01 / THE PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY
Go beyond the view.
In winter, Laojun Mountain sheds its greenery and becomes a sought-after palace of snow and ice. People say, “Journey far to a breathtaking earthly feast, and behold the world's splendid beauty”; only when snow falls on the golden roofs do you understand that these words describe Laojun Mountain in Luanchuan. Golden pheasants, forest spirits unique to China, are widely regarded as the phoenix's inspiration and are nationally protected Class II birds. Their multicolored golden plumage looks magnificent against snow. They gather in Laojun Mountain's winter forests, their feathers glowing vividly at dawn and dusk. A premier subject combining landscape and wildlife, they symbolize good fortune and produce distinctively Chinese images.
Laojun Mountain snow and illuminated golden roofs
In winter, Laojun Mountain sheds its greenery and becomes a sought-after palace of snow and ice. People say, “Journey far to a breathtaking earthly feast, and behold the world's splendid beauty”; only when snow falls on the golden roofs do you understand that these words describe Laojun Mountain in Luanchuan. As darkness falls and Laojun Mountain's lights come on, you instantly enter a fantasy martial-arts drama. Snow covers rooftops, warm yellow lights outline golden temples, mist drifts slowly through the mountains, and illuminated boardwalks wind upward. Viewed from South Heaven Gate, the entire sacred mountain floats in the night. Every frame is wallpaper-worthy without filters.
Golden pheasant photography
Golden pheasants, forest spirits unique to China, are widely regarded as the phoenix's inspiration and are nationally protected Class II birds. Their multicolored golden plumage looks magnificent against snow. They gather in Laojun Mountain's winter forests, their feathers glowing vividly at dawn and dusk. A premier subject combining landscape and wildlife, they symbolize good fortune and produce distinctively Chinese images.
Winter icefalls at Hukou Waterfall
Winter Hukou is half ancient cliff encased in ice, half ceaselessly rushing Yellow River. Rainbows hide in spray, revealing the landscape's spirit at a glance.
The journey in pictures
Leading photographers: Weixi Lin →
Destination illustrations · select a photo to explore
02 / IN GOOD COMPANY
A different way of seeing.
Leading photographers
Weixi Lin · View photographer profile →
Weixi Lin
Has led photography trips to Iceland, Norway, New Zealand, Russia, Indonesia, Semporna, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Niubei Mountain in western Sichuan, Nyingchi, the Qiantang River, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Yangzhou, Wuxi, Yongfu in Fujian, Dongying, Zhongwei, the Yuanyang rice terraces, Xianggong Mountain and Zhangjiajie.
03 / THE DAYS AHEAD
A rhythm shaped by light.
Shooting locations, accommodation and transport are subject to confirmation before departure and may change with the weather.
Note: Photography locations above are for reference only. The leader will adjust them according to local weather, scenes, and other factors for the best results.
Itinerary dates and text times without their own zone use: Beijing · Asia/Shanghai。Exact times use your selected timezone; dates alone and descriptions such as “morning” are not converted.
DAY 01Jan 4 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 1: Meet at Luoyang airport/station–travel to Laojun Mountain
Private pickup at Luoyang airport/station, then travel to Laojun Mountain.
Accommodation:Guesthouse at the foot of the mountain inside Laojun Mountain Scenic Area
Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure briefDAY 02Jan 5 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 2: Full day on Laojun Mountain
Ascend by cable car in the morning and stay in a summit guesthouse in the Golden Summit core area, beside South Heaven Gate and Ten-Mile Painted Screen. Explore freely all day: leisurely afternoon photography of rime, icicles, and cliffside boardwalks, sunset in the evening, stars at night, and sunrise next morning, without tiring repeated ascents and descents.
Accommodation:Guesthouse on Laojun Mountain
Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure briefDAY 03Jan 6 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 3: Laojun Mountain–Sanmenxia
Photograph sunrise at Golden Summit, then descend and depart for Sanmenxia after noon. Visit Shanzhou's sunken courtyard houses en route to photograph traditional underground courtyard architecture, intangible folk heritage, and tranquil winter village life. Arrive at Sanmenxia Swan Lake Wetland Park in the afternoon to capture lively whooper swans playing and spreading their wings.
Accommodation:Hotel near Sanmenxia Swan Lake
Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure briefDAY 04Jan 7 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 4: Sanmenxia–Yuncheng flamingos–Hukou Waterfall
Depart for Hukou Waterfall after noon, photographing winter landforms of the Loess Plateau along the way.
Accommodation:Hotel near Hukou Waterfall
Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure briefDAY 05Jan 8 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 5: Hukou icefalls–Xi'an airport transfer
Photograph Hukou's winter icefalls early in the morning, then travel together to Xi'an for airport/station drop-off at the designated location, successfully concluding the photography trip.
Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure briefWhere we stay
Day 1:Guesthouse at the foot of the mountain inside Laojun Mountain Scenic Area Day 2:Guesthouse on Laojun Mountain Day 3:Hotel near Sanmenxia Swan Lake Day 4:Hotel near Hukou Waterfall Specific hotels and any accommodation arrangements not listed here are pending confirmation with the operator.
Getting there
The services below are the tour leader's reference travel options. They are neither mandatory for participants nor confirmed group transport arrangements. Participants may choose suitable services that fit the meeting and departure times. [Round trip from Guangzhou] Outbound: January 4: Guangzhou–Luoyang CZ3363/07:15/09:45 Return: January 8: Xi'an–Guangzhou CZ3218/20:00/23:05 [Round trip from Shenzhen] Outbound: January 3: Shenzhen–Luoyang CZ8553/20:55/23:30 (arrive one day early) Return: January 8: Xi'an–Shenzhen CZ8496/20:10/22:55 Before booking transport, please confirm the departure and travel arrangements through this website.
04 / A CLEAR PICTURE
Know what is included.
Platform service fee to be confirmed
Included
Photography instruction and services throughout the trip.
Before the course: the logistics team reserves hotels and organizes the itinerary in advance, giving everyone an overview of the photography plan;
During the course: on-location guidance from the instructor to help participants achieve their photographs;
During the course: a series of themed post-processing sessions integrating theory and practice;
After the course: participants share and review their photographs, learn from one another and develop work they are happy with.
Not included
Round-trip transport between your departure city and the destination;
Local vehicle expenses throughout the trip;
Accommodation throughout the trip;
Meals during the itinerary;
Insurance for the entire journey;
Admission tickets listed in the itinerary;
Personal expenses;
Attractions or activities added outside the itinerary.
Service fees, supplements, taxes and the final total are subject to written confirmation.
05 / BEFORE YOU GO
Clarity before departure.
Availability and registration
This website accepts expressions of interest in this trip and does not synchronize the operator's remaining places in real time. Please contact us to confirm group departure, availability, the final quotation and booking conditions.
Cancellation and breach provisions
Participants and the organizing team may give written notice before departure to terminate the trip agreement. If notice is given more than 7 days before departure, calculated as the difference in calendar days between departure and receipt of the termination notice, neither party is liable for breach provided no actual expenses have been incurred, such as flight or high-speed rail tickets booked with both parties' knowledge. For later termination, the party terminating the agreement bears liability for breach. [Liability of the organizing team] If we notify participants within 7 days of departure that the group cannot operate, we will refund all fees and pay compensation. For notice given 7 to 4 days before departure, including day 7, compensation is 10% of the total trip fee; for 3 to 1 days before departure, 15%; and on the departure date, 20%. [Participant liability] Participants cancelling within 7 to 4 days before departure, including day 7, must pay us a business-loss charge under the following schedule: 50% of the total trip fee for cancellation 7 to 4 days before departure; 60% for 3 to 1 days before departure; and 80% on the departure date. If these percentages do not cover our actual losses, the participant must compensate the actual losses, up to the total trip fee.
Trip information
[Registration] Registration for this trip is confirmed upon receipt of the deposit. [Transport] 1. Flights booked by the organizing team are economy-class group tickets. Once issued, they cannot be endorsed to another carrier or refunded. 2. Actual flight, driving and boat travel times on the day apply. 3. Airlines and flight schedules above are for reference only. Changes to flight times may require minor itinerary adjustments; the departure notice takes precedence. [Accommodation] Accommodation is based on 2 people sharing 1 room. We will try to pair solo participants with another participant of the same gender. Participants who do not wish to share, or cannot be matched, must pay the single supplement for a room of their own. [Group meals] We try to choose meals suited to Chinese tastes and ensure that every guest receives an adequate portion. [Photography] 1. Photography activities follow the itinerary. In exceptional circumstances, time spent photographing each location will depend on the actual conditions that day. 2. Please read this itinerary carefully and choose a photography trip suited to your circumstances. If you give up part of the itinerary for personal reasons, including health, or request to forgo accommodation or transport, this is considered voluntary withdrawal. expenses already incurred are non-refundable. You are responsible for your personal safety while not participating in the itinerary. 3. Participants may not leave the group without permission during group photography activities, except during free time. Leaving partway through the trip is considered a breach by the participant. Unused photography activities, meals, accommodation and vehicle services are non-refundable, and the organizing team is not responsible for accidents occurring while the participant is away from the group. 4. If force majeure events such as typhoons or blizzards prevent travel according to the agreed itinerary, additional or reduced expenses following changes will be settled according to the travel agency's actual group operating expenses. [Payment adjustments] The organizing team reserves the right to adjust the amount payable if major fluctuations in international oil benchmarks cause substantial increases in fuel surcharges. If the increase is within what the team can absorb, the trip fee will not be adjusted. [Departure notice] 1. The departure notice will be sent no later than 1 day before departure. If arrangements are confirmed earlier, we will notify you as soon as possible. 2. If the online itinerary differs from the departure notice, the departure notice takes precedence. [Optional activities at your own expense] Under the Tourism Law provisions prohibiting travel agencies from organizing or arranging optional activities at additional expense, guests wishing to join such activities should contact the service provider themselves for information, payment details and participation. If language difficulties lead you to ask a guide or tour leader for additional assistance, any paid or unpaid help is provided solely in that person's individual capacity, not on behalf of the organizing team or the local receiving agency. the organizing team has no involvement in the expenses, transaction amounts or service standards of free-time activities; guests bear the outcomes themselves.
Shared expenses and service scope
Travel expenses are shared among participants, including meals, accommodation, vehicles, guides, staged photography and supplies. All participants contribute to the instructor's meals and accommodation whether or not they join those meals or overnight stays; The displayed amount covers photography instruction, service, and logistics planning for the trip, excluding the shared travel expenses above.
Fitness, equipment and conditions
Equipment and fitness requirements will be provided by the operator.
