Wolong Panda Reserve (Shenshuping Panda Base)

Wolong Giant Panda Reserve, belonging to the Wolong National Nature Reserve that is reputed as the “Panda Kingdom” and “Gene Pool of Precious Flora and Fauna”, is home to about 60 percent of the world’s total panda population. Standing about 1700 meters above the sea, Wolong Giant Panda Reserve is the world’s largest breeding center for the giant pandas with more than 30 captive pandas.

Since the severe big earthquake occurred in Wenchuan in 2008, the original Hetaoping Panda Base (核桃坪熊猫基地) was destroyed. To protect the precious giant pandas, government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region endowed to build the new panda base at Gengda Township (耿达镇) and called it Shenshuping Panda Base under the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) (中国大熊猫保护研究中心耿达神树坪基地). With the total area covering 150 hectares, Shenshuping (神树坪) Panda Base, or Gengda Wolong Panda Center is mainly divided into three areas for the different functions, namely the visiting area for captive panda, wild training area and reintroduction area. With rich types of facilities like 59 panda enclosures, tourist center, scientific research center, science education center, veterinary hospital, etc. Wolong Panda Reserve is at present the largest, most dynamic and self-sustaining base for giant pandas around the whole globe.

Besides, the more natural surrounding and harmonious environment for giant pandas enable Wolong Panda Base the top place for panda lovers to visit giant pandas, get more fun with the chubby animals and learn more about the national treasure in China.

Most Popular Wolong Panda Reserve Tour Package:

>> 2 Days Wolong Panda Volunteer at Shenshuping Base

>> 4 Days Mount Siguniang In-depth Tour with Wolong Panda Visiting

Adult Giant Pandas

Most of the giant pandas of over 5 years old in Wolong Panda Reserve stay individually in the large panda enclosures. Each of the enclosure consists of an in-door room and an out-door courtyard. Travelers can see pandas eating leisurely in the out-door courtyard, lying on the ground and looking up at the blue sky…Since they have pudgy bodies, the adult pandas may seldom exercise and spend much time sleeping and having nice dreams. Enclosures are a lot that you will be busy taking photos and making videos. Watch your steps!

Sub-adult Giant Pandas

Sub-adult giant pandas are usually between 2 to 5 years old. They are relatively smaller but more active than the adult pandas. It is very interesting that knowing how to eat bamboo stands for the individual living ability of a little giant panda to grow up to an adult one, so many sub-adult giant pandas are trying to learn about how to eat bamboo during this special period. Prepare your camera for these hot stars!

Baby Pandas

Baby giant pandas are from 1 to 2 years old. Since May 11, 2016, there are seven baby pandas which were born in 2015 living in panda nursery garden. And you can see some of the little giant babies there at the Panda Kindergarten at Shenshuping Panda Base. Baby pandas are extremely lovely and attractive. They like crawling and rolling, learning to climb trees, playing with each other, being curious about the environment, wanting to explore the world. Spend some time pleasing eyes with the lovely creatures.

Welcome to visit Shenshuping Panda Base to see the giant pandas in the very primitive place and inspiring environment. You will meet giant pandas of different ages, from the cute babies to the chubby elder ones and treat your eyes with vigorous plants in the botanical garden.

Besides, the Science Education Center also shows the physical structure, the history of discovering, scientific protection, research achievements and the future developing plans about the giant pandas through vivid pictures, descriptions and other objects. So you can know much about this chubby animal species.

Visiting route:

Check in - Sub-adult pandas - Adult pandas - panda kindergarten - botanical garden - exit (for about 1 to 1.5 hours)

● Panda cleaner: clean the giant panda’s house, move the bamboos left out of the house and dump the poop of the giant pandas, which is the best way to know about the daily like of pandas, understand their living environment and experience of taking care of giant pandas really closely. This section takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

● Feeding the panda: watching zoo keepers feeding the adorable giant panda with carrot, cakes, and other their favorite food to learn what their diet is like. Meanwhile, observe their eating moment with a close distance and build trust with them. It lasts for about 30 minutes.

● Panda nutritionist: learn how to make the cakes of giant pandas and have a better understanding about why they favor it so much. The cake making activity takes about 20-30 minutes.

● Panda science education: at the panda science education center, find out all the scientific mysteries about the giant pandas and learn how we can do to protect these precious species on our planet earth. This section takes about half an hour.

● Visiting area of panda breeding: enter the area of panda breeding to visit more lovable giant pandas and learn more knowledge about them. Good time for photographs.

● Panda lecture: join the panda lecture to learn more facts about giant pandas, listen to some interesting stories between the experts and pandas, and know more deep knowledge about giant pandas.

● Vision of the protection zone: as in the very primitive area in Wolong National Nature Reserve, the Tiantaishan Mountain is so good to inhale fresh air and enjoy the eye-pleasing trees, wild flowers in various colors and azure sky decorated by soft clouds. A good mood is one of the best presents for you!

● Rare wild plants learning & observation: during your trekking, meet numerous rare wild plants there and some you may have never seen before, like Chinese yew. Observe these rare plants offered by our mother earth closely and learn their facts.

● Giant panda living habitat learning: under the trekking guide’s introduction of living habitat of the giant pandas, you can observe the environment and know about the excellent natural and quiet living habitat pandas have.

● Research instruments understanding: every time the reserch team does research in the wild training area, they wound take professional instruments and tools, such as the wireless tracker, to collect samples and record data. Now learn how to use them to do the wild research.

● Physical and mental exercise: think about questions about the adorable giant pandas and other mysteries of the nature to enrich your knowledge and practice your thinking ability. And also the hiking on the primitive mountain provides a great opportunity to promote your physical health.

● Meeting with other animals: a lot of animals living in the area, including the giant pandas. And if you are really a lucky dog, you may meet with some adorable animals, such as little squirrels.

To see more info about Wolong Outdoor Trekking Research Activity!

>> 5 Days Dream Joviality Tour for Panda Fans

How to Get to Wolong Panda Reserve

Wolong is located in the northwest of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. It is about 100 kilometers from Chengdu downtown to Shenshuping Panda Base.

The road between Chengdu to Wolong is rebuilt after the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake. The section of the provincial road 303 between Yinxiu and Wolong is in newly opened which contains 45 kilometers.

By Car

At present, there is no public vehicle from Chengdu to Shenshuping Panda Base. For visitors leaving for Wolong Panda Base from Chengdu, you can go by car, which takes about 2.5-3 hours for covering about 106km long distance.

Travel with China Discovery (top recommended)

If you want to get rid of hustle of public transportation and troublesome navigation, you are highly recommended to book a private tour package which covers sightseeing, dining and transfer from us. Our local tour guide and driver will escort you to Wolong Panda Base with speed and convenience, and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on sightseeing and prepare to meet the highlights. Please feel free to contact us for help!

>> Learn more about how to get to Shenshuping Panda Base

Wolong Giant Panda Museum, also known as Wolong Natural and Earthquake Museum, locates near Wolong Town. At this national only one museum about giant pandas, you could learn more about the historic discovery and development, living environment, body features of the giant pandas through pictures, words and some models and animal specimens and historical relics. Moreover, some materials about the earthquakes and the influence of earthquakes on the giant pandas are perceptually shown to visitors and inspire them about what to do to protect pandas and even our nature. There is only about 24 kilometers long driving distance between the museum and Shenshuping Panda Base, which takes about 35 minutes to get there. (Visiting time: 1-1.5 hours)

Enjoying the good reputation of the “Queen of Sichuan Mountains” for its high altitude of 6250m, Mount Siguniang (Four Sisters Mountain) offers gorgeous natural sightseeing of snow-capped mountains, sapphire-like lakes, and colorful blossoms for you to take great pictures. Besides, the complex and particular terrains and multiple hills make Mount Siguniang a fine choice for trekking lovers. If you have one to 3 extra days in Sichuan, China, you can visit this “Oriental Alps” to discover its beauty and legendary stories. Siguniang Mountain is at the west of Gengda Shenshuping Panda Base, which needs about 2.5-3 hours to drive for 123 kilometers. (Visiting time: 1-3 days)