2-Day Leshan Giant Buddha & Emei Mountain Trip for Foreigners: Eat, Hike, and See It All

Here’s a secret most tourists miss: Leshan Giant Buddha (Lèshān Dàfó, 乐山大佛) and Emei Mountain (Éméi Shān, 峨眉山) are in the same city.

Yes—Emei Mountain is part of Leshan City, not Chengdu.Yet I’ve met dozens of foreign travelers who booked separate trips, wasted time, and missed the best combo: one day for the world’s tallest stone Buddha, one day for China’s holiest Buddhist mountain.

A Swiss couple once told me: “We thought Leshan and Emei were 4 hours apart. We almost skipped both!”They ended up doing the full 2-day loop—and called it “the highlight of our China trip.”

This guide solves the confusion.You’ll get:✅ Exact high-speed train times (Chengdu → Leshan → Emei → Chengdu)✅ A realistic 2-day plan (no rushing, no missed buses)✅ Must-eat Leshan street food (with shop names you can Google)

Trust me—this is the smartest way to see two UNESCO sites in 48 hours.

2-Day Leshan Giant Buddha & Emei Mountain Trip for Foreigners: Eat, Hike, and See It All

Day 1: Leshan Giant Buddha + Sushi Town Feasts

Start early.Take the 6:15 AM high-speed train from Chengdu East Station (Chéngdū Dōng Zhàn, 成都东站).Arrive in Leshan (Lèshān, 乐山) by 7:07 AM. Ticket: ¥30. Ride time: 52 minutes.

From Leshan Railway Station, take bus 3 or a taxi (¥15) to Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area.

Entry fee: ¥80. Open 7:30 AM–6:30 PM.

Now—skip the stairs.Walk down the cliff path? It’s 250+ steep steps. Crowded. Hot.Instead, take the river cruise (¥70, 15 minutes). You’ll see the 71-meter-tall Buddha from the best angle—his full body carved into the cliff, facing the confluence of three rivers.

After the cruise, head to Sujī Ancient Town (Sūjī Gǔzhèn, 苏稽古镇)—20 minutes by taxi.

This is where locals eat. Not tourists.

Order Qiaojiao Beef (Qiāojiǎo Niúròu, 跷脚牛肉)—a bubbling pot of beef, tripe, tendon, and broth served over a flame.Try Fangfang Qiaojiao Beef or Feng San Niang. Both have English menus. Cost: ¥40–60 per person.

In the evening, stroll Leshan’s night market near Leshan Park.Eat sweet-skin duck (Tiánpí Yā, 甜皮鸭)—crispy, glazed with malt syrup.Or try wolf-tooth potatoes (Lángyá Tǔdòu, 狼牙土豆)—spicy, crunchy, addictive.

A Canadian food blogger wrote: “I came for the Buddha. I stayed for the beef. Leshan has better street food than Chengdu!”

Tip: Stay overnight in Leshan city center. Hotels like Leshan Minshan Hotel cost ¥200 and are near food streets.

Day 2: Emei Mountain Summit in One Day (No Marathon Hiking!)

After breakfast, eat Leshan tofu pudding (Dòufunǎo, 豆腐脑)—silky tofu with noodles, pickles, and chili oil.Then take the 8:00 AM train from Leshan Station to Emei Mountain

Station (Éméishān Zhàn, 峨眉山站).

Ride time: 15 minutes. Ticket: ¥6.

From Emei Mountain Station, take bus 5A or a taxi (¥30) to the Emei Scenic Area entrance.Buy your park ticket (¥160) and scenic shuttle bus pass (¥90 round-trip).

Now—do NOT start hiking from the bottom.That’s a 50 km death march.

Instead:

1. Take the shuttle bus to Leidongping (Léidòngpíng, 雷洞坪)—2 hours.

2. Walk 30 mins to Jieyin Hall (Jiēyǐn Diàn, 接引殿).

3. Take the cable car to Golden Summit (Jīndǐng, 金顶)—5 minutes, ¥120.

At Golden Summit (3,079m), see the Ten-Faced Puxian Golden Statue, walk along She Shen Cliff (Shèshēn Yá, 舍身崖), and watch clouds swirl below.

Lunch: Eat veggie noodles at the summit food court (¥35).

Afternoon: Cable car down. Bus to Wannian Temple (Wànnián Sì, 万年寺).See the 1,000-year-old bronze Puxian statue.Then walk 20 mins to Qingyin Pavilion (Qīngyīn Gé, 清音阁)—listen to waterfalls, watch wild monkeys (but keep your bag closed!).

Last shuttle from Wuxiangang (Wǔxiǎngǎng, 五显岗) leaves at 5:30 PM.Take it back to Emei Mountain Station.Catch the 7:00 PM train to Chengdu. You’ll be back by 8:15 PM.

A UK teacher said: “I thought Emei needed 3 days. This route gave me the summit, monkeys, and temples—all in one relaxed day.”

Warning: Don’t skip the shuttle bus. Walking from the gate takes 6+ hours. One Brazilian hiker tried it—and had to call a rescue team.

Leshan Food You Can’t Miss (And Where to Find It)

Leshan isn’t just about Buddha—it’s a Sichuan food capital most tourists overlook.

Qiaojiao Beef is the star.It’s not “beef on a stick.” It’s a communal hotpot of offal and broth, eaten with rice.Go to Fangfang Qiaojiao Beef (Fāngfāng Qiāojiǎo Niúròu)—they speak basic English.

Tofu pudding (Dòufunǎo) here is savory—mixed with vermicelli, peanuts, and spicy sauce.Best at Xiao Bei Doufunao near Leshan Park.

钵钵鸡 (Bōbō Jī) = cold skewers in red oil or green pepper broth.Try Ye’s Bobo Chicken—they mark spice levels clearly.

Sweet-skin duck (Tiánpí Yā) is crispy outside, juicy inside.Buy it from Jiuyouzhai—they pack it for travel.

And Leshan spicy hotpot (Málà Tàng, 麻辣烫) is better than Chengdu’s—because everything is on skewers.Grab 10 sticks of beef tendon, 5 of lotus root. Pay by the stick. Total: ¥25.

Don’t waste time in Chengdu looking for “authentic” Sichuan food.

Leshan is where locals go.

Why This 2-Day Plan Works (And What’s Next)

I’ve done this loop six times—with seniors, backpackers, and foodies.Every time, people say: “I had no idea these two places were so close!”

The key? Use the high-speed train network.

Chengdu → Leshan (52 min) → Emei (15 min) → Chengdu (75 min).All clean, fast, and English-friendly.

Last month, a Dutch couple followed this plan. They emailed:“Saw the Buddha at sunrise, ate beef for lunch, stood on Golden Summit by noon. Perfect pacing.”

Now—don’t wing it.

Emei’s shuttle buses fill fast. Leshan’s best beef shops close by 2 PM.

So grab the Emei Mountain Ultimate Travel Guide.It includes:

✅ Direct links to book trains (no Chinese apps!)

✅ Gaode Map pins for every food stall and bus stop

✅ Exact cable car wait times (go before 8:30 AM!)

✅ Post-hike hotpot spots near Emei Station

Your 2-day Sichuan adventure starts here.See the Buddha. Climb the mountain. Eat like a local. 🥢🏔️