Leshan Giant Buddha: tickets, hours and how to visit
A 71-metre Tang carving in a river cliff, two hours by train; a full day.
Leshan Giant Buddha at a glance
A 71-metre Tang carving in a river cliff, two hours by train; a full day. Plan on full day from chengdu here, plus half an hour either side for entry, security and parking.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tickets | CNY 80 for the park and the cliff stairs. Boat view CNY 70, no landing. |
| Opening hours | 07:30–18:30 (Apr–Oct), 08:00–17:30 (Nov–Mar). |
| Time needed | Full day from Chengdu; 3 hours at the site. |
| City | Chengdu, China |
What to see
Three things carry this sight. If you are short on time, do them in this order.
- The cliff staircase250 steps down beside the head, the only close view
- The boatthe only way to see the full 71-metre figure, 30 minutes
- Wuyou Templeacross the bridge, quieter, and included in the ticket
Tickets and booking
How the ticket works, and what foreigners usually get wrong.
Before you buy
- Price. CNY 80 for the park and the cliff stairs. Boat view CNY 70, no landing.
- Booking. The cliff staircase queues for two to three hours on weekends and holidays — people routinely give up halfway up. Take the boat instead if the queue is over 90 minutes: you see the whole Buddha rather than the back of someone's head, in 30 minutes.
- Payment. Most Chinese sights take WeChat Pay or Alipay only. Cash works at staffed windows but not at self-service machines; a licensed guide can pay on your behalf and settle with you at the end of the day.
Getting there and when to go
Two hours by high-speed train from Chengdu to Leshan, then 20 minutes by bus or car. Driving takes 2.5 hours each way. Most people do it as a day trip with a car and driver rather than negotiating two station transfers.
07:30–18:30 (Apr–Oct), 08:00–17:30 (Nov–Mar).. The first hour after opening is the quietest — tour groups arrive around 09:30. Late afternoon gives better light but the main viewpoints start clearing people out, so shoot early if that is your priority.
Public transport reaches Leshan Giant Buddha, but connections and waiting times add up. With luggage, older travellers, or two sights in one day, a car and driver removes the guesswork.
The one thing that goes wrong
Chengdu local note
- The cliff staircase queues for two to three hours on weekends and holidays — people routinely give up halfway up. Take the boat instead if the queue is over 90 minutes: you see the whole Buddha rather than the back of someone's head, in 30 minutes.
Pairing Leshan Giant Buddha with
These are usually on the same day or the same trip.
Leshan Giant Buddha: questions travellers ask
Stairs or boat?
Is it worth a whole day?
How booking works — three steps, itinerary before price
No deposit to get a plan, and nothing is locked in before you agree.
Send the brief
Dates, party size, how you arrive and what you want to see around Leshan Giant Buddha.
Get a route and a price
We order the stops by location and traffic, then quote per car per day with fuel, tolls and the driver included.
Confirm and travel
Only after you accept the route and the price do we assign the car and guide.
