ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SEEING THE PANDAS IN BEIJING

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Pandas are undoubtedly some of the cutest animals there are (though otters are right up there!). And as they are also rare and difficult to keep, Beijing is one of just a few places to see them. So a visit to the Beijing Zoo was of course on my list of things to do during my time in China’s capital.

Read on to hear about my visit to Beijing Zoo: what I learned, what to expect, and what I thought.

Practical Considerations for Your Zoo visit

Buying a ticket

Like most attractions in Beijing, the zoo is quite inexpensive so seeing the pandas will fit into any China budget. Once again I pre-bought my ticket for Bejing Zoo on Trip.com. I think you could probably just go and buy the ticket on the day at the zoo’s ticket counter but they may sell out on busy days.

Anyway, I was worried I would miss out so I pre-ordered mine for USD 5.90. Make sure to get the combo ticket that includes a visit to the panda house – this is undoubtedly the highlight of Beijing’s zoo.

Getting to the Zoo

Your best bet is to use Amap or Badu Map to get directions from wherever you are staying to the zoo. But in general, it is probably best to make your way to Metro Line 4 Daxing and then get out at the stop called Beijing Zoo (no surprise there). If you follow the signs to exit C you will get out on the sidewalk right next to the zoo. You can’t miss it!

Getting in

Right across from the subway exit is a ticket sales counter. But as I already had my ticket voucher I went into line for entry. I did have my passport with me (always recommended in Beijing) but did not have to show it. Scanning the QR code of the voucher was all it needed.

When to go

I went on a random Wednesday in June and at least in the morning the zoo wasn’t very busy. It was a beautiful sunny day so it wasn’t empty but definitely not crowded. I would assume that it gets a lot fuller on weekend afternoons so a week day morning is best for crowds. The zoo is quite spread out and the paths wide so it is probably manageable even on weekends. I would avoid any major holidays though!

The zoo opens at 7:30 am, much earlier than most zoos I have been to. This is however good as it does get quite hot and the animals tend to be more active in the morning. Especially the pandas are quite lazy and right after they wake up is the best time to see them.

Amenities at Bejing Zoo

There are restrooms all over the zoo and you can find plenty of places to eat. I saw both restaurants and snack stalls as well as souvenir shops. Within the panda area you can get any panda-related souvenir you can think of.

How long do you need?

I got to the zoo around 8:30 am and left by 12 pm. Three and a half hours were enough to see the pandas properly and walk through most of the park and see the majority of animals. If all you want to see are the pandas an hour may be enough and of course you can spend more time there but for most 3 to 5 hours are probably a good amount of time.

My Experience visiting the pandas

The pandas are a must-see at the zoo

I am not the biggest morning person so I didn’t make it as early as I would have liked. However, this worked out well in the end!

My hotel in Haidian wasn’t too far away so I got to the zoo entrance within less than half an hour. There were only a handful of people in line so scanning my ticket took hardly any time and I was inside the zoo by 8:30 am.

Of course my main interest was the pandas. Luckily, there are plenty of signs (bilingual) pointing you in the right direction. And the panda house is quite close to the entrance so it didn’t take long to get there.

As the pandas are an extra charge, I had to scan my ticket again. But early in the day when I was there there was no line at all.

The Pandas at Beijing Zoo

So what can you expect?

Beijing Zoo has quite a number of pandas (I believe 11?) but only four are on display each day. There are signs at the entrances telling you which pandas you will see during your visit. Apparently, some are more popular than others but for me any panda is a cute panda!

There are two main buildings, Asian and Olympic. Asian had two girl pandas and Olympic two boys though this may vary. I went inside Asian first. There were some visitors crowded around the glass enclosure but I wouldn’t call it horribly crowded. It was easy enough to find a spot to watch them.

One of the pandas was munching leaves while the other was napping. I watched for a couple of minutes and then made my way to the second building. Now this came a bit as a surprise to me: At 8:30 am the pandas apparently weren’t even out/awake yet. The keeper was still getting the cage ready! So it wouldn’t have helped to be there much earlier. Yeah for me!

Quite a number of people were waiting around so I did too. Luckily, it didn’t take too long for these two pandas to appear as well. I watched as they ate, scratched their butt, explored a bit. And then they left!

Now they may of course have come back out later but your best bet to see them in action is probably right when they first appear. Getting there around 8:30 was perfect for me but of course it could vary a bit!

Apparently the pandas in the Olympic area were more popular that day as there were quite a lot of people waiting, including with camera equipment. However, when the pandas left so did the crowds. If you got there later you would have had a prime viewing spot (assuming the pandas came out again).

After enjoying the life pandas (they really are cute) I bought my usual souvenir in Beijing: an ice cream bar shaped like the attraction!

Isn’t it adorable?

At 25 RMB this was slightly cheaper than the previous ones and turned out to be my favorite. The ice cream tasted vaguely like vanilla but the dark parts were actual chocolate and the green bamboo some sort of icing. I think it was matcha flavored (which I now know I do not care for).

The rest of Beijing Zoo

The zoo is perfect for a relaxing stroll

After the pandas I walked around the zoo, looking at more animals.The park is beautifully landscaped with flowers, trees, ponds, a river etc. There are also plenty of places to buy snacks, drinks, and souvenirs and lots of benches to sit and rest.

In most cities I would have said that the park landscaping alone makes the zoo worth a visit. But Beijing has so many gorgeous parks everywhere that you don’t have to go out of your way to the zoo if you have no interest in the animals.

I won’t list all the animals I saw but just point out the ones I liked best. This is though highly personal and also depends day by day:

Lions

The male lion at Beijing zoo is a very beautiful animal and for once did not just sleep. A silly crow kept bothering it so eventually the lion did pounce (not successfully!) and also throw down some stuff. A lot more action than you usually see from this lazy animal.

Gibbons

These are always some of my favorites! Not only do they look quite happy/content in their cage, there also is always something going on. And their acrobatics as they jump from branch to branch or climb along the walls are so impressive!

Otters

Of course. I mean they are so cute. Who wouldn’t love to see them?

My Opinion about Beijing Zoo

The landscaping at Beijing Zoo is beautiful

Whether or not the Beijing Zoo is for you will of course mostly depend on how you feel about zoos in general. If you dislike the idea of caged animals this park will not change your opinion.

Positives

• Tickets to Beijing Zoo are very affordable!
• It is very easy to get to
• The pandas!
• You will see most animals you expect from a zoo
• The park is beautifully landscaped

Negatives

• Some of the buildings/exhibits show some wear and tear
• Some of the animal enclosures/settings are not up to the most modern standard
• There were maybe less exotic animals than I expected

It is certainly a nice zoo but maybe not the nicest I have ever been to. Quite a number of enclosures looked empty. This is always a bit depressing but likely is just because the animals have the option of staying hidden so it is actually a plus.

The zoo would probably benefit from a major overhaul to update some of the enclosures but it is of course. But that is of course not only expensive but also difficult as it isn’t easy to find a place for the animals to stay during a multi-year construction project. And just as at my local zoo, you do have the problem that if you decide that for example the elephant enclosure is no longer up to the job, you can’t just get rid of the elephants you already have.

Are Beijing’s Zoo and the pandas worth a visit?

While I enjoyed Beijing Zoo it was maybe not the most spectacular I have ever seen. So my recommendation is:

If you only have two or three days in Beijing I would skip the zoo. However, if you absolutely want to see the pandas I would come first thing in the morning, wait for the pandas to appear, watch them as long as you want and then leave to tour other attractions.

If you are in Beijing for a week or so and enjoy zoos, Beijing Zoo will make for a nice half-day activity.

Should you take a tour or visit on your own?

There is no reason to book a tour to see the zoo UNLESS you have limited time and the zoo (or more likely the pandas) are just one stop for the day. Tours are usually more efficient if you need to pack a lot into just one day.

What else is there to do nearby?

Beijing Aquarium

Beijing Aquarium is actually within the zoo. It does require a separate admission ticket. I did not go inside so can’t really comment but it looks like a fun attraction, especially with kids.

Beijing Exhibition Hall

Next to the Zoo is the Beijing Exhibition Hall. It is a very imposing building – I thought it was a church or mosque and had to google to find out what it was. There are various events there during the year but I am not sure if you can tour it otherwise. However, the building may be worth a photo!

JKFUN Shopping Mall

After the zoo I still checked out this nearby mall (look for it on AMap, it is just a short walk from the zoo). I almost didn’t find it as I was looking for a traditional big mall building. However, this looks more like a Teletubbies tunnel as the mall is underground. For once it did not focus on designer goods but instead more on fun – like toys, books, and various activities. It also has a small food court.

This mall was more geared towards fun and leisure activities

Conclusion

The pandas are definitely the highlight of Beijing’s zoo. They are just as adorable as you expect! Aside of that, the zoo is fairly typical for a large and older zoo but the landscaping is very nice. And as it is quite spread out it should be pleasant even on busier days. Given the low ticket price, a visit to Beijing Zoo is a solid addition for any Beijing itinerary, but especially for families with children.