Where to Go in Chengdu: the 15 Best Zoos

1.Visiting Dujiangyan Yaan Wolong Panda Base Optional Volunteering

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews · from $234Our pick

Spend a full day from Chengdu at Dujiangyan, Wolong, or Ya’an, helping prepare bamboo and panda food under staff guidance. Guides such as Kira, Alvin, Bella, Andy, and Alex Xia have led these visits. You cannot touch or hold pandas, but you can watch care work up close.

“Had an awesome volunteer experience with the Giant Pandas from breaking bamboos, creating Panda cakes, sweeping the cages, and ultimately feeding and engaging with the Pandas. Amazing experience that I highly recommend.”

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2.Wolong Panda Base Private Day Tour Optional Volunteering

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · from $220

Travel privately from Chengdu to Wolong Panda Base with an English-speaking guide, admission, lunch, and hotel transfers included. The standard visit explores the reserve, while the optional volunteer upgrade includes a uniform, panda-care tasks, bamboo preparation, and supervised feeding. Guides such as Heather and Diana add personal help and local insight.

“I had an amazing time with Heather as my guide. She is so knowledgeable and so easy to talk to. She told me about Chinese history and culture as well as a lot of facts about pandas! I went by myself and I felt so safe the whole time.”

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3.One Day Trip to Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Buddha Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 42 reviews · from $93

Start early at Chengdu Panda Base for feeding time, then ride about two hours to Leshan Giant Buddha. This private transport tour includes hotel pickup, parking, fuel, tolls, bottled water, and return transport. Drivers such as Wu Wei, Huang Lin, and Shi Jianhua have helped with tickets and site access, but English guiding is not guaranteed.

“Such a fantastic day! My driver was incredible and so willing to help in every way. He collected me from Tianfu airport at 6am and took me to the panda sanctuary, helped me get my tickets and showed me where to go. He then drove me to Leshan and the boat cruise was cancelled so he drove me 15 mins down the road to a different boat place so I could still experience the different viewpoint. I do recommend bringing snacks as there wasn't a stop for lunch. He then drove me back to chengdu to my hostel and showed me where to go. I couldn't fault the experience and…”

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4.Private Dujiangyan Panda Base Panda Rescue Center Volunteer for a Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 41 reviews · from $307

Spend a full day at Dujiangyan Panda Center with a private English-speaking guide such as Worley, Jenny, or Neil. Ride from Chengdu, help prepare food, clean panda areas, assist with feeding, enjoy lunch, and learn how the center supports conservation. Panda holding is no longer offered.

“Awesome and just the best thing ever. This is a once in a life time chance and I enjoyed every moment. It was educational as well as fun. The lovely lunch was a bonus.”

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5.All Inclusive Private Trip to Chengdu Giant Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · from $249

Start early with a private guide such as Amy, Lily, Lucy, or Sharlene at Chengdu Panda Base, then continue to Leshan for a Sichuan lunch and the 71-meter Giant Buddha. Choose the hillside walk or pay separately for a river cruise. The day runs about nine hours and suits visitors short on time.

“We had a great experience with our tour guide and driver. Lin (Amber) is a very sympathetic person, very knowledgeable and patient. With her deep experience, she helped us to going through the mobs smoothly. Panda experience was unforRead more”

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6.Dujiangyan Panda Base and Mount Qingcheng

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · from $60

Spend about 2.5 hours at Dujiangyan Panda Base, then visit Mount Qingcheng with private transport and hotel pickup. Drivers such as Wang Tao, Huang Lin, and Shi Jianhua are praised for helpful local advice, though English is not guaranteed. Tickets and lunch cost extra.

“We got picked up from our hotel from Mr. Wang. He was very friendly and told us the history of Chengdu as we drove to the panda base. This location wasn’t too crowded and the pandas are too cute. Definitely recommend the pandas. The mountain was pretty but it’s a lot of climbing and it was hot.”

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7.Chengdu: Private Panda Base Tour with 80 Pandas

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 22 reviews · 4 - 10 hours · from $75

Start from your Chengdu hotel at 7:30 am or 12:30 pm for a private visit to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. Weaver and other English-speaking guides can help you find the best viewing areas. Add Leshan Buddha, Huanglongxi Old Town, or Chengdu sights for a longer day.

“Our guide was knowledgeable of the facility and knew exactly where to take us. He gave us background information on Pandas. We are very happy with Weaver. We didn’t know the facility has so many small mosquitoes types of bugs that basically attached themselves to our legs. A heads up of wearing long pants or bringing mosquito repellent would have helped a lot!”

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8.Leshan Buddha + Panda Base or Old Tea House Private Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $99

Spend the morning with pandas at Chengdu Panda Base or in Pengzhen’s old tea house, then visit Leshan Giant Buddha by boat, on foot, or both. Private transfers, hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, and ticket-booking help are included. Guides such as Cora and Victor are known for thoughtful local explanations.

“It was my wife, mother-in-law and I. We did the panda base and Leshan Buddha boat trip. Our tour guide Cora was fantastic and very knowledgeable. She gave us lots of information on everything and answered all our questions. She was super friendly and great tour guide.”

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9.Chengdu panda base half day tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · from $99

Meet Victor, Cora, or another Pandasee guide at Exit A of Panda Avenue Station. Ride a clean, air-conditioned public bus to Chengdu’s panda base, skip the ticket line, and spend about three and a half hours seeing giant pandas, red pandas, peacocks, and black swans.

“See most of the Pandas in 4 hours, including the transportation ftom the Metro Station. Victor is our guide yoday, good English & professional. We spent 3 hours inside the park 12000 steps. We covered all in a rainy & slippery day. Highly commended for someone only want yo spend 1/2 day.”

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10.Chengdu: Panda Base Leshan Buddha Tour(or Half Day Panda Base )

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $33

Join an English-Chinese guide such as Mark or Judy for a full-day group trip from Chengdu to the Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha. You’ll see pandas at breakfast time when possible, visit Lingyun Temple, and return to Tianfu Square. Lunch, boat rides, and some transport costs are extra.

“A slower start with some delays on setting off but was so pleased that no time was cut from our time at the pandas or the Buddha. Mark is an amazing guide and has so much knowledge on all the places visited and is an all round great guy! Lunch was an amazing experience. Not included in the price but taken to a lovely local spot which is tucked away.”

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11.Sanxingdui Museum+Chengdu Panda Base or Jinsha Site Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $75

Choose a Chengdu day tour pairing Sanxingdui with the Panda Base or Jinsha Site Museum. Private options include an English guide, hotel pickup, transport, and bottled water. The small-group choice uses a public shuttle and includes return bus tickets plus Sanxingdui admission.

“Great Tour! Wing was a really knowledgeable guide. Because of his experience, we were able to see the pandas even though the panda base was crowded. He was also our guide at the museum and gave us thorough and interesting explaRead more”

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12.Chengdu: Volunteer Day Experience at Dujiangyan Panda base

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $231

You’ll leave Chengdu in a private air-conditioned car with an English-speaking guide and spend the day at Dujiangyan Panda Base. Put on work clothes, prepare bamboo, watch a keeper feed a panda nearby, visit red pandas, make panda cakes, and receive a certificate.

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13.One Day Trip to Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Buddha Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 9 reviews · from $88

Travel by private air-conditioned vehicle from Chengdu to the panda base and Leshan Giant Buddha. Drivers such as Li Kai, Li, and Xiao Qian have helped with tickets, meals, and local transport, but this is transport-only, not a guided tour.

“The trip was amazing, Li is a great driver, very careful and helpful. He helped us to buy tickets for attractions and made sure we were confortable. I highly recommend the experience and Li as provider.”

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14.Chengdu Private Tour of Leshan Buddha and Panda Base

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 8 reviews · 9 hours · from $325

Start early at Chengdu’s panda base, when the animals are most active, then drive about two hours to Leshan for a local Sichuan lunch and the world’s largest stone Buddha. Your private guide may be Andy, Emma, or another English-speaking specialist, with hotel pickup and drop-off included.

“O passeio foi muito bom, o guia que nos acompanhou passou muitas informações interessante e teve paciência ao longo do dia. As crianças adoraram o dia.”

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15.Private Half-Day Tour to Chengdu Panda Base

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 5 - 8 hours · from $150

You’ll visit Chengdu’s panda base in a private air-conditioned car, arriving around 8:00 a.m. to see pandas eat, climb, nap, and play. Guides such as Jason and Sarah help you avoid crowds. Choose Dujiangyan for a quieter visit and a supervised red panda feeding activity.

“We had a great tour through the Psnda Base with our guide Jason!”

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