Chongqing Zoo 重庆动物园

Welcome, everyone, to Chongqing Zoo! Today I'll be guiding you along the park's classic recommended route: Main Gate Plaza → Giant Panda House → Goldfish Pavilion → Amphibian and Reptile Hall → Bird Zone. Together we'll step into this urban mountain forest and take in the natural beauty of wildlife and people living side by side.

We're now standing at the main gate plaza. Chongqing Zoo was founded in 1955 — over seventy years ago — and has been part of the city's memory for generations of Chongqing families. For international visitors, what makes this zoo truly unique is its mountain terrain. Unlike zoos built on flat ground, every exhibit here follows the natural slope of the hills, rising and falling with the landscape, while Taohua Stream meanders through the grounds. Before we head off, take a moment to notice the lush Huangjue trees flanking the main gate. This is Chongqing's official city tree — its dense roots grip the rocky hillside, a living symbol of the tenacious spirit of this mountain city. Now, please follow me toward the left — our first stop is the zoo's biggest star: the giant panda family.

Coming through the tree-lined avenue, we've arrived at the zoo's most popular venue — the Giant Panda House.

The terrain here is gently rolling and shaded by trees. The designers made clever use of the hillside and the stream to recreate a natural habitat that closely mirrors where giant pandas live in the wild. For international visitors, it's worth knowing that Chongqing Zoo's Giant Panda House has earned an impressive reputation worldwide — this is one of the urban zoos with the highest giant panda birth rates anywhere on the planet. Take a good look at the outdoor activity area: you'll spot wooden slides, swings, and the famous square stone table. If you're lucky, you'll catch a few pandas sitting around that stone table clutching bamboo shoots, looking for all the world like Chongqing locals settling in for a leisurely gathering — utterly endearing. Be sure to look at the exterior walls of the panda house, where the zoo's remarkable breeding history and the legendary stories of its long-lived pandas are documented. Morning is the most active feeding time for giant pandas, so linger here a while and watch for those lively, unguarded moments.

Leaving the Panda House, follow the signs toward the heart of the park and you'll find yourself stepping into the Goldfish Pavilion, a place that breathes classical elegance.

The moment you walk in, international visitors often feel as though they've been transported to a water-town garden in southern China. This pavilion blends traditional Chinese garden architecture with an aquarium experience unlike any other. Follow the winding wooden walkways and take in the white marble carved basins and clear green fish ponds on either side. China is the birthplace of the goldfish, and in Chinese culture goldfish symbolize abundance and good fortune. The must-see stars here are the rare and unusual breeds — look for the Bubble-Eye goldfish, which carries two large fluid-filled pouches beneath its eyes, and the Red-Cap Oranda, whose head is crowned with a ruby-red growth of fleshy tissue. Watch them glide slowly through the sunlit water, fanning their tails — it's like watching a living Chinese ink painting unfold before you.

Saying goodbye to the graceful goldfish, we continue up the hillside path to our next stop — the Amphibian and Reptile Hall, a place that feels equal parts high-tech and mysterious.

The building's exterior uses a biomorphic design, and inside it functions like a miniature global ecology museum. Follow my lead as we step in. Notice how the temperature and humidity shift from zone to zone — the hall's advanced smart environment-control system recreates a range of distinct climates throughout the building. For international visitors, the top priority here is the Chinese Alligator, a Class I nationally protected species found only in China. These ancient creatures lie still on a simulated sandy bank, radiating the quiet authority of prehistoric survivors. Also look out for the brilliantly colored yet highly venomous tree frogs in their display cases, and the enormous pythons nearby. Don't miss the bilingual science panels on the walls — they clearly explain how cold-blooded animals have evolved to survive in Earth's most extreme environments, making this an especially rewarding stop for families with children.

Our final stop today is the Bird Zone, perched high on the wooded hillside above the park.

This is the most densely forested and naturally preserved area in the entire zoo. Look up — that enormous net canopy stretching over the whole valley is the free-flight aviary. This design breaks free from the constraints of a conventional birdcage, giving the birds generous room to fly. For visitors who love being close to nature, standing here with birdsong rising all around you and a stream-fed wetland spread out before you is something special. Seek out the Golden Pheasant, a rare bird found only in China — its plumage is so vivid and layered it looks like a phoenix brought to life. Over by the wading-bird lake, elegant Red-Crowned Cranes and flocks of flamingos stand on one leg at the water's edge. Here, in this chorus of birdsong and greenery, our tour of Chongqing Zoo comes to a close. We hope this journey through mountain, water, and wildlife leaves you with a wonderful memory — and we wish you a great rest of your time in Chongqing!