Wild China Photo Expedition

Small groups are the best way to experience nature travel, and this is especially true for our photographic adventures. With no more than 10 travelers, you’re assured plenty of space and personalized attention when you need it. As a small group, we maintain the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions in a way that maximizes the photo opportunities—we'll depart early in the morning to chase the best light, remain at a site of specific photographic interest to fully explore the potential, or move to a new destination when desired. Our expert naturalist and accomplished photographer is always available to answer your questions, provide tips and techniques, and to help you better understand and photograph this remarkable region of the world.

Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s) and local guides, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on final day, some alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, still camera fees, airport transfers on Day 1 and final day, passage aboard the bullet train from Xi'an to Guangyuan, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.

Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, some alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees, optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry, etc.), required medical evacuation insurance, optional travel protection insurance.

Among many travelers, China tends to be known more for its history and culture than its nature. But we focus on the natural treasures most visitors miss, including an in-depth experience with the pandas of Sichuan province and a remote, rarely visited wildlife reserve where wild giant pandas live and breed, as well as a host of other rare animals and birds. Our staff who helped create the itinerary commented: “This itinerary trades time spent in polluted air, traffic, crowds and airports for beautiful, pristine mountain country. But we don’t always have 5-star restaurants or services, and English-speaking locals and hotel staff do not exist in many areas. Parts of the trip are more rustic, but the nature rewards are so worth it!”

A Note About Wildlife Viewing in China
Our itinerary is carefully designed to capitalize on the very best opportunities to see and photograph rare Chinese wildlife, maximizing your chances for sightings; however, it's important to note that there is a fundamental difference between the wildlife experience in China and what you would experience on a typical African safari, for instance. Terrain here is heavily forested, and while wildlife abounds in natural areas, animals are not always easy to see or photograph. Many are expertly camouflaged or hidden within the vegetation, making them challenging to spot. To date, we have never seen a giant panda in the wild, as they are exceptionally elusive. But rangers have seen them, and we have seen signs of them, including chewed bamboo and scat. Guests should not come to China expecting to see wild pandas, but it is exhilarating nonetheless to know we are in their midst. Weather can also affect wildlife sightings, and when it is inclement, animals may be more likely to take cover in the deep forest. Our seasoned Expedition Leaders and local guides are experts at locating wildlife—and we encourage our guests to understand that the privilege of stepping into a wild, untouched world inside China is a reward in itself.

We do have multiple opportunities to see and photograph giant pandas up close, though—a highlight of our trip. These encounters occur not in the wild, but at China's panda research bases where the pandas live within a constructed setting that contains or mimics elements of their natural habitat. While the environment is more zoo-like, it provides a rare chance for hours of observing many pandas at close range, a privilege very few people get to enjoy. It's a moving opportunity not available anywhere else but Sichuan.

A Note About Our Accommodations
While we strive to stay at the best possible accommodations during our adventure, you will find that the standards of comfort and service vary greatly among locations. While in Xi'an we will stay at the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel, which offers luxurious rooms and facilities, and Western standards of excellent service. We will also stay in an upscale, Chinese-style hotel in Dujiangyan. In the more remote areas of the country, we will stay at the most modern and comfortable accommodations available. It is important to note, however, that local standards are often much more rustic and lax than what we might expect in the U.S. Although some may be quite quirky and noticeably lacking in amenities and service, their excellent locations afford us unique access to the more remote and wilder parts of the country.

We try our best to secure non-smoking rooms at all accommodations. However, you may sometimes find that your non-smoking room still has a cigarette smell. It’s not that the room was designated as a smoking room, but that Chinese guests may actually smoke in the room anyway. It is also possible that smells may waft from nearby smoking rooms or smoking floors of the hotel. Please let your Expedition Leader know immediately upon check in to each accommodation if there are any concerns that he or she can address to make your stay more comfortable.

A Note About Meals
Breakfasts will be taken at our hotels and will generally offer both local and Western options, with some exceptions in the more remote locations. During our stay at these accommodations, our guide team will bring some Western provisions along so that we may have a few breakfast options other than local cuisine.

For lunches and dinners, it is important to keep in mind that we are traveling well off the beaten tourist path and as such, only Chinese fare will be available in the remote locations that we visit. In these areas, we strive to dine in places that highlight authentic, local cuisine. Meals are delicious and plentiful and are often served in traditional Chinese family-style—several different dishes will be brought to the center of the table, and travelers will serve themselves from these shared dishes. We will do our very best to choose dishes that offer as much variety as possible, but meal options in these areas can be limited and somewhat repetitive.

This trip begins in Xi’an and ends in Chengdu. Because this is a long international journey with significant travel time, we recommend that you arrive the night before Day 1 to rest from your travels and begin the trip refreshed. For guests who come in early, recommended hotels will be included in your pre-departure materials.

If you plan to arrive on Day 1, you must arrive in Xi’an by 9 am in order to participate in activities beginning at 11:30 am.

You may depart Chengdu at any time on the final day, and we recommend using Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) for your departure flights.

Our Natural Habitat Adventures Travel Desk can best assist with your travel reservations, as our staff is familiar with the specific requirements of this program and can help arrange the most efficient itinerary. Please call us at 800-543-8917. While we offer the best available rates to us on airfare and additional nights’ accommodations, you may occasionally find special web rates or lower fares online.