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September 28: Six days of autumn photography in Ulan Butong with Chuzhong Huang — mist, golden birches, horses and sunsets; three per SUV2026-09-28 · Linked trip

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September 28: Six days of autumn photography in Ulan Butong with Chuzhong Huang — mist, golden birches, horses and sunsets; three per SUV
BEYOND THE FRAME / FIELD JOURNAL 01

China

September 28: Six days of autumn photography in Ulan Butong with Chuzhong Huang — mist, golden birches, horses and sunsets; three per SUV

A photographic expedition

2026-09-28 — 2026-10-03Date timezone: Beijing · Asia/Shanghai
6 days/ 5 nightsTime to create
Up to 11 photographersGroup size

Go beyond the view.

Photograph birch woodland, rolling grasslands and autumn light around Beigou, Wucai Mountain and Aobaotu. A staged galloping-horse session and returning-herd photography offer practice with front light, backlight and movement. Timing depends on weather and local conditions. Visit Princess Lake, Panlong Canyon, Hamaba and Toufeng Gully for reflections, valleys, sunrise and sunset. Morning mist depends on the weather.

01

Birch forests and autumn grasslands

Photograph birch woodland, rolling grasslands and autumn light around Beigou, Wucai Mountain and Aobaotu.

02

Galloping horses and herds

A staged galloping-horse session and returning-herd photography offer practice with front light, backlight and movement. Timing depends on weather and local conditions.

03

Lakes, valleys and changing light

Visit Princess Lake, Panlong Canyon, Hamaba and Toufeng Gully for reflections, valleys, sunrise and sunset. Morning mist depends on the weather.

THROUGH THE LENS

The journey in pictures

Leading photographers: Chuzhong Huang →

Destination illustrations · select a photo to explore

A different way of seeing.

Portrait of Chuzhong Huang

Chuzhong Huang

A rhythm shaped by light.

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

Note: The itinerary may be adjusted according to weather or force majeure.

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 01Sep 28 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiChifeng arrival–Ulan Butong

Arrive at Chifeng Airport for dedicated pickup, then take a tour coach to Bashang. After passing Saihanba, enter Ulan Butong's Bashang Grassland and stay at a hotel in the military horse farm area that night.

Accommodation:Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 02Sep 29 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiFilm location–Beigou–Wucai Mountain

Morning: Depart at 4:00 for sunrise at the film location, a classic Bashang viewpoint, photographing Beigou sunrise or, with luck, morning mist. This distinctly European-looking grassland has served as an outdoor location for many films and television series. White Mongolian tents appear through ethereal mist while scattered horses stroll on meadows. After sunrise, photograph Beigou's birch woods, flowering crabapple thickets, flower-filled upland grasslands, clear blue Wild Duck Lake, and scenery along Five-Colored Mountain. Afternoon: Photograph light through birch forests and grassland scenery. In good weather, first arrange the galloping-horses scene. Horse photography on Bashang requires skill: downhill charges and level-ground galloping demand different techniques. The leader arranges front-lit and backlit runs and varied lighting angles. Backlit herds, flowing manes, and flying hooves create a powerful spectacle. Photograph horse-herder silhouettes in evening glow until sunset.

Accommodation:Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 03Sep 30 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiAobaotu–Yangshubei–Hulunuori

Morning: Leave early for sunrise on Aobaotu's southern mountain, with cloud seas among rolling peaks and beautifully spaced birch forests. After sunrise, photograph light in the birches. Afternoon: Follow the Yangshubei–Hulunor route. Sunshine lays golden gauze across the land; cattle and sheep graze or stroll peacefully through dappled light. As the sun sets, evening glow outlines the herds in gold, merging them with magnificent clouds and boundless landscape in a beautiful pastoral homecoming.

Accommodation:Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 04Oct 1 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiPrincess Lake–Panlong Canyon–Hamaba

Morning: Leave early for sunrise at Princess Lake, photographing mist, reflected birches and cabins, and, with luck, cattle, sheep, and horses drinking. Continue to Panlong Canyon to photograph the Salike River winding with the mountains like a dragon through the valley, its course lined with lush vegetation and flowers. Return to the Bashang hotel at an appropriate time for a midday rest. Afternoon: Photograph Hamaba panoramas and broad landscapes at Hamaba Reservoir, whose clear mirrorlike water reflects blue skies, white clouds, green hills, and trees. Rustic villages below the slopes and scattered wooden-fenced livestock pens create a simple, natural setting. Photograph cattle and sheep returning from pasture until sunset.

Accommodation:Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 05Oct 2 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiToufeng Gully–Nanjing–Songshujingzi

Morning: Leave early for sunrise in Toufeng Gully: rolling peaks in light and shadow, a blue river winding through the canyon, and dead but standing birches in the water conveying age. Then visit Nanjing to photograph cattle and sheep leaving for pasture, rustic villages with curling cooking smoke, and linear wheat fields stirred by morning breezes. Afternoon: Visit Songshujingzi for sunset, photographing light in birch forests and cattle, sheep, and horses scattered around rolling hills en route.

Accommodation:Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief
DAY 06Oct 3 · Beijing · Asia/ShanghaiUlan Butong–Chifeng departure

Check out after breakfast and return by coach to Chifeng Airport, concluding the six-day autumn photography trip.

Accommodation:Departure; no overnight stay planned

Final arrangements follow the operator’s departure brief

Where we stay

Planned overnight arrangements; bookings, room types and hotel standards are to be confirmed. Day 1: Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed Day 2: Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed Day 3: Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed Day 4: Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed Day 5: Hotel in the Ulan Butong military horse farm area; property and continued stay to be confirmed Day 6: Departure; no overnight stay planned

Getting there

These are reference flights, not mandatory services. Confirm group operation, transfers and connections before booking. September 28: Guangzhou–Shijiazhuang CZ3183, 10:25–13:10; Shijiazhuang–Chifeng GS6675, 15:20–16:50. October 3: Chifeng–Qingdao GS6651, 15:20–16:40; Qingdao–Guangzhou CZ5900, 18:45–21:55. Coach transfers are planned for arrival and departure days, with three participants per off-road vehicle for four days in Bashang.

Know what is included.

USD 932.87 Original CNY 6,248 · Reference rates 2026-09-18 · Frankfurterperson

Platform service fee to be confirmed

Deposit USD 298.61 Original CNY 2,000 · Reference rates 2026-09-18 · Frankfurter / person

Included

Accommodation throughout;

Four days in Bashang with three people per SUV, plus coaches for the two arrival/departure days;

Admission to Ulan Butong and Hamaba scenic areas;

One staged galloping-horses session and cattle-and-sheep homecoming photography fees;

Photography instruction and services from the instructor throughout;

Insurance.

Not included

Round-trip major transportation;

Main meals, shared equally;

An unmatched male or female traveler, or anyone requesting a private room, must pay a full-trip single supplement;

Natural disasters, war, strikes, flight delays or cancellations may require itinerary changes or cancellation. Additional accommodation, meals and transport are settled according to actual expenses, with efforts to minimize participants’ losses.

Other additional service fees not listed;

Service fees, supplements, taxes and the final total are subject to written confirmation.

Clarity before departure.

Availability and registration

Register your interest in this trip. Group operation, availability, total payment and booking terms are to be confirmed with the operator.

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] The amount 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. [amount adjustments] the organizing team reserves the right to adjust amount if major fluctuations in international fuel markets 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 expenses, guests wishing to join such activities should contact the service provider themselves for information, amount 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 amount or service standards of free-time activities; guests bear the outcomes themselves. The photographs above were taken by the photography instructors.

Fitness, equipment and conditions

Equipment and fitness requirements will be provided by the operator.

USD 932.87 Waitlist · person
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