Giant pandas, Chengdu

Chengdu Tours

See the Giant Pandas up close and enjoy the nature's wonderland
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Pandas in Chengdu have many fans. Their cute appearance and naive nature fascinate people from all over the world. Our private Chengdu tours include all top highlights of this city, which enable you to not only have close contact with pandas, but also admire the historical relics, experience scenic Jiuzhaigou and taste the famous Sichuan food. Travelers may want to linger here once they have experienced this wonderful place.

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FAQs on Chengdu Tours

How many days are recommended for a Chengdu tour package?

Normally it takes one or two full days to explore the popular attractions in Chengdu. Top of the list comes the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where you can get really close to the adorable pandas. Besides, the Jinsha Site Museum, Sanxindui Museum, Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Wide and Narrow Alleys, as well as Jinli Street are the places most tourists choose to visit.

For those who are interested in Buddhist culture or natural scenery, you can take a Leshan and Mt. Emei tour, or a Jiuzhaigou trip. In this case, two or three more days are necessary. Any of the above sites are worth to be included in your Chengdu tours.

Where is the best place to see the giant pandas?

Home to Giant Pandas, Chengdu is for sure the best city to see the pandas. Here you can not only see them, but also take care of them as a panda keeper. There are four panda bases in Chengdu, each with its own characteristics and advantages. You may check the below table for a simple comparison and choose the one that suits you best.
Places Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center Dujiangyan Panda Base Wolong Panda Base Bifeng Gorge Panda Base
Number of Pandas Around 200 pandas of all ages Around 30 pandas; most return from overseas Around 40 pandas Around 60 pandas; big and brave
Distance from Chengdu and Transportation
Around 17 km and 30 minutes' driving; Convenient with many direct buses Around 70 km and 1.5 hours' driving Around 120 km and 3 hours' driving Around 150 km and 3 hours' driving
Visiting Time 2-3 hours 1-2 days 2 days at least 1-2 days
Advantages Nearest to Chengdu with a relatively large number of pandas Attend the panda keeper program as a volunteer Panda keeper program; see the native habitat of pandas You may visit the Bifeng Gorge scenic spot together
Our Ratings 5 stars 4 stars 4 stars 3 stars

I'm a fan of pandas. Can you tell me what exactly I will do if I attend the Panda Keeper's Program? Can I hold a panda and take photos with it?

A volunteer's work starts with cleaning the pandas' enclosure. This entails sorting out their waste leftovers, excrement and taking notes for records at the same time. Afterwards, it's time to prepare the panda's meal by slicing bamboos into smaller pieces for easier ingestion. Since pandas usually eat a lot each day, you need to prepare quite a large amount. Later, you prepare snacks including apples, carrots or steamed buns for them. You will do all these tasks with the help of the keeper. At present, the activity of holding a panda is not available at any bases.

Can I visit Jiuzhaigou Valley at any time of the year?

Yes. Jiuzhaigou boasts different amazing sceneries in four seasons, while the best time to visit is from April to October, because the severe weather (e.g. heavy snow) sometimes in winter season will make it difficult to drive in Jiuzhaigou, especially to the Huanglong Area.

Chengdu is the major gateway to Jiuzhaigou. Both high speed trains and flights are available between these two destinations, which makes Jiuzhaigou tour much easier. For high speed trains, there are 5 to 6 schedules each day from morning till night, with a duration of 1.5 to 2 hours.

What's the altitude of Jiuzhaigou Valley? Is altitude sickness a problem?

The average altitude of Jiuzhaigou Valley is 2,500 meters (8,202 feet), so most travelers won't get altitude sickness here. Some people may feel a little dizziness when visiting the Huanglong Scenic Reserve for it has an average altitude of 3,300 meters (10,826 feet). To ensure a pleasant trip, we suggest you avoid brisk walking and smoking. Also, it is advisable to drink adequate water and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables during your visit.

It is important to note that people with high blood pressure or heart diseases are not advised to visit the area. If you are concerned about the altitude sickness, you should have a physical examination and ask your doctor for advice when planning your Jiuzhaigou trip.

What are the most recommended foods in Chengdu?

Chengdu is located in Sichuan province. Sichuan cuisine, as one of the 4 Chinese traditional cuisines and the most distinctive one, is popular all over China and is beginning to make a name for itself abroad. It is famous for its wide selection of ingredients, its good use of varied seasonings, its unique cooking methods and its fresh & strong taste. The most representative ones are the hot pot, chuanchuan, Kung Pao Chicken, Mapo Tofu and etc. Their common feature is spicy and hot, so if you can't eat spicy food, you can ask the chef to put less pepper when you order the dishes. Tasting authentic Sichuan food is also a big part of Chengdu travel experience to most visitors.

Good to know:  
Why is Sichuan cuisine spicy and hot?
As Sichuan is located in the center of Sichuan basin, the climate is sultry and humid, so people like to use peppercorn which has the effect of dehumidifying as auxiliary materials in dishes.

Do you recommend Sichuan opera for my Chengdu tours?

Sichuan opera is one of China's traditional operas, mainly popular in Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou and part of Yunnan. It performs the interesting legends and stories in China's history with its unique singing style under the help of more than 20 musical instruments. The costume and makeup in Sichuan opera are also very particular: different colors and patterns apply to different characters and have different meanings. If you don't know anything about the story, it may be a bit difficult for you to understand. However, you could also appreciate the costumes, makeup and enjoy their singing and performances such as face-changing and fire-breathing.

Face-changing performance: In Sichuan opera, as the plot turns and the characters' inner world changes, the actors will change their face accordingly to reveal the change of their emotions. It changes very quickly and you will not find how they do it even if they stand in front of you. The face-changing is still a national state secret. 

Fire-breathing: mainly performed by the actor who plays "monsters" to make their images more realistic and to highlight the stage effect.

We do not include Sichuan opera in our Chengdu tours, however, if you are really interested in this, you may just let your guide help you book the tickets.