Weekend Family Trip: Reliving Childhood Joy in Yongchuan, Chongqing

A trip to Chongqing had been on my mind for ages. I usually travel alone, but this time, with the kids' summer vacation finally starting and a weekend to spare, I brought along my little nephew, Dundun.

If you want a child to have a blast, one place almost never fails—a fun and exciting amusement park. Though I’m way past the age of innocence myself, this time, together with Dundun, I had the most unforgettable theme park experience.

This is the Lehe Ledu Theme Park tucked away in Yongchuan, Chongqing. Not only can you see lots of wild animals here, but it’s also a perfect science-learning opportunity for kids. You can also jump into the water park for a thrilling water-gun battle—pure joy.

Entering Lehe Ledu

I used to visit theme parks with friends, but this time, bringing a child along and seeing the world through their eyes felt quite different. We arrived at Lehe Ledu Theme Park in the morning. There’s a dedicated ticket office right outside the gate, but booking tickets online is recommended—sometimes there are discounts, making it a better deal.

At the entrance of Lehe Ledu, there’s a big musical turntable that plays cheerful tunes every time someone walks in. As soon as Dundun heard it, he started dancing with glee, beyond excited.

After passing through the ticket check, the first thing that caught our eye was this volcano. On the rocks beside it stood statues of various wild animals, all vividly carved and lifelike. Kids adore them. It’s one of the iconic landmarks in Lehe Ledu Theme Park.

Most of the buildings in the park have a strong Arabian flair, which is quite distinctive.

Wild Animal Drive-Through Zone

The entire park is divided into four parts: Wild Animal World, Entertainment Paradise, Global Village, and the Wild World Liangjiang Holiday Hotel. We chose to explore Wild Animal World first.

What makes it special is that Wild Animal World is split into a driving zone and a walking zone. In the driving zone, the animals roam freely in open habitats, and visitors just sit inside vehicles to watch them. It’s completely different from a typical zoo—honestly, quite thrilling.

There are two vehicle choices in the driving zone: a cage feeding truck that costs extra, and a free bus, which still offers a great viewing experience. If you drive your own car, you can enter too, but you must not get out midway.

Dundun and I chose the bus. By sitting near the front, we could clearly see the animals ahead through the large glass windshield. The driving route passes through four main areas: Predator Kingdom, Australian Continent, Eurasian Continent, and African Savanna.

First came the Australian bush, where alert sika deer deftly moved aside when they saw the bus approaching.

Here, it truly felt like being in the wild. The animals aren’t penned up, limited to a tiny space every day.

A few endearing little black bears were play-fighting right in front of us, which was pretty amusing. If you’re lucky, you might see them climbing trees together, and sometimes they even reach out to the roadside begging tourists for fruit.

In Predator Kingdom, you can spot many animals, like the incredibly rare white tiger. At first glance, it had an air of innate nobility. Dundun was both thrilled and a bit scared.

An African lion with a mane of golden hair seemed to gaze pensively into the distance. A leopard lay lazily on one side, and oddly, it looked kind of cute.

This Bengal tiger poised to chase something was just like those we often see on TV—very energetic.

Compared with the relatively calm lion earlier, this male lion with a chicken in its mouth was the truly wild one, its bright eyes focused ahead, exuding dominance.

Some visitors drove their own cars, and at that moment, a tiger was less than two meters from the vehicle. I bet the driver found it incredibly thrilling.

As long as the vehicle doesn’t stop, tigers won’t pay much attention. The key, of course, is to make sure the car doors are locked.

Watching these animals pass by through the bus windows, Dundun was torn between affection and fear. When he saw an unfamiliar animal, he would ask me what it was, and the next time he saw it, he could name it correctly. I didn’t expect a child’s memory to be so sharp.

After the driving zone, we moved right on to the walking zone, which was what Dundun had been most looking forward to—it meant getting up close with adorable little animals.

The first animal we saw in the walking zone was an alpaca, round and chubby, with a silly-cute face. At first, Dundun was a little afraid and kept his distance, not daring to go near.

So I told Dundun that alpacas are actually very gentle creatures, and he needn’t worry about being spat on. Slowly, Dundun started trying to reach out and pet the little alpaca.

After the alpaca, Dundun spotted the animals he knew best—elephants—and ran over. Two young elephants were strolling leisurely by the fence.

The animals live in habitats that match their natural behaviors. Other facilities in the park were thoughtfully designed; even the signposts featured colorful graffiti on wooden stakes.

We came across a couple taking photos to mark the moment—a picture-perfect, fresh and cute scene.

In the walking zone, we also met these two cuties, called banded mongooses, also known as African mongooses. They like to move around during the day. When we took pictures, they stayed perfectly still, as if posing for us—quite amusing. If you want to feed them, you can buy food nearby: fish at 10 yuan each, quail eggs at 5 yuan each.

Seeing a cute plush toy, Dundun was instantly hooked. Sure enough, toys are a child’s greatest love.

As he saw more animals, Dundun began to grow bolder and dared to get closer to watch them on his own.

Next, we arrived at the squirrel monkey house, where there were lots of adorable little monkeys.

The rooms where the animals lived were clean and spacious. The monkeys were very friendly; they didn’t scamper away when they saw Dundun and even interacted with us.

The funniest moment was when a tourist next to us tried playing a video on their phone for the monkeys. Incredibly, the monkeys watched attentively and seriously—simply too cute.

The happiest animals, I’d say, were the African eland grazing on the lush green lawn. They roamed in herds across their territory, resting and foraging.

Some bolder eland even walked right up to the fence, waiting for us to feed them.

This time, Dundun took the initiative to ask for carrot sticks to feed the eland. It was clear he had truly come to love these animals and was no longer afraid like before.

But because Dundun held the carrot a bit too low, the eland couldn’t reach it. So I helped him, and the eland leaned over and started munching right away.

Giraffes are also favorites for many kids. They stand about six to eight meters tall, thanks to their four long legs and extra-long neck. Their bodies are covered in leopard-like spots, which, we were told, are as unique as our fingerprints—a special kind of marking.

Giraffes love eating leaves, so holding up a branch full of leaves to feed them, one leaned over, opening and closing its mouth to eat, occasionally showing its big teeth. Truly adorable.

Besides corgis, who else has short legs? The rhinoceros, of course. But it is actually one of the largest land animals after the elephant. Despite its bulky build, the guide said a rhino can reach speeds of up to 45 kilometers per hour over short distances.

An all-rounder that can swim, fly, and walk is none other than the pelican. The small pond in front served as their performance stage.

The pelican’s most distinctive feature is its pouch-like lower beak. All food goes in and gets rinsed inside this pouch first.

The lower mandible connects to the skin, forming a large, flexible pouch. It looks a bit goofy and endearing, and we even nicknamed it “the teapot.”

Exciting Water-Gun Foam Battle

In the afternoon, we went to the amusement park. When Dundun learned we were heading straight there, he immediately perked up again. Most attractions start at around 10 a.m., so we were lucky to arrive early and didn’t have to queue.

There are many water-based activities in the amusement park. The most popular one is the giant flume ride—so perfect for summer, incredibly refreshing.

In the dedicated children’s zone, there are plenty of thrilling rides: spinning bumble bees, fruit-worm coasters, dolphin jumps, and other kids’ favorites.

The ride called the Ten-Loop Roller Coaster is also very special and absolutely hair-raising.

Walking around the park, we saw those beautiful Arabian-style buildings again. Their exquisite patterns and motifs were a creative artistic rendition, and they made for great photo ops.

There’s also a dedicated dolphin show area. Dundun kept saying he wanted to see dolphins with his own eyes, so of course we couldn’t miss it. But the dolphin show costs extra and isn’t included in the park ticket.

Honestly, though I’ve seen many dolphin shows, I’m always deeply awed. Especially the moment when the dolphins leap out of the water together—it’s so spectacular it sets your blood racing. Dundun absolutely loved the show and only agreed to leave after the dolphins had gone to rest.

Besides all that, the park hides a Happy Castle. It’s suitable for both adults and kids.

This place full of laughter is the liveliest spot in the park, where a refreshing and thrilling water-gun battle was being prepared.

Swirling bubbles were also a huge hit with the kids. Eventually, they couldn’t help but reach out their hands, trying to catch the magical bubbles.

Before the water-gun battle officially began, many foreign performers and local dancers dressed as primitives, peacocks, octopuses, and other creatures put on a song-and-dance show. The lively music pumped up the crowd.

Kids could pick up super-soakers and “ambush” each other. Every child was wildly excited, their faces beaming with joy, basking in childhood merriment.

In comparison, the water-splashing game among us adults was much more direct. We simply used basins and splashed each other relentlessly, as if sworn not to stop until the other was drenched—a fierce spectacle.

Everyone’s enthusiasm just kept rising. Even the staff got in on the fun, two ganging up to drench a third one. They really knew how to play.

When the water battle hit its climax, the park’s facilities began spraying water from all directions. Nobody escaped getting soaked.

Some kids could barely hold on, running with their water guns to the safety zone to dodge the water.

After the water-gun battle, there was an even more fun romantic bubble bath. Bubble machines churned non-stop, filling the entire area with foam. Colorful bubbles piled up like an ocean of bubbles.

Letting the swirling bubbles cover our bodies, we truly enjoyed the fun of a “foamy summer.” Everyone was having the time of their lives, super happy.

In the irritable heat of summer, coming here to cut loose feels just amazing. Cool foam wave after wave washed over us. The kids danced with joy, running and screaming in the bubbly sea.

We stayed the night at the Liangjiang Holiday Hotel inside the park, conveniently located not far from the amusement area.

The hotel’s exterior matches the architectural style of the other buildings in the park. Along the road leading to the entrance, we saw rows of boxes housing turtles, lizards, and other small animals. Occasionally, looking out from the room window, you could even spot a few squirrel monkeys.

Overall, the hotel room left me quite satisfied—quiet and comfortable. Outside the room was a courtyard specially designed for drying clothes, a thoughtful touch for families of three or four.

What really impressed me was the bathroom’s exclusive Lehe Ledu toiletries set—very distinctive.

Ticket Information

1-Day Ticket: 166 yuan/child (student discount with valid ID), 212 yuan/adult

2-Day Ticket: 193 yuan/child (student discount with valid ID), 239 yuan/adult

Park Opening Hours: 09:30–16:00 (weekdays), 09:30–17:00 (weekends)

Children under 1.2 meters tall enter free.

About Transportation

1. By High-Speed Rail: Chengdu East Station → Yongchuan East Station → take bus 303 or a taxi to the scenic area.

2. By Car: From Chengdu—Cheng’an Expressway → Yurong Expressway → Chongqing Third Ring → Yongchuan West → Lehe Ledu.

From Chongqing—Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway (G85) → Yongchuan Expressway Exit → Xinglong Avenue → Lehe Ledu.

3. By Bus: Chongqing Longtousi Long-Distance Bus Station → Yongchuan Passenger Transport Center → bus 203 → Lehe Ledu.

Chongqing Caiyuanba Long-Distance Bus Station → Yongchuan Passenger Transport Center → bus 203 → Lehe Ledu.

Tips

1. Lehe Ledu is vast, so if you plan to visit for just one day, arrive early and explore Wild Animal World first.

2. The weather can be quite hot lately, so bring water and drinks in advance.

3. Though the park has plenty of shade, sun protection is still necessary; a parasol is helpful.

4. When touring Wild Animal World, you might encounter some mosquitoes, so bringing a small bottle of repellent or balm is a good idea.