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March 10, 2027: Two instructors, Huang Wenyue and Lin Weixi, lead you to Socotra, the island on Earth most like another planet!2027-03-10 · Linked trip

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March 10, 2027: Two instructors, Huang Wenyue and Lin Weixi, lead you to Socotra, the island on Earth most like another planet!
BEYOND THE FRAME / FIELD JOURNAL 01

Yemen

March 10, 2027: Two instructors, Huang Wenyue and Lin Weixi, lead you to Socotra, the island on Earth most like another planet!

A photographic expedition

2027-03-10 — 2027-03-19Date timezone: Asia/Aden
10 days/ 9 nightsTime to create
Group size to be confirmedGroup size

Go beyond the view.

Socotra, a remote Yemeni island, is known for distinctive natural scenery and rich biodiversity. One of the Earth's most isolated landscapes, it is home to nearly 700 distinctive species, many found only here. White beaches, desert roses, dragon's blood trees and rare wildlife create an almost extraterrestrial world. Desert roses bloom quietly across Socotra's wilderness. Not true roses, they take their name from the beautiful flowers they produce in arid conditions. Adenium socotranum belongs to the dogbane family and is a drought-adapted succulent native to Socotra.

01

Socotra island landscapes

White beaches | Dragon's blood trees | Dagub Cave Starry skies | Desert roses | Rare wildlife and plants Socotra, a remote Yemeni island, is known for distinctive natural scenery and rich biodiversity. One of the Earth's most isolated landscapes, it is home to nearly 700 distinctive species, many found only here. White beaches, desert roses, dragon's blood trees and rare wildlife create an almost extraterrestrial world.

02

Desert roses

Desert roses bloom quietly across Socotra's wilderness. Not true roses, they take their name from the beautiful flowers they produce in arid conditions. Adenium socotranum belongs to the dogbane family and is a drought-adapted succulent native to Socotra.

03

Dragon's blood trees

The dragon's blood tree is an ancient, remarkable plant. Its deep-red resin is known as 'dragon's blood'. At night, the trees take on a mysterious quality against the stars, seeming to bridge earth and sky and unite the mysteries of nature and the universe.

04

White beaches

White beaches are one of the landscape photography subjects on Socotra.

THROUGH THE LENS

The journey in pictures

Leading photographers: Weixi Lin →ALVIN Huang →

Destination illustrations · select a photo to explore

A different way of seeing.

Portrait of ALVIN Huang

ALVIN Huang

Specializes in documentary, portrait and landscape photography. He has explored dozens of intangible cultural heritage subjects and travelled extensively in western China for photographic projects. Each year he leads private, customized leisure photography and travel portrait trips overseas. An experienced retoucher with comprehensive photographic knowledge and advanced digital post-production skills, he has received dozens of provincial-level or higher awards and international awards. Photography journeys He has led groups to Norway, Iceland, Russia, Japan, New Zealand, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Dongba, Semporna, Israel, Jordan, Iran, Indonesian Papua, Namibia, Manado, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Chinese destinations include Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Guizhou.

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: this itinerary is for reference only. Actual arrangements may be adjusted according to local weather, transport and other conditions.

Itinerary dates and text times without their own zone use: Asia/Aden。Exact times use your selected timezone; dates alone and descriptions such as “morning” are not converted.

DAY 01Mar 10 · Asia/AdenDay 1: March 10 — Guangzhou–Jeddah
Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 02Mar 11 · Asia/AdenDay 2: March 11 — Jeddah–Socotra–Arher White Dunes

Fly to Socotra in the morning, arriving at the island's airport in the afternoon. Meet the local team and visit the Arher white dunes for aerial photographs of white sand and translucent sea. Return to the capital, Hadiboh, and check in at the hotel.

Accommodation:Hotel

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 03Mar 12 · Asia/AdenDay 3: March 12 — Hadibo–Kalysan Canyon–Bottle Tree Valley

After breakfast, drive to Kalysan Canyon, arriving before midday. Marble-white rocks surround green pools, made especially vivid by the midday light. Both distant views and aerial compositions are rewarding. After lunch, visit the bottle-tree valley, the area with the highest concentration of desert roses. Photograph their unusual trunks and abundant blossoms. Camp in the valley and photograph desert roses beneath the stars.

Accommodation:Camping

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 04Mar 13 · Asia/AdenDay 4: March 13 — Bottle Tree Valley–Homhil National Park–Hadibo

Rise early to photograph desert roses in morning light. After breakfast and a short rest at camp, drive to Homhil National Park. The park is home to hundreds of rare plant species found nowhere else, and offers scenes of desert roses growing alongside dragon's blood trees. You may also encounter the rare Egyptian vulture. The park's natural infinity pool opens onto expansive views. Return to Hadiboh in the evening and check in at the hotel.

Accommodation:Hotel

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 05Mar 14 · Asia/AdenDay 5: March 14 — Hadibo–Wadi Difarhu Canyon–Diksam Nature Reserve

After breakfast and a short rest, drive to Wadi Difa Canyon. Its dramatic scenery also provides excellent distant views of the dragon's blood forest. Photograph dragon's blood trees on the hills and canyon landscapes en route before reaching Dixam Nature Reserve. Tonight, camp in the dragon's blood forest. Vast starry skies, gnarled branches and the warm glow from tents provide excellent photographic elements.

Accommodation:Camping

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 06Mar 15 · Asia/AdenDay 6: March 15 — Diksam Nature Reserve–Firmihin Forest

Spend the entire day photographing the dragon's blood forest. Rise early for its misty atmosphere, as a soft veil of fog reveals a different beauty from the night before. After lunch, walk through Firmihin Forest within the reserve, known for its 'plain dragon's blood trees' and desert roses. Observe the gnarled branches and blood-red resin closely. At dusk, photograph sunset, afterglow and silhouettes; aerial views of the forest at sunset are spectacular.

Accommodation:Camping

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 07Mar 16 · Asia/AdenDay 7: March 16 — Firmihin Forest–Dagub Cave–Omaq White Dunes–Hadibo

Photograph the dragon's blood forest in morning light, then return to camp for breakfast. Drive to Dagub Cave to photograph its natural stalactites. Rest after lunch, then photograph the extensive Omaq white dunes in the afternoon. Return to Hadiboh for urban cultural photography.

Accommodation:Hotel

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 08Mar 17 · Asia/AdenDay 8: March 17 — Hadibo–Dolphin Bay–Detwah Lagoon–Hadibo

Rise early for Shuab Beach and take a speedboat to photograph dolphins swimming and leaping in clear water. There may be opportunities to see hundreds at once. Morning seabirds and fishermen heading out from Shuab Beach provide further subjects. After breakfast, visit Detwah Lagoon for classic aerial compositions of blue water and desert roses. Walk along the shore and photograph the lagoon. After lunch, visit the nearby fishing village to photograph welcoming children, whose natural smiles and enthusiasm for interacting with visitors make engaging subjects. Warm afternoon sunlight intensifies the water's color, creating an excellent time for photographs with sea and fishing boats as a backdrop.

Accommodation:Hotel

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 09Mar 18 · Asia/AdenDay 9: March 18 — Socotra–Jeddah

Sleep in, then enjoy free time after breakfast. Transfer to the airport according to the flight schedule and say goodbye to Socotra.

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 10Mar 19 · Asia/AdenDay 10: March 19 — Jeddah–home cities

Return to China and conclude the photography trip.

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief

Where we stay

Accommodation on Socotra combines hotels and three nights of camping. Nights 2, 4, 7 and 8: hotels. Nights 3, 5 and 6: camping. Properties, campsites and other overnight arrangements 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. Outbound: March 10: Guangzhou–Jeddah SV883/22:30/04:40+1 day March 11: Jeddah–Socotra IY525/11:00/14:00 Return: March 18: Socotra–Jeddah IY526/14:45/19:10 March 19: Jeddah–Guangzhou SV882/01:50/15:25 Before booking transport, please confirm the departure and travel arrangements through this website.

Know what is included.

USD 5,551.21 Original CNY 37,180 · Reference rates 2026-09-18 · Frankfurterperson

Platform service fee to be confirmed

Deposit USD 2,986.12 Original CNY 20,000 · Reference rates 2026-09-18 · Frankfurter / person

Included

Hotels on Socotra and three nights of camping; properties and camping arrangements are pending confirmation with the operator.

Off-road vehicles throughout, with 3 participants per vehicle;

The best available dining arrangements on Socotra throughout;

Visas for the entire journey;

Photography instruction and services throughout;

Full-trip personal assistance from a Chinese-speaking tour leader;

Main entrance tickets to all attractions;

Travel accident insurance;

Bottled drinking water for every participant each day.

Not included

All flights from your departure city to Jeddah and between Jeddah and Socotra, round trip;

Potential tips for travel-service staff and people being photographed;

Single supplements requested by participants;

Personal expenses, including laundry, telephone, fax, pay television, late-night meals, drinks, postage, luggage handling and evening activities;

In force majeure circumstances such as natural disasters, war or strikes, or exceptional events including flight delays or cancellations and consular visa delays, the organizing team reserves the right to cancel or modify the itinerary. Additional expenses, including visas, accommodation, meals, transport and national airfare adjustments, may be charged at expense. We will nevertheless try within our ability to minimize participants' losses;

Other unspecified additional service charges and personal expenses;

Other additional expenses not listed under inclusions.

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

Before departure, participants and the organizing team may sign a written travel contract or give notice terminating the trip agreement. The contract is legally binding. If termination is requested more than 30 days before departure, excluding day 30, neither party is liable for breach. Days are calculated by subtracting the date the termination notice is received from the departure date; the same calculation applies below. If the organizing team terminates the agreement, all travel fees must be refunded without deducting visa or entry-permit fees. If a participant terminates after a visa or entry permit has been processed or a flight booked, the relevant visa, entry-permit and flight cancellation charges are deducted. The organizing team must refund the travel fees within 5 working days of receiving the termination notice. If either party terminates within 30 days of departure, including day 30, the terminating party bears liability for breach. [Liability of the organizing team] If the organizing team terminates the trip agreement within 30 days of departure, including day 30, it must refund all travel fees without deducting visa, entry-permit or similar charges, and pay compensation according to the following schedule: 30 to 15 days before departure: compensation of 2% of the total trip fee; 14 to 7 days before departure: compensation of 5% of the total trip fee; 6 to 4 days before departure: compensation of 10% of the total trip fee; 3 to 1 days before departure: compensation of 15% of the total trip fee; On the departure date: compensation of 20% of the total trip fee. If this compensation does not cover the participant's actual losses, the organizing team must compensate those actual losses. The organizing team must refund the full trip fee and pay compensation within 5 working days of receipt of the cancellation notice. [Participant liability] Participants terminating the agreement within 30 days of departure must pay the organizing team a business-loss charge according to the following schedule: 30 to 15 days before departure: 5% of the total trip fee; 14 to 7 days before departure: 15% of the total trip fee; 6 to 4 days before departure: 70% of the total trip fee; 3 to 1 days before departure: 85% of the total trip fee; On the departure date: 90% of the total trip fee; If these percentages do not cover the organizing team's actual losses, the participant must compensate the actual losses, up to the total trip fee. After deducting the business-loss charge, the organizing team must refund the remaining travel fees within 5 working days of receiving the participant's cancellation notice.

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 we 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.

Fitness, equipment and conditions

Equipment and fitness requirements will be provided by the operator.

USD 5,551.21 Waitlist · person
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