China, What is the Panda Experience?

Merlin321

Hi,

My wife and I are considering the China tour. I'm really interested in seeing the Pandas at the Zoo in Chongqing. I was wondering how close you get to them, if you have any interaction with them and what the experience is like. Are you just viewing them the way you would in a zoo here in the states, or is the experience more intimate? Thanks.

AlanS

I assume you read this extensive thread: https://www.tauck.com/yaf/default.aspx?g=posts&t=2983 and this one, both from 2013) https://www.tauck.com/yaf/default.aspx?g=posts&t=2825

There was a video of a traveler (LauraC1962?) holding a panda that went viral on Tauck/YouTube, but so far I haven't been able to find it. She (Laura) was dressed in medical mask and gown while holding a juvenile Panda on her lap. There is a handler or two right there and the Panda is distracted with bamboo shoot. LauraC1962 says she really got emotional (tears) during the "best thing ever to happen in her life." Read what she had to say in the second link above. I believe her "experience" lasted about 1 minute.

Hopefully, others who have actually had the experience themselves will chime in.

Merlin321

Alan,

I'm sorry. I think I wasn't clear. I think those posts and Laura's trip refer to the Panda experiences in Chengdu on the Best of China trip at the Panda Research Center. That trip is 11 days. My wife and I are considering the 18 day China, Yangtze River & Hong Kong tour which doesn't go to Chengdu. The itinerary says the tour goes to Chongqing Zoo. I was wondering if there is a special Panda experience at the zoo, and if so, if it was anything like the Chengdu experience. I'd really like the Chengdu experience, but I also would like to do the itinerary of the longer trip.

[Deleted User]

We were on the "China, the Yangtze River & Hong Kong - Eastbound" tour this past May. The visit to the Chongqing Zoo provided the opportunity to observe 6 or so pandas in their habitats. They were quite active as it was feeding time. However, there wasn't any opportunity to get up close and personal. AFAIK, that only occurs at the Panda Research Center. I believe zoos in China, as they certainly are elsewhere in the world, are strict about keeping contact limited to zookeepers since their small panda populations are quite fragile. It was still great fun watching the multiple pandas (we have three here in Washington at the National Zoo) since they were all being quite active and the enclosures provided unrestricted views from about 50 feet.

The tour was great. You'll just have to weigh the panda experience against the events on this tour not included on the Best of China trip.

Merlin321

Portolan, Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, it looks like Tauck isn't offering the Best of China tour anymore. There aren't any 2015 dates listed on the website so I called them on Saturday, and they don't have any plans to offer a tour that includes the Panda Rehab Center in Chengdu.

MichaelTurner

We were on the "China, the Yangtze River & Hong Kong - Eastbound" tour this past May. The visit to the Chongqing Zoo provided the opportunity to observe 6 or so pandas in their habitats. They were quite active as it was feeding time. However, there wasn't any opportunity to get up close and personal. AFAIK, that only occurs at the Panda Research Center. I believe zoos in China, as they certainly are elsewhere in the world, are strict about keeping contact limited to zookeepers since their small panda populations are quite fragile. It was still great fun watching the multiple pandas (we have three here in Washington at the National Zoo) since they were all being quite active and the enclosures provided unrestricted views from about 50 feet.

The tour was great. You'll just have to weigh the panda experience against the events on this tour not included on the Best of China trip.

Chongqing Zoo is amazing tourist destinations in the world. There are great and lovely pandas to see in zoo.