Visiting the Pandas in Beijing

If you want to see Pandas in China then the best place to do that is definitely Chengdu which has the Giant Panda research base. However, China is huge and so chances are most people won’t have the time to make it all the way there (or the money). Luckily, you will still be able to see pandas in Beijing Zoo.

How to Get There

Getting to Beijing Zoo is incredible simple, the subway stop is even called “Beijing Zoo” so you’ll have no problems finding it. The subway line is number 4 and the metro is very easy to navigate. For those more adventurous, it’s also possible to get a bus there – to see more details about what buses go there, you can visit this useful site.

Once you’re in the zoo, there are signs telling you where all the exhibits are, and the Pandas are just to the right after the entrance. It’s very easy to find them, as it’s another entrance gate.

How Much Does It Cost?

During the summer, it costs a grand total of 15 RMB to visit the zoo (that’s less than £2) and it’s only 10 in Winter. As the main attraction, the pandas do cost extra however it’s only 4 RMB extra which is still very, very cheap. You can buy the combination ticket at the main entrance, or buy it at the entrance to the Panda area if you forgot.

I’ve found that most staff at tourist sites understand enough English that you shouldn’t have issues buying your tickets (worst case scenario you just hold up your fingers to show how many tickets you want).

The Pandas in Beijing Zoo

The Panda area is huge and you can definitely tell that they get the best treatment in the Zoo. They have several areas with both indoor and outdoor enclosures for the Pandas. The first time I visited, they were all inside but I got lucky on my second visit and several were lounging around outdoors.

There are plenty of signs, in English, giving you more information about the Giant Pandas. The exhibit area was very informative and you can learn a lot about the pandas.

The Rest of the Zoo

Obviously, the pandas aren’t the only attraction at the zoo and unless you’re in a huge rush then you might want to visit more of the animals. Unfortunately, it’s very obvious that not all of them are cared for to the same standards as the Pandas. Some enclosures were great, but then others were very small with not much space for the animals to move around. The poor elephants, in particular, had a very small indoor enclosure. If you’re a huge animal lover, you might get rather distressed by the poor conditions a lot of them are kept in.

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Have you visited the Pandas in Beijing Zoo? What did you think? If you’re interested in more posts about China you can click here to see more.