Wanglang Nature Reserve is located in Pingwu County of Mianyang in Sichuan Province. It was set up as a nature reserve from 1960s mainly to protect giant pandas and other wildlife. It is the core reservation of Minshan Range and a connecting area of wildlife such as pandas. Elevation within Wanglang Nature Reserve is between 2300m and 5000m. Wildlife include giant panda, golden snub-nose monkeys, takins. Wanglang is also home to one of the best preserved primitive forest in Sichuan Province.
Wanglang Nature Reserve
Wanglang Nature Reserve is located in northwest of Mianyang in Sichuan and 350km northwest to the city of Chengdu that by driving it takes around 5 hours to get to. Wanglang is one of the furthest and most remote nature reserves to get to but thanks to the new highway that now it is more accessible from cities like Chengdu. A train can get you to Jiangyou City and then one can hire a car from there to Wanglang in 3 hours driving. Normally it’s more convenient to hire a car from Chengdu to drive there for any international travelers who wish to go to Wanglang.
All seasons are good to travel to Wanglang as it is a complete wild nature place that not many visitors go to for most time of the year. The busiest travel seasons to Wanglang includes first week of May, first week of October, July and first half of August. The rest of the seasons will see few visitors.
For wildlife lovers and photographers you may want to plan for the following seasons in accordance of your interests. Winter and early spring (Dec to the next Feb) is good season to spot golden snub-nose monkeys. May and June are good for birds.
if you are on a wildlife tour and Wanglang is on your interest list, then you are recommended to include other places in the same trip, other places nearby such as Pingwu Golden snub-nose Monkey place, Tangjiahe Nature Park, these two places are within 3–4 hours drive from Wanglang. If you are limited time then you are also recommended to skip Wanglang because it has the lowest chance of seeing endemic wildlife comparing to the other two places. .
if you are on a bird tour then Wanglang is a good option to stop for one day or one night at. Wanglang is one of the best places to see Blue-eared Pheasant in China. Wanglang has one of the best preserved wild forest so also good for forest birds. You are also recommended to combine Wanglang with the nearby places such as Pingwu Golden Snub-nose monkey place and the further places such as Jiuzhaigou Park ,Zoige Grassland for any birding trip.
C.If you are into light hiking in wild nature (in not so touristy place) then Wanglang is also a good option. Even for international travelers may consider combining Jiuzhaigou and Baima Wanglang on a land trip.
Wanglang Nature Reserve is one of the largest and best-protected nature reserves in China and has many places within closed off for visitors to better protect wildlife and forest. Many places in Wanglang are also off-limits to visitors to keep the nature untouched.
Wanglang Nature Reserve
Blue-eared Pheasants are easy to spot in Wanglang Nature Reserve by the grass near Ganhaizi and Muyangchang Lodge inside Wanglang Nature Reserve. The best time to see them is in the morning between 8am and 11am when they wonder and forage among the bushes. All seasons are good to spot the blue-eared pheasant but winter is a better season to do so.
Wanglang Nature Reserve
Golden monkeys are possible to be seen by elevation around 2200m and 2800m. They usually move in groups and have been seen in different seasons, although winter is an easier season to look for them when they come lower. There are 2 big families recorded in Wanglang and count total of 100+ monkeys and 50+ monkeys for these two golden snub-nose monkey families. The seasons when the monkeys are seen is all year round with July to October being most active due to the berry seasons in Wanglang.
Almost 1 to 2 times the rangers of Wanglang will see giant panda coming down to the road each year during April to June. The most recent one was in late May 2025. Wanglang is part of Pingwu County, that boasts of the No.1 panda place in China that has total around 350+ wild pandas, being the most in amount of wild pandas in China. Wanglang Nature Reserve itself at the moment estimates total around 32 wild pandas within the reserve. Although the chance of seeing wild panda here in Wanglang is still very low.
Other wildlife include Red Pandas, Chinese Monal, Takin, Golden Pheasant, Black Bear.
Entrance Ticket & Tourist Bus: CNY138 per person
Staying inside the reserve is possible if you wish to watch the birds and wildlife. There is one mountain lodge available inside Wanglang Nature Reserve: Muyangchang Lodge. The hotel can take foreigners though the cost of a room is high but it provides you chance to see birds in the early morning nearby. Please note the lodge may not be available all year round.
Wanglang Nature Reserve
Wanglang Nature Reserve
Route: Chengdu - Pingwu - Chengdu
Route: Chengdu/ Wolong / Chengdu
Route: Chengdu - Yaan - Chengdu
