One-day Dujiangyan Panda Volunteer Tour

Overview:

If you are looking for a close encounter with pandas, it is certainly worth visiting the Dujiangyan Panda Base. This base is located in a tranquil valley for the purpose of “letting pandas be free as they used to be”. Therefore, the giant pandas here are more vigorous than those in zoos. As a volunteer, you can work as a keeper to make food for them and sweep the leftovers and feces out. It is a good chance for you to observe their living habits and physical features. Besides giant pandas, you can also see red pandas and many other cute animals here.

Highlights:

· Visit the panda enclosures and clean them

· Have a look of giant pandas and red pandas

· Make panda cakes and feed pandas

Itinerary:

(The day before your tour)

As the maximum number of volunteers is only 60, so you need to book the ticket in advance.

· 8:00 am-9:00 am: Preparation

Your guide and driver will pick you up at about 8:00 and escort you to the panda base. After arrival, sigh up and put on work clothes and gloves. The experienced keepers will tell you what to do, and your tour guide will be always by your side, interpreting for you and helping you take photos.

· 9:00 am-10:00 am: Clean the panda enclosures

There are many interesting activities prepared for panda volunteers. They include cleaning the enclosures, sweeping out leftovers and feces, adding fresh bamboos. In addition, you can help the keepers record panda’s behaviour. It is a good chance for you to observe pandas and get a close encounter with them.

· 10:00 am-11:30 am: Visit other enclosures

Roam around the base and take a visit to have a look of more giant pandas and red pandas. It is a perfect time to observe their living habits when they do different things--eating, snoozing, tumbling and climbing trees. The panda keepers will also show you have to feed a panda at close proximity.

·11:30 am-13:30 pm: Have a lunch and take a break

Have a simple lunch in the canteen and take a break in the resting room. It’s a good time for you recharge yourself and prepare for the activities in the afternoon.

· 13:30 pm- 14:00 pm: Watch panda documentary movie

Watch a panda documentary to understand better why we should protect them and how we do so.

· 14:00 pm-15:00 pm: Clean the panda enclosures again

The enclosure you has cleaned in the morning may be in a mess again. Take these rubbishes out and feed them with new bamboos.

· 15:00 pm- 16:00 pm: Make panda cakes

Like human-beings, pandas also have their special snacks-panda cakes, “wowotou”. The ingredients are healthy and delicious. It is time for you to make some panda cakes by hand under the guidance of experienced nutritionists.

· 16:00 pm-17:00 pm: Get a certificate

After a whole day’s work, you will receive a certificate for the unforgettable day. Then, your guide and driver will escort you back to Chengdu.

Time            1 day

Transport     Private car

Price            248 U.S. dollars (Based on a private tour for 2 people）

                    (Price varies by group size)

Theme         Giant pandas volunteer activity

Included      Hotel pickup and drop-off

                     Private air-conditioned car

                     English speaking local tour guide

                     Lunch

                     All entrance tickets

                     All required taxes, fees

Excluded     Gratuity

                     Optional activities