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| Dates |
May 24-June 6, 2005
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| Leader |
Joe Van Os and local guide
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| Fee |
$6,995 from Shanghai, departing from Tokyo
International airfare (including flight from Shanghai to Tokyo) is not included.
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| Deposit |
$400
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| Limit |
14
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Terms and Conditions
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Imagine a contented panda nestled in a quiet bamboo grove. The bear, a perfect study in black and white, and the bamboo, fresh with the vivid greens of springtime and glistening with dew. In the distance, monolithic mountains emerge and evaporate through the ethereal clouds drifting across the slopes. Suddenly, all these disparate elements unite to create a remarkably photogenic situation in which to shoot China’s quintessential wildlife icon. Our lucky group will have the privilege to photograph these “cuddly,” endearing and virtually inaccessible animals with special permission from the Government of China. Animals from a captive breeding program in the highlands of central China will be used as models, placed in picturesque natural settings just for our group. We have scheduled four exciting days of panda photography to capture extraordinary imagery with your camera.
Our journey begins in Shanghai, followed the next day by a flight to Chengdu. Our Chengdu hotel is centered in the middle of a vast photogenic street market. The next morning we head into the mountains by bus, arriving at our Wolong hotel by midafternoon. The climate here is cool and damp at this time of year and our hotel is the best available, though quite rustic. Clouds come and go over the mountains and we’ll hope for bright overcast conditions in which the pandas look their best! We should experience a wide variety of weather and light conditions for our panda photography.
After the panda shoot, we return to our comfortable Chengdu hotel and the next day we fly to Tokyo. Then we travel by deluxe private motor coach to the Japanese Alps. Here we meet another of Asia’s incredible iconic species and find a spectacular opportunity to photograph Japanese macaques (“snow monkeys”) in springtime—a season when few Western photographers have done so. We shoot at the classic site where (in winter) the monkeys sit in geothermal pools surrounded by swirling mist. Our trip purposefully is timed with the birthing of this year’s new monkey generation. Newborns are unbearably cute, and at this time of year these tiny babies in their mothers’ arms are fantastic to watch and capture with your camera.
There are 300 monkeys in this small valley and they are fed regularly by the staff of the “Monkey Park,” so during the day, something is always going on! The experience includes the beauty of the surrounding cryptomeria forest and the unique cultural aspects of noteworthy Japanese food and sleeping on comfortable futons. And there is wonderful private and public bathing in the hot springs (separate from the monkeys!)—just the thing to soothe aching bodies at the end of a great day of photography. This location is one of the world’s greatest, yet little-known, wildlife photography sites.
Join us this spring to photograph these two fantastic icon animals of Asia as few have done!
Day 1
Depart home.
Day 2
Arrive in Shanghai. (D)
Day 3
Fly to Chengdu, enjoy the large street market and photograph in the area. (BLD)
Day 4
Drive to the Wolong Reserve in the mountainous countryside, afternoon photo session with the pandas. (BLD)
Days 5–7
We photograph the pandas during periods of good light for these three days, with two sessions daily. The pandas will forage in bamboo groves, climb trees and romp in front of mountain backgrounds. We may be able to arrange an optional session with red pandas. During the midday we focus on local scenery. (BLD)
Day 8
Morning panda photo session, then return to Chengdu. (BLD)
Day 9
Fly to Tokyo. (BLD)
Day 10
Drive by deluxe private bus into the Japanese Alps and walk a short distance to our remote traditional inn at the Jigokudani hot springs. (BLD)
Days 11–13
Photograph the snow monkeys as they forage and play in a quiet valley, a 10-minute walk from the inn. (BD)
Day 14
Drive back to Tokyo and depart for home in early evening. (BL)
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