The 5 Best Places to See Giant Pandas in Chengdu
The hometown to giant pandas, Chengdu, is no doubt the most popular destination for visiting cute panda bears. However, do you know which panda base you should pick among the following panda bases? In this article, we have listed the main discrepancies of each panda base. Read on it and find your most suitable place and meet lovely pandas in Chengdu.
Highly Recommended Places to See Giant Pandas
Map of panda bases in Chengdu1. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding — Home to 50 Adorable Pandas
- Location: 1375 Panda Avenue, Chenghua District; 40 minutes from downtown Chengdu
- Entrance fee: 55 yuan
- Opening hours: 7:30am to 6pm
- Visiting duration: half a day
- Fun facts: You can see cubs in September, watch breeding movies, and send postcards with a panda postmark
- How to get there: Take bus 87, 198, 198a, or 867, and get off at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Boasting the most abundant amount of giant pandas, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a paradise for panda fans. Located in downtown Chengdu, you can get to Chengdu Panda Base easily, which is very convenient for travelers with limited time. Getting up early or joining a well-planned mini group tour, such as one of ours, is helpful to escape the crowds in the morning. You can also see other endangered and cute animals there, such as red pandas, swans, and peacocks. 
2. Dujiangyan Panda Base — Quiet and Easy to Access from Chengdu
- Location: Shiqiao Village, Qingcheng Town, Dujiangyan; 1½ hours from Chengdu
- Entrance fee: 60 yuan
- Opening hours: 7:30am to 4:30pm in summer; 9am to 5pm in winter
- Visiting duration: 1 day
- Fun facts: There are many panda activities to join in with.
- How to get there: Take a high-speed train from Chengdu to Qingchengshan Railway Station, and then take bus 102 and get off at Dujiangyan Panda Base and Center for Disease Control.
Located 67 kilometers away from Chengdu and the nearby Mount Qingcheng, Dujiangyan Panda Base and Center for Disease Control is quieter and more beautiful than Chengdu Panda Base. To see giant pandas during a peak travel period, such as the summer holiday, this panda base is second to none. You can take a high-speed train to Qingchengshan Railway Station first and then take a bus or taxi to get there. 
3. Panda Valley — Amazing Landscape with Cute Panda Bears
- Location: Baima Village, Yutang Town, Dujiangyan; 50 kilometers away from Chengdu
- Entrance fee: 58 yuan
- Opening hours: 8:30am to 5pm
- Visiting duration: about 3 hours
- Fun facts: This is a research base that trains pandas to live in the wild.
- How to get there: Take a train to Qingchengshan Railway Station and then take a taxi to the panda base.
Panda Valley is about 50 kilometers away from downtown Chengdu and is near Dujiangyan Panda Base. This panda center focuses on training pandas to return to the wild. During rainy days, visit this panda center because the pandas living in Dujiangyan Panda Base tend to escape from the rain by staying in their rooms. 
Highlights and Features of 3 Different Panda Bases
| English Name | Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding | Panda Valley | Dujiangyan Panda Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short name | Chengdu Panda Base | Panda Valley | Panda Paradise |
| Location | North of Chengdu, about 40 minutes' drive from the city center. | Yutang Village of Dujiangyan, 1.5 hours' drive from Chengdu. | Shiqiao Village of Dujiangyan, 1.5 hours' drive from Chengdu. |
| Functions and features | Focuses on panda breeding and wild animal education. It has the most pandas. Here you can see newborn baby pandas. | Focuses on training pandas and reintroducing them to the wild. | Focuses on medical aid for wild pandas and training them to return to the wild. |
| Number of pandas | 50 | 6 | 20 |
| Ticket price | 55 yuan | 58 yuan | 60 yuan |
| Advantages |
1. The largest number of pandas. 2. You may see newborn baby pandas. 3. Closer to Chengdu. |
1. Only a few visitors, no need to queue. 2. You can see pandas on both sunny and rainy days. 3. You can get a closer view of pandas. 4. You don't have to get up early to avoid the crowds. |
1. Less crowded, better experience. 2. You can get a closer view of pandas. 3. You don't have to get up early to avoid the crowds. 4. You can see enough pandas here. |
| Disadvantages |
1. Too many tourists, especially in high season. 2. You have to get up earlier to avoid the crowds. 3. There’s some distance between visitors and pandas. |
1. Only a few pandas. 2. A little far from Chengdu city center. |
1. If it’s a rainy day, you can see nothing, as there’s no sheltered place for viewing pandas. 2. A little far from Chengdu city center. 3. Entrance tickets are a little pricy. |
Other Places to See Pandas in Chengdu
Wolong National Nature Reserve — Habitat Experience for Major Panda Fans
- Location: Wolong Town; 3 hours from Chengdu
- Entrance fee: 15 yuan for the entrance fee, CNY for Wolong Panda Museum, 60 yuan for the giant panda gardens, 98 yuan for Wolong Valley, 360 yuan for the “searching for wild giant pandas” program, 120 yuan for hiking in Zhenghe Valley
- Opening hours: all day
- Visiting duration: about 3 hours
- Fun facts: It offers fresh air, lush forests, and an abundant amount of giant pandas.
- How to get there: Take a bus from Chengdu’s Chadianzi Bus Station to Wolong (about 40 yuan) and then take a bus or taxi to the panda center.
Covering 200,000 hectares of a reserve area, Wolong National Nature Reserve offers a luxuriant forest, fresh air, and beautiful natural scenery. There are a lot of giant pandas and you can have close contact with them if you’re lucky. Be prepared, however, to spend 2 or 3 days visiting Wolong National Nature Reserve from Chengdu due to its location. 
Bifengxia Giant Panda Base — Excellent Natural Views and Fun Activities
- Location: Bifengxia Scenic Area, Yucheng District, Ya’an
- Entrance fee: 150 yuan
- Opening hours: 8:30am to 11:30am and 1:30pm to 4pm
- Visiting duration: 1 day
- Fun facts: This panda base has a large area of mountain forests.
- How to get there: Take a bus from Chengdu to Bifengxia at Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station
Bifengxia is a wonderful and cool place to spend summer days because of its lush trees and nice environment. Your trip will include a scenic walk along the gorge and among green vegetation. Pandas enjoy their lives at Bifengxia Giant Panda Base, and you can see most of them either sleeping or having fun in the trees. Leave aside 1 day for your trip if you are going to visit Bifengxia Giant Panda Base and want to join in with their volunteer program. 
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