Best China Journey

Explore the Real Hometown of Wild Pandas

Wolong Panda Center, nestled within the expansive Wolong National Nature Reserve, is a bit of a journey from Chengdu but well worth the trip. It’s less crowded and is widely recognized as the authentic homeland of wild pandas.

This one-day itinerary is perfect for responsible panda enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. Beyond participating in the Wolong Panda Volunteer Program accompanied by a professional guide, you’ll also get to engage in our exclusive offerings: a gentle mountain hike with locals, visiting rural households, and a unique opportunity to plant bamboo for the pandas.

Please note: Due to government regulations and for the protection of pandas, direct contact with pandas is not permitted in any volunteer activities. The specific content and timing of the day’s volunteer activities are subject to the base’s arrangements.

We are happy to tailor the itinerary according to your specific needs and interests.

Tour ‘Wow’ Points

Experience Taking Care of a Cute Panda

Make panda cakes with your own hands and prepare bamboo for pandas. See how the keeper feeds a panda at a very close distance

Receive a unique certificate issued proving your love for pandas.

At the end of the program, you will receive a panda keeper certificate for this unforgettable day.

Plant Bamboo for Pandas and Receive Growth Photos

Join the villagers to plant bamboo saplings in the lush mountains. As these saplings flourish, you’ll be updated with their growth photos. And they will become a delicious meal for the pandas at the base.

Itinerary Quick Look

8:45 am 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 7:15 am 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. 9:00 am Prepare bamboos for Pandas Panda volunteers need to supply fresh bamboo three times a day. You will break bamboo and wash some bamboo shoots for pandas with the panda keepers. And then clean the glass of their enclosures. 10:00 am 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. 11:00 am Lunch Time Dine with the panda keepers at the staff canteen at the panda base. 12:00 pm Watch a panda movie During this time, you’ll gain an understanding of the working conditions of panda caretakers, basic panda knowledge, and the ultimate goal of panda conservation. 13:00 pm 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 14:30 pm 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 4:00 pm.

Tour Price