Chengdu Private Day Tour: Pandas, Kuanzhai Ancient Street, and Jinli Ancient Street

Greet your private guide at your hotel lobby by 9am for the 30-minute drive to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Established in 1987 with just six pandas rescued from the wild, this conservation facility has led the charge in Chinese research that means these glorious creatures are no longer considered endangered.

The pandas are more active in the early morning, so this is a good time to stroll through the peaceful bamboo forested park and watch the adorable animals eating, napping, and playing. The grounds are also home to red pandas, black swans, and koi carp, as well as some fascinating museums about the giant panda and its lifestyle.

Drive back into the city center to visit Kuanzhai Ancient Street (Wide and Narrow Alley), a network of old-fashioned streets that are famous for their slow-paced lifestyle. A new destination for Chengdu, this blends local lifestyle with traditional culture and modern business.

Lunch is at your own expense. Your guide will be happy to recommend restaurants near Kuanzhai, or specialty restaurants for Sichuan favorites like dumplings and hotpot, or you might just choose to feast on the myriad snacks on offer at your next destination, Jinli Ancient Street.

A great spot to shop for souvenirs, Jinli Ancient Street is home to a welter of restaurants, from modern branded affairs through to traditional street snack sellers. Your guide will explain what all the specialties are and introduce you to the most delicious.

From here, you'll drive back to your hotel, arriving around 5pm.