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Asia, Chengdu, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda, China, how panda chengdu, how to cuddle with a panda in chengdu, Panda, panda chengdu
In planning our 33 days in China, I chose to go to Chengdu for four days. We stayed in the downtown area of Chengdu, which is surprisingly the fifth largest city in China with a population of over 12 million people. But there’s really only one reason to visit Chengdu – the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda, where you can hold a baby panda.
1. You should first consider when you should go to the research base. We learned that the pandas are the most active in the morning and that if you come too late, most of them will be asleep. Moreover, we didn’t want to go on the weekend, which is when the hoards of Chinese tour groups are visiting. We went on a Wednesday, and the research base was fairly empty. Only three other people were in my group to hold the baby panda as well.
2. Take a taxi to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda early in the morning. A metered taxi should cost around 30 yuan ($4.84 USD) and should take around 20-30 minutes depending on traffic. If the taxi doesn’t use a meter, they will undoubtedly charge you more. We left our hotel around 8:30am and arrived at the research base around 9:00am.
3. Buy tickets for entrance into the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda. Tickets only cost 60 yuan per person.
4. Consult the map and walk towards the Sunshine Panda Nursery. The research base is rather large, and it probably takes about 15 minutes of walking to get there. Just follow the ubiquitous signs for the nursery. There is also some kind of tram for which you can pay, but we didn’t take it at all.
5. There are two time periods during which you can hold a panda – 10:30am and 2:30pm. You can start signing up to hold the panda at 10am and 2pm, respectively.
You sign up and pay the 2,000 yuan ($322.41 USD) “donation fee” in cash. There are no ATMs in the research base, so if you don’t have enough, you will have to take a taxi to an ATM. Plus, the donation fee keeps going up every few months. Mr. Selfish and I had thought that it was only 1,200 yuan per person, and he had to go off of the research base to get the rest of the money. I would check Trip Advisor for the latest information on the donation fee.
Once you sign up, you get a neck tag, and then you come back at your appointed time to hold the panda.
6. Return to the Sunshine Nursery and follow the guide. He/she will show you how to clean bamboo, go through an informative slideshow about pandas, compare the skulls of a panda versus a black bear, and show you a cart with food that pandas eat.
7. You don your sanitary blue outfits and gloves and cuddle with a baby panda! Our baby panda was a boy who was eight months old. He was heavier than I thought but quite frisky. He started sliding down while I was holding him, and the staff had to pull him back up.
During the 5 minute cuddle session, the staff takes pictures of you with their camera and with your camera. The staff took at least 20 pictures of me on my camera, and they did a pretty good job. The reason that they take pictures of you with their camera is because they print a photo for you as well.
8. Pick up your merchandise. You get a panda sweatshirt hoody, a DVD about pandas, a certificate for your donation, and a picture frame with a picture of you holding the panda and a picture of you cleaning bamboo on the other side.
9. Enjoy the rest of the research base!
Mr. Selfish and I loved the adult pandas that were stuffing their faces with bamboo. We even learned that pandas have a quasi-thumb that they cannot move but helps them maneuver the bamboo into their mouths.
The panda “kindergarten” had four eight month old pandas that are supposed to be learning skills from an adult panda. When we saw them, they were mostly just playing and biting one another. It was utterly adorable.
The research base also had lots of red pandas, which is not really related to the giant panda but more related to raccoons. We noticed a sign stating that the red panda is “somewhat fierce” and to stay at least 3 meters away from them.
Mr. Selfish and I were walking along a path and noticed a solitary red panda eating. When it finished eating, it walked through a hole in the fence and right onto the path in front of us. It was only about a foot away. Remembering that they are “somewhat fierce,” Mr. Selfish and I were somewhat taken aback. Luckily, it only crossed the path to the other side. We were so excited to be so close to a red panda (and that nothing bad happened).
10. If you’re looking to buy panda merchandise, I wouldn’t buy any inside the research park. First, I didn’t think that the stands inside the research base had much of a selection. Second, it was expensive. If you exit the park and turn left, you will find a bunch of vendors selling panda merchandise at much cheaper prices.
And, those are the ten easy steps to successfully cuddling a baby panda. Even though it was VERY expensive, it was worth every penny. I would gladly pay the “donation fee” again to hold that adorable baby panda.
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Thank you so much for your detailed post!! I am planning to go this year and this really helped me to determine realistic costs etc. 🙂
Hi Krissy! Did you manage to hold a panda there? I am not sure they still allow it in the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding… I am flying to Chengdu next Wednesday!
Thanks for your help
Maria
I love this! It’s definitely going on my bucket list for 2016!!!
Thank you for all the information! I plan on visiting Chengdu next year and would love to hold a panda! Did you receive the sweatshirt as part of the package to hold the panda or did you purchase separately?
I was just there about a month ago and received the same things that were pictured above, with the exception of a sweatshirt. Instead, the package came with a short sleeved tshirt and also a stuffed panda bear.
Thanks for the update!
Hi!! Someone Know if I need to Book in advance? And where I can do that…. I just can’t find >.<
When we went, there was no need to book in advance. You could just show up, but make sure you have plenty of cash. Hope that helps!
The sweatshirt was included in the package. But as set forth above, they might have changed what they give you, or it changes based on the season. Have fun!
thanks for the post – I was planning to pay for a tour but after reading your report, I think I can manage just fine on my own 🙂
my question is…did you have any issues finding a taxi to take you back afterwards?
No, there was no problem grabbing a taxi. There are plenty waiting to take you back to downtown Chengdu in the front.
Thank you so much for this post! I am SO excited!!! Planning to go there in 2 weeks time! Do you have any contact telephone number or email for this centre. I read somewhere else it’s better to book in advance, or at least 2 days before you go, but I can’t find any details online. Also, is this the only centre where you can hold the panda’s in Chengdu? I don’t want to go to a different one than this.
This is the only place of which I knew where you could hold a panda. But based on the comment below, I assume there is at least one other place called Bifengxia. When I went, there was no way to book in advance to hold the panda but that may have changed. This is the website I found for the Chengdu Zoo – http://www.panda.org.cn/english/visitor/tickets/2013-09-12/2439.html
Good luck and enjoy your time cuddling the baby panda! 🙂
Do you know where can I book in advance??
Thanks for the update!
I was at the Chengdu Zoo in March 2014 and the price of the cuddle was 2000 yuan. It is cheaper at Bifengxia and if you go as a panda keeper for the day, you can get up close and personal with a giant panda. Bifengxia is a better place to see pandas in my opinion. They have more freedom. The staff are wonderful and very helpful. Whichever site you go to you will not be disappointed. I had two cuddles, both different but adorable.
Does the volunteer program include pics with pandas? Can you video them as you volunteer? Thanks.
Hi, thanks a lot for all this information. A great report! We´re planning a trip to Chengdu as well and would like to know where we can check the actual rates for “panda holding”. We couldn´t find it on any official website. Thank you!
As far as I can tell, there is no official website where you can find the price. I just went to Trip Advisor to see the latest reviews and what people were paying. I would recommend checking there and bringing lots of cash with you. Good luck!
Really great share! I do plan a visit to Chengdu for seeing the panda; what’s the costs for holding the panda and taking picture?
It was 2,000 yuan ($322.41 USD) per person when we went but it may have increased by now.
Thank you so much for the information especially about holding a panda. My family are planning to visit the site in april 2014.
You’re welcome! You will have a lovely time in Chengdu. 🙂
Hi! I will be going to Hong Kong in 3 wks and is thinking of going to the panda base. Is there a max limit of people to sign up? I’m worried that I won’t get an opportunity to hold one. I am also planning on going with a tour group so I’m not sure if the time will work as. Once you sign up, was there a ,one wait till it was your appointed time? Any info. You can provide would be great. Thank you!!
As far as I saw, there was no limit for people holding the panda. But, I was in a group with only four other people, so it was a small group. I also thought that there would be a problem signing up but since it’s so expensive, I don’t think most people do it. You may have a problem with your tour group though. The times are 10:30am and 2:30pm. Good luck!
I read online that they only take 20 people for the day to hold a panda but that might have changed
I didn’t see anything about a maximum per day when I was there but things may have changed. Thanks for the update!
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Hello! I will be visiting Chengdu next week and would love to hold a PANDA! I’m not sure if I should book one of those tours that include the baby panda holding or if I just purchase it when I get there. What would you suggest I do?
Thanks!
Amy
I didn’t book a tour so I can’t comment on it, but I do believe that just signing up the day of is a relatively easy process. Just be sure you have enough cash!
Hi, do you know if they had credit card facilities at the research base to pay for the panda picture?
No, you have to pay in cash.
This is just amazing! They are so cute! I think I need to visit China one day just to do this – you are so lucky!
I was very lucky to hold the baby panda. It was a once in a lifetime experience indeed!