Mini Group: One-Day Panda and Chengdu Lifestyle Highlights Tour
4.6
9 Ratings
Chengdu

During this day excursion, you’ll encounter adorable pandas at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base, sample a quintessential Chengdu dish - the Sichuan Hotpot, get a behind-the-scenes look at a Sichuan Opera in a traditional tea house, and immerse yourself in the distinctive lifestyle of the local residents of Chengdu.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (Xiongmao Jidi) - Time: 9:00 - 11:00

After picking up all the group members we will head to our first destination – Chengdu Panda Base. To make sure you have a better experience, we have designed the best possible routes to avoid crowds and queues, and save your time, so you have more time to see pandas and take photos!

Pandas are more than good-looking and cute, they are special! Join us to find out a full story of how do they live and why do they live in Sichuan. You might not know, the giant panda has been downgraded from endangered to vulnerable species. Follow your tour guide to learn more about what we have done and how human being to protect these cute nature treasures.

  • Chengdu Renmin Park - 13:30 - 14:30, Visit a Local Opera Tea House and Explore the Backstage.

After lunch, we will go to a the grass-root style opera house, lots of old fans gather round here everyday, meet up friends and enjoy the show. You can be one of them, watching the performance and drinking tea. But the most interesting part of this place, you have a chance to go into their backstage to see how the actors and actresses make up and rehearse.

14:50 - 16:30, Experience the Unique Local Leisurely Lifestyle in Chengdu People’s Park.

Walk to Chengdu People’s Park and you’ll see how Chengdu locals spend their free time and observe their unique culture and leisurely lifestyle.

You’ll see people gathering in tea houses, drinking tea, and playing mahjong. You’ll see earwax-cleaning services, old ladies singing and dancing, and parents putting advertisements in the marriage market for their adult children.

Slow down and sit down, let’s have a cup of tea and enjoy life just as these Chengdu locals do!

What's Included
  • Bottled water included
  • Admission tickets to Panda base and opera tea house
  • English-speaking professional tour guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off within Chengdu’s 3rd Ring Zone
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Airport transfer.
  • Lunch
Additional Information
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult.
  • You will receive details about tour guide and exact pickup time in your voucher the day before. And the tour guide will also call you via hotel or leave a message for you about pickup time the night before tour.
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off services are available within the 3rd Ring Zone of Chengdu City.
  • Please wear comfortable walking shoes.
  • This tour will have a maximum of 6 travelers. If your booking has more than 6 people, all of you will be upgraded to a private tour group without other participants.
  • Lunch fee is not included.
Location
Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (Xiongmao Jidi)
No.1375 Xiongmao Avenue the Outside Northern Third Ring Road, Chenghua District
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(9 Ratings)
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Prathikpankaj
Dec 11, 2019
Dream come true - It's been a dream to see panda bears and it finally come true thanks to China Highlights. I had a splendid day in Chengdu, first the panda bears, then the local opera and finally ending with a visit to the People's Park. I love this city. Teresa was my guide and she is a magnificent guide - Extremely patient, knowledgeable, talented and a very nice person. I appreciate her services entirely.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
824gregga
Jun 21, 2019
Great Panda experience & City highlights - A great way to maximise your time in Chengdu. Head early to visit the Pandas to beat the crowds, see pandas up close during feeding and bypass the queues for the shuttles. The main research centre is home to almost 10% of the pandas global population and this provides an opportunity to get up close and personal. Consider August/September onwards if you want to see cubs. Hot pot lunch is an acquired taste - ensure you determine what temperature you can endure. Visit to the opera is an interesting and colourful additional to the tour - consider air plugs. Regular audience welcoming and cast happy for photos. Peoples Park is a great way to finish the day with a walk through the Marriage Markets, a visit to a tea house and an opportunity to learn to play mah-jong with expert tuition from enthusiastic locals. Guide Lucy ensured the day ran smoothly and gave a great interpretation of local customs, history and pandas. Ensure you spend ample time at the pandas - they are the highlight of the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anthonyradame
Mar 17, 2018
Best part of China - Having a group with over 30 people can be a hassle but our tour guide, Nancy, was amazing and handled it very well. She interacted with us with such passion, intelligence, and humility. She was able to tell us all about Chengdu and we learned about her as well. Our group loves playing games and she even introduced a new game to us. When she was with us, she didn’t feel like our tour guide, she felt like our friend and we all absolutely loved her. It was so hard to say goodbye to her but we will never forget her. She made our trip to China an unforgettable one. Nancy, you’re the best. Thank you for teaching us about Chengdu, thank you for teaching us how to play mahjong, and thank you for teaching us mandarin!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chadcarleton
Nov 17, 2017
Sichuan Adventure - China Highlights guide "Snow" hosted my private tour of the Chengdu attractions. Snow and driver provided excellent and attentive tour service in every way. The Panda Base was the highlight of this tour. Should not be missed. Other sights included Jinli Old Street, Wenshu Monestary, the People's Park, and Mt. Qingcheng. All were excellent, but the weather at Mt. Qingcheng, and many stairs, made that visit challenging, with rain and poor visibility. The stairs require a certain amount of fitness. I am 78, so I decided after a partial climb, not to continue to the top. There are porters who will carry you up, for a price, which must be negotiated and can be substantial. China Highlights provided guides and drivers for my entire month private tour of China and I recommend them highly for any tour bookings anywhere in China.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jaybee1965
Oct 18, 2017
A day during Golden Week in Chengdu - My brother had set dates for this 10 day holiday and we were warned it would be very busy as it coincided with a big national public holiday. Our trip was planned around a photo of the glass walkway at Mt Tianmen on the internet which led us to China Highlights. Our travel agent in Canberra checked it out and facilitated the booking. Having a private guide and driver in each city was great. They always offered us bottled water and wipes. In such a busy time I think it was a big benefit to be in a small group and Helen was flexible with how long we wanted to stay at each site. They met us at the airport and helped with hotel check in and initial orientation to the city. Our hotel (Tibet Hotel) was lovely with a large buffet breakfast included and easy walking distance to a large shopping mall with a food court which suited us. Next morning (Saturday 7 October 2017) Helen met us as arranged and we got to the panda base before the crowds built up as well as while the pandas were still eating and active. We had great views of adults, juveniles and the babies in the nursery. We also enjoyed seeing the red pandas come down from the trees for some treats from the keepers. Because of the holiday there was extra panda decorations and flags everywhere. Helen spoke excellent English and understood our questions and was able to answer them all. We were very interested to see how technology is used without google and facebook and the share bicycles looks like a great idea. I had visited Xiao Xiao and Fei Fei when they came to visit Taronga Zoo Sydney in 1988 so was keen to see them in their own country. Their gardens look lovely and I like how they move around so they don't get bored in the same one. The broad and narrow streets was an interesting place with all kinds of food and souvenir places even a post office shop. Helen explained to us how Chengdu is famous for hotpot but we are not chili fans and didn't want to risk upsetting our sensitive stomachs. We did not feel rushed at all and Helen took us back to the airport for our flight to Shanghai and made sure we were checked in ok and knew where to go (which can be a challenge when you don't speak/read Chinese even for experienced travellers). It was also great not to have to figure out where to buy tickets and how to get in to various sites. No hesitation in recommending Helen and China Highlights.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Graham
Jun 29, 2016
Lee was very good friendly well... - <p>Lee was very good friendly well organized . Fitted in with our schedule , help with food selection in old city streets driver very good clean car professional driver , well done to the both thanks</p>
Review provided by Viator
Jennifer
May 27, 2016
Our guide, Cody, knew all the best... - <p>Our guide, Cody, knew all the best places for us to see the Pandas without any back tracking or wandering which we would definitely have done if we were alone!. Great stop for lunch as well. Highly recommend this tour.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Rod
Apr 19, 2016
Well done. Arrived on time. Clean... - <p>Well done. Arrived on time. Clean car. Good driver. Spoke good English. Very aware of how to show the best of the location. We had a great day!</p>
Review provided by Viator
Laramiemike
Jul 25, 2019
Pandas! - The Pandas just HAVE to be seen. We hear so much about them, but almost never see any. Or if we do, it's just one or two at a zoo. The traditional opera is extraordinary! Other tours take you to pop versions of Chinese music, but this was authentic and fascinating. Lunch was great, and if you don't like super spicy, no worries. LUCY IS AN INCREDIBLE GUIDE. She is intelligent, has lots of information, but never drones on like some guides do. Above all, she seemed interested in what I wanted to see and learn, and let me set the pace. I recommend this tour, and Lucy, very highly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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