Top 10 China tours 2024/2025 for first visits and returns: embark on a lifetime experience. Learn more
One Day Dujiangyan Panda Volunteer Program Tour

Once-in-a-Lifetime Panda Volunteer Experience

One Day Dujiangyan Panda Volunteer Program Tour

If you're looking for close contact with pandas, this 1-day panda volunteer experience will utilize your time to its fullest. It's a memorable chance to look after a cute and fluffy panda as you clean its enclosure, make its food, and watch it be fed.

Please note:

  • 1. There is a daily quota of 60 volunteers for the Panda Volunteer Program. Please inquire and book soon to secure your place.
  • 2. The age restriction for volunteers is between 10 and 70 years old. You can still take good care of the pandas even if you are unable to be a panda volunteer for the day. There are several activities to take part in, such as panda excreta analysis, watching a documentary movie, making panda cakes, and so on.

Tour Highlights

  • Watch the keeper feed a panda at a very close distance
  • Clean panda's bedroom
  • Make cakes in different shapes for the pandas
  • Meet oversea returnee pandas with our expert panda guide
  • Receive a unique certificate proving your love for pandas

Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

Suggested Itinerary

8:30am Arrival and Suit Up

Your guide will call you at your hotel one day in advance or will leave a message to confirm the collection time with you. You will be picked up at around 7am from your hotel. After arrival at the panda base, sign up and get a uniform. Your guide will introduce you to the professional panda keepers. The panda keepers can speak simple English but your guide will be there for you at all times, helping to translate and taking memorable photos of you with the lovable pandas.

China panda keeper China panda keeper
9:00am–10:00am Clean the Panda Enclosures

Clean the panda enclosures. Panda volunteers need to supply fresh bamboo three times a day. The pandas usually only eat 30% of the bamboo, wasting 70% of it. You will need to sweep out the leftovers and replace them with fresh bamboo, as well as clean out the feces.

Cleaning the Panda Enclousures Cleaning the Panda Enclousures
10am–11am Roam Around with an Expert Panda Guide

Take a break and tour around the panda base. Our guides are veritable panda lovers — they are familiar with the base and know a lot about pandas. Some of them have even hosted a live cam feed about pandas on Facebook and YouTube.

There are about 10 pandas at the base and some of them are overseas returnees, including the most popular Tai Shan and Bao Bao, who arrived from the US. You will also have the chance to meet four naughty red pandas.

Dujiangyan pandas Dujiangyan pandas
Dujiangyan panda keeper Dujiangyan panda keeper
11am–11:30am Watch the Keeper to feed a Panda!

Pandas are supplied with panda cakes, apples, and carrots four times a day. The panda keepers will show you how to feed a panda at close proximity.

Panda's food Panda's Lunch
11:30am–1:30pm Have a Simple Lunch in the Panda Keepers' Canteen

A simple Chinese lunch is included in the canteen. Usually, there are two meat dishes and one vegetable dish. Rice and porridge are also provided. It is highly recommended for you to prepare some snacks in case you do not like the food there. After lunch, you can walk around to continue exploring or have a rest in the volunteers' office or the resting room, where benches are provided.

Lunch at canteen Lunch at canteen
Panda documentary movie Panda documentary movie
1:30pm–2:00pm Make Panda Cakes and Cut Bamboo Leaves

Having seen the panda keeper feeding the pandas with panda cakes, aren't you curious as to how they are made? It is time to make some panda cakes with your own hands. The ingredients will be prepared in advance. Get creative about the shapes of the cakes. You will also cut the bamboo leaves into small pieces for old pandas

Panda Cakes Panda Cakes
2:00pm–2: 30pm Get a Certificate

The volunteer work ends here and you will receive a certificate for this unforgettable day. Say goodbye to the pandas you have taken care of. Your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel in Chengdu and you will arrive at about 4:00pm.

Panda Certificate Panda Certificate

Trip Notes

1. Booking Panda Volunteer Program

As the first tour company in China to operate the program, China Highlights has developed stable relationship with the Dujiangyan Panda Base. Sometimes the program is subject to change due to force majeure. Usually we are able to get the first-hand information that is very helpful for your tour arrangement. Your early booking is also useful to guarantee the availability of the program. Sometimes the activities listed in the description will be adjusted according to health condition of the pandas. Hope customers can understand this.
If your time is limited, you can only join the activities in the morning. The price is the same.

This tour is very flexible. You can alter the itinerary, and extend or shorten it to suit your schedule.

Physical Examination Record is required for panda keeper program application. Please click the link below to download the form. Feel free to contact our 1:1 travel expert for any questions.

Download the PDF

2. Age Limit

The age restriction of volunteer is between 10 to 70 years old. Even though the pandas look harmless, they are carnivores. Parents must ensure that they prevent their children from coming into direct contact with the pandas. The cost for children of 10 years old and above is the same as the cost for adults. If your children are between 0–9 years old, you can still take them with you during the program. The children can not enter the room where the panda cage is. Your guide can help take care of them if you like.

3. Dress Code

Certain pavements in the base can be very wet and slippery. To avoid slipping, please do not wear short pants or slippery footwear. Also, pandas have a very keen sense of smell. As you will get very close to them during the tour, please do not wear perfume or nail polish. Our sincere thanks for your extra care and respect towards the pandas.

4. Transportation Suggestions

If you need to catch a flight or train after the program, flights departing after 8 pm or trains departing after 7 pm are recommended. For international flights, flights after 9 pm are suggested. If your flight or train leaves earlier than the recommended times above, you may need to skip some arrangements in the afternoon and head earlier to the airport or train station.

Tour Price

FromCNY1825 /USD283p/p Based on a private tour for 2 people. Price varies depending on program, travel date, number of people and chosen hotel

Price includes:

  • Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
  • English speaking local guide
  • Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
  • 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling

Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.

Number in your group

What's your hotel choice?

I prefer to be contacted via:

Start planning your tailor-made tour with 1-1 help from our travel advisors. Create Your Trip

Sign up to Our Newsletter

Be the first to receive exciting updates, exclusive promotions, and valuable travel tips from our team of experts.

Why China Highlights

Save Your Time

Save Your Time

  • Less research, more enjoyment!
  • Real-time 1V1 expert planning.
  • Seamless coordination
Maximize Your Flexibility

Maximize Your Flexibility

  • Your own personal guide and ride.
  • Explore at your own pace.
  • Unparalleled flexibility, impossible on a group tour.
Ensure Your Satisfaction

Ensure Your Satisfaction

  • Well-trained elite 20% of guides.
  • 20% vacancy on vehicles.
  • 24/7 emergency support.
Live Your China Story

Live Your China Story

  • Authentic local culture and lifestyles.
  • Understand the culture by living it.
  • Uncover fascinating histories and witness New China.
Rated 5 out of 5 | 98.8% Excellence
China Highlights International
Travel Service Co., LTD
Featured on
China Highlights was featured on these medias.

Address: Building 6, Chuangyi Business Park, 70 Qilidian Road, Guilin, Guangxi, 541004, China