2-Day Chengdu Study Programme: Panda Conservation & Ancient Shu Civilisation

Overview

A two-day study programme in Sichuan that pairs archaeology with environmental science. Day one covers the Shu civilisation at Sanxingdui and Jinsha; day two moves to conservation at the Giant Panda Base and engineering at Dujiangyan. One hotel night, with discussion sessions built into both days.

Highlights

Day one: Bronze Age Shu civilisation at Sanxingdui and Jinsha
Day two: panda conservation and Dujiangyan hydraulics
Two academic themes: archaeology and environmental science
Study-trained guide and discussion sessions each day
One night in a 4-star Chengdu hotel with breakfast
Private coach, timed entries and teacher materials

Itinerary

Day 1Chengdu: Sanxingdui and Jinsha - the Ancient Shu Civilisation

Morning - Sanxingdui Museum (depart 08:00)
Drive north to Guanghan and the Sanxingdui Museum. The site was first noticed by a farmer in 1929; the pits excavated from 1986 onwards produced bronze masks with exaggerated eyes, a bronze tree nearly four metres tall, and quantities of jade and gold unlike anything else in Bronze Age China. The finds forced historians to treat the Shu kingdom of the Chengdu plain as a civilisation in its own right rather than a footnote to the Yellow River.

Lunch
A restaurant near the site.

Afternoon - Jinsha Site Museum
Return to Chengdu and the Jinsha Site Museum, discovered in 2001 during building work and dated some five centuries later than Sanxingdui. Its signature object is the gold sun-bird disc, a thin ring of four birds circling a twelve-rayed sun, now the emblem of the city. Because Jinsha sits inside Chengdu, the museum allows students to see excavation trenches where they were found.

Evening - Debrief and return
Discussion of how archaeology rewrites history, then return to your hotel.

Meals
Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation
Day tour - no hotel night included.

Transport: Chengdu to Guanghan and back (about 45 km each way)

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2Chengdu: Giant Panda Base and Dujiangyang Irrigation System

Morning — Giant Panda Base
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, established in 1987, is a world-renowned conservation center on the city's outskirts dedicated to the care and study of China's beloved giant pandas. Your group can observe pandas at close range — from cubs to adults — and learn how keepers feed them and prepare bamboo and panda cakes. Bring your camera for an intimate encounter with these adorable creatures.

Afternoon — Dujiangyan Irrigation System
About a 40-minute drive away, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System is an ancient engineering marvel built around 256 BC by the Qin statesman Li Bing and his son. As the world's oldest non-dam irrigation works, it still regulates the Min River and sustains the Chengdu Plain today — a testament to over 2,200 years of ingenuity. Your guide will explain how its fish-mouth levee and channeling design turned flood-prone land into a fertile heartland.

Evening — At Your Leisure
The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure — you may rest at the hotel or explore the nearby surroundings on your own.

Accommodation: Mercure , Hempton by Hilton , Shangri-La Hotel , JW Marriott , Ritz-Karlton Chengdu

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Booking Price

Group Size	Adult(Age:8-80) Price/p.p	Child(Age:4-7) Price/p.p	Infant(Age:0-3) Price/p.p
16 PAX	from $448	/	/
20 PAX	from $415	/	/
30 PAX	from $369	/	/

Includes

Meals as listed in the daily itinerary (breakfasts and lunches as shown)
Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver throughout
English-speaking local guide (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese on request)
All entrance fees for the sites listed, including shuttle buses, eco-buses and cable cars where the site requires them
Local handling and coordination service throughout the programme
Bottled water (2 bottles per person per day) and audio headsets where group size requires them
Travel accident insurance for the duration of the tour

Excludes

International air tickets and any domestic flights not listed in the itinerary
China visa or visa-free entry documentation fees
Meals not specified in the daily itinerary and all beverages/alcohol
Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff (suggested USD 8-12 per person per day)
Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping
Optional activities and any item not listed under Price Includes
Single-room supplement if a traveller requires a room alone

Trip Notes

Please read the notes below before you book. They cover entry formalities, pace, weather and what to bring.

Q: Is this tour private or shared?
A: It is a private tour. Only your own party travels with the guide and vehicle, so the pace and the order of stops can be adjusted on the day.

Q: What is the best season for this itinerary?
A: April to June and September to November bring the mildest weather and clearest light. The programme runs year round, and we adjust the daily timings in mid-summer and winter.

Q: Can you handle dietary requirements and accessibility needs?
A: Yes. Vegetarian, halal, gluten-free and allergy-aware menus are arranged when you tell us in advance. Step-free and low-mobility versions of the route can also be planned.

Q: How do we book and pay?
A: Send us your travel dates and group size for a same-day quotation. A deposit confirms the booking, the balance is due before arrival, and prices are guaranteed for 7 days.

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