Beijing Zoo
Xicheng District, Beijing, Northern China, 100044
Giant pandas are the main draw at Beijing Zoo, a wildlife attraction with a heritage dating back over 100 years. Besides distinctively Chinese animals, such as white tigers, golden monkeys, and milu deer, it hosts everything from giraffes to polar bears. The Beijing Aquarium is within the zoo, but a separate ticket is required.
The Basics
Situated in west Beijing, the Beijing Zoo is affordably priced and easy to reach. Beijing Zoo tours typically head straight for the panda house, which is by far the most popular section of the park.
Beijing Zoo is generally visited as a short stop on a more comprehensive Beijing city tour, alongside other signature Beijing experiences such as hutongs, the Lama Temple, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, the Olympic Green, Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven. A few tours include other wildlife attractions such as the Museum of Natural History and the 30-acre (12-hectare) Beijing Aquarium.
Things to Know Before You Go
The Beijing Zoo is worth a visit for families with children and anyone with an interest in giant pandas.
Organized tours can help beat the long ticket lines at the zoo.
The Beijing Zoo is wheelchair-accessible.
How to Get There
The Beijing Zoo is located in west Beijing, about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Tiananmen Square. It has its own subway station, Beijing Zoo Station (Dongwuyuan Zhan), on line 4. From April to October, it’s also possible to ride a canal boat to or from the Summer Palace or the Beijing Exhibition Center.
When to Get There
The Beijing Zoo is open from early morning to early evening seven days a week during summer and closes a little earlier in winter (November through March). As one of the city’s most popular attractions, it’s best avoided during the major Chinese holidays—Lunar New Year in late winter and Golden Week at the beginning of October. It’s also busy during the school summer vacations in July and August.
Where to See Giant Pandas in China
The giant panda, the world’s rarest bear, is found only in southwest China. Besides Beijing Zoo, Sichuan province makes a great destination for panda spotting. Pandas in the wild are vanishingly rare, but you can see these adorable creatures at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the Dujiangyan Panda Base, the Bifengxia Panda Reserve, and the Wolong Giant Panda Nature Reserve.
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