5 Top Places to See Giant Pandas in China

The best places to see giant pandas are, of course, in Chengdu, hometown of Giant Pandas. But there are zoos in other China cities where you can see giant pandas if you can't get to Chengdu. Below are the top places to see giant pandas in China.

top places to see giant pandas

In order to protect the giant pandas from canine distemper infection, all the panda bases stopped the panda interconnect activities since January, 2015. Dujiangyan Panda Base has reopened the volunteer programsince March 24, 2015. And it allows visitors to take pictures holding a panda now. The reopening date of these programs at Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base and Bifengxia Giant Panda Base is still TBA.

1. Dujiangyan Panda Base — best panda volunteer program

Take photos with a giant panda.

Location: Dujiangyan Prefecture, 67 km (41 mi) or 1½ hours from Chengdu
Pandas: about 20
Activities: panda viewing, holding pandas, and panda keeper program
Suitable for: those who want a less-crowded panda volunteer program
Time needed: 1 day

China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda Dujiangyan Panda Base is a new panda center, established in 2014. However, it is quieter and sees less travelers than Bifengxia Panda Center, so volunteers have more time and chances to get close to the pandas.

Recommended Tour

Panda Keeper and Chengdu Highlights Tour: Join a Panda Keeper Program to take care of pandas. Tour most highlights of Chengdu.

2. Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center — Most Popular

Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center

Location: Chengdu city outskirts, 40 minutes by car, easily accessible
Pandas: about 50
Activities: seeing pandas, watching panda breeding movies
Time needed: half a day
Best for: tourists who have limited time, and are only interested in seeing or holding pandas

Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base is located in the northern suburbs of Chengdu City. It is fully equipped for giant panda breeding, with a baby panda house, several enclosures for adult pandas and cubs, health stations, a giant panda museum, and a laboratory. Thousands of bamboo plants are harvested there to feed the pandas.

The base aims to create an approximation of the panda's wild living environment, and to train the pandas to adapt to wild living, and then releases them into the wild for the continuation and preservation of this charming and endangered species.

Recommended Tour

5-Day Giant Panda, Leshan Giant Buddha, and Mount Emei Tour: You will see the cute pandas, the romantic lanes in Chengdu, the Giant Buddha cut during the Tang Dynasty, and Mount Emei.

3. Beijing Zoo — Easiest Access, But Most Crowded

Location: Beijing City
Activities: Seeing pandas only
Time needed: 2 hours
Best for: travelers who can't make it to Chengdu

Beijing Zoo is the largest zoo in China with the largest number of animal species and is one of the best zoos in the world. It was the first zoo to open in China. There is a panda house in the zoo, which is one of the most popular enclosures there.

For those who can make their trip to Chengdu, Beijing Zoo is a good alternative for seeing pandas. Be warned that the panda house in Beijing Zoo is always fully-packed. Our guide knows how to escape the crowds.

Recommended Tour

4. Ocean Park in Hong Kong

Location: Hong Kong City

Ocean Park is a large ocean theme park and one of several large amusement parks in Hong Kong. You can see hundreds of kinds of marine fishes.
There are four giant pandas in Ocean Park: An An, Jia Jia (the world's oldest living panda, who will be 36 on August 10th 2014), Le Le and Ying Ying. Le Le and Ying Ying are presents from China's central government to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.

5. Bifengxia Giant Panda Base — the largest giant panda base

Location: Ya'an Prefecture, 150 km (93mi) or 3 hours' drive from Chengdu
Pandas: about 20
Activities: seeing pandas
Best for: people who want to take part in the volunteer program (taking care of pandas)
Time needed: 2 days

Bifengxia Panda Base is the largest giant panda base in the world.

Recommended Tour

Bifengxia Giant Panda Base has stopped the panda interconnect activities since January, 2015. The reopening date is to be announced. If you are planning a giant panda tour, please see our 1-Day Chengdu to Dujiangyan Panda Keeper Program Tour for inspiration.

Other China Zoos with Pandas

There are other zoos in China's major tourist cities where you can see pandas, such as Chongqing, Guilin, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.

giant panda zoos and breeding centers

Top Places to See Giant Pandas Summary Table

Place	Location	Access	Pandas	Activities	Visit	Crowds?
Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center	Chengdu City	Very easy	50	Seeing pandas	½ day	Very crowded
Bifengxia Panda Base	Ya'an — 3 hours from Chengdu	Hard	20	Seeing pandas	2 days	Quiet
Doujiangyan Panda Base	Dujiangyan — 1½ hours from Chengdu	Easy	20	volunteer program, holding pandas	1 day	Quiet
Beijing Zoo	Beijing	Very easy	8	Seeing pandas	2 hours	Over Crowded
Ocean Park	Hong Kong	Very easy	4	Seeing pandas	2 hours	Very crowded