Days
1
Accommodation
Day tour no hotel needed
Cities
Chongqing
Transportation
Walk, Car
Meals
Lunch, bottled water
Experiences
Culture, Food, Urban
Group size
4-12 ppl
Team
Local Guide
This is a journey into the vertical heart of Chongqing — a city carved by rivers and built on cliffs, where fog curls through alleys and memories cling to stairs. Not preserved in stillness, but alive in hotpot steam, mahjong tiles, and hillside echoes.
Not behind museum glass, but in bomb shelters turned art spaces, cable cars that float above the Yangtze, and teahouses where time slows down between sips and stories.
In one day, ride through air across rivers once crossed by warships, wander lanes where revolutionaries hid and poets wrote by candlelight, and cook a Chongqing-style meal that speaks the city’s fiery dialect.
Welcome to Chongqing — rising, roaring, and always alive in layers.
About this Journey
Chongqing rises in layers, a city not built on land, but stacked on cliffs, crossing rivers, coiling with fog.
To navigate it is to move vertically, by escalators, by stairways, by cable cars that float over rooftops and rail tracks.
It’s a city where old meets bold, where bomb shelters become cafes, street vendors feed night owls, and hotpot is both ritual and rebellion.
You don’t follow streets, you follow scents of peppercorn and charcoal, of rain on stone, of life unfiltered.
Every corner folds in a story of resistance, migration, reinvention, echoing in graffiti tunnels and hillside opera stages.
By day, the city sprawls outward in concrete and chaos. By night, it glows quietly, neon reflected in river fog, voices soft beneath bridges.
You don’t conquer Chongqing. You get lost in it, and somewhere between a turn and a climb, you begin to feel its gravity.
Route Map
Itinerary
Meet at Jiefangbei then transfer to Xiahao Old Street (or hotel pick-up for private tours)
Explore a hillside neighborhood filled with stilt houses, narrow alleys, and steep stairways. Observe daily life scenes: morning stretching, laundry lines, chatting neighbors. Learn how Chongqing’s layered urban design shapes community life. Stop for photos: alley cats, brick textures, and light filtering through stairwells
Bottled water and transport between locations provided
Visit a bustling morning market(Huang Hua Yuan or Hualongqiao) where locals shop for daily cooking
Learn about iconic Sichuan ingredients: Pixian chili bean paste, green peppercorn, chili oil. Talk to vendors about seasonal produce and family cooking
Shop together for ingredients needed for the afternoon cooking session
Join a private cooking class hosted in a hillside home or studio
Make classic Sichuan dishes: Kou Shui Ji (spicy chicken), Kung Pao Chicken, Poached Beef in Chili Broth. Learn to prepare your own hot pot base from scratch and try mini hotpot
Over lunch, your instructor shares stories about family meals, seasonal dishes, how Chongqing people host guests and the values behind Chongqing's fiery food culture
View the façade of Hongyadong from across the river or Qiansimen Bridge
Take photos of the iconic “cyberpunk” skyline at this Instagram-famous spot
Discuss how urban branding contrasts with everyday life in neighborhoods like Xiahua
Avoid the busy main street and explore back alleys of the historic town
Visit a quiet teahouse and enjoy jasmine or osmanthus-scented tea, Learn about Ciqikou’s heritage as a porcelain trading hub during the Ming-Qing period
Chat with your guide about how locals relax, drink tea, and enjoy slow evenings
Wrap up the day: Mountain city layers, spicy kitchens, everyday alleys, and real Chongqing life
Transfer back to your hotel or receive recommendations for optional evening activities (hot spring spa, river cableway at night, local tavern crawl)
Guide available for Q&A and additional travel tips
Experiences Included
Details
The following items are included in your trip package unless otherwise stated:
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Listed lunch cooking session featuring instruction and local specialties.
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All private vehicles transportation during the tour.
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All entrance fees to sites and activities listed in the itinerary.
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Professional English-speaking tour guide throughout the trip, online trip manager where applicable.
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Bottled water and travel support materials.
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Pre-trip support, including travel briefing and packing suggestions.
Scenes from the Journey
How It Works
Perfect trip in 6 simple steps
01 | Tell us what you're looking for
Browse our curated itineraries and click "Get a quote" on the top right to tell us your preffered tour, travel dates, group size, and any special requests. We'll answer questions, confirm details, and discuss any adjustments if needed.
02 | Receive a free draft itinerary & quote
Get a personalized draft travel route and estimated cost, tailored to your needs.
03 | Pay deposit to confirm your booking
Secure your trip with a USD300 deposit — we'll begin crafting your detailed itinerary with refined routes, hotels, and experiences, and work with you until everything is finalized. This fee goes toward your total trip cost and will be deducted from your final balance.
04 | Confirm booking
After finalizing the plan, pay the full payment — we’ll handle all bookings and logistics from there.
05 | Get your pre-travel kit
Receive your pre-departure guide with everything you need to know — routes, contacts, tips, and support.
06 | Travel with full support
We’ll greet you at the airport or designated point — and your journey starts from there, seamlessly.
