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December 25: Private Poyang Lake winter bird photography with Weixi Lin — Siberian cranes, Oriental storks, swan geese and waterbirds2026-12-25 · Linked trip

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December 25: Private Poyang Lake winter bird photography with Weixi Lin — Siberian cranes, Oriental storks, swan geese and waterbirds
BEYOND THE FRAME / FIELD JOURNAL 01

China

December 25: Private Poyang Lake winter bird photography with Weixi Lin — Siberian cranes, Oriental storks, swan geese and waterbirds

A photographic expedition

2026-12-25 — 2026-12-29Date timezone: Beijing · Asia/Shanghai
5 days/ 4 nightsTime to create
Group size to be confirmedGroup size

Go beyond the view.

Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, lies in northern Jiangxi Province. It collects water from the Gan, Fu, Xin, Rao, and Xiu rivers before flowing into the Yangtze. During high-water season, waves roll across a boundless expanse where water and sky merge. In the dry season, receding water reveals mudflats, lush vegetation, and swaying reeds. Its shoreline winds past rolling sand hills and vast fertile fields, where migratory birds gather. Its unique location and climate make it a habitat and wintering ground for many rare waterbirds and forest birds. Most notably, Poyang Lake is the world's largest wintering ground for Siberian cranes, gathering approximately 98% of the global population. Late December brings peak migratory bird numbers at Poyang Lake, with Siberian cranes and Oriental storks gathering along its shores for the year's prime photography season. Years of scouting have helped the organizing team select secluded viewpoints away from crowds. The relaxed itinerary avoids hurried early starts and rushed transfers, offering comfortable, productive photography.

01

Poyang Lake wetlands

Poyang Lake shores | Natural wetland grass islands Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, lies in northern Jiangxi Province. It collects water from the Gan, Fu, Xin, Rao, and Xiu rivers before flowing into the Yangtze. During high-water season, waves roll across a boundless expanse where water and sky merge. In the dry season, receding water reveals mudflats, lush vegetation, and swaying reeds. Its shoreline winds past rolling sand hills and vast fertile fields, where migratory birds gather. Its unique location and climate make it a habitat and wintering ground for many rare waterbirds and forest birds. Most notably, Poyang Lake is the world's largest wintering ground for Siberian cranes, gathering approximately 98% of the global population.

02

Winter bird photography

Siberian Crane | Oriental Stork | Swan Goose Geese and ducks | Herons | Storks Late December brings peak migratory bird numbers at Poyang Lake, with Siberian cranes and Oriental storks gathering along its shores for the year's prime photography season. Years of scouting have helped the organizing team select secluded viewpoints away from crowds. The relaxed itinerary avoids hurried early starts and rushed transfers, offering comfortable, productive photography.

03

Siberian cranes and field guidance

Explore Poyang Lake's core Siberian crane habitat and winter gathering grounds, waiting and photographing throughout the day: cranes taking flight, landing low, feeding in shallows, and preening beside water. The instructor explains shutter speeds and practical focusing for bird photography on site, providing immersive study of these national treasures.

THROUGH THE LENS

The journey in pictures

Leading photographers: Weixi Lin →

Destination illustrations · select a photo to explore

A different way of seeing.

Portrait of Weixi Lin

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.

A rhythm shaped by light.

Shooting locations, accommodation and transport are subject to confirmation before departure and may change with the weather.

Note: itinerary timings are for reference only and may shift slightly with the weather. The photography leader will make appropriate adjustments 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 01Dec 25 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 1: December 25 — Arrive and meet in Nanchang

Private transfer to the designated hotel. After lunch, head to Poyang Lake to photograph the spectacular sight of flocks of Siberian cranes dancing against the sunset.

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 02Dec 26 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 2: December 26 — Full day at Poyang Lake

Visit a photography location at Poyang Lake, an excellent place to watch and photograph Siberian cranes. Witness spectacular dancing flocks and capture cranes taking off, landing, feeding, preening, and displaying other behaviors.

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 03Dec 27 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 3: December 27 — Full day photographing birds around Poyang Lake

Visit birdwatching sites at Poyang Lake, where you can photograph rare birds such as Siberian cranes and Oriental storks resting and feeding along the lakeshore at close range.

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 04Dec 28 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 4: December 28 — Full day photographing birds around Poyang Lake

Visit the Poyang Lake wetlands and migratory-bird photography sites for shooting.

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 05Dec 29 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 5: December 29 — Nanchang–home cities

After lunch, pack your luggage and take the transfer vehicle to the high-speed railway station to return to your departure point, concluding an enjoyable bird photography journey.

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief

Where we stay

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 high-speed trains from Hong Kong] Outbound: December 25, 2026: Hong Kong West Kowloon–Nanchang West G5626/G2764/08:17/12:49 (16-minute connection in Shenzhen) Return: December 29, 2026: Nanchang West–Hong Kong West Kowloon G2707/G385/13:01/17:52 (19-minute connection in Shenzhen) [Instructor's return high-speed train to Guangzhou] Return: December 29, 2026: Nanchang West–Guangzhou South G1301/14:34/18:56 Before booking transport, please confirm the departure and travel arrangements through this website.

Know what is included.

USD 246.36 Original CNY 1,650 · Reference rates 2026-09-18 · Frankfurterperson

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: One-to-one on-site guidance from the instructor helps ensure successful photographs;

During the course: The 5-day, 4-night itinerary includes relevant specialist post-processing courses, combining 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.

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.

USD 246.36 Waitlist · person
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