Where is the best place to see Pandas in China?

The short answer to where is the best place to see Pandas in China is Chengdu Panda sanctuary. But there is a lot to know about both getting there and what what you can do when you are there.

Deeply adorable and totally daft, these cuties are worth seeing. If you visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Centre you get to see Giant Pandas and Red Pandas of all ages being genuinely well cared for. They are China’s most cherished creatures and you can visit them, volunteer with them or even hold one if you happy to donate to looking after them.

Getting to and staying in Chengdu

You will need to either fly or take a train to get to Chengdu. If you are short on time then fly, but if you have the time, the train in China is a great experience in its self.

Not only is Chengdu the best place to see pandas in china, it is also an epic city it’s self is an epic place to stay! You have an eclectic clash of the the Tibetan culture and muslim food culture melting together in a still very typical Chinese city.  Find somewhere great to stay in the heart of Chengdu and give your self plenty of time to explore both the city and region around it.

The best time to visit Chengdu Panda Sanctuary

You can go any time of year and day of the week 09:00 till 18:00. We recommend you get there early to beat the crowds and see these gorgeous creatures bound into their morning Panda play. If you are going to come all this way to the best place to see pandas in China, it’s worth getting up early to beat the crowds and see these cute creatures at their best!

How long to spend there

It can be done in a few hours, but half a day would be best if you would like to wonder around both the sanctuary and the visitor education centre at a relaxed pace. The sanctuary its self is beautiful which is why we recommend this the as best place to see pandas in China. It’s peaceful, photogenic and has a gorgeous bamboo forest.

How to get to Chengdu Panda sanctuary by local transport

The Chengdu Panda breeding and Research Centre, sometimes referred to as the Panda sanctuary is approximately 11Km outside of Chengdu City. Many hotels and hostels offer day trips, but if you want to do it yourself and get there bright and early.

By Bus

You need to hop on bus number 87, 198, 198A, 867. All bus cost 2 Yuan and can be used for the return journey. If you cannot find these bus numbers nearby try taking bus 1, 9, 32, 53, 63, 83 or 156 to Zhaojuesi bus stop (Zoo Bus Stop) where you can then take bus number 198. If this seems overwhelming we highly recommend staying in the Lazy Panda hostel, well situated and super helpful! – They can even give you a map with the bus numbers and stops on.

By Taxi

If you get a taxi from towards the centre of the city straight to the park, expect to pay around 35 RMB (3.5 GBP / 5 USD) one way or if you know how long you want to take, negotiate a price for a return journey. There are however many taxi’s waiting outside the park to take you back to town and with a little bartering you should get a good price.

How much does Chengdu panda sanctuary cost to visit and volunteer?

If you are happy just to see the Pandas, this really is best place to see pandas in China as visitors to the centre only pay 58 RMB (6 GBP / 10 USD) to walk around. This is amazingly cheap for how well looked after the animals are and how close you can get to them.

For a bit extra you can take the little shuttles buses between the different bases. Walking is a particularly nice option though, as they have cultured bamboo forests throughout the park.

Holding a Giant Panda

For many this is a once in a life time thing is is why you have journeyed to the best place to see pandas in China. It has however become a very expensive experience. Holding Pandas has rocketed in cost over the years and now costs a whopping 2000RMB (200GBP / 300 USD) at the Chengdu Panda breeding and Research Centre. Though compulsory, they call it a donation as it genuinely goes back into the care of the Pandas. It is part of making what they do more sustainable, the money really does go towards the conservation of the Pandas. It is a great way to experience and support best place to see pandas in China.

Volunteering with Pandas in Chengdu, China

Volunteering is a wonderful experience and makes for a great ecoholiday if you are working towards being a more responsible and sustainable traveller. You do however need to sure you know what you are paying for as often, you don’t actually have any contact with the Pandas when volunteering. Make sure you understand the program you are volunteering for. Often you are cleaning poop, weighing out bamboo and if you’re lucky showering them or behaviour monitoring. The latter tends to be for longer term volunteers, which of course is in the best interest of making this a responsible volunteering project.

Volunteering directly with the Chengdu Panda breeding and research centre, will cost around 700 RMB (70 GBP / 110 USD) for half a day. Whether you do it for a day or a month they will issue you a certificate to show you have volunteered with the pandas.

Some local hostels can help set you up with this or you can inquire at the centre. At the right times of year, longer terms placements can be arranged.

Contact Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Centre directly:

Their official website is: www.panda.org.cn/english/
Phone Number: 0086-28-83510033
Email Address: pandabase@panda.org.cn

Often the centre has good English, but if you are struggling to arrange anything with them Mix Hostel have great English are exceptionally helpful at getting you hooked up in Chengdu. www.mixhostel.com

Volunteering and Ecotourism

If you are getting excited about Ecotourism and want to start taking more Eco friendly holidays then you will love our blog post on 8 Epic Ecoholidays. There is everything from ethical animal encounters to eco adventure holidays to luxury eco resorts. Definitely worth checking out for so inspo!

Are there places to eat at Chengdu Panda Sanctuary?

There are a few lovely cafes dotted around the park selling food and refreshments for reasonable prices. Not quite budget backpacker prices, but if you do feel the urge to sit back with a fresh fruit juice in amongst the bamboo forest… feel good about it as it all goes towards supporting the sanctuary.

Dujiangyan Giant Panda Valley

In many ways Chengdu sanctuary is the best place to see pandas in China, but this means it does draw a crowd. There is a good alternative. Dujiangyan is 50 KM outside of Chengdu and much quieter. If you are volunteering you do have more chance to get time up close with the Pandas, but the centre can be more difficult to liaise with. If you are interested in making your way out to Dujiangyan Giant Panda Valley you can try contacting them on this phone number: 028-83181155 and work with the place you are staying to arrange transport.

The price of volunteering here varies, but the cost of holding a Giant Panda has been a steady 1800 RMB for a few years now.

Looking For Places to Stay in China?

Book your stay in Beijing HERE (Bustling capital. Great Wall, Summer Palace, hutongs)

Book your stay in Shanghai HERE  (Pearl of the Orient. Bund river, teahouses & noodles )

Book your stay in Hong kong HERE (Vibrant gem made up islands, high rises beach & jungle)

Book your stay in Xian HERE (Terracotta warriors, ancient walled city & mountain plank walk)

Book your stay in Chengdu HERE (Giant Panda Sanctuary & starting point for Tibet)

Book your stay in Hangzhou HERE (Home of green tea, beautiful lake & trekking routes )

Book your stay in Guilin HERE (Limestone karst hills city with great street food)

Book your stay in Yangshou HERE (Mud caves, light caves, cormorant fishing & bamboo rafts)

Book your stay in Zhang Jie Jie HERE (The Avitar Stone Forest & iconic 24 bend road)

Book your stay in Kunming HERE (Spring city & starting point for Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La)