Day trips from Chongqing: how far, how long, and which to pick

Quick answer

Checked September 2026.

• From Chongqing, the two day trips most worth doing are Wulong (World Natural Heritage: sinkholes, natural bridges and a slot gorge, 2.5–3 hours' drive each way) and the Dazu Rock Carvings (World Cultural Heritage: cliff carvings a thousand years old, about 1.5 hours).
• For Cold War history, go to Project 816 in Fuling. For an old battlefield that changed the history of Europe and Asia, go to Diaoyu Fortress in Hechuan. To see snow, go to Jinfo Mountain or Fairy Mountain.
• The Wujiang Gallery and Gongtan, and Wushan and Fengjie, are a long way out. We do not suggest doing them there and back in a day. Plan them as two days and one night.
• From September to April the Wulong scenic areas close at 16:30, so the longer day trips leave at about 7:00 in the morning.
• We run trips to all of these places, and any of them can go into your private itinerary.

What day trips are there around Chongqing, and how far is each one?

All 11 places below are measured from Jiefangbei. Nanshan is just across the river. Diaoyu Fortress, Dazu, Project 816, Fengdu and the nearby ancient towns are within about 2 hours each way, so the day is relaxed. Jinfo Mountain and Wulong take 2–3 hours, and Jiuli City is further south-east beyond Wulong. You can do these in a day, but you leave early and get back late. The Wujiang Gallery and Gongtan, and Wushan and Fengjie, are a long way out. We do not suggest doing them there and back in a day. Plan them as two days and one night.

Drive times are rough times by private car from the city centre to the scenic area entrance, and longer on public holidays. Checked September 2026.

Only one day: which one should I pick?

It depends on what you want to see. On a first visit, if you can only pick one, choose Wulong for nature and Dazu for history and culture. Both are World Heritage sites, and they lie in opposite directions (Dazu to the west, Wulong to the south-east), so you only do one in a day. The others suit a second visit, or people with a clear interest.

• Mountains, sinkholes and gorges: Wulong. The Three Natural Bridges and Longshui Gorge are in the same scenic area, and in winter you can also go up Fairy Mountain for snow.
• Rock carvings and Buddhist art: Dazu. Mainly Baodingshan; add Beishan if you have the time and energy.
• 20th-century history and the Cold War: Project 816. The main cavern is 79.6 m high, and the tunnels add up to more than 20 km along their length.
• Ancient warfare: Diaoyu Fortress. The site of a battlefield from the Song and Yuan wars, now on China's tentative list for World Cultural Heritage.
• Folk religion and myth: Fengdu. Temples on Mingshan hill by the Yangtze, all about the underworld as Chinese people imagined it.
• Ethnic minority culture: Jiuli City. Miao-style gate towers by the Wujiang River, which can go in the same day as a Wujiang Gallery boat trip.
• Snow (December to February): Jinfo Mountain or Fairy Mountain. See Chongqing in winter.
• Only half a day: Nanshan. See the whole city by day, then stay on for the night views at dusk.

Which ones work as a day trip, and which need a night?

Places about 2 hours away each way are easy in a day, and you can be back in the city for dinner. Wulong (2.5–3 hours each way), Jinfo Mountain and Jiuli City can be done in a day, but you leave at about 7:00 in the morning, and on a Wulong day you spend five or six hours in the car. The Wujiang Gallery and Gongtan, and Wushan and Fengjie, are a long way out. We do not suggest doing them there and back in a day. Plan them as two days and one night.

How we actually run a Wulong day with our car and guide: leave the hotel at about 7:00 and reach the Three Natural Bridges at about 10:00. After the bridges, lunch near the scenic area. In the afternoon, Longshui Gorge or Fairy Mountain. The scenic areas close at 16:30, then we drive back and you are in the city in the evening.

Want to stay a night? For the places you can do in a day, just tell us if you want to stay a night, for example to see the immersive evening show at Jiuli City.

Can I go by high-speed train?

Yes. Wulong, Dazu, Fengdu, Fuling (for Project 816), Hechuan, Pengshui (for Jiuli City), Fengjie and Wushan all have high-speed rail stations, and Chongqing East to Wulong South takes 39 minutes at the fastest. But from the station you still need a taxi or a hired car to the scenic area, and Chongqing's stations are not close to the city centre either. Add both ends and it is not always quicker than driving.

• The departure station matters: Chongqing has several stations, Chongqing North, Chongqing West, Shapingba and Chongqing East, and trains in different directions leave from different ones. For Wulong South, for example, go from Chongqing East. Check the departure station when you buy.
• Look up the trains for your day on 12306, not in old guides. Fengjie and Wushan only got high-speed rail after the Zhengzhou–Chongqing line opened in full on 20 June 2022.
• Use your original passport to buy tickets and to enter the station. If the automatic gate cannot read your passport, use the staffed lane.
• On our private tours, we drive: the driver, the car and a licensed English-speaking guide come as one unit, and we pick you up at your hotel door and bring you back to it. The train suits people travelling on their own.

Can I do two places in one day?

Yes, if they are in the same direction and close together. No, if they are in opposite directions.

What should I know for an autumn or winter trip?

From September to April, Wulong's Three Natural Bridges, Longshui Gorge and Furong Cave are open 8:30–16:30, and ticket sales at the Dazu Rock Carvings visitor centre stop at 16:00. So in autumn and winter, the start time of a day trip is worked back from closing time. For snow from December to February, go to Fairy Mountain or Jinfo Mountain. In past years the snow season has opened in December.

• Winter fog mainly hides the long views. Rock carvings, caves and old towns are not affected.
• On snowy days the mountain parks may close at short notice. Before you set off, we check the scenic area's notice for that day.
• For winter temperatures, snow, and how busy Spring Festival gets, see Chongqing in winter.

What is each place, and how should I plan it?

For each place below: what it is, how far it is from the city and the best way to plan it. Click through for the full page. Drive times are rough times from Jiefangbei.

• Wulong Karst: part of the South China Karst World Natural Heritage site. The Three Natural Bridges are three natural stone arches across a gorge. About 170–180 km, 2.5–3 hours each way. You can do it in a day, and the Three Natural Bridges and Fairy Mountain can go in the same day. See the Wulong guide and the Wulong private tour.
• Dazu Rock Carvings: a World Cultural Heritage site of Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian cliff carvings from about a thousand years ago. A day trip centres on Baodingshan. About 1.5 hours each way. The paths are gentler than at Wulong, so it usually suits seniors better. See the Dazu guide.
• Project 816: at Baitao in Fuling, an underground nuclear project dug into Jinzi Mountain from the 1960s. The main cavern is 79.6 m high, the tunnels add up to more than 20 km along their length, and the project was stopped before it ever went into production. About 120 km from the main city, 1.5–2 hours by car, and it can go in the same day as the Wulingshan Grand Canyon. See the Project 816 page.
• Fengdu Ghost City: temples on Mingshan hill on the north bank of the Yangtze, built around folk legends of judgement in the underworld. About 1.5–2 hours' drive from the city to Mingshan. Some Yangtze cruise ships also stop at Fengdu, but not every ship does. See the Fengdu page.
• Diaoyu Fortress, Hechuan: a hilltop fortress and battlefield from the Song and Yuan wars, with rivers on three sides. The site covers about 2.5 square km and is the most complete hill-fortress site found by archaeologists so far. About 1–1.5 hours from the city, and you can go on to Laitan Ancient Town in the afternoon. See the Diaoyu Fortress page.
• Jinfo Mountain: in Nanchuan, and the only World Natural Heritage site in Chongqing's main metropolitan area, rising to 2,238 m. Rime ice and skiing in winter, cool in summer. Central Nanchuan is 88 km from Jiefangbei, then there is a further drive up the mountain: about 2–2.5 hours each way. See the Jinfo Mountain page.
• Jiuli City: Miao-style gate towers by the Wujiang River in Pengshui. Jiuli Palace, the Nine-Li totem pillar and the Nine Gates all photograph well. It lies further south-east beyond Wulong, so the drive is longer than to Wulong. You can do it in a day, but you leave early and get back late. There is an immersive evening show; to see it, stay a night. See the Jiuli City page.
• Ancient towns nearby: where else can you go besides Ciqikou? Zhongshan Ancient Town in Jiangjin is about 96 km from the city centre. Laitan Ancient Town is 28 km north-east of central Hechuan and was in China's first group of Famous Historical and Cultural Towns. About 1.5–2 hours each way, depending on which. See the ancient towns page; for Ciqikou in the city, see the Ciqikou guide.
• Nanshan: on the south bank of the Yangtze. By day you see the whole Yuzhong peninsula from the hill, and Laojun Cave is up there too. The One Tree viewing platform charges for entry. There is no metro nearby, so take a taxi. Half a day is enough, then stay on for the night views at dusk. See the Nanshan page and the night views guide.
• Wujiang Gallery and Gongtan: green gorges on both banks of the Wujiang River, and in Gongtan Ancient Town the old houses are built against the riverside cliffs. From the main city to Gongtan it is about 3.5–4 hours each way. We do not suggest doing it there and back in a day. Plan it as two days and one night, and you can combine it with Jiuli City. See the Wujiang Gallery page.
• Three Gorges without a cruise: we do not suggest a day trip from Chongqing. Over land you can see Qutang Gorge, the western part of Wu Gorge and the Lesser Three Gorges. You will not see all of it, and it is not a day trip: take the high-speed train to Fengjie for White Emperor City and Kuimen, take a boat through the Lesser Three Gorges at Wushan, and stay a night. To see all of the Three Gorges, you need a three or four-day cruise. See Three Gorges without a cruise and boarding a Three Gorges cruise.

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