Chengdu Zoo was originally built in 1953. Located in the north of the city near the Panda Research Base, it offers all the typical animals that one might expect in a zoo, such as elephants, lions, tigers, giraffes, golden-hair monkeys, as well as the famous panda bears.

The zoo is spread over a considerable large area (17.73 hectares) and surrounded by the beautiful gardens. With over 300 odd varieties of animals living in the beautiful and comfortable halls, houses, ponds and fenced-up mounds, which are scattered amidst green trees, bamboos and colorful flowers, the zoo is known as one of the four biggest zoos in China. Besides numerous iron animal cages and pounds, the Chengdu Zoo has some major theme areas including Panda Garden, Penguin Garden, Goldfish Corridor, Giraffe Garden, Birds Garden, Fox & Monkey Garden, and Antelope Garden.

Chengdu Zoo, Sichuan ToursThe highlight of the Chengdu Zoo may be the panda garden, spacious and ingeniously designed, shaded among bamboo and surrounded by ditches. It is the paradises for the giant and lesser pandas and, of course, the pandas are the tourists' '"must-see". Currently, more than 10 pandas live at the garden and laze away their days in the Panda Hall-the zoo's largest building which covers 5600 square meters.

The Chengdu Zoo is the world's most successful breeder of pandas by artificial insemination. These years, tourists from different countries have flocked here to see the giant pandas. The zoo won a gold medal of the "Global 500 Best" of the UN Environmental Program in June 1989. It is considered a great place for a family outing.

How to get
Take Bus Nos.9 and 18 reach the front entrance of the Chengdu Zoo directly; 2.Take Bus Nos. 1, 302 or 49 to the Qinglong Chang (Zhaojue Temple) Stop first and then pass through the temple.

Best visit time
9:00-12:00 am; after 4:00 pm

Opening hours: 8:00-18:00 daily

Admission: RMB16 adult; Children (under 1.2m in height) are free.