Private Exclusive Sichuan Spicy Cuisine Day Tour and Panda Base Visit

Meet your private guide in the lobby of your Chengdu hotel at 0800 and transfer by air-conditioned car to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, located in parkland about 30 minutes driving from the city center. Here you will have plenty of time to walk around and enjoy seeing the giant pandas, young and old, as well as the lesser- known red panda. The younger pandas will fascinate you with their amusing antics as the attendants try to encourage them to climb.

After having a lunch at a local restaurant, you will be transferred to Chengdu Sichuan Cuisine Museum which is located in ancient Pixian, or Pi County, to the west of Chengdu city.

On arrival at the museum you will be met by a museum guide to start your visit with a local snack of fresh pancake made with a variety of fillings. Afterwards you start touring the museum visiting the Classic Collection Hall where there are thousands of antiques, especially of kitchen ware. Next is the Raw Materials Display, where you can learn how the famous Pixian chilly bean paste is made and taste some more local delicacies, this time Xuanzi Pea Jelly. There are several exhibits you will be shown, including the Sichuan Restaurant Alley, where you will get a feel for the dining experiences of old Chengdu and see the building styles of Chengdu from over 100 years ago. You will learn how to crush chilies into powder using an old pestle and mortar, make spicy or sweet bean curd pudding and grind beans with an ancient machine. Your interactive tour continues with the museum’s master chef who will guide you through the process of making three typical Sichuan dishes and learning some Chinese cooking skills. Finally you get to taste the dishes you have prepared accompanied by fresh fruit, fruit juices, tea and red wine.

After farewell the staff at the museum, you will drive back to your Chengdu hotel and the end of your tour.