Trogon Photo Tours

CHINA PHEASANTS, PANDAS AND BIRDS TOUR

April 19-May 3, 2022

Photo Tour: This tour features both wild and captive Giant and Red Panda photography (Giant is rare in the wild), photography of several fantastic pheasants from blinds at the prime time of year to photograph them displaying and photography of many other birds as well as spectacular scenery in the mountains of Central China.  It takes place mainly at locations within a few hours from Chengdu, China.  The roads and infrastructure are excellent and the accommodations, while not fancy, are comfortable. 

Tour Leaders: Nate Chappell, Charles Gangas and an excellent local photographer.  Charles is an award winning photographer who will help you with both in the field and classroom instruction. The local photographer runs photo tours on a regular basis.

Number of Participants: Maximum of 6 photographers with a maximum of 10 total participants (including nonphotographer spouses and companions). 

Cost: $7,200 per photographer, $6,600 per nonphotographer spouse/companion, $700 single supplement includes all meals, lodging, drinking water, transportation within China including internal flights, guiding, instruction, park fees.  It does not include airfare to get to China, drinks other than water, tips and items of a personal nature such as phone calls or laundry.  



Itinerary:

April 19th - Arrival to Beijing, China, transfer to a 4 star hotel.  If anyone wants to arrive a few days early and see the Great Wall we can help you arrange accommodation and tours.

April 20th - Flight to Chengdu, China.  Then a transfer to Labahe Nature Reserve.  Afternoon photography.  Comfortable accommodation within the reserve.

April 21st and 22nd - 2 full days inside Labahe Nature Reserve.  Our main target here is photographing Red Panda in the wild.  We also have a slight chance for wild Giant Pandas here.  Other wildlife includes Sambar Deer, Tibetan Macaque and various birds.  Comfortable accommodation within the reserve. 

April 23rd - Morning photography at Labahe followed by transfer to Kangding.  Afternoon photography in the bird blind where the main attraction is the amazing Lady Amhersts Pheasant.  Comfortable accommodation in Kangding. 

April 24th - This morning we will be up early for a drive to a high altitude blind which attracts White-eared and Blood Pheasants along with other interesting birds like White-browed Rosefinch as well as the Woolly Hare.  We will then return to Kangding for an afternoon photography shoot at the bird blind there.  In addition to the Lady Amhersts Pheasants there are interesting birds like Giant Laughingthrush and Chinese Babax.  Comfortable accommodation in Kangding.

April 25th - One more morning of photography at the Lady Amhersts blind followed by an afternoon transfer to Wolong, it's about a 5 hour trip so we will relax at our hotel when we arrive in the late afternoon.  A nice hotel near Wolong. 

April 26th and 27th - We will have 2 full days of photography at the Wolong Panda Center.  Here there are Giant and Red Pandas in large enclosures where you can get closeups and natural looking photos of these amazing animals.  A nice hotel near Wolong.  

April 28th - Today depending on how the group feels the evening before and the weather we will either first return to the Panda Center or we will go to Balang Shan Pass for bird and landscape photography.  A nice hotel near Balang Shan.  

April 29th and 30th - We spend 2 full days on Balang Shan Pass, the premier birding road in China.  Some of our targets will include Chinese Monal and Koklass Pheasants, Tibetan Snowcock, Lammergeier and Himalayan Griffon Vultures and several species of Rosefinch, among many others.  The scenery is breathtaking.  A nice hotel near Balang Shan. 

May 1st -One more morning on Balang Shan followed by transfer to Wenchuan and our next bird photography blind.  This blind is specifically for photography of the amazing Golden Pheasant which is common at that spot.  A nice hotel near Wenchuan. 

May 2nd - Morning photography at the Golden Pheasant blind, Black-faced Laughingthrushes visit this blind as well.  Then transfer back to Chengdu and late afternoon flight back to Beijing.  A 4 star hotel in Beijing.

May 3rd - Morning transfer to airport for your flight home or join us in Thailand from May 4-17.  Thailand Photo Tour.