When planning to see pandas near Xi’an, which is another major destination for a panda tour beyond Chengdu, it is a surprise for many international tourists to discover that Shaanxi Province is also an important habitat for pandas in China. Relying on the ecological advantages of the Qinling Mountains, the province is home to about 345 pandas now.
Located in Zhouzhi County, Qinling Wildlife Park and Qinling Four Rare Animals Science Park are the most recommended places near Xian. Foping Panda Rescue and Breeding Center and Foping Panda Valley in Hanzhong also have pandas, but they are closed temporarily in 2026. For a smooth Xi’an panda tour, this guide will provide the practical information, including tickets, opening hours, transportation and useful tips.
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- At A Glance: Which One to Choose
- Qinling Wildlife Park
- Qinling Four Rare Animals Science Park
- Foping Panda Rescue and Breeding Center
- Foping Panda Valley
- FAQs about Pandas
- Plan Your Xian Panda Tour with Us
At A Glance: Which One to Choose
Before planning your trip, here’s a quick overview of the four main parks to see pandas near Xi’an. You can find which one matches your interest.
Places |
Distance from Xi’an |
Best For |
Highlights / Features |
Qinling Wildlife Park |
About 32 km |
Family trips, watch varieties of animals |
A comprehensive large-scale zoo, viewing mode of car travel + walking, abundant performances and recreation facilities |
Qinling Four Rare Animals Science Park |
About 70 km |
Panda lovers, an in-depth tour of the rare animals |
A specialized park for Qinling four rare animals. This is the ONLY place in the world where you can see Qi Zai, the famous and incredibly rare living captive brown giant panda. |
Foping Panda Rescue and Breeding Base
(closed now) |
About 211 km |
Learn about panda rescue and breeding |
Observe the giant pandas that have received rescue and rewilding training up close |
Foping Panda Valley
(closed now) |
About 200 km |
Immersive experiences of both pandas and golden monkeys |
Viewing pandas in a semi-wild environment, rich in natural landscapes |
Qinling Wildlife Park
Qinling Wildlife Park is one of the major places to see pandas near Xi’an. There are currently 2 pandas, which are called “Qiangsheng” and “Mengmeng” respectively. The panda house simulates the environment of the Qinling Mountains to provide suitable living and growth conditions for pandas. During the tour, you can observe the pandas eating and climbing closely.
Near the panda house, you can find a panda-themed restaurant, where you can enjoy panda-shaped rice balls and panda-themed bento set meals. Besides, there are also characteristic local specialties like Roujiamo.
If you want to buy some souvenirs, there is a cultural and creative store near the panda house and at the entrance of the park, respectively. Various panda-themed gifts can be found, such as dolls, notebooks, key chains and backpacks.
- Location: Luan Town, Chang’an District, Xian
- Opening hours: March 1st– November 30th: 08:30 – 18:00; December 1st – end of February: 09:00 – 17:00
- Ticket: March 1st – November 30th: CNY 100 for adults and 50 for kids; December 1st – end of February: CNY 80 for adults and 40 for kids
- Distance from Xian: About 32 kilometers away from city center
- Recommended Visiting Length: about 4 – 5 hours
How to Get to the Park from Xian?
- Metro + bus: The most common way
You can take metro line 2 to Weiqunan metro station and then transfer to bus line 332 or 334 to Qinling Wildlife Park. The bus takes about 1.5 hours.
Another way is to take metro line 2 to Dianshita Station and then take the tourist bus line 9 to the park.
- Direct bus:
The direct buses depart from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda metro station Exit C, the parking lot of Bell Tower Restaurant and Changningnong metro station exit B. It takes about 1 hour and costs CNY 25 for an adult ticket and CNY 20 for a child’s ticket. You can book through the Wechat account of “西安旅游景区直通车”. The departure time at each stop is listed below.
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda: 09:00
- Bell Tower Restaurant: 09:00, 10:00
- Changningnong metro station: 10:00, 11:00
Qinling Four Rare Animals Science Park
Till now, there are a total of 14 pandas on display in this park and two panda houses have been built on the topmost place of the park for these pandas. The most famous star is “Qizai”, the only brown panda in the world. You can see it in the Panda House 2. Another famous panda is “A Bao”, one of his ears is in the shape of heart. It lives in the Panda House 1.
The cultural and creative store next to the entrance sells a variety of panda-themed products, such as dolls, fridge magnets, bags, etc. You can buy one as a souvenir or a gift for friends or family.
- Location: Louguan Town, Zhouzhi County, Xian
- Opening hours: March 1st – November 30th: 09:00-17:00; December 1st – end of February: 09:30-16:00; Closed on Mondays (except for holidays)
- Ticket: March 1st – November 30th: CNY 30 for adults and 15for kids; December 1st – end of February: CNY 20 for adults and 10 for kids
- Distance from Xian: About 70 kilometers away from city center
- Recommended Visiting Length: about 3 – 4 hours
How to Get to the Park from Xian?
Huanshan Tourist Bus Line 1: You can take the bus at the north square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and get off at the Louguantai Stop. Then walk about 15 – 20 minutes to the park. There are many local vehicles transferring tourists to the park, which costs CNY 5 per person and takes about only about 5 minutes.
Shuttle Bus: At Xi’an Bus Station, take the bus to Tanjiazhai and get off midway at Louguantai, then walk or take a local vehicle to the park.
Tips: Qinling Four Rare Animals Science Park does not sell tickets on site, so you need to reserve the ticket at the official Wechat account of “秦岭大熊猫研究中心”.
Foping Panda Rescue and Breeding Center
Note: Since October 11, 2025, the base has been closed. Its opening time is unknown to the public now. After the construction of the base is completed, it will house 40 – 60 pandas.
Built against mountain, the base recreates a natural wild habitat, preserving streams, rocks and trees to provide a natural habitat for giant pandas. Now, it is home to 3 female pandas and 1 male panda.
- Location: Shawo Village, Changjiaoba Town, Foping County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province
- Opening hours: morning: 08:30–11:00; afternoon: 14:00–17:00. During 11:00-14:00, the park is closed and no visitors are allowed to stay.
- Ticket: Free, but it need to make an appointment 3 days in advance.
- Distance from Xian: About 211 kilometers away from Xian and 13 kilometers to Foping County
- Recommended Visiting Length: 1.5 – 2.5 hours.
How to Get to the Park from Xian?
The most recommended way is to take a high-speed train from Xi’an North Station to Foping Station. A single journey takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour and a second-class seat costs about CNY 60. At the visitor reception center next to the train station, there are tourist direct bus to the park, which costs about CNY 10.
Foping Panda Valley
Note: Now, Foping Panda Valley is still open to the public, but no pandas are on display. However, you can still meet wild golden monkeys, go hiking along the trails in the forests and play water in the shallow streams.
Foping Panda Valley is the only open park in China where visitors can closely observe the Qinling subspecies of giant pandas. Here, pandas are living in a natural environment instead of being kept in cottages. Now, there are two pandas, who are brothers called “Qiangsheng” and “Lulu”. The panda activity area features climbing frames, water pools, bamboo forests, etc. Visitors can observe them playing and sleeping closely.
In the science popularization hall, you can see the specimens and learn knowledge about panda protection. And in Children’s Camp, there are panda-themed handicrafts for you to experience, such as making paper with panda feces and creating bookmarks or postcards with the paper, painting panda gypsum.
- Location: 20 kilometers north of Foping County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province
- Opening hours: March 1st – November 30th: 08:00-18:00; December 1st – end of February: 08:30-17:30; Closed on Mondaymornings (open at 13:00)
- Ticket: March 1st – November 30th: CNY 50 for adults and 25 for kids; December 1st – end of February: CNY 35 for adults and 25 for kids
- Distance from Xian: About 200 kilometers away from Xian
- Recommended Visiting Length: 2.5 – 4 hours.
How to Get to the Park from Xian?
It is basically the same as the way to Foping Panda Rescue and Breeding Base. Take a bullet train from Xi’an to Foping and then transfer to a tourist direct bus at the visitor reception center to the valley.
Tips:
- It is recommended to take a sightseeing bus during the visit to save your energy. It costs CNY 10 for a round trip.
- Foping Panda Valley is close to Foping Panda Rescue and Breeding Base and shuttle buses are available between them, so you can visit both of them at one go.
FAQs about Pandas
When is the best time of the day to see pandas?
It is recommended to visit during 09:00 – 11:00 and 14:00 – 16:00 when the pandas are most active.
Can I see wild pandas near Xi’an?
Generally, it is extremely rare for ordinary visitors to see wild pandas near Xi’an, as they are living in the core reserve at a high altitude. So it is more recommended to watch the captive pandas at the above parks.
What are the differences between the pandas near Xi’an and Sichuan pandas?
They are the two separate subspecies of giant pandas, with the major differences as follows:
Aspects |
Xi’an Pandas |
Sichuan Pandas |
Appearance |
Round head, short mouth, small skull and large teeth, more like a cat, renowned as the “Beauty among Pandas” |
Long head, sharp mouth, large skull and small teeth, more like a bear. |
Furs |
Long fur with the fur color on the chest and abdomen being mostly brown, possesses a unique brown panda variant, like Qizai. |
The fur color on the chest is black and that on the abdomen is mainly white. No brown panda variants are found. |
History and Genetics |
An older subspecies, relatively low genetic diversity, has been differentiated from the Sichuan pandas for about 300,000 years |
Greater genetic variability, a larger population size, stronger survival ability in the wild |
Rarity |
Smaller and rarer population |
More common, main subspecies displayed in zoos at home and abroad |
Watch the Lovely Pandas with China Xi’an Tour
Are you interested in watching the lovely pandas during your Xi’an tour? China Xi’an Tour is glad to tailor a trip including the above park for you. Tell our travel consultants the attractions you want to visit and your requirements in hotels and meals, they will utilize their local expertise to transform your ideas into a reasonable itinerary. For a smooth trip, we will also include a driver to escort you between the park seamlessly. During your trip, we will also provide ongoing support and be ready to assist 24/7. Do not hesitate to contact us.
