Leshan Giant Buddha and Huanglongxi Ancient Town: Explore Historical Sights in a Day Trip
4.8
22 Ratings
Leshan
Discover the awe-inspiring Leshan Giant Buddha and immerse yourself in the rich history of Huanglongxi Ancient Town. Experience the beauty of ancient culture and enjoy the services of professional drivers on this private day trip.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
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Leshan Giant Buddha (Da Fo) - The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-metre (233 ft) tall stone statue, built between 713 and 803 (during the Tang dynasty), depicting Maitreya.It is carved out of a cliff face of Cretaceous red bed sandstones that lies at the confluence of the Min River and Dadu River in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below its feet. It is the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world and it is by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world.
The Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area has been listed as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site since 1996.
History
Construction started in 713 AD, led by a Chinese monk named Hai Tong. He hoped that the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued the shipping vessels traveling down the river. When funding for the project was threatened, he is said to have gouged out his own eyes to show his piety and sincerity. After his death, however, the construction was stuck due to insufficient funding. About 70 years later, jiedushi Wei Gao decided to sponsor the project and the construction was completed by Hai Tong’s disciples in 803.
Apparently, the massive construction resulted in so much stone being removed from the cliff face and deposited into the river below that the currents were indeed altered by the statue, making the water safe for passing ships.
A sophisticated drainage system was incorporated into the Leshan Giant Buddha when it was built. It is still in working order. It includes drainage pipes carved into various places on the body, to carry away the water after the rains so as to reduce weathering.
When the Giant Buddha was carved, a huge thirteen story wood structure (similar to the one at the Rongxian Giant Buddha) was built to shelter it from rain and sunshine. This structure was destroyed and sacked by the Mongols during the wars at the end of the Yuan dynasty. From then on, the stone statue was exposed to the elements.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- Attractions text explanation(English)
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- All fees and/or taxes
What's Not Included
- Tickets
- The tour guide
- Lunch
Additional Information
The personal drivers we provide are professional drivers who serve foreign tourists all year round. They will do a good job of safety and service!
This is a private travel event only for you and your family and friends.
In order to save your costs we do not include tickets, and some older guests do not need tickets, but please bring your passport.
The Leshan Giant Buddha (simplified Chinese: 乐山大佛; traditional Chinese: 樂山大佛; pinyin: Lèshān Dàfó) is a 71-metre (233 ft) tall stone statue, built between 713 and 803 (during the Tang dynasty), depicting Maitreya.It is carved out of a cliff face of Cretaceous red bed sandstones that lies at the confluence of the Min River and Dadu River in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan.
Huanglongxi Ancient Town features its ancient culture of water culture, Buddhism culture, tea culture, ecologic farming culture integrated with colorful folklore culture, screen culture and cooking culture.
Location
Leshan Giant Buddha (Da Fo)
No.2435 Lingyun Street, Shizhong District
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(22 Ratings)
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Louick17
Apr 1, 2024
Fantastic trip - Had a brilliant day, the Giant Buddha was incredible and our driver was friendly and informative, helping us negotiate how to get around and where to go. Definitely recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joan
Feb 14, 2024
Great experience and driver - We loved this tour! This package comes with transport to and fro to Leshan and Huanglongxi village. Be prepared to buy some yummy goodies at Huanglongxi! Our driver, Lichao (李超）was extremely knowledgeable and professional, we had a really great time talking to him. He was timely and polite, the car ride to Leshan took around 1.5 hours and it was so comfortable. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Thomas_l
Oct 22, 2023
Great driver, serious and ponctual. - Our driver was really good. She was very ponctual, drove safely despite a crazy traffic.
She helped us get tickets at each location, offering clear timelines and expectations of how much time to spend on each site.
The Buddha's bottom part of the trail was closed so we opted for te boat tour itself. It goes a little fast (30m) but it's a good deal to get a panoramic view of it from the river.
The Huanglongxi city is really cool. We had 2h to spend there and could have spend 1-2 more easily. If you're a foodie, there's plenty of foods to try. Despite being very touristy, you get a feel of an old chinese town, there's lots of pictures to take.
Review provided by Viator
Iris_eles
Oct 16, 2023
Great day trip to see the Giant Buddha and Huanglongxi - This was such a fun little trip made much more convenient by my guide/driver. He helped with all the busy work such as buying tickets, guiding me to entrances, and finding convenient parking while also giving in-depth knowledge about the local history as well as food/shopping/tourist recommendations. He even gave me some insider tips on how best to visit a couple of other Sichuan tourist destinations when I mentioned my itinerary for the rest of the trip which were so helpful.
I highly recommend this trip if you're looking for a personal driver for the day that's a little more personal than the average tour package. I was able to hit all the spots I wanted to visit, take my time, not be rushed along, and still get back to Chengdu in time for dinner.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Georgina_m
Oct 2, 2023
The driver was reliable... - The driver was reliable and accurate.
He also spoke some English and was able to communicate with us through WeChat.
Review provided by Viator
Barwin2023
Aug 27, 2023
Excellent tour with safety drive. - We have found in this product exactly what we have looked for. It was no guide drive from Chengdu to these two amazing places. Our driver has pick us up very punctual from hotel lobby. The car was comfortable with air condition. We have received two bottles of water per person. Our driver was very good expired in the variable traffic. He has taken us to the Leshan and assisted us by the ticket office. We had enough time to visit the complex of temples and statue. No time pressure. After that the driver has taken us to the ancient city and let us the time to visit the village in piece. Thank you for the tour and 100% recommendation.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lukasz_b
Aug 26, 2023
Strongly recommended tour. - The tour was exactly us requested and we have looked for. Privet driver without guide. Our driver has picked us up very punctual from the hotel lobby. We have reached the first stop us planed and the driver has assisted us by get the tickets and show the route to visit Budda from Leshan. We had enough time to enjoy the complex of temples. After we have gone to the second stop and could visit the beautiful ancient city. Every thing was very good organised, the driver was professional and drived us very safety. 100% recommendation.
Review provided by Viator
Archareeya_w
May 14, 2023
I strongly recommend this... - I strongly recommend this tour! Leshan and Huanglongxi are magnificent tourist spots. However, they are quite far from the city center, making it challenging for foreigners to reach them. Fortunately, my friends and I found this private tour, the driver had a service-oriented mindset. He helped us buy the tickets and ensured that our trip went smoothly. We had a great time there!
Review provided by Viator
Rowena_l
Mar 10, 2024
Awe inspiring trip to the great Buddha - Seeing the Leshan Buddha was awe inspiring. Our guide showed us how to take the boat trip first which was the perfect way to set the scene viewing the Buddha from the river, then set us on the free transport to the Buddha itself. We were fortunate that it wasn’t crowded so we had time to view at our leisure. We walked to the bridge which was beautiful. Our guide found us a suitable (vegetarian) noodle shop for lunch. The Huanglongxi village was a little disappointing as we felt it had become rather commercialised. The history and layout of the town was interesting but the experience spoilt by loud and conflicting music coming from modern shops built beneath the old exteriors.
Review provided by Viator
Sarvesh_m
Feb 2, 2024
Average Experience - Basically you are just paying for a driver to drive you to the Giant Buddha and Ancient Town. Driver will drop you off at the location and you are to figure out your own way through the attractions. The drop off point and the Giant Buddha was a 50min self hike. Personally didn't find this purchase worth it.
Review provided by Viator
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