Giant Panda Breeding Research Base itinerary

Trip to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Xiongmao Jidi)

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Last updated on June 22nd, 2025

Plan your visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Xiongmao Jidi) to see the adorable giant pandas! Read more for our detailed travel guide and itinerary planning for the panda base.

When visiting Chengdu, you shouldn’t miss the chance to meet the adorable giant panda. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, or commonly called XiongMao Jidi (大熊猫繁殖研究基地) located just 10 km from downtown. This beautifully landscaped park is home to around 80 giant pandas as well as rare animals like red pandas and black-necked cranes.

The Panda base is recognized as the most important panda sanctuary in the world and is dedicated to the protection of giant pandas and other endangered species.

This was my second visit to the Panda Breeding Research Base (Xiongmao Jidi) in a few years. While it may seem redundant to return after having already been there, I want to appreciate the pandas while I still can, as I don’t know how long they will be around. Plus, I still feel like a newcomer during this second visit. The base is more organized now, and there have been significant developments compared to my previous visit. Could the large number of tourists visiting the superstar panda, Hua Hua, be contributing to this growth?

In this article, I will provide detailed travel guide tips for the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, so pack your bags and get ready to discover this panda lover’s paradise!

XiongMao Jidi Travel Guide: What To Know Before the Visit

Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Map

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding / XiongMao Jidi (大熊猫繁殖研究基地) is located in the northeast suburb of Chengdu, approximately 13 km from downtown. It opened to the public in 1988 and now includes a research center, an open research laboratory, a veterinary hospital, enclosures, and a playground for giant pandas.

The Panda Base covers an extensive area and has two entrances. The West Entrance connects to the newer part of the park, which is close to public transportation. The South Entrance leads to the older section.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding / Xiongmao Jidi (熊猫基地)
Address: No.1375 Panda Avenue, Northern Suburb, Chenghua District, Chengdu.
Opening Hours: Daily from 7:30 to 18:00
Admission Fee: CNY 55 per person (Free for children aged six and under, and for children below 1.3 meters)
Recommended Visiting Time: 3 to 4 hours!

Purchase the XiaoMao Jidi Entrance Ticket

Pro Tips: For travelers from outside of China, remember to pre-book your tickets for entry (we used Trip.com). Purchase your tickets online in advance and show the QR code and passport validation at the entrance for easy access.

How To Get to Xiongmao Jidi From Chengdu

The Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (Xiongmao Jidi) is located approximately 13 km from the downtown area and is easily accessible by public transport and car.

How to Get to Xiongmao Jidi from Chengdu downtown:

By Metro + Shuttle Bus: Take the metro to Panda Avenue Station (熊猫大道站). The fare ranges from CNY 2 to 4, depending on your starting location. Once you arrive at Panda Avenue Station, you can take the shuttle bus to the research center for a cost of CNY 2. The bus journey takes less than 10 minutes.

Please note that the bus does not operate before the opening time of the center.

By Ride-hailing or Taxi: The quickest way to reach the research base is by taxi or rideshare service like Didi, which costs approximately CNY 30 to 40. This option is more convenient as it does not require any transfers and provides a comfortable experience.

My Visit to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

How To Plan Your Visit to Xiongmao Jidi

My recent visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding was incredible, especially since my travel mate is a huge fan of the renowned panda celebrity, HuaHua (花花/荷花). We planned everything carefully for that day.

We started our visit to the XiongMao Jidi early by using the ride-hailing service Didi to get to the South Gate. This entrance is the closest spot to see the famous panda, HuaHua, along with her less famous sister, YeZi (荷叶). Although the Didi could not drop us off directly at the entrance, it was only less than 5-minute uphill walk from where we were dropped. 

Giant Panda Breeding Research Base South Entrance

We recommend arriving early if you can. We got to the South Gates at around 7.10 a.m., shortly before they opened at 7:30 a.m., and there was already a long line of people waiting to get in. Even if you are not specifically there to see HuaHua like we were, it’s still advisable to arrive early in the morning, as most pandas come out to eat and play during that time.

Purchase the XiaoMao Jidi Entrance Ticket

For travelers from outside of China, remember to pre-book your tickets for entry (we used Trip.com). Purchase your tickets online in advance and show the QR code and passport validation at the entrance for easy access.

Meet the Giant Panda Celebrity HuaHua

Crowd rushing at Xiongmao Jidi

We began our visit at the South Gate, the nearest location to see the famous panda celebrity HuaHua (花花/荷花) and her less well-known sister, YeZi (荷叶). As we followed the morning crowd, everyone was eager to reach the spot to see HuaHua.

Queue to meet HuaHua at Xiongmao Jidi

The typical wait time is about 1 to 2 hours, during which you can observe her for only 8 minutes per session. We were fortunate to wait just 45 minutes on our visit. During our session, we were lucky to see HuaHua actively moving around.

Meet with HuaHua and YeZi at Xiongmao Jidi

HuaHua is incredibly adorable, with a birth defect that gives her a short neck, making her look like a teddy bear. She has a notably chubby, onigiri-shaped body, shorter black ears, teardrop-shaped circles around her eyes, and snow-white fur. She is also very gentle. HuaHua gained fame after a video of her went viral on social media, which led to long lines of locals and tourists eager to take photos and videos of her. The queues were indeed quite long!

There is even a dedicated shop that sells HuaHua memorabilia, including HuaHua ice cream. It’s amazing to think that one panda has brought so much popularity and so many visitors to XiaoMao Jidi!

Giant Panda

Giant Panda at Xiongmao Jidi

After the fan meet-and-greet with HuaHua, we continued our exploration at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. The park is expansive, beautiful, and well-maintained, featuring diverse vegetation that enhances its visual appeal. 

Meet with Giant Panda at Xiongmao Jidi

Within the park, there are numerous enclosures showcasing Giant Pandas at various stages of development. There are plenty of adorable Giant Pandas and Red Pandas to see at Xiongmao Jidi.

Swan Lake, a large and picturesque lake, is lovely to stroll around, featuring stunning black swans, a bamboo forest, and beautiful walkways. You can easily spend three to four hours enjoying the scenery. You can pre-download a map on your phone that includes a recommended route.

Red Panda

Red Panda at Xiongmao Jidi
One of the highlights is the walk-through red panda section, which was both cool and charming! One red panda even climbed a tree near the path to get a closer look at us. They are much more active than the giant pandas.
Adorable Red Panda at Xiongmao Jidi

Meet the adorable Red Panda at Xiongmao Jidi. They are so cute!

Bamboo Forest at Xiongmao Jidi

Don’t miss the lovely bamboo forest at red panda section. It was so beautiful!

Eventually, we arrived at the nurseries and young panda sections. There is a nursery where you can see tiny newborns and very young bears. This area tends to be crowded, so be prepared for some pushing. Unfortunately, there weren’t any newborns during our visit.

Facilities at Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base

The facilities in Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding are exceptional!

Additionally, there is a Panda Science Museum that offers engaging interactive videos and information about the breeding process. A small cinema is also available, making it worth a stop to learn more about the program and the pandas. My only negative comment is that a few areas were closed for maintenance, likely because it was the start of winter, such as the cinema and several outdoor enclosures.

There are decent places to eat, especially around the lake area, and the English signage and information are excellent for foreign guests.

Exit at Giant Panda Breeding Research Base West Entrance

We walked from the south entrance to the west entrance and exited the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. There is not much to see at the west entrance area, so I recommend spending most of your time in the southern area of the park.

Our Final Chengdu XiongMao Jidi Travel Tips

Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Travel Tips

Last by not least, here is our final travel tips when planning for your XiongMao Jidi itinerary:

Spring is the best season to visit the XiongMao Jidi. The weather is good, with many cherry blossoms and spring flowers in bloom. Regardless of the visit, tourists are advised to arrive early in the morning, as most pandas come out to eat and play during this time.

For travelers coming from outside China, it’s important to pre-purchase your entrance ticket (we used Trip.com). Plan to spend 3 to 4 hours in the park, as there is a lot of walking involved.

Purchase the XiaoMao Jidi Entrance Ticket

Visitors can observe Giant Pandas, baby Pandas, Red Pandas, and some other animals. Their activities, such as eating bamboo, wrestling among the baby pandas, and climbing trees, are very enjoyable to watch. Although the pandas were visible, the crowds made it difficult to get a good look, as there were always people standing in front of the enclosures.

The celebrity star panda is named HuaHua, and visitors need to queue for 1 to 2 hours to observe her for just 8 minutes per session. She is exceptionally chubby, with an onigiri-shaped body, shorter black ears, teardrop-shaped eye circles, and snow-white fur.

The panda base is huge and there will be a lot of walking involved. But there are several rest areas and food and drink stops throughout the park.

Overall: A Visit to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

A Day Trip Visit to XiongMao Jidi

In conclusion, visiting XiongMao Jidi was well worth it. I highly recommend a day trip to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to anyone traveling to Chengdu, as it’s likely part of most people’s itinerary. You can explore the entire park in approximately 3 hours. 

All in all, we spent nearly 4 hours there, which included waiting in line to meet HuaHua. We took our time leisurely wandering around, admiring the adorable pandas. It was a great experience and a wonderful visit. That’s it. Thank you for reading my XiongMao Jidi travel blog. Enjoy your visit there!

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