What is the first thing you see when you get off at the airport in Sichuan? A Giant panda Statue! Even in the airport itself, you will see the panda plushies; every step of the way, all over China, you will see them. Let the desire lead you to the research centre to see real-life pandas.

Did you know that China is the only place that Pandas come from? Some countries might have pandas in their zoos, but they all come from China.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is home to breeding, research and conservation education for giant pandas. Not only giant pandas, but they also have red pandas and other endangered wild animals in their care.

Their care has taken the initial panda population from 9 pandas in 1987 to the current figure of 220 pandas. The youngest in their care is only one-year old, and the oldest is Xi Lan at 36 years old.

Start your trip at the east gate and go to see JiLi and her child, and make a left turn, and you will be able to see all the pandas.

You could do a guided tour, which is available in both English and Chinese. Make sure to stop by the gift shop. You can go on a more overcast day; while it might not be the best for us, it is the best weather for the pandas, so they might be more active.

Their most recent addition to the base was the indoor enclosure, which was built in 2023, and they protect the pandas when the heat is more than their fur can handle. If your trip is in the summer, you will see the pandas there instead of their outdoor enclosures.  

Outside of that building, you will see the younger pandas playing or maybe sleeping together.

While it is sad you won’t be able to hug the panda, being able to see the national treasures 熊猫 (panda) with your eyes and not through a screen will be something to boast about for ages.