Panda Volunteer Experience in China

Traveller rating:   (5 reviews)

Volunteer with giant pandas on this incredible project in China, and help to forge a future for these amazing animals.

The Panda Volunteer Experience in China is based within the beautiful Bifengxia mountain range, and its long-term aim is to educate people on why these magnificent animals need our help. Despite a lack of predators in the wild and their status as one of the world's most well known and popular animals, it is estimated that there are as few as 1,800 pandas remaining in the wild. For this reason, panda volunteers at this reserve are so important to the survival of these black and white bears.

The reserve began life in a different location, but after an earthquake destroyed the Hetaoping Panda Reserve, its habitants were moved to the new site at Bifengxia and here things really began to take off! Since the move, the panda population has more than doubled and as a result, there are now 40 pandas in residence that you could encounter here!

The staff at this panda volunteer program need your help, without volunteers they would struggle to complete the daily activities (such as feeding and cleaning) that are so crucial to the site running smoothly. Caring for these animals is an ongoing job, and as a panda volunteer, you will be able to play a vital role in the care for these playful pandas!

So, if you want an authentic yet responsible panda experience, get in touch with our team to be volunteering with these gentle giants in no time!

The Panda Volunteer Experience in China is based within the beautiful Bifengxia mountain range, and its long-term aim is to educate people on why these magnificent animals need our help. Despite a lack of predators in the wild and their status as one of the world's most well known and popular animals, it is estimated that there are as few as 1,800 pandas remaining in the wild. For this reason, panda volunteers at this reserve are so important to the survival of these black and white bears.

The reserve began life in a different location, but after an earthquake destroyed the Hetaoping Panda Reserve, its habitants were moved to the new site at Bifengxia and here things really began to take off! Since the move, the panda population has more than doubled and as a result, there are now 40 pandas in residence that you could encounter here!

The staff at this panda volunteer program need your help, without volunteers they would struggle to complete the daily activities (such as feeding and cleaning) that are so crucial to the site running smoothly. Caring for these animals is an ongoing job, and as a panda volunteer, you will be able to play a vital role in the care for these playful pandas!

So, if you want an authentic yet responsible panda experience, get in touch with our team to be volunteering with these gentle giants in no time!

Chengdu City
City Tour & Visit To Panda Breeding Centre
On the second day of your trip, you will have the chance to visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding Centre to see for yourself the important work happening here. After this, head out on a walking tour of this incredible city, taking in sights such as Tianfu Square, People's Park and Kuan-zhai Alley so be sure have your camera at the ready!
Feeding a Panda on the Panda Volunteer Experience in China
Panda Feeding
Pandas are extremely hungry animals, and at the reserve, they eat 4 times a day, this means that volunteers are needed to help prepare a wide variety of food for the bears including apples, bamboo or even panda cake! Feeding tasks are assigned by the keepers. Volunteers assist the keepers in feeding the pandas and usually have the incredible opportunity to hand feed them through their enclosures.
Scientific Research
Scientific Research
Occasionally volunteers help conduct research into the panda's behaviour and medical health. Allowing the teams at the reserve to learn more about the threatened species. With 40 pandas at the reserve, volunteer help is crucial in extending knowledge about the giant panda, ensuring that the population of these bears are stable enough to survive out in the wild.
Volunteering with Pandas
Enclosure Cleaning
You will work to ensure that the pandas two enclosures are both clean and habitable for the bears. The pandas have both an indoors and outdoors enclosure, so cleaning is a full-time job as the bears don’t properly digest their food so they can be a little messy!
Learning to write Chinese
Cultural Activities
During your stay, you’ll have the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in Chinese culture. You will have the chance to learn the Chinese language and partake in Chinese calligraphy lessons. You can also take part in papercraft, dumpling making, playing the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong, and more!
The Bifengxia Panda Reserve
Exploring The Reserve
As a volunteer on this project, you will have full access to all parts of the Bifengxia reserve. In your free time, you will be able to visit the nursery where any young pandas, that were abandoned by their mothers, are homed. You can also visit the animal rescue centre, the educational facilities and much more. Make sure to pack your camera!

Please note that this itinerary is subject to change so what follows is a rough guideline.

Day 1 – The Adventure Begins :
After being picked up from Chengdu International Airport, you will be transported to the Mrs Panda Hostel in Chengdu. You will be free to explore the local area, taking in the sights and sounds of the busy city and getting your first taste of Chinese culture. After you have dropped off your bag at your home for the next two nights, you will be free to wander through Chengdu and maybe even try some market food if you are feeling brave enough to handle the spice!
Day 2 - Exploring Chengdu:
After enjoying breakfast at the Mrs Panda Hostel, you will pay a visit to Chengdu’s Panda Breeding Centre to learn more about panda conservation efforts. After this you will take a walking city tour of Chengdu, visiting Tianfu Square, People's Park, and Kuan-zhai Alley, making time for lunch too. The day will end with a welcome dinner at a local hotpot restaurant!
Day 3 - Transfer To The Panda Reserve:
It is an early start today as you and your fellow volunteers will meet at 6:15am to transfer to the Bifengxia Panda Reserve. This journey takes approx 3 hours by public bus. Upon arriving you will enjoy lunch at the Panda Reserve Hostel and after volunteers will receive orientation. With registration you will receive your project uniform and form working groups. Then it’s time for dinner and an optional Chinese lesson!
Day 4 - Project Work Begins:
Today is the day you begin your volunteering experience and will meet the pandas for the first time. After breakfast you will head over to the area of the panda reserve to which you have been assigned and will begin your tasks which could include anything from making panda cake through to cleaning the cages. This evening consists of free time and optional lesson in dumpling making, alongside another delicious meal for dinner.
Day 5 - Project Work & Chinese Lessons:
Volunteers start the day right with breakfast. If there are ten or more volunteers at the centre you will spend the remainder of the morning taking part in research activities. However if there are fewer than 10 volunteers in your group then you will be preparing food for the pandas and spend time feeding them! After your lunch you'll return to the pandas and help to feed them once again. Remember they are hungry animals! Complete the day with dinner and the option of learning Chinese calligraphy or playing the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong!
Day 6 - Project Work & Free Time:
Today if there’s 10+ participants the volunteers will support the staff in planting bamboo, if not volunteers will prepare food for the Pandas and feed them. You will take part in the same activities as the previous days. After you will have the chance to spend time with the other volunteers or further explore the panda reserve if you wish, this is a good time to check out all of the work that goes on here. Occasionally there is a trip booked to the local Bifeng Temple but you would need to check this with the in-country team. After dinner you have the option to enjoy a taste of Chinese cinema.
Day 7 - Head Back To Chengdu:
Today is unfortunately time to say your goodbyes to your fellow volunteers (and the pandas of course) as you will transfer back to Chengdu International Airport to return home or to begin your onward travel plans. Your time at the panda reserve may be over, but you can guarantee that you will have left with a whole host of amazing memories and photos.

To secure a place on this project a deposit of $245 is required at the time of booking, with the remaining balance due any time up to 60 days prior to your start date.

(Please note, the maximum age for joining this project is 60 years old)

Accommodation

For the first two nights of this project (Sunday and Monday), you will be staying at the quaint Mrs Panda Hostel in Chengdu. Rooms are shared with a maximum of 6 people per room. When you arrive at the Bifengxia reserve you will be staying in a comfortable and recently renovated hostel. At this hostel, you will be staying in twin-share rooms. You will also have access to a common room which is popular for movie nights! It may be possible to upgrade rooms, both at the Chengdu hostel and at the reserve. These rooms are dependent on availability, please enquire for further information.

Meals & Beverages

On the day of your arrival, you will need to purchase your own food, but for your remaining stay at the project, your meals are provided. The meals you will receive will be in the traditional Chinese style, comprising mainly of rice, noodles, vegetables and some meat. Some people may find the food a little spicy, so if this is the case please notify your project coordinator! The project can cater for vegans, vegetarians and those with allergies if informed in advance. Drinking water, coffee and Chinese tea will be provided throughout your stay, but if you wish to purchase soft drinks or alcoholic beverages you will have to do this at the bar at an additional small cost!

When Is The Best Time To Volunteer?

As this is a sanctuary, you will be able to volunteer with pandas all year round. That said, there are numerous events throughout the year which may make some months more popular:

March - May: this is panda mating season, and as a result the bears may be moved for mating research purposes. Volunteers who visit during this season may be able to help the keepers to move the pandas, though please note that this is not a guarantee. Additionally, strict regulations and security conditions forbid volunteers to take part in the actual mating research.

June - August: this is arguably the most popular time of the year, as it’s panda cub season! Volunteers across these months may be lucky enough to see young pandas at the centre, so if this is something which excites you, be sure to book your place early as spaces fill up fast!

November - February: this is the quietest time of the year, but the benefit of this is that you may get to spend a little extra time with the pandas – after all, the fewer people there are involved, the busier you’ll need to be!

Weather

In addition to the above events, Chengdu’s weather may have some bearing on your preferred month of travel. Each season is described below:

Spring: Falling between mid-February and April, Springtime is a beautiful time to visit Chengdu. The city (and its nearby areas) are in full-bloom, and if you’re looking to fill your spare time with things to do, consider witnessing the blossoms at Longquan Mountain and Xinjin County!

Summer: China’s summers are known for being incredibly humid, and Chengdu is no exception. While summer lasts between May and August, it’s July and August which draw the hottest weather and the rainiest days. That said, much of your time at the project may be spent indoors as you prepare food for the pandas, and Jiulong Valley (around 1:45hr away) is a great place to go if you wish to escape the heat of the city.

Autumn: Temperatures drop between September and October, and there may be a lot of rain (particularly in the early days of Autumn). However, temperatures are far more comfortable for working in, and Chengdu’s local natural areas are covered in beautiful red maple and yellow chrysanthemum, so grab your camera and get snapping!

Winter: Wintertime can be very chilly indeed, with temperatures dropping to around 5 °C (41 °F) between the months of November and mid-February. Much like in summer, however, you may find much of your time spent working indoors, and with less tourists around, this is a great opportunity to sneak a few extra peeks at those pandas!

Average Monthly Weather in Chengdu, China

Getting There

You will need to arrive into Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on the start date of your project (a Sunday) between 8am and 6pm and you will be transferred to the Mrs Panda Hostel to begin your adventure. Pick up is at the McDonalds café, and your volunteer coordinator will accompany you via an airport bus to the hostel. Chengdu can be reached via a number of larger international airports. If you arrive a day before you are free to make your way to the Mrs Panda Hostel, but please inform us of this before you depart.

When leaving the project please do not book flights before 2pm, as you will not arrive back from panda reserve until 12pm on your last day.  

Visa Requirements

A visa is needed for entry into China, and applications must be made in person at a Visa Application Centre as biometric data (such as scanned fingerprints) are necessary. Visas for British citizens are priced from £85 (additional fees may apply); you can read more about visa fees and applications here. If you are not a British citizen, you will either need to speak to your own country’s embassy, or you may be able to find out more information by clicking here. Please note that visa applications should be made well in advance of your time on the project.

Fitness & Skills

The work required during this project is not overly-exerting, but it is advised that all participants have a moderate level of fitness. No specific skills or experience are required, just commitment to the project and its aims. You must be prepared to work alongside other members of the team.

Vaccinations

The vaccinations required will depend on your medical history. We recommend that you consult with your GP regarding your own immunisation needs. In conjunction with this, we would recommend that you check Fit for Travel’s website.

{{ review.author.full_name }}, {{ review.year }}
 

{{ review.review }}

Response from The Great Projects

{{ review.response }}



Download Project Guide Image Download Project Guide

What's Included

  • Accommodation
  • Airport transfers
  • 3 meals a day at the panda sanctuary (food on your first night is not covered)
  • Tea, coffee and water
  • Tour around the vibrant city of Chengdu
  • Chinese language and calligraphy lessons

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Visas
  • Soft and alcoholic beverages
Where you can go
Contact Info
UK Office
The Great Traveller Ltd,
3 Dairy Yard
Star Street
Ware, Hertfordshire
SG12 7DX
United Kingdom

Opening hours:
   Mon-Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
   Sat 10am-4pm

T: +44(0) 208 885 4987