Private Day Tour: Dujiangyan Panda Base Volunteering from Chengdu

We were very underwhelmed with this tour and disappointed because it isn’t as advertised. The information on the tour indicates close contact with Pandas and an optional picture and cuddling session with them for an extra fee. We planned our trip specifically for this reason, including taking extra cash for payment, filled out physician certified health screening forms, and rearranging our vacation to accommodate. When we arrived however, our guide said close contact or touching the pandas at all is not allowed and hasn’t been since the beginning of 2019. This was not disclosed in the information about the tour and is very misleading. Also, it is advertised as a “private tour” but it is really just a private transport to a group tour, where on our tour day, the were a total of 39 people volunteering. The only interaction we had with the pandas at all was a 10 second episode of feeding 2 small pieces of bamboo to a panda through a cage, and even then the zookeepers were mostly interested in making sure we were sufficiently far away from the pandas to have no contact whatsoever. Lastly, our guide was very detached and spent most of our tour texting and talking on his phone, rather than interacting with my wife and I on our “private tour”. It was so bad, we left early following lunch (which was an unappetizing cafeteria lunch line with the park staff by the way) so we wouldn’t have to waste our afternoon too. Overall, very poor experience that was misleading in description and absolutely not worth the money. Save your money and time and just see the pandas in the zoo, or visit the park on your own and walk around because you’ll have basically the same experience.

<p>Met by Summer and driver at my hotel right on time. Arrived at the base in time to get quickly dressed for the days adventure. It was so much fun. I loved the day. It was well organized. Enjoyed cleaning out the enclosures, feeding the pandas and making panda cakes. Lots of opportunities to take panda pictures. I took the optional panda picture with a two year old panda. Great memories. If you love pandas as much as me you wont be disappointed.</p>

<p>We loved this tour. My 16 year old daughter has always loved Panda's, but has never seen one. This day of volunteering at the Dujiangyan Panda Base, exceeding our expectations. So much more than just looking at the Panda's, being involved in their feeding and care was really special. I paid the extra fee so my daughter could sit next to a Panda and get her picture and a short video made - it was a dream come true for her. Our guide, Summer, was wonderfull and I think something my daughter will always remember.</p>

<p>There are different listings for panda volunteering on Viator, but this one allowed us to book a Saturday tour with less than 48 hours notice in advance. The operator, Third Pole Tour, contacted me swiftly to ask if my group had recent health certificates, which we did not. Fortunately they were able to make assurances to Dujiangyan and we were allowed to volunteer. Confirmation of the tour was made in less than 2 hours altogether. Our guide Ruby was in the hotel lobby waiting for us at 7am the next morning. Unfortunately one of us thought pickup time was 7:30, so we were late leaving the hotel. We still arrived in comfort at Dujiangyan around 8:30. Ruby escorted us to the volunteer registration and came with us out to the panda enclosures to provide some information and translation for the keepers. The woman running the volunteer program for the base also spoke good English, so between her and Ruby we felt very comfortable. In the morning, my group and another volunteer cleaned 2 panda enclosures and fed one panda. My group also paid extra for the photo with the young panda. Lunch at the canteen was good, followed by some free time until 1pm, then the Pandas 3D movie, an afternoon feeding session, walk through the base past the different panda enclosures, and shaping of panda cakes. On the way back, the guide and driver graciously stopped to let us explore a street market for about 30 minutes. We were back at the hotel around 5pm after a good nap in the car. I definitely recommend the tour and this agency.</p>