11 DAYS | COMFORT SERIES | GROUP MAX 10
Including all meals and one high-speed train journey
11 Days | Comfort Series
After a hugely successful Scouting Trip in early 2026, we’ve taken everything we learned from that incredible journey and refined, perfected, and elevated this experience into a brand-new TRVL° Photography Adventure through South China. This is going to be an unforgettable journey designed specifically for photographers and visual storytellers.
Join us in early April 2027 as we explore the breathtaking Guangxi region and Hunan province, where every turn reveals a scene worthy of your lens. We’ll photograph the ethereal karst landscapes of Guilin and Yangshuo, wander through the ancient towns of Daxu and Huangyao, capture cormorant fishermen at dawn, local minority villagers, buffalo farmers, and the iconic Longji rice terraces.
In the second half of this travel photography adventure we board a high-speed train to Zhangjiajie, home to the otherworldly misty mountains and sandstone pillars that inspired Avatar’s floating peaks. This is a paradise for landscape, travel, and drone photographers alike, with endless opportunities to capture both grand vistas and intimate moments of daily life. Plus this is an absolute drone paradise!
Every detail of this trip has been shaped by insights and discoveries from our Scouting Tour, ensuring smoother logistics, the best possible shooting locations, and an even deeper cultural experience. If you’re ready for an epic, fine-tuned adventure through the heart of South China, packed with visual magic and authentic moments, this is the one! Welcome to the TRVL° South China adventure! Let’s go.
Interested in Joining?
Since this departure is still being developed, we’re currently building a priority list. Those who express interest now will get first access to book once the trip officially opens.
If you’d like to join the list, simply complete the contact form using the button below. We’ll follow up with you directly via email.
Costs, Info & Booking
Dates: April 06th – April 16th, 2027
Start & End City: Guilin, China (KWL airport) end in Zhangjiajie (Hehua Airport – DYG)
Days: 11
Maximum Group Size: 10
Trip Style: Comfort Series
Fitness Level 3: Moderate to difficult with some long walking days and early morning steep hikes.
Price: TBD but under €7500
Single Supplement: Additional
Deposit to secure booking (20%)
- HIGHLIGHTS:
- Local guided access to unique locations
- Guilin and Yangshuo Karst Mountains
- Rice Terraces of Longji
- Ancient towns of Daxu and Huangyao
- Misty Li River in Xingping
- Local portraits in remote villages
- Private tuition on composition and editing
- High-speed train journey to Zhangjiajie
- Tianmen Mountain & Tianmen Cave
- Tianzi Mountains and Laowuchang sunrise
South China Image Gallery
Adventure Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Guilin (April 06th). Welcome meeting followed by dinner at a traditional restaurant.
Day 2: Sunrise shoot with a local buffalo farmer on an ancient stone bridge. Drive to Dazhai Village visiting a local Yao family, shoot portraits in old wooden house. Then visit the Ping An Village rice terraces for sunset.
Day 3: Sunrise at Ping An Village then drive to Sanjiang to see the Wind and Rain Bridge. Explore the Dong Village. Sunset at the Wind and Rain Bridge.
Day 4: Sunrise in Sanjiang then drive to Daxu Ancient Town. Local portraits in town followed by a drive back to Yangshuo and sunset shoot nearby the hotel overlooking the river and karst mountains.
Day 5: Head to a secret location by the Li River to capture incredible mountain reflections with two cormorant fishermen holding gas-lamps for portraits at dawn. We will stay here to capture the fisherman also casting their nets over sunrise. Midday rest in Yangshuo followed by another secret village location to capture sunset from the at Wu Zhi Hill mountaintop, photographing the rice fields and karst mountains.
Day 6: Begin the day with a sunrise session at Xianggong Hill. More free time midday to explore the area around Yangshuo. In the afternoon, visit Xingping Ancient Town and sunset at Laozhai Mountain over the Li River.
Day 7: Damian Hill at sunrise then drive to Huangyao Ancient Town. Explore the town and photograph sunset at one of many old stone bridges.
Day 8: Sunrise in Huangyao followed by breakfast and then high-speed train ride to Zhangjiajie.
Day 9: After breakfast, head to Tianmen Mountain. Experience the longest cableway in Asia. Capture photos of the Avenue to Heaven. Then continue on to the hotel near the northern entrance of Yuanjiajie.
Day 10: Journey to Yuanjiajie by private car. Photograph the spectacular mountain peaks, including the famous Hallelujah Mountain. Proceed to Tianzi Mountain for a stunning view of the rising peaks. Sunset at One Step Under the Heaven.
Day 11: Head to Laowuchang for sunrise. Capture the fascinating sight of Fields in the Sky, terraced rice paddies atop the peaks. We drop off at the Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport (DYG) or train station in the late afternoon.
*This itinerary is subject to change.
What's Included
- Twin occupancy accommodation. Private single rooms are available with payment of a single supplement.
- All transportation during the tour, including one high-speed train.
- Breakfasts, lunches and dinners within the tour dates. Also, soft drinks, beers and water.
- Airport transfers at arrival & departure and during the tour.
- English-speaking local guide who we have worked with in the past.
- All permits and entry fees.
- Instruction, guidance, and image reviews from our expert photography & adventure tour leaders.
- Private local photography models and cormorant fisherman commissions.
Not Included
- Airfare to and from Guilin (KWL) and Zhangjiajie (DYG).
- Passport and visa fees, if applicable.
- Travel medical & evacuation insurance (required).
- Trip cancellation insurance (optional but recommended).
- Personal snacks throughout the trip.
- Alcoholic beverages (apart from beer at dinner).
- Any accommodations or meals before or after the tour dates.
- Gratuities for local guides.
- Any personal items you want to buy along the route.
Great Wall + Beijing Add On
Interested in extending this trip to Beijing and the Great Wall of China?
Based on the success of the 2026 Scouting trip we are again offering a four day Great Wall + Beijing add on adventure.
This mini-adventure will allow those flying home from Beijing an option to stay a few additional days visiting the famed Great Wall and capturing the vibrant cityscape of Beijing. Perfect for blending both history and modern culture. We also focus this portion of the trip on sunrise and sunset opportunities at the Great Wall. Maximising the photo potential.
Dates: April 16th – April 20th, 2027
Start & End City: Beijing, China
Days: 5
Maximum Group Size: 10
Trip Style: Comfort Series
Fitness Level 1: Easy with little to no difficult hikes.
Price: TBD but under €2000
Single Supplement: TBD
- HIGHLIGHTS:
- Tiananmen Square & the Forbidden City
- Great Wall of China
- Amazing local food & culinary experiences
- Simatai Great Wall
- Private tuition on composition and editing
- Jinshanling Great Wall
- Transfer directly to Beijing International
Beijing & Great Wall Gallery
Day 1: Arrival in Beijing (April 16th)
Day 2: Full day photographing and exploring Beijing. Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Hutong tour are just a few of the main highlights from this day.
Day 3: Early morning drive (2h) to Jinshanling and Simatai Great Wall. We’ll also visit the Gubei Water Town on this day. Sunset at the Great Wall.
Day 4: Sunrise at the Jinshanling Great Wall then head to Simatai Great Wall to photograph the wilder sections and surrounding scenery. Mid April is the apricot blooming season, offering beautiful shots of the Great Wall combined with trees and flowers.
Day 5: One more sunrise photography session at Jinshanling Great Wall. After breakfast, transfer to the Beijing international airport for your departure. The drive takes about 1.5 hours, and you’ll need to arrive at the airport 3 hours before your flight. Therefore, we recommend booking a flight departing after 2:00 or 3:00 PM on this day (April 20th).
*This itinerary is also subject to change
TRVL° Trip Style
Comfortable Adventure: The TRVL° Photography Comfort Series blends discovery with ease, offering journeys that immerse photographers in inspiring destinations without sacrificing rest or relaxation. These trips are designed for those who seek meaningful adventure with a gentler edge. Capturing remarkable stories while enjoying comfortable accommodations, smooth travel, and a pace that prioritises both creativity and comfort.
Fitness Level 3: We define this fitness level as moderate to difficult. In this case with Southern China there will be a bit more walking and hiking involved than normal Comfort Adventures. The locations are often rural and we will do a lot of exploring on foot in potentially muddy and grassy areas. We will also be doing some early morning hiking with the most difficult being an optional sunrise hike to Damian Hill. This hike takes about an hour, with around 1,500 steps. If it’s too challenging for older participants, there is an option to photograph the same landscapes instead at a cafe viewpoint nearby.
How is the Accommodation?
There are many boutique hotels in Guilin and Zhangjiajie. Particularly in Guilin, the scenic Yangshuo area, offers charming traditionally styled rooms with picturesque views of the karst mountains. We will book unique comfortable stays with helpful staff in rustic and immersive accommodations. Also in Yangjiajie we will stay at a local hotel near the northern entrance of the park, the best option for capturing the sunset and sunrise from the summit. It’s basic but the location is perfect.
Both Guilin and Zhangjiajie have diverse options to suit every type of traveler. It certainly isn’t luxury, but it’s also not too rough and tumble.
Your Adventure Tour Leaders
Greg Snell has worked as a professional travel photographer & adventure tour leader since 2011.
From tour leading with G Adventures in South America to winning Tourism Australia’s “Best Jobs in the World” competition, Greg has spent the last two decades exploring 80+ countries. He documents life-changing experiences through inspiring storytelling on YouTube and photography on Instagram.
As a trained adventure tour leader he is an expert in operating international travel photography workshops and tours.
Michael Shainblum is a photographer, filmmaker, and educator based in San Francisco, California.
He has been working professionally as a photographer and filmmaker for 17 years since the age of 16. He has been commissioned by clients such as Disney, Nike, Samsung, Apple, and Google.
He also shares his knowledge via his Youtube Channel, workshops, and video tutorials.
Will there be a local photographer?
Yes. We are working with a local company specialising in photography within China’s Guangxi and Zhangjiajie regions. We will be joined by an English speaking local photography guide named Top. This is the same guide who worked with us in 2026 and he is excellent at what he does.
One of the goals of TRVL° is to empower the local photography community. We want them involved in all our trips and will hire Top again to assist on this Southern China adventure.
Previous Testimonials
What is TRVL° All About?
In short, the motto is simple: “Explore. Adventure. Capture.”
At its core, TRVL° is built around travel photography, with every itinerary thoughtfully designed to create strong photographic opportunities while also encouraging real connection with the places we visit. You will come away with compelling images, but more importantly, with meaningful experiences, lasting memories, and stories that go far beyond the frame. We focus on stepping into the unknown, discovering new places, and building a genuine connection with the world around you.
TRVL° is not a traditional photography workshop, and that is intentional. Our journeys balance guided photography moments with space for independent exploration, creativity, and discovery, allowing photography to become both a creative tool and a way of engaging more deeply with each destination. We work closely with local photographers, tour operators, and guides to support and uplift the communities we visit, creating authentic cultural connections for our participants. If this resonates with you, you’re in the right place.
If you’re curious to learn more about our philosophy & approach, you can visit our About Us page for more detailed information.
Interested in Joining?
Since this departure is still being developed, we’re currently building a priority list. Those who express interest now will get first access to book once the trip officially opens.
If you’d like to join the list, simply complete the contact form using the button below. We’ll follow up with you directly via email.
Can't Join This Tour?
If you can’t join this tour but you’d like to stay in the loop regarding future photography adventures, please be sure to sign up for our newsletter below.
Moreover, if you’d like to see where else we’re going, you can see our entire adventure schedule here.
