flag anything with peanuts or offal. Vegetarian and halal-friendly options can be arranged with notice.

Weekdays are much calmer than weekends, and Chinese public holidays and school breaks are the busiest. Arriving right at opening (around 07:30 in the warmer months) or in the mid-to-late afternoon means far shorter queues on the Buddha's cliff stairway than the late-morning peak. Tell us your dates and we'll suggest the quietest timing we can.

The classic route goes down the Nine-Bend Plank Road, a steep, narrow cliff staircase beside the Buddha to its feet, then back up — allow about 3–4 hours overall. It's fine for most people with reasonable mobility and some patience, but it can be slippery after rain. If stairs are a concern, the river sightseeing boat gives an excellent head-on view in about 30 minutes with no climbing.

Yes — nothing is a fixed package. Tell us your dates, group size, interests and pace, and we build the day around you: stairs or boat, add Mount Emei or a food walk, start early or take it slow. We'll always tell you honestly what realistically fits your time.

The Giant Buddha is an outdoor site, so we keep an eye on the forecast and adjust — for example favouring the river boat over the slippery plank-road stairs, or reordering the day. If you're combining with Mount Emei's sunrise, we'll be honest about cloud cover so you can decide. We'll work out the best option with you before and during the day.

The high-speed train reaches Leshan station in about an hour, and your driver can pick you up there. A private car takes roughly 2–2.5 hours, but it picks you up at your Chengdu hotel, can add stops and brings you back to your hotel, so there are no station transfers. We can arrange either.

Yes. We pick you up and drop you off at your hotel, in Chengdu or Leshan, and your companion meets you there too; from a Chengdu hotel the service time is 10–11 hours. We also run direct transfers between Tianfu Airport and Leshan, for arrivals and departures. Send us your hotel name and address, plus your flight number for an airport transfer, and we'll confirm the pickup time. A day with the car from a Chengdu hotel is ¥1,000 per car; airport and station transfers are priced on request.

Yes. Once your ticket is registered, foreign visitors normally enter by scanning the same passport at the gate — often with no paper ticket or QR code needed. Bring the physical passport you registered with.

It's strongly recommended, because tickets are real-name and tied to your passport, usually one per passport per day. The online step often fails for foreign passports on Chinese-only apps, so we complete the registration for you and send clear entry instructions.

Yes, the scenic area normally offers reduced or free entry for children under a certain height, students and older visitors, on top of the standard adult ticket (around ¥80). The exact rules and proof required change with policy and season, so tell us your group's ages and we'll confirm what applies and register the right tickets.

Starting in Leshan, a private car with driver is ¥600 per car for the day and can go anywhere in Leshan, including Mount Emei. From a Chengdu hotel it's ¥1,000 for the day (¥600 + ¥400 long-distance fee), which covers the Giant Buddha. Car prices are for 2–3 people. An English-speaking companion is ¥800 a day plus a ¥200 service fee. Tickets, meals and gifts you pay directly. Our Prices page has worked examples.

This is the most common worry, and we make it easy. We agree the price up front by message and accept payment methods that work for foreign visitors — you don't need a Chinese bank account, WeChat Pay or Alipay to book with us. Entrance tickets, meals and shopping you pay yourself, directly to the scenic area or shop, and we help you with that on the spot. We confirm the accepted methods when you book.

Just message us as early as you can. Because we agree plans directly with you and don't run rigid packages, we're flexible about rescheduling. Any third-party costs already committed on your behalf — such as pre-booked tickets or a reserved car — are handled transparently, and we'll always show you exactly what, if anything, is affected.

We agree the price by message before you commit. The car and companion are priced per day, not per person: car prices cover 2–3 people, and a bigger group gets a larger car, quoted separately. Entrance tickets are per person and you pay them directly at the official price. We'll confirm accepted payment methods when you book.

No. We don't do forced shopping stops or hidden commissions. You pay only for the car, companion and service fee you booked. Tickets, meals and gifts you pay directly to the scenic area or shop, so you always see the real price. If we ever suggest a shop or restaurant, it's because locals actually rate it.

No. Leshan Buddy is an independent local companion and travel-assistance service. We meet you, help you get around, translate, and arrange tickets, cars and bookings — we do not run licensed guided group tours or act as a travel agency. Think of us as a knowledgeable local friend rather than a formal guide.

Our companions speak English, Mandarin Chinese and local Sichuanese. If you need another language, tell us in advance and we'll do our best to arrange it.