11–16 DEC 2027 · 6 Days / 5 Nights
Sichuan Photography Tour
Frozen waterfalls, turquoise lakes, old teahouses and traces of ancient Shu shape a winter journey through Sichuan's landscape and living culture
About This Tour
Winter reveals a different Jiuzhaigou. The crowds have gone, leaving behind a quieter landscape where waterfalls freeze into delicate curtains of blue ice, ancient forests stand bare against the mountains, and mineral-rich lakes retain their remarkable clarity beneath the cold. Every scene feels simplified, distilled to light, colour, and form.
The journey begins in Huanglong, where snow settles across limestone terraces and vivid turquoise pools glow beneath the winter sky. We continue into Jiuzhaigou, photographing frozen cascades, crystal-clear lakes, and reflections that often become even more striking in the stillness of December. Beyond the landscapes lies another side of Sichuan — in Chengdu, centuries-old teahouses preserve the rhythm of everyday life, while Sanxingdui, Wuhou Shrine, Du Fu Thatched Cottage, and the Three Su Memorial Temple reveal a civilisation whose influence reaches back more than three thousand years.
"Ice, smoke, and 3,000 years of civilisation — photography opens the shutter. Culture steps through."
Photography Highlights
Winter brings extraordinary clarity to Huanglong's famous travertine terraces. Snow gathers along the limestone formations while mineral-rich pools glow in shades of turquoise, emerald, and amber beneath the crisp mountain light. The contrast between warm colour and winter silence creates compositions found only during the coldest weeks of the year.
Jiuzhaigou's lakes are renowned for their remarkable transparency, but on calm winter mornings they become perfect mirrors. Bare forests, distant peaks, and pale skies are reflected with astonishing clarity, creating quiet, symmetrical compositions where the boundary between landscape and reflection seems to disappear completely from view.
Even in winter, Jiuzhaigou's waterfalls continue to flow, never quite stopping even as the cold deepens around them. Long exposures soften the rushing water into graceful ribbons against moss-covered rock, while ice gradually forms along the edges, bringing together movement and stillness within a single quiet frame, day after day.
As temperatures fall, sections of the waterfalls freeze into translucent walls of blue ice, sculpted slowly by flowing water and winter air still moving somewhere beneath the surface. These fragile formations shift from one day to the next, asking photographers to arrive early and stay with the changing morning light.
Sichuan's story reaches well beyond its mountains. The bronze masks of Sanxingdui, the literary legacy of the Three Su family, Wuhou Shrine, and Du Fu's Thatched Cottage trace a civilisation more than three thousand years old, its presence still felt across the region in ways both subtle and lasting.
Morning arrives slowly inside Pengzhen's century-old teahouse. Shafts of light filter through wooden windows as tea steam and cigarette smoke drift across weathered faces. Conversations unfold unhurriedly, creating timeless opportunities for environmental portraits rich in atmosphere and quiet humanity.
Your Lead Guide
For more than two decades, Steve Chong has photographed the mountains, valleys, and cultural landmarks of southwest China, returning repeatedly to Sichuan in search of its finest seasonal conditions. His familiarity with Jiuzhaigou extends beyond its famous viewpoints to the subtle changes in winter light, frozen waterfalls, and the quiet hours when reflections are at their best.
This expedition combines three photographic disciplines within a single journey: landscape photography in Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou, environmental portraiture inside Pengzhen's historic teahouse, and cultural photography among some of China's most significant historical sites.
Throughout the expedition, Steve provides practical guidance on composition, exposure, long-exposure technique, visual storytelling, and working with changing natural light, helping participants respond confidently to every photographic opportunity the journey presents.
"Every composition begins long before the shutter is pressed. It begins with patience, careful observation, and respect for the rhythms of a place."
A Gift of Appreciation
Every participant receives a personally signed copy of Steve's book — The Light & Mist of Yuan Yang, his photographic collection created over years of returning to one of China's most celebrated landscapes.
Although this expedition explores the frozen beauty of Sichuan, the book reflects another chapter of Steve's photographic journey — one shaped by mist, terraces, and patient observation. It is a lasting reminder that memorable photographs are created not by destinations alone, but by returning often enough to truly understand them.
"Take home a book — and a journey that cannot be replicated."
Join the Expedition
Limited places. Serious photographers.
Designed for a small group of dedicated photographers, this expedition balances outstanding winter landscapes with meaningful cultural experiences. With only a handful of participants, every photographer has the freedom, guidance, and time to work thoughtfully in changing light and make the most of every location
Full itinerary · Pricing