Look out for black bear and deer in the Jiuzhaigou Reserve, watch giant pandas and cubs feeding at the panda breeding site in Chegdu or try to spot pandas in the wild at Wolong Nature Reserve.

Regional highlights

Chongqing & the Yangtze River-Chongqing is the gateway for cruising down the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges. From here you can discover breathtaking scenery, a wealth of historic sights and explore fascinating destinations. Above Yichang, the new Three Gorges Dam has raised water levels by more than 100m, turning the Chongqing - Yichang stretch of the river into a huge lake, making it perfect for cruising. Highlights include:

Fengdu-Discover the ‘Ghost City' of Fengdu, crowded with temples and statues of demons and devils, and home to ghosts, according to local beliefs.

Dazu-Admire Buddhist sculptures and carvings dating from the 9th century in the caves at Bei Shan and Baoding Shan. Don't miss the magnificent 30m-long reclining Buddha or the gold, thousand-armed statue of the Goddess of Mercy.

Little Three Gorges-Hire an open-topped boat for a 50km-long cruise up the Daning River through the dramatic Little Three Gorges (Xiao San Xia) to witness some of the region's most scenic countryside. Includes the Dragon Gate Gorge (Longmen Xia), Misty Gorge (Bawu Xia) and Emerald Gorge (Dicui Xia). See remnants of the ‘Ancient Plank Road', which now consists of two horizontal lines of square holes set about 15m above the river, and spy hundreds of suspended coffins hanging from cliff faces above the river, an ancient funeral custom of the Pu people who lived around the Daning River 2000 years ago.

Wu Gorge-Cruise beneath sheer cliffs and 12 peaks on this 45km-long section of the Three Gorges. Look out for the Goddess Peak, an amazing pillar of white stone.

Xiling Gorge-At 66km in length, this is the longest and deepest of all the gorges, with cliffs soaring to a height of 1200m. Visit the Huangling temple, supported by 36 poles carved with nine dancing dragons, first built around 700 BC and then rebuilt in 1618 during the Ming Dynasty.

Three Gorges Dam-Be inspired by this massive man-made undertaking as you enter the locks to continue your river adventure.

Stone Treasure Stronghold-Explore this impressive 12-storey pagoda, which was carved into the cliff face during the 18th century. Climb past wall carvings and historical inscriptions on your way to the top of the pagoda.

Sichuan-Climb the scenic mountain of Emeishan, discover the world's largest stone Buddha in nearby Leshan, hike through forests and alongside dramatic cascades in Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve and get warm and fuzzy at the sight of new-born panda cubs at the Chengdu's Panda Breeding Centre. Highlights include:

Giant Panda Breeding Research Base-Arrive early in the morning to see nearly 50 giant and red pandas at this breeding site at Chengdu. Breeding occurs between March and May, while autumn to winter is a good time to watch the newly born panda cubs. You can watch the feeding session for all pandas around 9.30am every day.

Wolong Nature Reserve-Located 140km north-west of Chengdu is the UN-designated International Biosphere Reserve, the largest of 16 panda conservation reserves in China. Pick up a map from the park administration office and hike into the forest. Along with pandas, also look out for takin, deer, golden monkey and snow leopard.

Emeishan-Home to the first Buddhist temple in China, built here in the 1st century AD, the beautiful surroundings of the 3000m-high Emeishan (Lofty Eyebrow Mountain) ultimately turned this region of southern Sichuan into one of Buddhism's holiest sites. Hike through thick forests to visit around 20 temples that are linked by flights of stone steps. For stunning views, climb along the paths or to the summit of Wanfoding, at 3099m the highest of Emei's three undulating peaks.

Giant Buddha of Leshan-Hike the riverbank or take a ferryboat to see the largest Buddha sculpture in the world - the 71m-high carving is hewn into a cliff face overlooking the confluence of three rivers. Carved in the 8th century, the seated Buddha is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site around Emeishan and is surrounded by 1000-year-old trees.

Jiuzhaigou Reserve-Hike amid the snow-capped peaks, lush valleys, waterfalls and emerald-green pools at this UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Sichuan. Try to spot some of the more than 76 mammal species that live in the reserve, including pandas, black bears and deer.

Best time to visit

Best in spring, from April to May, with an average of 20°C. Autumn, between September and October is also a good time to travel with an average of 23°C. Summer is hot and humid, averaging 30°C. Winter is cold, with an average of 6°C.

Best buys

Local handicrafts, jade, silk, embroidery, calligraphy, paintings and carvings in wood, stone and bamboo are just some of the regions' best buys.