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October 20: Join instructor Ou Mingwei for southern Xinjiang’s autumn colors, photographing desert poplars and local culture!2026-10-20 · Linked trip

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October 20: Join instructor Ou Mingwei for southern Xinjiang’s autumn colors, photographing desert poplars and local culture!
BEYOND THE FRAME / FIELD JOURNAL 01

China

October 20: Join instructor Ou Mingwei for southern Xinjiang’s autumn colors, photographing desert poplars and local culture!

A photographic expedition

2026-10-20 — 2026-11-01Date timezone: Beijing · Asia/Shanghai
13 days/ 12 nightsTime to create
Up to 11 photographersGroup size

Go beyond the view.

Explore southern Xinjiang from Kashgar and the Pamir lakes to Yarkand, Hotan, the Taklamakan Desert, Wensu Grand Canyon and Tarim poplar forest, photographing plateau landscapes, autumn colors and everyday life.

01

Kashgar and southern Xinjiang life

Explore Kashgar Old Town, Yarkand Old Town, the Yarkand royal tombs and Hotan Night Market for architecture and everyday life.

02

Pamir lakes and Panlong Road

Travel from Kashgar to Muji Volcano, White Sand Lake, Tashkurgan, Panlong Road and Bandir Blue Lake for plateau scenery and winding roads.

03

Poplars, desert and canyon

Photograph autumn colors and arid landscapes in Honghai and Tarim poplar forests, the Taklamakan Desert and Wensu Grand Canyon.

THROUGH THE LENS

The journey in pictures

Leading photographers: Mingwei Ou →

Destination illustrations · select a photo to explore

A different way of seeing.

Portrait of Mingwei Ou

Mingwei Ou

Specializes in landscape, night-sky, macro and computational photography using Planit. He has taught introductory photography classes on multiple occasions for an extracurricular club at the Foreign Languages Middle School affiliated with Shenzhen University.

A rhythm shaped by light.

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

Photography may change with weather and road conditions. Day-one old-town photography, border-permit processing and the next day's departure depend on arrival times and await operator confirmation.

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 01Oct 20 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 1: Kashgar arrival–border permit–old town

Meet in Kashgar–Obtain border permits–Kashgar Old City

Accommodation:Kashgar; accommodation awaits operator confirmation

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 02Oct 21 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 2: Kashgar–Muji Volcano–White Sand Lake–Tashkurgan

Kashgar–Muji Volcano–White Sand Lake (stay in Tashkurgan)

Accommodation:Tashkurgan

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 03Oct 22 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 3: Tashkurgan–Panlong Road–Bandir Blue Lake

Tashkurgan–Panlong Ancient Road–Bandir Blue Lake (stay in Tashkurgan)

Accommodation:Tashkurgan

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 04Oct 23 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 4: Tashkurgan–Kashgar

Tashkurgan–Kashgar (stay in Kashgar)

Accommodation:Kashgar

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 05Oct 24 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 5: Kashgar–Honghai poplar forest

Kashgar–Honghai Euphrates Poplar Forest (stay inside the scenic area)

Accommodation:Honghai Poplar Forest Scenic Area

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 06Oct 25 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 6: Bachu–Yarkand–royal tombs–Hotan

Bachu–Yarkant Old Town–Yarkant Royal Mausoleum–Hotan Night Market (stay in Hotan)

Accommodation:Hotan

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 07Oct 26 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 7: Hotan–Jade Lake

Hotan–Hotan Emerald Lake (stay in Hotan)

Accommodation:Hotan

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 08Oct 27 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 8: Hotan–Taklamakan Desert–Aral

Depart Hotan for photography in the Taklamakan Desert, then continue to Aral for the night.

Accommodation:Aral

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 09Oct 28 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 9: Aral–Wensu Grand Canyon–Kuqa

Aral–Wensu Grand Canyon (stay in Kuqa)

Accommodation:Kuqa

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 10Oct 29 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 10: Kuqa–Tarim poplar forest–Korla

Kuqa–Tarim Euphrates Poplar Forest (stay in Korla)

Accommodation:Korla

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 11Oct 30 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 11: Korla–Lop village–Yuli

Korla–Lop Nur People’s Village (stay in Yuli)

Accommodation:Yuli

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 12Oct 31 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 12: Yuli–Hulu Island–Korla

Yuli–Hulu Island (stay in Korla)

Accommodation:Korla

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 13Nov 1 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiDay 13: Depart Korla

Airport transfer in Korla according to flight schedules

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief

Where we stay

Day 1: Kashgar; accommodation awaits operator confirmation Day 2: Tashkurgan Day 3: Tashkurgan Day 4: Kashgar Day 5: Honghai Poplar Forest Scenic Area Day 6: Hotan Day 7: Hotan Day 8: Aral Day 9: Kuqa Day 10: Korla Day 11: Yuli Day 12: Korla Hotels and final stay arrangements await operator confirmation.

Getting there

[Round trip from Guangzhou] Outbound: October 20 | Guangzhou–Urumqi | CZ6886 / 08:10–13:30 (baggage checked through) October 20 | Urumqi–Kashgar | CZ8603 / 14:40–16:45 Return: November 1 | Korla–Beijing | CZ8891 / 11:25–15:40 (baggage checked through) November 1 | Beijing–Guangzhou | CZ3180 / 16:30–19:50 [Round trip from Shenzhen] Outbound: October 20 | Shenzhen–Kashgar | CZ6858 / 14:50–21:30 Return: November 1 | Korla–Beijing | CZ8891 / 11:25–15:40 (baggage checked through) November 1 | Beijing–Shenzhen | CZ3188 / 17:00–20:30 Before booking transport, please confirm the departure and travel arrangements through this website. These services are for reference and do not constitute confirmed group transport. Final services and meeting times await operator confirmation.

Know what is included.

USD 541.98 Original CNY 3,630 · Reference rates 2026-09-18 · Frankfurterperson

Platform service fee to be confirmed

Included

Photography instruction, services and trip logistics planning.

Before departure: assistance with insurance, hotel reservations and itinerary planning. Insurance and accommodation are paid separately; details await operator confirmation.

During the course: on-location guidance from the instructor to help participants achieve their photographs;

During the course: themed 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 trip;

Admission tickets listed in the itinerary;

Attractions or activities added outside the itinerary;

Other unspecified additional services and personal expenses.

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. Flight, driving, and boat journey durations are subject to actual travel times on the day. 2. High-speed train schedules above are for reference only. If circumstances require timing changes, the itinerary may be adjusted slightly; the departure notice takes precedence. [Accommodation] The total 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. [total adjustments] the organizing team reserves the right to adjust amounts if major fluctuations in international oil amounts 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, amounts 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 travel expenses

Travel expenses such as transport, meals, accommodation, guides, staged photography and supplies are paid separately and shared. Participants share the instructor's expenses throughout the trip, including the instructor's meals and accommodation even when a participant does not join a meal or stay. The displayed total covers instruction, services and logistics planning, excluding these shared expenses.

Fitness, equipment and conditions

Equipment and fitness requirements will be provided by the operator.

USD 541.98 Waitlist · person
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