Chengdu Panda Base - the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, also called Chengdu Panda Base is one of the best tourist destinations in China. Located at the north Chengdu suburb with only 10km to the city center, this base was first set up in 1987 with 6 sick and hungry giant pandas saved from the wild nature. And now, Chengdu Panda Base is the sanctuary of more than 150 giant pandas and also the world largest giant panda captive and scientific research base. With the help of Chinese government to save giant pandas and other endangered wildlife there, Chengdu Panda Base is reputed as the “Cradle of Giant Pandas” to closely say hi to those chubby and lovable black and white animals.

To save pandas and help them live better, the base specially imitates the wild ecological environment favored by pandas in the wild nature with more 96% coverage of bamboo forest and other plantations. And that also gives Chengdu Panda Base the reputation as “The Global 500 of the United Nations Environment Programme”. Therefore, visitors from the globe can easily see the plump popular “National Treasure” stars roam free, climb up on the trees, eat their delicious meals, romp together in the large open air enclosures, etc. like childlike babies.

A good news: On March 17, 2020, Giant Panda named Fuwa gave birth to two male panda twin babies who are the world's first captive twin pandas born in 2020.

Most Popular Tour to Visit Chengdu Panda Base:

✓ 1 Day Chengdu Relaxing Panda Highlights Tour

✓ 2 Days Classic Chengdu Tour with Panda Visit (Hotel/Flight/Train Pickup)

Giant Pandas: The Panda Base is known as the best tourist destination to get closer to the rare giant panda. You can closely observe the giant pandas of different ages resting, eating and drinking, playing with each other, using enrichment toys, or watch female pandas nursing their cubs in the nursery rooms.

Baby Pandas: July to September is the born period for newborn panda babies, and you can see tens of super cute pink pandas just a little larger than your palm lying in a row at Sunshine Nursery House and Moonlight Nursery House.

Red Pandas: Chengdu Panda Base also holds some clever red pandas in the pleasant open enclosure. The red panda ranks as the world No.13 adorable animal species by CNN in 2013.

Other Species to See: Besides the Giant Panda, the panda base is also inhabited by other endangered wildlife, including swans, peacocks, birds, butterflies and hundreds of insects.

Giant Panda Museum: The Giant Panda Museum is located at the base, and it is the world’s only museum that focuses entirely on the critically endangered giant panda.

There are three main halls, namely, the Giant Panda Hall, the Butterfly Hall and the Vertebrate Hall. A variety of information, pictures, models, fossils and samples are displayed here. There are many scientific displays that give visitors a comprehensive education on their characteristics, habitat and distribution in the wild, and China’s conservation and breeding efforts. The museum also exhibits books and scientific literature that authors around the world have written about giant pandas throughout history.

Please note: The Panda Base is very large and sometimes you may get lost. It is good to go with an English-speaking tour guide with you.

✓ 2 Days Classic Chengdu Tour with Panda Visit (Hotel/Flight/Train Pickup)

Classic Route (1.5 hours)

(1) Main Entrance → (14) (15) Swan Lake (Rose Garden)→ (13) Sub-adult Panda Enclosure→ (12) Adult Giant Panda Enclosure→(11) Giant Panda Cub Enclosure→ (10) Sunshine Nursery House for Giant Panda →(9) No.2 Red Panda Playground→(21) Red Panda Nursery House→(8) No. 1 Red Panda Playground →(7) Giant Panda Cinema →(6) No. 14 Enclosure→(5) Panda Scientific Discovery Center→(3) Giant Panda Museum → (1) Main Entrance

In-depth Route (3 hours)

(1) Main Entrance → (14) (15) Swan Lake (Rose Garden) (12) Sub-adult Panda Enclosure → (11) Giant Panda Cub Enclosure → (10) Sunshine Nursery House for Giant Panda ( 20) No.2 Enclosure for Giant Panda→ (19) Moonlight Nursery House for Giant Panda (18) No.1 Enclosure for Giant Panda → (17) Giant Panda Kitchen → (16) Panda Hospital → (5) Panda Scientific Discovery Center → (3) Giant Panda Museum → (1) Main Entrance

● By Flights: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport offers many direct flights to and from most destinations in China. From the airport, it needs about 1 hour to get to Chengdu Panda Base by car. Besides, there is no direct bus available, so you can take Chengdu Metro Line 10 from the airport and Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue Station and transfer by another bus to the base, which usually takes about 1.5 hours.

By Train: Chengdu East Railway Station is mainly used for frequent bullet trains linking with a lot of domestic cities. From there, you can take a taxi to the Chengdu Panda Base for about 0.5 hour. Besides, Panda Bus Line 4 is available there to take you directly to the base for only about 40 minutes. Also, you can take Chengdu Metro Line 7 to Simaqiao Station to take Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue with another transfer to the bus directly to the base, and that would take about 1 hour and 10 minutes. If your train arrives at Chengdu South Railway Station, it would need about 50 minutes by car or 1 hour & 10 minutes by public metro and bus.

2. Get to Chengdu Panda Base

● Travel with China Discovery

Based in Chengdu City, We China Discovery is a local travel agency provides great private transfer service with professional tour guide and driver who will escort you directly to Chengdu Panda Base from Chengdu airport/train station or other places in Chengdu directly by the comfortable licensed private vehicle of China Discovery with speed and safety. And our guide will tell you more interesting stories about giant pandas, show you the best way, and care you through the way, so you can focus all attention on the sightseeing and visit of pandas instead of navigation and vehicle waiting. Please contact us if you need any help!

The best time in a day to see the giant panda is in the morning, and it’s suggested to get to the Panda Base before 09:00 am for the pandas will be fed during 09:00 ~ 11:00. Giant panda are not afraid of cold, but can’t stand summer heat, so if the weather is too hot, they often stay indoors and enjoy the cool air from the air conditioner. Though summer is not a good time to see the giant panda in outdoor, summer (especially in July and September) is the good time to see baby panda in the panda baby room.

Check more about Chengdu Weather & Best Time

If you are not satisfied with just watching the pandas but want to have a closer contact with them, you can try Panda Volunteer Programs in other panda bases in Sichuan. At present, there are 3 panda bases providing this volunteer program. Dujiangyan Panda Base is the most convenient one because it is near to Chengdu City. Bifengxia Panda Base provides more chance to see little panda babies and Shenshuping Panda Base (or called Wolong Panda Base) at Wolong National Nature Reserve is where you can experience more natural and primitive living environment of pandas. During the volunteer program, you will follow the instruction of the staff to clean their enclosures, prepare cakes for panda, watch some panda-related documentaries, etc. It is quite a meaningful and memorable experience.

Popular Panda Volunteer Tours:

✓ 1 Day Dujiangyan Panda Volunteer Tour

✓ 2 Days Chengdu & Lifetime Dujiangyan Panda Volunteer Tour

✓ 6 Days Leshan, Mount Emei & Panda Volunteer Tour

Seek for the best panda tour? Chengdu Panda Base is a must-see for a Chengdu trip. No matter how many days you will stay in Chengdu, you are highly recommended to make the first visit to Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, where you can explore the daily life of the cute pandas, and get close to the lovely creatures.

And if you have 1-2 days in the leisure Chengdu, after visiting the panda, you could visit Wenshu Temple, a typical ancient monastery of Qing Dynasty in downtown Chengdu, where you can see local prayers worshiping and lighting incense. Then, visit Renmin Park to experience the most authentic Chengdu local life. Having a cup of tea in a traditional teahouse, watching the local old couples dancing, joining in the locals to play mahjong or cards in a teahouse...You will enjoy typical leisurely lifestyle of Chengdu. Later, move on to Jinli Old Street, one of the oldest streets to appreciate the local snacks and artifacts. For photographers, visit here in the evening will be the best time to get better photos with all the red lanterns lit up in the dusk. Wuhou Temple with Three Kingdoms history, Jinsha Site Museum telling the thousands-of-year old history of ancient Shu Kingdom, quiet Qingyang Palace full of Taoist culture, and more places are also recommended to enrich your time.

Most Popular Chengdu Panda Tours:

✓ 1 Day Chengdu Relaxing Panda Highlights Tour

✓ 1 Day Chengdu Tour with Giant Panda & Cooking Experience

✓ 2 Days Classic Chengdu Tour with Panda Visit (Hotel/Flight/Train Pickup)

If you want to closely touch giant pandas, you can also plan 1 full day to join in the meaningful giant panda volunteer program at Dujiangyan Panda Base. Besides, if you have more days in Chengdu, you are also highly recommended to plan a 4-7 days to discover the impressive Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Emei, and Jiuzhai Valley, etc. in one go to savor the best essences of Chengdu and its surrounding. No matter where you want to see pandas, what you can do to help pandas or where you would like to discover with panda together, you can feel free to tell us, and our professional travel expert will help you sincerely with your panda tour planning!

Recommended Tour Packages to Leshan, Emei & Jiuzhai Valley:

✓ 4 Days Classic Leshan Giant Buddha & Mount Emei Tour from Chengdu

✓ 6 Days Leshan, Mount Emei & Panda Volunteer Tour

✓ 5 Days Classic Chengdu & Jiuzhaigou Tour

✓ 7 Days Sichuan Discovery Tour