Dujiangyan Panda Base & Irrigation Project Private Tour

Two thousand years of engineering, and fifty pandas in the bamboo groves

This 8-hour private tour from Chengdu visits Dujiangyan Panda Base, home to over 50 giant pandas and red pandas, then the Dujiangyan Irrigation System: a UNESCO World Heritage site built over 2,000 years ago that still irrigates 5,300 square kilometers of land. Hotel pickup and drop-off, private guide, driver and air-conditioned vehicle are included. Lunch at a local restaurant is available on request.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Dujiangyan Panda Base2h · entry included
2. Dujiangyan Irrigation System1h 30m · entry included

Visit panda base and irrigation project

• See giant pandas at Dujiangyan Panda Base
• Visit nursery and bamboo groves
• Enjoy local food for lunch (optional)
• Explore Dujiangyan Irrigation System site
• Learn about ancient waterworks history

The experience

How do you see giant pandas and a 2,000-year-old engineering marvel in a single day without arranging your own transport? The Panda Breeding and Research Center sits about 60 kilometers northwest of Chengdu, so the private vehicle and guide handle the drive while you settle in. The base holds over 50 giant pandas, red pandas and other endangered species. You walk among bamboo groves and shaded pathways to watch them rest or play, and visit the nursery to see how the breeding program works. A program so successful it has become a model for conservation worldwide.

The second half of the day is the Dujiangyan Irrigation System itself. Built during the Qin Dynasty, it is the oldest and only non-dam irrigation system in the world, and it still works. Standing at the site, you see how engineers solved two problems at once: controlling flooding on the Min River and carrying water across a mountain to an arid region that needed it. For over 2,000 years it has kept Sichuan prosperous as an agricultural province. The guide walks you through the site and explains the ingenuity behind it: how people without modern machinery built something that outlasted empires and still does its job today.

Your guide speaks English and stays with you throughout. The tour runs 8 hours total, which leaves the morning or evening free depending on your hotel pickup time. Comfortable walking shoes matter here. The panda base has shaded paths but you will be on your feet for stretches. Lunch at a local restaurant can be arranged if you want it, though it is not included in the base price.

What’s included

• Admission tickets to Dujiangyan Panda Base and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.
• hotel pickup and drop-off within Chengdu's 3rd Ring Zone.
• private, air-conditioned vehicle.
• English-speaking professional tour guide for the full 8 hours.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (3 to 80 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Trippest Travel

Is this one for you?Eight hours is long enough to see both the pandas and the irrigation system without rushing, but short enough to leave your morning or evening free for the rest of Chengdu. If you want a full day of sightseeing without driving yourself or arranging multiple bookings, the private vehicle and guide handle both stops in one trip.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How many giant pandas will I actually see at the Dujiangyan Panda Base?

The base is home to over 50 giant pandas, along with red pandas and other endangered species. You walk through bamboo groves and shaded areas where you can watch them at rest or play, and you visit the nursery to see the breeding program in action.

What exactly is the Dujiangyan Irrigation System and why is it still famous?

Built over 2,000 years ago during the Qin Dynasty, it is the oldest and only non-dam irrigation system in the world. It solved two problems at once: controlling flooding on the Min River and carrying water across a mountain to irrigate an arid region. It still irrigates 5,300 square kilometers of land today and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Does the 8-hour tour include lunch?

Lunch is not included in the base tour price, but authentic local food can be arranged on request at a restaurant in the area.

What is the pickup and drop-off arrangement?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included within the 3rd Ring Zone of Chengdu City. You will receive your guide's contact details and exact pickup time in your voucher the day before the tour, and the guide will also call your hotel or leave a message the night before to confirm.