The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (成都大熊猫繁育研究基地) is the most-visited panda site in the world. The thing that catches visitors out is simple: there are no ticket windows on site. Every ticket is booked online, under a real name, in advance.
Rules checked October 2026. Booking windows, release times and quotas change, sometimes with little notice. Confirm on the attraction's official channel before you plan around a date. CNTripGuide is not the official ticket seller for any of these sites.
The rules
- Online only. All tickets are real-name and booked online. There is no on-site ticket window.
- Book up to 14 days ahead. For summer, weekends and Chinese holidays, book as soon as your date is fixed.
- Use your passport. Foreign visitors book with their passport number, so check you've typed it correctly.
- Bring the original passport. It's checked at entry.
- The eco-bus inside the park is sold separately.
When to go
Pandas are most active at feeding time in the early morning. By late morning many of them are asleep. Arrive at opening, head to the enclosures first, and leave the museum and gardens for later. Our 5-day Chengdu itinerary plans the day this way.
Alternative: Dujiangyan Panda Valley
Dujiangyan Panda Valley (都江堰熊猫谷) is outside the city, near the Dujiangyan irrigation system. It's quieter and fits well into a Dujiangyan day trip.
- Real-name booking up to 14 days ahead, with a daily quota.
- Foreign visitors can book and enter with a passport.
- If you can't pay online because you don't have a Chinese phone number, staff at the entrance may be able to help, but only if tickets are still left for that day. Don't rely on it.
Bookable panda experiences
- Panda Base private small-group tour: visit the Chengdu Panda Base with a small group and a guide.
- Dujiangyan + Panda Valley day trip: the ancient irrigation system and the pandas in one day.
Eating in Chengdu? Our vegetarian guide covers how to order Sichuan food without meat. For the rest of your route, see the advance-booking list by city.
Let someone else book it
Official booking channels are often Chinese-only and some ask for a Chinese phone number. If you'd rather not deal with them, book via CNTripGuide: official tickets under your passport. No Chinese app needed, and we tell you the result within 12 hours. Start in the travel assistant: tell it your dates and sights, and pay only when the details are confirmed.