Questions, answered

Two full days covers the essentials — the Giant Panda Base, the old streets and a proper hotpot — at a relaxed pace. Three to four days lets you add a day trip to the Leshan Giant Buddha or Dujiangyan, plus tea houses and a Sichuan Opera show. Tell us your dates and we'll suggest a realistic plan.

Go to the panda base right at opening, around 07:30–08:30. Pandas are most active in the cool early morning when they're being fed; by midday in warm months they tend to sleep. Arriving early also means far smaller crowds. We build your day around an early start.

Not at all. Sichuan food can be mild too, and even hotpot comes with a mild broth or a split pot. 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.

Very. The pandas are a hit with children, the city is flat and easy, and a private car plus a companion makes the day comfortable for grandparents and little ones. We adjust the pace, keep walking manageable, and can arrange child seats and stroller-friendly routes.

The most popular are the Leshan Giant Buddha (about 2–2.5 hours by car, the world's largest stone Buddha), Dujiangyan's ancient irrigation system with Taoist Mount Qingcheng (under an hour away), and for panda lovers the quieter Dujiangyan panda base. Mount Emei's Golden Summit is a bigger two-day trip. We'll tell you honestly which fit your time.

Yes — nothing is a fixed package. Tell us your dates, group size, interests and pace, and we build the day around you: more pandas or more food, a day trip or a slow tea-house afternoon, early start or lazy morning. We'll always tell you honestly what realistically fits your time.

Chengdu has two airports — Tianfu International (TFU, further out) and Shuangliu (CTU, closer to the centre). Both connect by metro and taxi, but signage and taxi queues can be confusing on arrival. Send us your flight number and we'll have a licensed driver waiting to take you straight to your hotel.

Chengdu's metro is clean, cheap and extensive, and Didi (China's ride-hailing app) is everywhere — but both work best in Chinese and Didi needs a working payment method. We can set you up, call and translate rides for you, or provide a private car for the day so you never worry about it.

Yes. We arrange transfers from both Chengdu airports, your hotel, or the high-speed rail stations. Send us your flight or train number and we'll have a driver waiting so you're never stranded or haggling on arrival.

The Giant Panda Base is hugely popular and releases a limited number of real-name tickets a few days in advance on a Chinese-only platform that often rejects foreign passports and non-Chinese payment. They sell out fast. We watch the release, book the moment tickets drop, and complete the passport registration for you.

Usually yes. Once your ticket is registered to your passport, foreign visitors normally enter the panda base and most sights by scanning that same passport at the gate — often with no paper ticket or QR code. Bring the physical passport you registered with.

Yes, strongly — tickets are real-name, limited and often gone days ahead, usually one per passport per day. The online step frequently fails for foreign passports on Chinese-only apps, so message us early with your passport details and your preferred date and we'll secure them and send clear entry instructions.

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 to book with us. For spending around the city, Alipay and WeChat now let foreign cards link to them, and we're happy to help you set that up. Entrance tickets and transport are passed on at cost with a clear breakdown.

We agree the price up front by message before you commit. Companion and private-car time is typically priced per day or per group; entrance tickets are per passport and charged at cost with a clear breakdown. We'll confirm accepted payment 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 panda tickets or a reserved car — are handled transparently, and we'll always show you exactly what, if anything, is affected.

No. We don't do forced shopping stops, tea-house hard-sells or hidden commissions. You pay for the help you booked, and tickets, transport and meals are passed on at cost. If we ever suggest a shop or restaurant, it's because locals actually rate it.

No. Chengdu 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.