SICHUAN FOOD ADVENTURE
A Lazy Sunday Club + Elsewhere & Beyond Co-lab
14 Days / 13 Nights | 23rd May – 5th June 2026 | Exclusive Lazy Sunday Club Price - $7,699 twin share | Single supplement $1,035
“I believe the best way to experience Sichuan is through its kitchens, markets, and the people who bring them to life. This special tour takes you to historic towns, noodle shops, atmospheric teahouses, and local feasts — from Chengdu’s morning noodles to Lizhuang’s “three whites,” Suji’s beef specialties, and Chongqing’s late-night hotpot. Along the way, we stay open to unscripted moments — meeting a chef, wandering a family-run kitchen, or chatting with vendors at a produce market. You’ll come home with stories, flavours, and memories that will truly stay. This isn’t about ticking off bucket lists; it’s about connecting with the incredible people, culture, and everyday life of this beautiful place.” – Leanne Kitchen, founder Elsewhere & Beyond
Day 1 – Arrival in Chengdu
Arrive in Chengdu and transfer to your hotel near Wenshu Monastery. This historic neighbourhood is perfect for wandering among quieter streets lined with snack outlets, shops, and the gentle scent of incense.
Evening: Celebrate the start of your adventure with a welcome feast of iconic Sichuan dishes. Afterwards, enjoy an optional stroll to see the city lights and soak in the evening buzz.
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Day 2 – Chengdu Food Foundations
Morning: Begin the day with an optional early stroll around Wenshu Monastery, a Buddhist complex with over 1,200 years of history. Locals practise tai chi and the quiet courtyards give a glimpse of Chengdu’s spiritual heritage. Early mornings are blissfully calm, offering a serene introduction before the site fills up.
Breakfast: Sample a variety of Chengdu morning staples at a local eatery – perhaps tángyuán (stuffed glutinous rice balls), lóng chāoshǒu (Chengdu-style wontons), zhōng shuǐ jiǎo (pork dumplings in spicy sauce), guōkuī (crisp stuffed flatbread), or tiánshuǐ miàn (thick noodles in a sweet soy sauce). Utterly delicious.
Mid-morning: Visit a local wet market to explore fresh produce, spices, and preserved goods. Participate in a hands-on Sichuan cooking class nearby; lunch will feature the dishes we’ve prepared.
Afternoon: Relax at a neighbourhood teahouse, a local gem known for its charming, lived-in atmosphere. On select days opera is performed, but even if it’s not, this is a great place to soak in Chengdu’s famously chilled vibes.
Evening: Walk through Taikoo Li, Chengdu’s modern shopping and dining precinct, where traditional architecture fuses with jaw-dropping luxury shopping. End the day with a modern Sichuan tasting menu, where classic flavours and presentation get a contemporary refresh.
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Day 3 – Qingchengshan & Countryside Flavours
Morning: Travel to Qingchengshan (~1.5 hours), stopping at a dòubànjiàng (chilli paste) producer for a tasting and demo. Learn about his fundamental ingredient that gives Sichuan cuisine its distinctive umami-spicy smack.
Mid-morning: Ascend Qingchengshan’s Front Mountain via cable car. Wander forested trails and explore temples where Daoism, which shapes Sichuan’s cultural and philosophical identity, was born. This UNESCO World Heritage site is famous for ancient shrines and lush greenery – a peaceful contrast to Chengdu’s pace.
Lunch: A countryside meal featuring hyper-local specialties such as simmered ginkgo chicken or ‘firewood’ chicken, a dish rarely found in the city where open-fire cooking is restricted.
Afternoon: Stroll through nearby Yuantong, a 1,600-year-old riverside town. Relax at the Xia Family Teahouse, a family-run establishment with a 200-year-old water well, try Sichuan pepper duck, or enjoy an easy riverside walk.
Evening: Return to Chengdu(~1 hour) for a refresh before dinner. Optional evening stroll to Anshun Bridge for a picturesque view of the city’s riverside lights.
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Day 4 – Ya’an & Mengding Mountain
Morning: Transfer to Ya’an (~2.5 hours by private transfer), a city of 1.5 million on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. Known as the ‘rainy city’ (200–213 wet days a year!), Ya’an is famed for its tea-growing, lush mountain scenery, and for being the natural home of the giant panda.
Mid-morning: After hotel check-in, visit Mengding Mountain, known as the birthplace of tea culture in China. Walk ancient tea terraces and participate in a tutored tea tasting, learning about traditional processing and the unique flavours of local teas.
Lunch: Savour the “Nine Bowl Feast” (jiǔ dà wǎn), a traditional folk banquet served on special occasions like weddings. Expect large serves and bold flavours, with everything designed to share.
Afternoon: Visit nearby Shangli Ancient Town (~35 min), a designated historic and cultural site in an idyllic setting. Wander streets lined with Ming and Qing dynasty stilted buildings, pick up some souvenirs, and watch cooks make the town’s hand-pulled ‘dàdà’ noodles —thick, chewy, soupy noodles served with deep-fried, then braised, hunks of wobbly pork. Return to the hotel to freshen up.
Evening: Dinner at a local restaurant specialising in yá yú, a fish native to the region and once served as tribute to emperors. Mainly wild-caught from cold alpine streams, it’s prized for its firm yet tender flesh and clean, subtle flavour; Chinese travel from all over just to eat it here.
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Day 5 – Ya’an: Tea, Tofu & Pandas
Morning: Visit Bifengxia Panda Base (~35 min), a sprawling sanctuary set within beautiful bamboo forests and hills. This base is renowned for offering a more naturalistic habitat than other reserves, giving the chance to observe pandas of all ages, from playful cubs to adults, while learning about ongoing conservation efforts and the species’ unique biology.
Lunch: Enjoy a low-key meal near the panda base, highlighting fresh regional ingredients such as tender mountain vegetables, hand-pressed tofu, and hearty braised pork.
Afternoon: We’ll explore a local specialty, which may be either artisanal tofu production, Tibetan-style tea production, or (pending confirmation) a visit to a caviar facility – China produces around 60% of the world’s caviar, much of it from around Ya’an.
Evening: Dinner at a local venue continues the immersion in Ya’an flavours, focussing on dishes that highlight freshness and the city’s culinary heritage.
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Day 6 – Gaomiao, Jiajiang & Leshan
Morning: Depart Ya’an for Gaomiao (~1 hr 15 min), an unrenovated old town that, while slowly being discovered by locals, sits outside tourist itineraries. Visit a traditional baijiu distillery, still using old wooden vats, local spring water, and hand-crafted methods to produce this iconic sorghum spirit.
Lunch: Rustic, family-style fare in Gaomiao or nearby Luojiang.
Afternoon: Transfer to Jiajiang (~1 hr 40 min) and walk along Qianfo Cliff, an idyllic riverside site with Tang and Song-era Buddhist carvings, remarkably preserved against a backdrop of flowing waters and lush hills.
Early evening: We’ll divert slightly to experience dinner at a celebrated family-run restaurant in a nearby village; it has even featured on CCTV. Afterwards, we’ll continue to Leshan (~45 min) for our overnight accommodation.
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Day 7 – Leshan & Suji Town
Morning: Visit the 71-meter Leshan Giant Buddha, a UNESCO World Heritage site, carved into a riverside cliff. We’ll either visit on foot early to miss crowds, or we’ll opt for the easy boat-viewing option (weather, crowds and group dependent).
Midday: We’ll head to Suji Town (~30 min) for the Qiaojiao beef feast, a local speciality. This lovely town is also famous for braised goose, rice candy, and fresh tofu. After lunch, stroll the streets, explore family-run shops, and relax in laid-back riverside teahouses. Optional visits include the Beef Feast Museum, offering insights into the history and preparation of this signature dish.
Evening: After a refresh, dinner will be a relaxed street food crawl, sampling the famous Leshan snacks that draw Chengdu day-trippers in droves, including soft, silky tofu ‘brains’ (dòuhuā), finished with an array of spicy-textural toppings; sweet skin duck (tián pí yā) – succulent duck dripping in syrupy glaze; and bǒ bǒ jī, or skewered chicken (and other morsels) in a rich, oily chilli sauce.
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Day 8 – Luocheng & Yibin
Morning: Spend the morning at your leisure. If you’d like to strike out for self-exploration, shopping, or eating, we can recommend places to go.
Late morning: Transfer to Luocheng (~55 min), a photogenic old town, famous for a unique boat-shaped main street. There’s a Hui (Chinese Muslim) presence and culinary specialties include dried, cured and spiced beef. We’ll enjoy a simple lunch before heading to Yibin (~1 hr 50 min).
Afternoon: Check into our Yibin hotel, rest, and regroup. Yibin is the gateway to southern Sichuan, with food more fragrant than fiery – plenty of garlic, ginger, fermented notes, and cured meats. The location, at the confluence of the Min and Yangtze Rivers, is striking.
Evening: Experience Yibin barbecue, known for unusual cuts like pig-nose tendon and upper jaw cartilage (and more familiar beef, chicken, and pork options, vegetables and tofu). The city’s distinctive dry dipping mix – crushed peanuts, sesame, chilli, and salt –adds a rich, nutty crunch to every bite.
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Day 9 – Yibin Burning Noodles & Lizhuang
Morning: Begin at the Cuiping food market, a bustling hub for fresh produce and traditional snacks. Enjoy Burning Noodles (rán miàn), an Yibin signature. It’s topped with preserved mustard (yàcài), crushed nuts, pork, spring onion, and features càiziyóu (rapeseed oil). Made by roasting the seeds before pressing, this oil is key to the flavour of many Sichuan dishes.
Late morning: Travel to Lizhuang Ancient Town (~30 min), famous for “three whites” – bái ròu (white pork), bái jiǔ (white liquor/baijiu), and bái gāo (white cake). Lizhuang’s combination of old-town charm, riverside views, and preserved architecture makes it ideal for slow wandering. We’ll lunch on the famous white pork, served in impossibly thin slices and dunked into a rich, thick dipping sauce.
Mid-afternoon: Return to Yibin and relax for the rest of the afternoon. Later, we’ll dine on local specialities, maybe river fish or eel. Sampling the famous sweet liáng gāo (‘cold cake’) and perhaps Wǔliángyè, a renowned local liquor you can even enjoy in coffee, are also musts!
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Day 10 – The Southern Bamboo Sea
Morning: Private transfer to the famous Shunan Bamboo Sea (~1 hr 50 min), one of Sichuan’s most iconic scenic areas. We’ll wander through utterly dreamy landscapes, where endless groves (some over 300 years old!) of bamboo (around 50 varieties) create a serene canopy. The trails, viewing platforms, and gentle slopes are perfect for photography and some quiet reflection.
Lunch: Enjoy a bamboo-themed meal at a local restaurant, featuring dishes that incorporate types of fresh bamboo prepared in various ways, and an array of the unique mushroom varieties found in the forest.
Afternoon: We’ll continue exploring the Bamboo Sea, taking in panoramic viewpoints and tucked-away paths. Covering about 120 km² and with over 2,700 scenic spots, lakes, waterfalls, and temples, we won’t see it all! If available, we’ll visit a bamboo crafts workshop, and observe artisans handcraft items from this versatile plant.
Late afternoon/evening: Return to Yibin (~1 hr 50 min), where dinner highlights regional specialities in a local restaurant, providing an authentic taste of southern Sichuan’s hearty cuisine.
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Day 11 – Yibin → Chongqing
Morning: Travel to Chongqing by speed train (~49 min), a metropolis of steep hills and high-rise neighbourhoods, where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers converge. It’s a vibrant city, famed for its fiery cuisine, dramatic streetscapes and an addictive, electrifying atmosphere. We love it here!
Lunch: After checking in, we’ll explore historic Shancheng Lane, a 1.5 km walkway and artsy hub that showcases the city’s unique topography. We’ll lunch around here, maybe stopping at Changle Yongkang Teahouse, a century-old venue offering a wonderful glimpse into Chongqing’s cultural heartbeat.
Afternoon: TBC: Options include Huguang Hall (Qing-era architecture and clan history), Longmenhao Old Street or Hongyadong, where wooden stilt buildings cling dramatically to the riverside cliffs, creating perfect photo opportunities.
Evening: We’ll eat hotpot, perhaps in a WWII-era bomb shelter, a converted sweets factory, or another venue that speaks to Chongqing’s quirky local scene. The hotpot experience is quintessentially Chongqing: spicy, steamy, and social.
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Day 12 – Chongqing
Morning: Participate in a food demonstration or market tour (TBC), offering insight into Chongqing’s ingredients, spices, and culinary techniques.
Afternoon: Travel by city metro to Ciqikou, an historic enclave with plenty of tea houses and street food. Visit Junge’s Bookstore, a private collection featuring rare texts and memorabilia from old Chongqing, providing a glimpse into the city’s cultural heritage.
Evening: Dinner of Chongqing specialties, such as làzǐ jī, a spicy chicken dish. Optional: attend an opera performance at Luzu Miao Minguo Teahouse Theatre, a showcase of regional music and drama in a historic setting.
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Day 13 – Chongqing → Chengdu
Morning: Start with a traditional Chongqing breakfast – perhaps (spicy noodles), suān là fěn (hot & sour rice noodles), niúròu (beef noodles), or yóuchá (oil tea). Take a cable car across the enjoying panoramic views of the city’s hills, rivers, and high-rise skyline.
Lunch: Enjoy a Hui (Chinese Muslim) meal, highlighting aromatic hearty meats, and singular culinary tradition.
Afternoon: Board the high-speed train back to Chengdu (~2 hr 20 watching the scenery shift from Chongqing’s steep hills to the fertile plains of the Sichuan basin.
Evening: Celebrate the conclusion of your journey with a farewell dinner in Chengdu; venue TBC (we’re deciding between a Michelin-starred or Chengdu’s most exhilarating ‘fly’ restaurant. They’re both fabulous either way, this will be memorable).
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Day 14 – Chengdu → Home, or Onward Journey
Morning: Meet for a final breakfast and go out with a bang before transfers, or travel to wherever your next port of call is taking you.
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The Fine Print
This itinerary is designed as a rich, immersive exploration of central Sichuan’s food, culture, heritage, and landscapes. While the core journey is planned, some activities, timings, or venues may evolve as we confirm special opportunities, lovely hotels, available experts, seasonal highlights, or unique local experiences. Unfortunately, this trip is not suitable for those with any dietary restrictions or travellers with mobility issues as it involves stairs, hilly walks, and some uneven terrain. Comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory.
Inclusions
Private transfers and city transport as listed in the itinerary
High-speed train tickets (Yibin → Chongqing, Chongqing → Chengdu)
Accommodation for 13 nights
Daily breakfast, plus lunches and dinners
All listed activities, entrance fees, and guided experiences
Hands-on cooking classes and tastings
Visits to teahouses, markets, and local producers as described
Professional local guide throughout the tour
Exclusions
International flights and any transfers not listed
Optional activities not explicitly included in the itinerary
Comprehensive travel insurance, personal expenses, and gratuities
Visa fees for entry into China
Meals, snacks, drinks, or activities outside those listed (alcohol is not included,
except for specified tutored tastings)
Notes
Places secured by $690 deposit, half payment, or full payment
Payment in full by 31st January 2026
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Payments made to Lazy Sunday Club are on behalf of Elsewhere & Beyond
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