Chengdu Panda Picture Program
 

So I had been planning to do this tour when in Chengdu. But, upon checking with the St Regis for tour and cost options, they said that picture program is closed. Which would really suck.

Can anyone else confirm that's accurate information? There are no other options in China to get a picture with a panda?

Did you call the hotel or one of the panda places?

It has been cancelled for a while.

The hotel

Here's a couple places that appear to still be offering photo opportunities.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...enter-Che.html


Andiseelmann
2
Reviewed 5 days ago via mobile
1 day Panda volunteer in Wolong Chine Giant Panda GardenWe did this activitie a few days ago with our guide Snow, she Spoke perfect English and was really kind, helped us to take pictures and videos during the hole activity. We highly recommend this tour to Wolong, as we learned, is the best place...More


https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/me...ghts-panda.jpg
https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/me...ghts-panda.jpg
Date of experience: January 2019

I don't think they got panda selfies though. One of the very recent reviews says the panda photo program was cancelled.

Yeah, that's something different.

I'm actually now wondering if I should skip Chengdu.

There are four panda bases around Chengdu. chengdu panda base,wolong panda base,dujiangyan panda base,ya'an panda base.
Yesterday, I went to Wolong Panda Base with two panda volunteers.Yesterday's guests did not hold panda.
Yes, the service has stopped now. we don't know when to open it again.
This policy is constantly changing.Last January, the service was discontinued....But last March, it was opened again.
what time your trip?

So I'm guessing all 4 bases have enacted the same policies?

I was planning to be in Chengdu for 3 nights starting Mar 11.

On March 11,,,,,, oh~, I don't know yet. If you are lucky enough, it will be open. This service is at Wolong Panda Base.
Wolong Panda Base, where there are the largest number of pandas, 62 pandas, now.Yesterday we saw 11 baby pandas.
In Chengdu Panda Base, such service was discontinued in April 2016.
There are only 20 pandas in Dujiangyan Panda Base. There is no baby panda.The Panda Base stopped such service last November.

I'll have to give it some thought if I want to visit Chengdu. There is the giant buddha but I was planning on 2 full days, 1 day for the pandas and 1 day for the big buddha. Seems like a ton of work to get there just for 1 activity.

I suggest your itinerary.
day1,in the morning go to leshan,you visit in leshan giant buddha.afternoon back to chengdu,you visit in city center,Wuhou Temple, Jinli,old street.
day2,go to wolong panda base,to do panda volunteer.....

I honestly don't have much interest in the pandas if I can't get the selfie. It's just like going to a zoo.

Not quite like in a zoo but your call.
It wasn't stop for lack of babies, it was for health reasons. The pandas' health.
You just saved yourself a ton of money.

Are you simply trying to mess with us about the selfie thing? Since I usually try to stick with Beijing, HK, and Shanghai, I can sort of understand why you might not want to head west, but if you have time, doing so definitely helps round out your trip.

No hands on photos.

• Make panda food, clean the enclosures, and help feed the pandas

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b5e485bedf.jpg

Definitely not messing with you. The panda picture was going to be a highlight of the trip and that appears to be out the door so I'm quite bummed about that.

Pandas alone should not be the reason to go to Chengdu (although it is obviously a great perk). Chengdu is one of my favorite cities in China. Assuming you haven't been to Sichuan, the food is amazing (and yes, hot-pot is that much better there). The Giant Buddha is amazing (but check on that, because I think they are doing massive renovations on it right now. Would not be fun to get all the way there and have it covered in scaffolding). And Dujiangyan is well worth a day trip. Chengdu is such a nice, green, easy-going city, especially compared to other cities in China.
The Pandas are great, but to actually get a selfie is very disappointing. It is very expensive, even by US standards, and you will quite literally get 30 seconds to hold it and snap one photo, not to mention you'll wait in an extremely long line for the pleasure.
I had a much better experience at the Chengdu Panda Base where, yes, it is set up like a zoo. However, go in off-peak and it wasn't crowded at all and you can still get very, very close to the pandas (and red pandas, which I don't believe the other locations have).

I hit the panda base first thing in the morning right as it opened. Was nice and quiet and I got to see the pandas coming out of their cages and eating. The problem with going later is that not only does it get crowded but the pandas are less active because their bellies are full.

The repair of Leshan Buddha has been completed. It is now reopened.
Chengdu Panda Base,This Spring Festival, more than 20,000 people come to this park every day.So I suggest you go to Wolong Panda Base. There are only 100 tourists here every day.