Volunteer Tours 
to the Giant Panda Research Center in China

Next Panda Tour Oct. 9 - 18, 2008

2009 Panda Tour Dates: May 8 - 17, Sept.11 - 20, Oct. 16 - 25
  Special Panda Tour including Beijing and Xian  May 25 - June 9, 2009, click here for details

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 We had many concerned inquiries about how the earthquake on May 12 affected the pandas in Wolong and Chengdu. As of the morning of May 13 our associate in Beijing has not been able to contact either Wolong or our partners in Chengdu because of massive phone outages. We had information however, that the panda center in Chengdu is fine, the pandas are safe and sound and the facility is open to visitors. The roads to Wolong have been closed off by landslides and will most likely remain closed for the near future. We will keep making updates as we get further information.

A specially arranged tour to do volunteer work at the Giant Panda Bear Research Center in Wolong in southwestern China

By special arrangement with our partner Joe Zhou in Beijing and the Giant Panda Research Center we have set up special volunteer tours which are only available through us. Since we have an overwhelming interest in tours which concentrate on the pandas only, we designed this tour for those whose interest are the pandas only.  If you would like to also visit Beijing and Xian, we have an optional tour to visit Beijing, a special excursion the Great Wall with an overnight stay in the former Imperial Summer Retreat  of Chengde and Xian. Details and the itinerary are below.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Depart USA for your flight to Beijing.

Day 2 - Evening arrival in Beijing. You will be met by our Chinese tour host to be transferred to the hotel.

Day 3 - After a leisurely breakfast embark on a city tour of Beijing. In the evening enjoy a traditional Peking Duck dinner in the most famous restaurant specializing in Peking Duck. B L D

Day 4 - Today you will fly to Chengdu in southwestern China. Upon arrival drive straight to Wolong.  BD

Day 5 -  After breakfast you will attend a lecture with one of the directors of the center and receive your keeper uniform which is your passport to go in and out of the research facility as many times as you please.  After the lecture you will start your volunteer work.  You will be assigned a "Master"  one of the keepers of the center who will assist you and show you what needs to be done.  The facility is open to tourists almost all who are Chinese from neighboring provinces, but who are restricted to certain path that lead along the Panda enclosures. However, you will be one of the staff and you are allowed into all restricted areas, getting in close contact with the bears. Some of your chores will be to help sweep the immaculate panda bins, take bamboo to the hillsides behind the bins, and best of all, feed the bears by hand. They are gentle creatures and will take a slice of apple from you without ever touching your hand. In-between and after your working hours you are free to roam the facility and take pictures.  BLD

Day 6  -  Full day of volunteer work at the center, you will work from eight until about eleven and from 2:30 until about four. At all other times you are free to take pictures and observe the pandas.  BLD

Day 7 - Morning volunteer work. In the afternoon you will have the special privilege to go into the panda kindergarten to play with several of the young pandas. In the evening a "thank you" dinner together with your "Masters" will take place where you will receive a certificate of having been a volunteer from the center's director. BLD

Day 8 - After breakfast there is time to spend some time to take pictures and say goodbye to your panda. Then you will bid Wolong goodbye and return to Chengdu. In the evening is free to relax. After the long bus ride from Wolong you may want to simply rest in your attractive room and order something western from room service which is extremely reasonable. BL

 Day 9 - This morning transfer to the airport to fly to Shanghai, China's largest city with a population of 17 million people. After arrival in Shanghai you will be met by your local guide. After depositing your luggage at the bus take the world's fastest train (up to 430 km an hour) to the city.  Enjoy lunch, then visit the Yu Garden, a famous typical Chinese Garden in the old section of Shanghai after which the Blue Willow porcelain was patterned. The evening is on your own. BL

Day 10 - Transfer to the airport for your return flight to USA.

LAND TOUR COST:  2370.00
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:  $425
AIR FARE: Check with us for special fares on Cathay Pacific Airway with departures from New York or San Francisco.
If you sign up within 60 days of departure surcharges for hotels and airlines may apply. A $50 bank transfer fee applies to any payment we receive after 60 days before departure.

EACH TOUR IS LIMITED TO 15 PARTICIPANTS 

INCLUDED in the tour are:  8 night first class hotel accommodations, daily breakfast, daily lunches and dinners, transportation in deluxe air conditioned 28-passenger buses,  domestic air fare, all sightseeing and entry fees as mentioned in the itinerary, airport transfers,  domestic airline tickets including airport fees, English speaking local guides with special knowledge of the areas visited, tips to guides and bus drivers, and the services of China Overland Tours and Posh Journeys. 

NOT INCLUDED:   International air fare, passport and visa fees, alcoholic drinks with meals , add-on airline tickets from other cities, and any item not specifically mentioned in this itinerary.

AIR FARE: Check with us for special fares on Cathay Pacific Airways from New York or San Francisco, or we can offer special fares on other carriers. If you arrange your own air fare or use frequent flyer miles double check the departure and return dates without before ticketing.

Optional Tours

Beijing and Xian Extension 2008
Departure from U.S. is:
March 30 -  April 28 -   May 5 - Oct. 5 

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive in Beijing where your local guide will meet you and transfer you to the hotel.

Day 2 - Relax over breakfast, then set out for a day to see Beijing. Visit the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the imposing Temple of Heaven. In the evening you have dinner in a romantic little palace located on the shore of Beihai Lake not far from the Forbidden City.  BLD

Day 3 - Depart Beijing after breakfast to drive to a remote section of the Great Wall which you will have mostly to yourself.  After a walk along the wall enjoy a picnic before you continue to the former summer retreat of the Ching Emperors with its many palaces and pagodas. Unique to Chengde is a replica of the Portola Palace in Tibet.  BLD

Day 4 - Return to Beijing for a special Peking Duck dinner in the evening. BLD

Day 5 - Fly to Xian. After arrival you will be met by your guide to be transferred to Xian. En route visit the Tiny Terra Cotta Warriors which have been found in one of the many tombs that cover the Xian plain. They are exceptional and seldom visited by tour companies. After lunch the remainder of the day and the evening is on your own.  BL

Day 6 - The day will be spend visiting the Terra Cotta Warrior Museum which always exceeds expectations and is an astounding sight considering that the statues have been buried beneath the ground where the museum now stands for more than 2000 years. In the evening enjoy a Xian Dumpling dinner, a specialty of this region. BLD

Day 7 - Fly to Chengdu to meet the rest of the panda volunteers, see the itinerary above.

Land Cost per person: $1550
Single Supplement: $320

INCLUDED in the price is the domestic airline ticket from Beijing to Xian ( the Xian/Chengdu portion is part of the panda tour package), departure taxes, 6-nights first class hotel accommodation (one night is part of the panda tour package), breakfast lunch and dinner daily, private guides and drivers, sightseeing as described, all entry fees for included attractions, tips to tour guides.
NOT INCLUDED are additional meals, alcoholic drinks and soft drinks that are not included with meals and any item not specifically mentioned in this itinerary.

CONTACT US FOR OTHER EXTENSIONS AND PRIVATE TOURS

Posh Journeys
530 E. Patriot Blvd. #172
Reno NV. 89511
Tel./Fax 775-852-5105
E-mail: contact@poshjourneys.com