Middle Kingdom Journeys

Tracking the Giant Panda in the Wild

2010 Departures: All year round

Trip Length: 9 days

Activity Type: Touring, Study Trip

Trip Price: From

It is a Private Group Journey.

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Trip Highlights:

Presentation of the Buddhism history at the beginning of the trip;

Meditation by monk

Study Leader

Day-by-day Itinerary

Day 1:

Xi’an to Qinling Panda Nature Reserve: Today we drive about 4 hours to the Qingling Panda Nature Reserve. Located in the Qingling Mountains of Shaanxi province, the Reserve is home to an estimated 40 Giant Pandas. Although most people associate Giant Pandas with China’s Sichuan Province, the natural habitat of the Panda once extended for thousands of miles in the bamboo covered mountains of western and central China – all the way from Sichuan to Shaanxi.

 

A simple, but tasteful home-style lunch is taken in the nature reserve restaurant. For the rest of the afternoon, we take a leisurely stroll along the Old Huayang Street, where we catch a glimpse of China’s rural past.

This evening, we attend a presentation by the Nature Reserve staff that introduces the Giant Panda, its natural habitat, and the conservation efforts underway.

Day 2:

Qingling Panda Nature Reserve: Today begins our efforts to track a wild Panda. Before we embark on this journey early in the morning, we put on high rain boots and raincoats, as we will spend most of the day in damp conditions – the favorite habitat of Giant Pandas. Once in the forest, our Nature Reserve Rangers stop the jeep occasionally to show us signs of different wild animals. As the Park Rangers have surveyed Reserve the previous day and narrowed down the active area of the panda, we should have a much higher chance of seeing the Pandas in the wild. Although this is no guarantee, it still promises to be an exciting day in the wild.

Day 3:

Qingling Panda Nature Reserve: If our first day of tracking was unsuccessful, we continue looking for the Giant Panda. Otherwise, we visit the Wild Animal Rescue and Medical Care Center. In the afternoon, we will visit the pheasant-breeding center.

Day 4:

Return to Xi’an via Hanzhong: Today we transfer back to Xi’an. On the way, we visit the crested Ibis Breeding Center, where one of the world’s rarest birds is being successfully bred. If time permitting, we also stop to visit a local paper museum, where the ancient process of how to make paper (one of China’s great contributions to civilization) is revealed to us.  Upon returning of Xi’an, we transfer to our hotel and get freshen up. At evening, we stroll around the famous Muslim Quarter before dinner.

Day 5:

Xi’an to Chengdu: This morning, we first walk around on the ancient City Wall before transferring to the Terra Cotta Army, created to guard the tomb of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor to unite China. One of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries of all times, the Terra Cotta Army is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We leisurely admire this vast array of soldiers.  After lunch, we transfer to the airport and catch our flight from Xi’an to Chengdu.  Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel and check-in before dinner.

Day 6:

Chengdu Panda Breeding Center: Early this morning, we transfer to the Panda Breeding Center, as morning is Panda’s most activate time. If we missed the pandas in the wild, we will have a chance to make it up here. Here, we will also have a chance to meet an expert organized by our partner,  the Giant Panda Preservation Foundation, who will answer any of our questions.

Lunch will be arranged in the tourist center restaurant, after which we return to Chengdu, and visit the Wuhou Shrine to learn about the famous Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The rest of the day will be free for us to explore the street of Jinli.

Day 7:

Chengdu to Leshan to Chengdu: Today, we drive to visit the Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest stone Buddha in the world. We take a one-hour boat ride on the river running in front of the Buddha, and get ashore to have a better view from above the hill top. After lunch at a local restaurant, we drive back to the downtown and have a free time rest of the day.

Day 8:

Chengdu: This morning we visit the River View Pavilion Park, which is famous for its variety of the bamboo groves.  Afterwards, we visit the Wenshu Monastery, and stroll through the tranquil courtyards of this lovely Buddhist temple. Sichuan temples, built with dark wood and accented with deep red trim, have a subtlety and charm different from temples in other parts of China; here we enjoy a vegetarian feast in the Buddhist style.  This afternoon we transfer to visit the Jinsha Museum, a major archaeological discovery on the legendary Shu Kingdom in recent decade.  Farewell dinner tonight.

Day 9

Fly Home: This morning we transfer to the Chengdu International Airport and catch our flight back home.

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