Chubby black and white cute bears, chewing on bamboo, peaceful yet playful at times, it’s hard not to be charmed by the Giant Panda! Volunteer in the largest Panda base in China helping to protect and build a safe environment for the Giant Panda.

 

There are only 1,600 left and they are listed as the most endangered species in the world, making this experience a true once in a lifetime opportunity. The focus here is on protecting and building a safe environment. The Project is located near the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Leshan Giant Buddha.

 

Your duties may vary depending on what is required of you at the time, so flexibility is essential. You will be involved in working about 4-6 hours a day side by side with panda caretakers by preparing food for the pandas such as apples, panda bread, carrots – and of course their favourite – bamboo, providing them with food you have put together, cleaning their enclosures and ensuring they are secure in their environment.

The keepers usually feed the Panda twice in the afternoon. However, this would depend on the individual condition of each Giant Panda and also other circumstances. We cannot guarantee the feeding times and also cannot ensure that every participant would be able to feed a Panda. Feeding tasks are assigned exclusively by the keepers.

Occasionally, you might also be asked to conduct some research of the panda’s habits and medical health so that we may extend our knowledge and experience in caring for this highly endangered species.

You’ll be able to see the panda nursery (approx. July to September), animal rescue, educational facilities, and much more.

Additional cultural activities: It's important to remember that Pandas are wild animals and naturally lazy and and will need some time to relax on their own! That’s why we offer plenty of Chinese lessons & cultural activities during their resting times, which you can take part in at your leisure. Some activities that you may take part in are:

  • Chinese language lessons (Daily 16:00-18:00 upon request)
  • Mahjong (Chinese chess)
  • Chinese calligraphy
  • Papercraft
  • Dumpling making
  • And more!

If you're interested in animal conservation, this represents a real opportunity to learn about the Giant Panda, something that is unique to China.

ACCOMMODATION & FOOD

Accommodation at Chengdu:
When you arrive, your accommodation for the first two nights will be at Chengdu. Here you'll stay in a hostel room with between 4 and 8 other people. It has a shared bathroom with hot shower.

At the Panda Base:
You'll then be transferred to the Panda Base. The Greenway Centre in the Ya’an Panda base has been chosen to give you a special environment for your visit to China. It is located 1,100 metres above sea-level with an average temperature of 15 degrees. It is perfect for the pandas – and for you!

The Centre is in a pleasant, cosy, recently renovated hostel. Accommodation is in twin rooms with TV, 24-hour hot water and toilets. If you prefer, upgrade options are available (please contact us for further details).

Wi-Fi / Internet: Wifi is available and it's free.

FOOD:At the Centre you will be provided with three meals a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner. These will be Chinese dishes typical of the local area, comprising mainly rice, noodles and vegetables with some meat.

WHAT TO DO NEXT:
If you’d like more information about this or any of our projects, please email or call us! If you’d like to apply for this project, please go to our website and complete the application form. As soon as we receive it, we’ll liaise with you and then start making your travel adventure happen.