Top 6 Chongqing Itineraries: 3-Day, 5-Day, 6-Day & More

Are you planning a trip to Chongqing, a city famous for its unique architecture and hotpot? We've prepared six travel ideas to help you plan your journey. The options include not only tours within Chongqing but also longer routes that combine it with other popular cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu. So, there's sure to be one that matches your interests.

Night view of Chongqing city

3-Day Exploration of Magical 8D Chongqing

The Hongya Cave in Chongqing

• Keywords:First-timers, easy tour

• Highlights: Visit Liziba Station, Hongya Cave, Kuixing Tower, and Raffles City Cloud Deck, with Chongqing local foods tour

Day 1: Arrive in Chongqing

After arriving in Chongqing, you can choose to rest at the hotel or take a walk around to explore the area freely and get ready for the next day's itinerary.

Day 2: Get Around Chongqing

There are four most recommended attractions in Chongqing: Hongya Cave, Liziba Rail Station (where the train passes through a building), Kuixing Tower, and Raffles City.

Among them, Hongya Cave, Raffles City, and Kuixing Tower are located close to each other, and there's also Bayi Food Street nearby, where you can explore local street snacks. Therefore, we suggest visiting Liziba Station first. Then, in the afternoon, head to Hongya Cave and the other two attractions. In the evening, you can enjoy the stunning night view along the riverside.

Day 3: Departure

You may get up early to E'ling Park and join local people doing morning exercises or simply just prepare for your next trip.

Excursion to Wulong

Sunrise in Wulong, Chongqing

If you have an extra day, consider taking a day trip to Wulong. Located in the southeastern part of Chongqing, Wulong is home to the Furong Cave, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, and the picturesque Three Natural Bridges, a perfect destination for a city escape. It's also worth noting that it only takes about 45 minutes to reach Wulong from downtown Chongqing by high-speed train.

Chongqing & Chengdu: Getting Close to Pandas

A baby Panda in Chengdu Panda Base

• Keywords: Panda lovers

Day	Highlights	City
1 to 3	Liziba Station, Three Gorges Museum, Hongya Cave, Shancheng Walkway, Wulong Karst region	Chongqing
4 to 6	Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Sanxingdui Museum, Wenshu Monastery, People's Park, Chilli Cool Cooking Class	Chengdu

Day 1 to 3: Chongqing

Three days in Chongqing are enough to visit the city's most classic attractions, including the Liziba Viewing Platform, Hongya Cave, and a city walk along the Mountain City Trail. We highly recommend visiting the Three Gorges Museum, which houses many cultural relics unearthed from Southwest China.

If time allows, you can also visit Wulong to see its magnificent karst mountain scenery.

Day 4 to 6: Chengdu

Chongqing is very close to Chengdu. It only takes about one and a half hours to get there by bullet train. The Giant Panda Breeding Base is one of the must-visit attractions in Chengdu, where you can see many pandas living in different enclosures according to their age. If you want to learn more about pandas, you can join the Panda Volunteer Program, where you'll experience being a one-day volunteer and cleaning their enclosures, preparing food, and more.

Besides pandas, Chengdu also offers many cultural attractions, such as Wenshu Monastery and the Sanxingdui Museum, which you can choose to visit based on your interests.

Chongqing & Beijing: Local Food Tour

Try Tanghulu, a local snack in Beijing

• Keywords: Authentic foods, historic landmarks

Day	Highlights	City
1 to 4	Forbidden City, Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Dumpling Class in Hutong, Peking Duck	Beijing
5 to 6	Liziba Station, Hongya Cave, Hotpot Dinner, Morning Market, Bayi Snack Street Tastings	Chongqing

Day 1 to 4: Beijing

You'll enter China through Beijing and spend four days exploring the city before heading to Chongqing. During your stay, you can take your time visiting Beijing's iconic historical sites such as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall. You can also enjoy a Peking duck dinner while watching a traditional Peking opera performance, one of China's classic art forms. In addition, you can explore the city's hutongs, where locate traditional residences of Beijing people. And we can arrange a local home visit for you to experience authentic Beijing life and even learn how to make dumplings with the hosts.

Day 5 to 6: Chongqing

A food tour in Chongqing is all about eating while exploring. In addition to visiting famous landmarks like Liziba and Hongyadong, our local guide will take you to local markets and Bayi Food Street, where you can not only taste authentic Chongqing cuisine but also experience the city's vibrant food culture. Since Chongqing dishes are generally spicy, if you're not used to spicy food, our local guide will communicate with the restaurant staff to make sure the dishes suit your taste.

Chongqing & Shanghai: Spendid Night View

Night view of The Bund in Shanghai

• Keywords: Modern architecture, city night views

Day	Highlights	City
1 to 2	The Bund, Shanghai Tower, Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, Lujiazui Financial District	Shanghai
3 to 5	Monorail to Liziba, Hongya Cave, Raffles City Exploration Deck, Night Views Tour	Chongqing

Day 1 to 2: Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the top cities in China, known for its high level of modernization and international atmosphere. Many buildings in the city center of Shanghai feature a mix of Chinese and Western architectural styles, such as those along the Bund and in the Former French Concession, a reflection of Shanghai's history as an international trading port. Across the river from the Bund stands the city's most stunning skyline, with clusters of skyscrapers that light up beautifully at night. Some towers, such as the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower, have observation decks where you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the entire city.

Day 3 to 5: Chongqing

Chongqing is also famous for its stunning night views, especially along the Jialing River near Raffles City and Hongyadong. We recommend visiting these spots in the evening when the lights are on, as the scenery becomes even more spectacular. Raffles City is one of Chongqing's landmark buildings, consisting of eight skyscrapers connected by a 300-meter-long glass sky corridor, and its exterior resembles a sailing ship. The riverside area opposite, near the Chongqing Grand Theatre, is one of the best viewpoints - sometimes you can even catch a drone light show there.

Of course, there's plenty to do during the day as well. You can take a city walk through the mountain city's valleys or relax and enjoy tea at E'ling Park.

Chongqing & Zhangjiajie: Magical City With Avatar Mountains

Avatar mountains in Zhangjiajie

• Keywords: Natural landscape, hiking

Day	Highlights	City
1 to 2	Ciqikou Old Town, Liziba Viewing Platform, Yangtze and Jialing River Night Cruise	Chonqging
3 to 6	Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Golden Whip Stream, Yellow Dragon Cave, Tianmen Mountain	Zhangjiajie

Day 1 to 2: Chongqing

You'll spend two days in Chongqing. The main highlight is visiting Liziba Station, where the metro line passes right through a building, which is one of Chongqing's most iconic landmarks. After that, you can relax at E'ling Park, where the observation deck offers panoramic views of the Jialing River, a tributary of the Yangtze River.

You can also explore Ciqikou Ancient Town, where you'll find old temples and academies, and enjoy tea while watching traditional performances. In the evening, take a Yangtze River night cruise to admire the stunning riverside scenery of Chongqing illuminated by city lights.

Day 3 to 6: Zhangjiajie

The natural scenery of Zhangjiajie is truly one of a kind. The Hallelujah Mountains in the movie Avatar were inspired by the peaks of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.

The park is vast, and you'll need at least half a day to explore it. It's not a strenuous visit, as you can take the Bailong Elevator and cable cars to reach the main viewing areas. If you enjoy hiking, you can stroll along the Golden Whip Stream and admire the surrounding landscape along the way.

Don't miss Tianmen Mountain, famous for its massive natural arch known as the "Heaven's Gate." You can either climb the 999 steps to the base of the arch or take a cable car up the mountain. If you're interested in caves, set aside another half day to visit Huanglong Cave.

All in One: China Tour With Chongqing & Yangtze River

Night view of Chongqing Hongya Cave

Keywords: China essence tour

Day	Highlights	City
1 to 3	Forbidden City, Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Hutong	Beijing
4	Liziba Station, Ciqikou Ancient Town, Shancheng Alley, Eling Park	Chongqing
5 to 7	Fengdu Ghost City, Goddess Stream, Three Gorges Dam	Yangtze River Cruise
8 to 9	The Bund, Shanghai Museum, Yuyuan Garden, Yuyuan Market, Former French Concession, Silk Workshop	Shanghai

Day 1 to 3: Beijing

The overall itinerary in Beijing is quite relaxing. You'll spend three days here to settle in and adjust, as there's still a week of travel ahead. During these three days, you can visit the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and Tiananmen Square, or head to the Mutianyu Great Wall to admire its magnificent scale. If you have extra time, you can also join a hutong home visit to experience the daily life of local residents.

Day 4: Chongqing

During the day, you can explore downtown Chongqing according to your interests. We recommend visiting Liziba Station to see the metro train passing through the building, or taking a city walk along Shancheng Alley. It's best to start from the upper entrance of the alley and walk downhill all the way - it's not very tiring. If you're not into walking, you can visit Ciqikou Ancient Town instead.

In Chongqing, you'll find a wide variety of delicious local foods and snacks, but most of them are quite spicy. If you can't handle spicy food, it's best to let the restaurant staff know in advance.

After these activities, you will embark on a Yangtze River cruise at night.

Day 5 to 7: Yangtze River Cruise

After boarding, you'll spend four days and three nights on the Yangtze River cruise, sailing all the way to Yichang before disembarking. There are various activities available on board, such as morning Tai Chi sessions, and some cruises even host singing and dancing parties. If you're not interested in joining activities, you can simply relax on the deck and enjoy the scenic views of the Three Gorges.

Taking a cruise doesn't mean you'll stay on the ship the whole time. It will make stops at several excursion sites along the way. You can join these excursions if you're interested, because some are included in the cruise fare, while others require an additional fee. Popular excursions include Fengdu Ghost City, Shennü Stream, and the Three Gorges Dam.

After arriving at the Yichang pier, we'll arrange a private transfer to take you to the airport for your flight to Shanghai.

Day 8 to 9: Shanghai

Your final stop is Shanghai, where you'll spend the last two days of your trip. You can visit attractions near the city center, such as the Bund, Yu Garden, and the Former French Concession. If you have more time, consider adding one or two extra days to explore the classic Jiangnan water town of Zhujiajiao or visit Shanghai Disneyland with your kids.

Our itinerary is customizable, so if you're interested in other cities, you can add them to this long trip as well. For example, Xi'an, Guilin, and Shenzhen all have many great attractions and are quite convenient to reach from Chongqing.

Travel to Chongqing & China With Us

If you want to experience Chongqing's magical cityscape in person, feel free to contact us or write to trip@odynovotours.com to plan your Chongqing tour with us. Our consultants are experienced and will work with you to create a personalized trip to Chongqing just for you.