Be a Happy Foodie in Chengdu
Sichuan is a province with fabulous flavors, renowned for its bold tastes and distinctive styles. As a UNESCO-listed City of Gastronomy, Chengdu is one of the best places in Sichuan for experiencing local snacks, hot pot, fried dishes and culinary culture.
Just tasting is not enough? On this tour you will be able to learn how to cook like the professionals. Sign up for a "hot" adventure with China Highlights.
Highlights
- Stroll along Jinlin Old Street and sample various local snacks
- Take up the challenge of the famous hot pot
- Meet the lovely pandas in the Panda Breeding and Research Center
- Visit Sichuan Cuisine Museum and learn to cook typical Sichuan dishes
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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An amazing tour of Chengdu with Helen
We took a trip to Chengdu and our guide Helen made it a fantastic expierence. She was knowledgable about the local areas and customised our plans throughout the day based on what we wanted to do. She helped us take good photos with the pandas and other good photo spots throughout the day. Our driver was also friendly and the car was spacious and cool. more
Mar 2025, Tom
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Super Helen from Chendu
Great guide Helen of Chengdu. She is VERY kind, VERY attentive, resolved every kind of problems, without asking her she already knew our needs or requirements. SUPER HELEN OF CHENGDU. She is a great professional, not only a tour guide, she is a very attentive person. Top A1. more
Mar 2025, Cecilia
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We are coming back to Chengdu next time
We have had a great couple of days based in Chengdu with Evan from China Highlights. We have been well looked after, being collected and dropped off at the rail station and airport.Evan was very knowledgeable at each site but was fantastic at getting us to the best panda enclosures or the best positions to see the Buddhas. He was very flexible in arranging activities and took us to some great restaurants. We found the weather in March to be just right, mild and dry, slightly overcast cloud, so very comfortable and great light for pictures. more
Mar 2025, Mark R
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Suggested Itinerary
Your private driver and guide will be ready and waiting when you arrive in Chengdu. Sit back and enjoy a trouble-free transfer to the city center.
Then let's start the gourmet adventure at Jinli Old Street, a cluster of constructions with architectural styles traditional in western Sichuan. Along the narrow alleys, pavilions, courtyards, and stone bridges, you can sample the authentic taste of various local snacks, which are well-known and unique in China. For lunch, try out (for example) some bean jelly in chili sauce, sweet potato noodles, baked egg pancakes or Sichuan-style won ton.
Spend a relaxing afternoon at a local tea house then head to a famous local restaurant for a special hot pot dinner. It's rich, delicious and exciting, and your guide will lead you through this gastronomic adventure. If you are not a fan of spicy food, your guide can help you order the alternative flavors of your choice.
Well-satisfied, you will be escorted back to your hotel for a good rest.
Recommended Hotel in Chengdu:
Sofitel Chengdu Taihe (5-star)
Tibet Hotel Chengdu (4-star)
Sichuan cuisine, hotpotRise and shine. Prepare for an eventful day. Your guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel at 8am.
First stop is the Panda Breeding and Research Center, home to nearly 50 giant pandas and red pandas. It is best to go early, to see the pandas feeding at around 9:30am, the time of day when they are most active.
The Panda Breeding and Research CenterEnjoy lunch at a popular local restaurant. Have a short rest during the private 1-hour drive to the Sichuan Cuisine Museum.
When you arrive at the museum, its bilingual guide will take you to the tourist center. You will start your Sichuan culinary journey by tasting a renowned Sichuan snack and by viewing a series of museum attractions.
Your guide, a professional chef, will teach you how to cook three typical Sichuan dishes, so that you will gain firsthand experience of Sichuan cuisine cutting skills, heat control, and cooking processes, along with some private tips on food presentation. The chef will evaluate your dishes and show you the correct way to eat authentic Sichuan food.
Recommended menu: panda steamed dumplings, kung pao chicken, mapo tofu
For dinner, eat the dishes you have prepared. Then you will receive the "Rookie Master Chef" certificate signed by the chef, and take home with you the "secret" recipes of the dishes you have cooked. After waving your museum guide goodbye, your tour guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel in Chengdu city.
The Cooking Class in Sichuan Cuisine MuseumAfter breakfast, your private guide and driver will be waiting for you in your hotel lobby. They will accompany you to the station or airport and help you check-in for your next destination.
Trip Notes
1. Dietary Requirements
Chili, garlic and peppercorns are frequently used in Sichuan dishes. If you have any allergies or special dietary requirements, please advise us at the time of booking. If you don't like spicy taste, your private guide can help you order less-spicy dishes or ask for no spices at all, according to your preference.
2. Optional Activity
With a history of over 100 years, Shufengyayun Tea House is an ideal place for enjoying local arts. The variety of performance there includes traditional Sichuan spectacles such as face-changing, spitting fire, hand shadows, a puppet show, and acrobatics. Have a cup of tea with some local snacks, and enjoy a musical, colorful, and magical night. It's recommended to book with your guide a day before or for extra flexibility on the day.
Time: 8-9 pm
3. 72-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy for Chengdu
Since 1 September 2013, Chengdu has offered a 72-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign visitors. With a confirmed airline ticket to a third country or region, any holder of a passport issued by any of the 51 qualifying countries can stay in the city for 72 hours without a visa to China, assuming direct transit via the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.
Tour Price
Price includes: