DESTINATIONS VISITED DURING THE TOUR

CHINA

China is today considered as one of the world’s oldest living civilizations, and the first human traces go back around to approx. 400,000 years. We know very little about the first Chinese dynasty, but in 221 BC, China was united for the first time as a united kingdom under Emperor Qin. The years following Qin’s death were followed by intrigue and war and a number of emperors and dynasties dissolved each other and even though the thought of a united kingdom remained, it was not until 1912 when the last emperor died as the country began its journey towards the modern China we see today. Today, China is the world’s largest country in terms of  population and one of the largest countries in area. Since 1949 the country is controlled by the Communist Party, the world’s largest party with over 82 million members as of date.

BEIJING

Beijing, with its nearly 19 million inhabitants, is one of the world’s largest cities and China’s cultural and political center. It is also one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Tiananmen Square, one of Beijing’s most visited places, is also Beijing’s largest squares. The square includes Mao Zedong’s mausoleum. Right next to the square lies the Forbidden City, the palace where the emperors together with their families lived for centuries.

CHENGDU

Located in the southwestern part of China Chengdu is the capital of the province of Sichuan. It is China’s fourth largest city with 14 million inhabitants. Despite being a very modern city, Chengdu has retained much of its ancient culture enriched with plenty of natural resources and historical sites.

Chengdu is also home to China’s national symbol – the Giant panda, living in its natural habitat. The city is also famous for its local cuisine, the Sichuan cuisine, with its deliciously spicy food.

TANGJIAHE WILD PANDA NATURE RESERVE

Spread in an aread of over 100,000 acres, Tangjiahe Wild Panda Nature Reserve is known for its dense forest vegetation and an ecosystem that is among the most diverse and intact in Asia. This park is home to some of the world’s most threatened animals including elusive giant pandas.. The park houses more than 1,200 takins, about 1,000 Golden monkeys and more than 430 other mammalian species and more than 2,400 different species of plants. The park also has more than 150 different bird species including the elegant Golden pheasant. Many of the animals do not fear people because they have been protected from hunting for almost half a century.

JIUZHAIGOU NATIONAL PARK

Listed as a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, Jiuzhaigou National Park is arguably China’s most beautiful park. The park has a spectacular setting with steep mountain peaks, gorges, forests, meadows and a variety of lakes and waterfalls. Among all these natural beauties, a series of limestone pools filled with blue green water will surely be one of the highlights of the park. Jiuzhaigou is also one of the best places in the world to photograph waterfalls.

There are over 220 bird species in the park, as well as many endangered plants and animals, including Golden monkeys, takins and the giant pandas.

DUJIANGYAN PANDA BASE

This research center, recently opened for visitors, focuses on rehabilitation of injured and sick pandas. The center opened in 2013 and had a capacity of 10 injured giant pandas but it has now been expanded to handle 40 pandas at a time. Dujiangyan Panda Base, which is located in Mt. Qingcheng Town, about 50 km northwest of Chengdu is divided into several zones such as rescue and quarantine; disease prevention and control; recovery and training’ vegetation area;, and service.

RESEARCH BASE OF GIANT PANDA BREEDING

Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a world-class research facility and conservation center. The center is home to about 100 giant pandas living in an environment very similar to their natural habitat in the wild. Here we will be able to take some great photos of the pandas from the up close. In the park we will also have the opportunity to experience and photograph the Red pandas as well as many other rare animals.

GREAT WALL OF CHINA – JIN SHAN LING

About 2.5 hours outside of Beijing is the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. It is one of the best preserved parts of the Great Wall and you can see the wall working its way up and down the rolling hills of the surrounding landscape. This is the most representative part of the Chinese brick-made dragon architecture and only very few tourists make the longer trek out there so you are most likely guaranteed a relatively peaceful photography experience.

TOM SVENSSON

PATRICK DI FRUSCIA

Patrick Di Fruscia is a World Nature and Landscape photographer. His work has won many awards, has been published and displayed thru a multitude of Medias (books, calendars, magazines, travel guides etc.) and by many prestigious companies such as National Geographic, Time Magazine, and Wall Street Journal, just to name a few. He has has also been displayed in art galleries around the world, including the Carnevale Gallery located in Ceasar’s Palace, Las Vegas and the Smithsonian Museum of National History in Washington DC.

GEAR: Patrick uses Canon equipment. His favourite camera lens combination is the Canon 5Dsr with his trusted 11-24L lens.  He also a frequent user of the Formatt Hitech Firecrest Ultra line of high quality filters. For aerial photography, Patrick uses strictly DJI drones. And last but not least, uses Really Right Stuff tripods and ballheads.

PORTFOLIO: www.DiFrusciaPhotography.com

International airfare to China is not included. Since many of our costumers prefer to book their flights on their own, we have decided to not include the airfares in our price. But if you wish, we are more than happy to help you arrange all your flights.

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL CHENGDU

We gather in the afternoon at our hotel in Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province which is famous for its silk embroideries, great food and of course for its giant pandas. We start off our visit in Chengdu with a walk in the area around Kungzhai Ally, an area in typical ​​old Chinese style. The evening’s welcome dinner will be our first chance to interact with group members and discuss our upcoming photo adventure while enjoying the meal with the region’s many specialties. (D)

DAY 2 – CHENGDU

In the morning we will visit Dujiangyan Panda Base, located outskirts of Chengdu. This research center focuses on rehabilitation of injured and ill pandas. The center opened in 2013 and back then it had a capacity to handle 10 injured pandas, but it has now been expanded to handle up to 40 at a time. During our visit we will hear more about their work. After lunch, we continue to photograph the fascinating giant pandas at Chengdu’s famous Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a world-class conservation center. The center is home to about 100 giant pandas living in an environment very similar to their natural habitat in the wild. We will be able to take exciting photos from up close while learning more about these animals and how they survived despite increased threats to their existence. In the park we will also have the opportunity to experience and photograph the red pandas. After a day full of photography, we enjoy a great dinner at a local restaurant.(B, L, D)

DAY 3 – CHENGDU TO  TANGJIAHE

This morning we drive north along the Fu River through lush forests towards the Minshan Mountains. Along the way we will also make various photo stops. In the afternoon we stop at the Gansu Muslim village of Qing Xi, where we will be able to document buildings from the Qing Dynasty, as well as experience the locals’ everyday life. Following lunch at a local restaurant, we continue driving into the wilderness towards Tangjiahe Wild Panda Nature Reserve. Little known to the outsiders and visited by very few westerners, this chain of nature reserves is our destination today. We drive up through a narrow valley to reach our hotel, Tangjiahe Hotel, where we will stay for three nights. In the evening we have dinner at the hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 4-5 – TANGJIAHE 

During these two days our aim will be to watch out for some of the park’s diverse wildlife including endangered giant pandas believed to be about 60 in numbers, Golden monkeys, takin, Musk deer and more rare animals like Asian black bear, Red pandas and leopards. We will have opportunity to document the park’s animals and wildlife both in the morning and evening. We make trips to hike nature trails with stunning views, waterfalls, rocky gorges and foggy mountain peaks in search for the rare giant pandas and our exclusive permits allows us to enter the core areas of the reserve where the pandas live freely. Although they are very difficult to discover in the dense bamboo forest, the very knowledge that they are nearby is very exciting. During the days we have a  picnic lunch out in the park while dinner is served at the hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 – TANGJIAHE TO JIUZHIAGOU

Today, we leave our hotel and head out to the city of Pingwu through the beautiful countryside. Along the way we make a visit to Suojang Primary School to experience their way of teaching. The school was completely destroyed during the 2008 earthquake but has since been restored. During the visit we also donate some books to the school. On arrival at Pingwu, we will visit the Buddhist Bao’en temple, one of China’s best-preserved 14th Century monasteries. Among the frescoes and carvings inside the temple you can find a thousand armed wooden statues of a female Bodhisattva and impressive pieces of Ming Dynasty’s Buddhist art.

Our journey continues on winding roads crossing over the 3,600m high mountain pass called the Rhododendron Pass and descend towards Jiuzhai valley on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. The views are spectacular and of course we make a number of photo stops along the way. In the Jiuzhai valley the Tibetan culture is dominating and you can see their colorful villages and many prayer wheels everywhere. The photo stops will definitely add up while we drive through the countryside soaking breathtaking views, beautiful sceneries and many cultural attractions. Upon arrival at Jiuzhaigou we check in at Sanroyal International Hotel, where balance of the day will be at leisure. Dinner will be at the hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 – JIUZHIAGOU NATIONAL PARK

We spend the day in scenic Jiuzhiagou National Park, featured in UNESCO’s World Heritage List and classified as China’s most beautiful national park. Its spectacular setting with steep mountain peaks, gorges, forests, meadows and a variety of lakes and waterfalls provides endless photo opportunities. Among all these natural beauties, a series of limestone pools filled with blue green water may be the highlight of the park. Jiuzhiagou is also one of the best places in the world to photograph waterfalls. Here we have some great opportunities to practice some long exposure photos while capturing the majestic waterfalls. However, Jiuzhaigou offers more than just a spectacular landscape. There are also nine Tibetan villages in the park. During our day here we have the opportunity to visit at least one of these. Today we have lunch in the park and dinner at the hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 8 – CHENGDU TO BEIJING

Following breakfast this morning, we drive through some of the region’s most beautiful parts with several photo stops along the way. Our goal is Chengdu where we arrive in the afternoon for onward flight to Beijing. On arrival at Beijing, we are transferred to our hotel, where the balance of the day is at leisure. Dinner tonight is on your own. (B, L)

DAY 9 – BEIJING TO JINSHANLING, THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

After breakfast, we check-out followed by a visit to some of Beijing’s most famous attractions. First to visit the impressive Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is centrally located in Beijing and with its 440,000 m² it is one of the world’s largest squares with a capacity of 1 million people. It was here that, on October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong declared the formation of the People’s Republic of China. The square is just outside the Forbidden City, the imperial palace, built in 1409 and is the world’s largest palace. The palace is also featured on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Following lunch, we drive towards Jinshanling, about 130 km outside of Beijing. This is one of the most beautiful parts of the Great Wall in the country. After checking in at our hotel which is located very close to the wall, we spend the time until sunset waking around and photographing on the Great Wall. Here we have the opportunity to capture amazing scenery at one of the world’s seven wonders, while the sun slowly turns golden and descends over the rolling landscape. Dinner is served at a local restaurant near the hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 10 – JINSHANLING TO BEIJING

Early in the morning, we head back to the Great Wall to capture the amazing morning light that shines over the dramatic landscape as the sun rises above the horizon. When we are done photographing we eat breakfast at the hotel before we return to Beijing. Back in Beijing we spend the afternoon visiting the famous Pearl market for some shopping. In the evening we have a farewell dinner together and Tom and Patrick will pick out the best photo of the trip. (B, L, D)

DAY 11 – DEPARTURE

On our last day you will have some time for your own activities before being transferred to the airport for your flight back home. (B)

HOTELS

CHENGDU: TIANFU SUNSHINE HOTEL ****

The hotel is a centrally located first class hotel near attractions such as Wenshu Monastery, Chunxi Road and Yanshikou. Tianfu Sunshine Hotel has 220 modern rooms all with TV, Wi-Fi, air conditioning and balcony / terrace. The hotel has a restaurant, casino, 24-hour front desk and room service. The hotel also offers excellent recreational facilities including gym, sauna, outdoor pool, spa and massage.

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TANG JIA HE: TANGJIAHE HOTEL ****

Tangjiahe Hotel provides a relaxing atmosphere and modern rooms for visitors to Tangjiahe Nature Reserve. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar as well as a souvenir shop. Wi-Fi is available at the reception.

The hotel is the only one located inside the reserve’s core areas, making it ideal for trips to the park.

JIUZHAIGOU: SANROYAL HOTEL **** Sanroyal International Hotel has two restaurants as well as a bar. The 198 modern rooms of the hotel all have private bathroom, cable TV, air conditioning and Wi-Fi.

The hotel is located just 1.5 km from the entrance to Jiuzhiagou National Park and 6 km from the stunning Nuorilang Waterfall.

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THE GREAT WALL: QIANG SHENG INN **

Located at the foot of the Great Wall of Jinshanling, Qiang Sheng Inn is the best place for you to visit and photograph the great wall.

The hotel is of simple standard. The rooms have a toilet with shower and TV, air conditioning and Wi-Fi.

BEIJING: NOVOTEL BEIJING XIN QIAO ****

The Novotel Beijing Xin Qiao Hotel is centrally located and has all the amenities you would expect from a modern first class hotel. The hotel rooms are spacious and feature satellite TV, a safe and Wi-Fi. The hotel’s restaurant offers a variety of options, ranging from a Chinese menu, to Japanese and Western dishes. The Novotel also has a bar, several shops as well as a SPA that offers several different pools with different temperatures and treatments.

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