Directly hugging or holding a giant panda is currently not possible at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding or any other panda base in China, as the practice has been officially banned since 2020 due to health and safety concerns for the animals. Historically, the experience was available for a significant "donation" fee that ranged from approximately 1,500 CNY to 2,000 CNY (about $200 to $310 USD) for a brief encounter lasting one to two minutes. While these close-contact photo opportunities have been suspended, travelers can still participate in full-day volunteer programs at bases like Dujiangyan or Wolong for approximately $110 to $250 USD; however, these programs focus on cleaning enclosures and preparing food rather than physical contact. For a standard visit to observe the pandas, adult entry tickets to the Chengdu Panda Base are priced at 55 CNY (approximately $8 USD).