1 day, about 8 hours · First-time visitors, families, anyone here for the pandas
Giant Pandas + Old Chengdu & Hotpot
The classic first day in Chengdu: see the pandas at their most active in the early morning, wander the old streets of Kuanzhai Alley, and end with a proper Sichuan hotpot. Tickets, transport and ordering handled.
Highlights
- Giant Panda Base at opening, when the pandas are eating and playing
- See red pandas and, in season, the baby panda nursery
- Old Chengdu at Kuanzhai Alley — tea, snacks and lanes
- A proper Sichuan hotpot, ordered and spice-adjusted for you
- Sold-out panda tickets and transport handled — no stress
A step-by-step feel
07:30
Hotel pickup
Your driver (and companion, if added) collects you from your hotel. Going early is the single best decision — the pandas are active in the cool morning and the crowds are thinnest.
08:30
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Enter by scanning your registered passport. We walk you to the enclosures where the pandas are liveliest first, then the red pandas and, in season, the newborn nursery.
11:30
Kuanzhai Alley (Wide & Narrow Alleys)
Restored Qing-era lanes of tea houses, courtyards and snack stalls. We point you to the good bites and the photo spots and away from the tourist markups.
13:00
Sichuan lunch or classic snacks
Dan dan noodles, zhong dumplings and sweet-water noodles, ordered and translated — a gentle intro to Sichuan flavour before the evening heat.
Afternoon
People's Park tea house (optional)
Slow down with a covered-bowl tea among locals playing mahjong, or head back to rest before dinner.
Evening
Sichuan hotpot
The real thing — a bubbling mala pot (or a mild or split pot if you prefer). We order the right dishes, set the spice level and show you how to dip and eat.
What's included
- Private car with driver for the day
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Giant Panda Base tickets with passport registration
- English-speaking companion (optional add-on)
- Restaurant choices and ordering help
Not included
- Meals and drinks (paid as you go, we help you order)
- Tea-house and snack costs
- Personal expenses and tips
Ready when you are
Tell us your dates and what you'd like to see. We usually reply within a few hours.