INSPIRING JOURNEY: How and Where To See The Giant Pandas?

It was another exciting JOURNEY for us, the members of the 17th Command and Staff Course of the Air Force Command College. It was actually the third and last educational trip of the 10 month course. This time the tour covered 3 cities in the Southwest region of China, including CHENGDU, the capital of Sichuan Province.

The main objective of the visit is to see GIANT PANDAS!!!

GIANT PANDA is the NATIONAL ANIMAL of CHINA.

Although it was my second time to see actual GIANT PANDAS, I was still very excited during the visit. The first time that I witnessed actual giant pandas was at the BEIJING ZOO.

(Yes you read it right, if you cannot visit Chengdu City, you can still see actual giant pandas while in the capital of China, there are also giant pandas in Beijing Zoo).

Giant pandas are all originally from the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu in China. They are the main attractions in these provinces and one of the main objectives of the tourists, both local and foreigners, visiting the Southwest China Region. At present, there are only about 2,000 Giant Pandas in the world and 70% of them are distributed within the territory of Sichuan Province.

It is for this reason that the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, or simply Chengdu Panda Base was established. It is a non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas and other rare animals. It is located in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

The GIANT PANDA is easily recognized by the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes used to distinguish it from the unrelated red panda. The giant panda's diet is over 99% bamboo. Giant pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion. In captivity, they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or banana along with specially prepared food.

HOW TO GO THERE?

By bus:

Take bus 60 or 665, and get off at Longqing Road Shulong Road. Then walk along the Xiongmao Avenue .

Take bus no. 39, 70, 99, 150 or 193 and get off at Dong Wu Yuan Bus Station. Then change to bus 198 or 198A to the base.

Take bus no.87, 198, 198A or 867 and get off at this base station.

By subway:

Take subway line 3 and get off at Panda Avenue. The base is 3 miles (5 kilometers) away. Take a taxi to reach it with a cost of no more than CNY15.

By taxi:

Take taxi from the city proper and it costs CNY40 or so.

From Shuangliu Airport:

Take airport shuttle bus line 1, get off at Sheng Ti Yu Guan (Sichuan Provincial Stadium) Station and change bus no. 99 to Dong Wu Yuan Bus Station. Then take bus no. 198 or 198A to there.

From North Railway Station:

Take bus no. 9 to Dong Wu Yuan Bus Station, and then change bus no. 198 or 198A to there.