2 Days Private Dujiangyan and Panda Keeper Tour

This morning, your private guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel in downtown Chengdu at the appointed time and set out to the Jinsha Site Museum to admire the stunning unearthed gold artifacts of the ancient Shu Kingdom, a regime once occurred in the Sichuan Basin from the 12th to the 7th century BC.
► Tip: We recommend you book a hotel near Chunxi Road or Jinli Ancient Street for both a convenient Chengdu city tour on your own and today’s quick pick-up. If you’re concerned about not selecting the ideal hotel, we’re happy to offer an additional booking service for you.

Then, we’ll head to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, a 1.5-hour drive away. Although built over 2,000 years ago, Dujiangyan embodies the timeless, advanced concept of water management: “draining instead of blocking.” As an alternative to a single dam, the director, Li Bing, designed a series of ingenious engineering layouts based on the natural terrain to channel water and discharge sand, thereby avoiding damage to the ecology by adhering to the hydrological laws of the Min River. When you view the flowing river on site and listen to a detailed explanation based on physical objects from your knowledgeable guide, you’ll gain a deeper and more direct understanding of its greatness.

After visiting the memorial statues of Li Bing and his son at the Two Kings Temple (Erwang Temple), the driver and guide will transfer you to the Guanxian Ancient City, also known as the Ancient Town of Guan County, located in central Dujiangyan City. Upon arrival, the guide will assist you in checking into our well-selected, courtyard-style hotel featuring ubiquitous panda elements, from the large panda mascot at the door to panda robots, panda pillows, and panda paintings. Also, despite being situated in the bustling downtown area, the hotel boasts a tranquil courtyard shaded by soaring ancient trees, perfect for unwinding and resting up for your next journey.

★ An Open Exploration combining Sightseeing & Folk Customs Experience

You will spend the rest of the afternoon with your guide exploring the ancient city, which boasts a history spanning over 2,000 years and retains a distinctly primitive style. At the towering Xuanhua Gate, you can climb the remaining Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) city wall to overlook serpentine alleys flanked by grey-tiled roofed dwellings. On West Street, red lanterns sway lazily in the doorway of old wooden houses, mesmerizing you with the charm of western Sichuan folk residences. Still, the soul of Guanxian Ancient City lies in its vibrant life scene rather than in stereotypical attractions; the scenery in your camera is the home of the locals. Passing by a teahouse with bamboo chairs and wooden tables, you might stop and listen to the locals chatting while eating sunflower seeds, and you can’t help but want to join their laid-back life. If it happens to be Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming Festival), you will have the opportunity to witness the “Dujiangyan Water-Releasing Festival,” during which actors and dancers will dress up to perform elaborate traditions commemorating Li Bing and the historical origins of flood control.

Finally, the guide will escort you back to the hotel. If you have no idea where to have dinner and how to spend your free time tonight, ask your experienced guide or see our suggestions below.

► How to Enjoy the Nightlife in the Ancient City (on your own)
As night falls, the ancient architecture, blazing with lights, is not to be missed, especially the South Bridge, whose carved beams and painted eaves shine against the golden lights. Standing on it to overlook the turbulence of the Min River, you will be immersed in the elusive moment. Then, it’s time to satisfy your appetite with local delicacies. The restaurant Mini Bowls Dishes is ideal for trying a variety of cuisines in one go. Devour its signature twice-cooked pork, which is not greasy, thanks to the addition of garlic sprouts and bean paste. Grab thick chicken slices soaked in secret chili oil, which is tasty but not overly spicy. Finish the feast with the sweet and sour fish-flavored shredded pork. Don’t forget to pair them with rice!
Average Cost per Person: CNY 20-40 (USD 3-6)
Restaurant Address: No.18, Jianshe Road, Dujiangyan City

Accommodation: Panda Hotel

After breakfast and check-out of the hotel, the guide and driver will transfer you to the Dujiangyan Panda Base, situated amidst lush green mountains and crystal-clear rivers. Here, giant pandas can live freely in a halcyon environment. Unlike the base in Chengdu, which focuses on panda breeding, the Dujiangyan Panda Base devotes more attention to senior and disabled pandas, those rescued from the wild, and panda disease control, serving as a sort of panda nursing home.

You may be curious about what a panda’s house is like, does panda poop smell bad, what and how much pandas eat daily, and how their food is prepared. Upon arrival, follow your guide to participate in the Giant Panda Volunteer Program and discover the answers.
► Brief Schedule for Reference
08:30 - 09:00: Complete the registration procedure.
09:00 - 10:00: Clean panda houses; break bamboo, wash bamboo shoots, and move bamboo to the feeding area.
10:00 - 10:30: Watch keepers feeding pandas.
10:30 - 11:30: Discover the natural habits and behaviors of giant pandas from expert panda keepers.
11:30 - 13:00: Have a Chinese lunch and a short break.
13:00 - 14:00: Watch a documentary about giant pandas.
14:00 - 15:00: Learn how to make steamed cornbread for pandas and try it by yourself.
15:00 - 15:30: Accept your certificate and photos as a souvenir.► For your information:
a. The program is only open to participants between 12 and 65 years old.
b. To protect the pandas, please prepare your Health Examination Certificate in advance and come without perfume or nail polish; thanks for your cooperation.
c. We will notify you immediately if the program is temporarily canceled due to government activity or due to health issues with the pandas.
d. If you are interested, please contact us early so we can make a reservation as soon as possible, given the daily application limits.

Leaving the Panda Base, we will proceed to the Chengdu Museum of Shadow Art, which houses over 1,700 sets of shadow puppets. Shadow play, an intangible cultural heritage, is an ancient form of theatre performed by puppeteers who manipulate silhouette figures made from leather or paper with sticks to create moving images on a translucent cloth screen, illuminated from behind and accompanied by music and singing.

At the museum, your guide will accompany you to watch the shadow plays and explain their background stories, including classic passages from Chinese novels, local tales from Chengdu, and original shadow puppet animations. Meanwhile, modern shadow puppetry is also keeping pace with the times by adapting and performing specific Western classics, like “Romeo and Juliet.” Beyond that, do you want to know how shadow puppets are made and how you can use a few wooden sticks to manipulate them to walk, dance, lie down, roll, laugh and even fight? After learning about the entire process of shadow puppet-making, you can try simple shadow puppet coloring or assembly and experience performing with your exclusive shadow puppet.

After finishing all activities, the driver and guide will escort you back to your hotel in Chengdu.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch