Dujiangyan Panda Volunteering Experience with Lunch
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Chengdu, China
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The Dujiangyan Panda Base runs a panda hospital, lab, and monitoring enclosures in Sichuan Province near Chengdu. On this full-day private volunteer experience, get up close to the cuddle pandas by helping to clean the enclosure and preparing food and panda cakes. A guide accompanies you during your experience and helps take photos and videos of your volunteer experience.
- Experience a day in the life of a panda caretaker at Dujiangyan
- Photos and videos of your experience are recorded by your guide
- Observe China’s iconic bears and contribute to conservation efforts
- Private round-trip transport, lunch, and certificate provided
What's Included
- Panda volunteer experience
- Roundtrip private transportation(plus hotel pick-up&drop-off)
- Lunch in panda canteen
- Panda volunteer reservation service
- Private guide service
- Gratuities
- Personal expense
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Free hotel pick-up&drop-off from Chengdu hotels within 3 ring road Pick-up time:7am Trip note: 1.Please bring both of your passports to check in 2.Please do not use strong fragrant perfume or cosmetics 3.Please do not wear slipper and skirt
Operating hours.7:00 am
Itinerary
1
Dujiangyan Panda Base
8 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Age limit:10-70, kid need to be accompanied by adult
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Heather_N
This was a cool way to get as close to pandas as possible without actually working at a research facility or zoo! The "work" was not strenuous- it was more so a sample of what is done on a day-to-day basis to ensure the pandas are adequately fed. My guide took pictures for me while I worked and I was able to see a panda eating close-up (no photos allowed in that area). The park itself seems to be set up well and they mentioned that the pandas are moved around from pen to pen in order to prevent boredom. There was a lot of information provided- I definitely learned new things about pandas and the conservation effort!
Reviews
4.8
based on 68 reviews
Heather_N, Apr 2026
This was a cool way to get as close to pandas as possible without actually working at a research facility or zoo! The "work" was not strenuous- it was more so a sample of what is done on a day-to-day basis to ensure the pandas are adequately fed. My guide took pictures for me while I worked and I was able to see a panda eating close-up (no photos allowed in that area). The park itself seems to be set up well and they mentioned that the pandas are moved around from pen to pen in order to prevent boredom. There was a lot of information provided- I definitely learned new things about pandas and the conservation effort!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Heather
Glad you had a great time !
Thank you so much for leaving a review for our service!
All the best to you!
Lily Chen
Kim_W, Mar 2026
Watched a keeper feed an old Panda with bamboo shoots from about 1 metre away. Couldn't take photos but it was awesome to see up close. Smashing the bamboo on the concrete was fun and you get plenty of time to look around at the Pandas. Lunch in the staff canteen was delicious
Suzana_J, Aug 2018
ONE IN A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE. The driver was late coming to pick us up and we were afraid that we will miss our opportunity to hold/touch panda, however we were lucky and the day progressed as planed. It was raining so that kind of put the dumper on a things and panda that we took picture with and hugged was dirty and wet, BUT still it was some kind of experience. Other people's reviews are correct - YES one only has about 20 seconds to spend in front of the camera with the panda, but one is allowed to hug it touch it's back, face etc. Of course all this experience is overpriced, but how often are we going to do that??? As far as lunch while there - it is nothing that will fill you up, but it is o.k. survival food. The staff on premises is not especially friendly or approachable - EVERYTHIGN IS ABOUT MAKING MONEY!!
Marlakins, Jul 2018
Our driver was ready to go in our lobby on time and drive safely to the panda base. The volunteer experience was incredible and we were lucky to end up with a private group of just our party. We got to feed the pandas twice, see them up close from behind the habitats, help clean the habitats, and prepare the bamboo. We paid extra for the photo and it was worth every penny. Amazing experience and great driver service. Would recommend!
Ragnhild F, Nov 2017
The driver did not speak English and was not able to help me at the Panda Base as the other tour operators did for their costumers. Because of this the start of the day got a bit confusing, but everything got sorted eventually thanks to the Panda Base staff.
Luis M, Oct 2017
Lily from West China Go went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect! This tour included the driver service from my hotel and Lily helped me book my volunteering and photo spots so everything went smoothly! I plan to go back to Chengdu and will surely book this experience again!
helenpanda477, Oct 2017
Top visit on my list, this was my 2nd time and was as good as the 1st time if not better. 2nd time around they have more guides available. They have geared up to receive visitors and the panda experience. This time with Viator I only booked the taxi return, he was a non english speaker but it was ok, he drove well!
Dale_P, Feb 2017
Friendly knowledgeable staff helped me volunteer with the pandas. Tour was exactly as advertised.Picture tàking time was short but they are worth a thousand words.
Ren M, Jun 2016
This was the best option. My child was able to do the volunteer thing while I was able to stay with her and take photos. I did not have to clean the poop. She loved it. She had her hand on the panda's paw while she fed it. These were great photos and we did not have to pay for the 1800 yuan photo experience where you dress in plastic and sit next to a panda.
Craig B, Mar 2016
After searching through a number of different tours which would allow us to have the panda holding experience we are so glad we came across this one. Panda Base is a little out of the way so having a transfer from our hotel made it very straightforward. Booking the Panda Holding was our number 1 priority for coming to Chengdu and the team at Viator especially Lily were able to make that happen for us even with the short notice we gave. Our driver/tour guide luckily for us spoke English and was fantastic taking us around the grounds at the Panda Base. The Panda Base itself is much quieter than its counterparts making it very serene and well worth the trip out there. You don't get long with the panda for the holding experience but for us it was worth every penny - how many people can say they got to cuddle a real panda?!
Curiosity67847314017, Aug 2019
Une belle expérience auprès des pandas et l'équipe des soignants est accueillante. Une belle réserve.
SHINYA O, Jul 2018
ボランティア・パンダとの写真と両方体験をしてきました。
正直値段はお安くありませんが、両者とも中々できない体験で、パンダ好きの方は一度は試してみる価値は十分あると思います。
また、現地のドライバーの方も親切で、快適な一日を過ごすことができました。
（中国語を話せなくても大丈夫ですが、スマートホン・翻訳アプリ・中国内で利用可能な香港SIMあたりをもっていくとよりよいかと思います。
From $279.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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