CHINA PHEASANTS AND PANDAS PHOTO TOUR
- Photo Tour
- March 31-April 12, 2025
- Pre tour Extension Yunnan Birds
- March 25-31, 2025
This photo tour focuses on photographing the birds and wildlife of Sichuan Province in China with a particular emphasis on Pheasants and both species of Panda. The beautiful pheasants, some of which will be displaying at this time of year are joined by a number of other birds at the blinds and feeding spots where we will be photographing. The reliable species of pheasants we should get excellent images of include Lady Amherst’s, White-eared, Silver and Golden Pheasants. Other spectacular ones such as Blood Pheasant and Temminck’s Tragopan are possible. The extension features photography of a large number and variety of beautiful smaller birds from blinds. In addition to Ken Archer, we will have one of the top Chinese nature photographers leading the tour.
Maximum Participants: 6 photographers plus non photographer spouses/companions.
Cost and Logistics
Itinerary
March 31 – Arrival to Chengdu, China. Transfer to a nice hotel near the airport.
April 1 – After breakfast we will have a 4 hour transfer to Pinshan, China. We will then have our first afternoon pheasant photography session in the blinds. Deshengyuan Hotel, Pinshan
April 2 and 3 – Two full days of blind photography with morning and afternoon sessions. This is the best location for photographing Lady Amherst’s Pheasants and at this time of year we have a good chance of photographing them in their spectacular displays. We should also get Silver Pheasant, Sichuan Bamboo Partride, and a lot of smaller birds such as Chinese Babax and White-breasted Rosefinch. The beautiful Temmick’s Tragopan is possible.
April 4 – A bit of morning bird photography then we transfer 4.5 hours to Mt. Wawushan, which is the largest National Primeval Forest Park in China. This is one of the best locations for finding and photographing Red Panda in the wild and this will be our top target here. Hotel: Wawushan Grand Hotel.
April 5th – In addition to Red Pandas this park supports over 300 species of birds. Some of our targets include an amazing 9 species of Parrotbills and localized beauties such as Emei Shan Licocichla and Spotted-breasted Scimitar Babbler. The landscapes and scenery in the mountains here are spectacular.
April 6th – We will spend the morning photographing Red Pandas and birds in Wawushan, then in the afternoon we transfer to Kanding. A nice hotel in Kanding.
April 7th – We go over a mountain pass today (2.5 hours) to a high altitude hide in Jiagenba. Our targets here are the beautiful White-eared and Blood Pheasants as well as mammals such as Himalayan Marmot and Woolly Hare as well as small birds such as Robin Accentor and Giant Laughingthrush. Then we will return to Kanding for the evening. For those who wish to avoid high altitudes they can spend the day relaxing at our nice hotel in Kanding.
April 8th – After breakfast we will transfer to our next destination Wolong (5 hours) near the the Giant Panda Research Center. We will do a bit of afternoon bird photography here. Hotel: Siyou Hotel
April 9th – This morning we will visit the Giant Panda Research Center to photograph the Giant Pandas in their enclosures. They are most active during the morning hours and we should be able to get some nice portraits. In the afternoon we will visit Balangshan Mountain for stunning landscapes and walk around bird photography. Koklass Pheasant is possible here. Hotel: Siyou Hotel
April 10th – Another morning with the Giant Pandas, then we will check out and have an afternoon transfer to Wenchuan. A nice hotel in Wenchuan.
April 11th – This morning we will photograph the amazing Golden Pheasant from a blind as well as some smaller birds like Black-faced Laughingthrush. Then we have an afternoon transfer back to Chengdu (3 hours). Hotel: A nice hotel in Chengdu.
April 12th – Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Yunnan Birds Pre-Tour Extension
This pre-tour extension features bird photography of a wide variety of species including pheasants, partridges, laughingthrushes, flycatchers and many others from blinds in the Baihualing, China area.
Cost and Logistics: $3,495 with a $400 single supplement includes internal flights, lodging, meals, guiding, entrance fees. $2.950 nonphotographer spouse/companion.
March 25th – Arrival to Chengdu, China, transfer to a nice hotel near the airport.
March 26th – Morning Flight to Tenchong, China followed by a two hour transfer to Baihualilng Reserve, afternoon bird photography in the blinds. Accommodation: A nice guesthouse.
March 27th-30th – 4 full days of bird photography from the blinds in Baihualing. Here is a list of likely and possible species: Hume’s Pheasant, Mountain-bamboo Partridge, Rufous-throated Partridge, Long-tailed Broadbill, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Spotted, Grey-sided, Blue-winged, Black-throated, Striated, Scaly and Red-tailed Laughingthrushes, Red-faced Liocichla, Silver-eared Mesia, Red-billed Leiothrix, Streak-breasted, Spot-breasted, Coral-billed and Slender-billed Scimitar Babblers, Golden-breasted, Rufous-Winged, White-browed, Rusty-capped, Grey-Cheeked and Yellow-throated Fulvetta, Long-tailed, Black-headed and Beautiful Sibia, Great Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Blue-throated Barbet, Lineated Barbet, Green-eared Barbet, Maroon Oriole, Yellow-bellied Fantail, White-throated Fantail, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Striated Bulbul, Flavescent Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Spectacled Barwing, Streaked Barwing, Blue-winged Minla, Chestnut-tailed Minla, Red-tailed Minla, Whiskered and Stripe-throated Yuhina, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Vivid Niltava, Large Niltava, Grey-headed Canary-flaycatcher, Fire-breasted Flowpecker, Streaked Spiderhunter. Accommodation: A nice guesthouse.
March 31st – Morning bird photography followed by transfer to Tenchong airport for your flight back to Chengdu, a nice hotel near the airport.
Ken Archer
Ken Archer has been photographing the wildlife of the American West for over 25 years and leading workshops with Trogon Photo Tours for the past 9 years.
