About A Trails

Business Development Director

Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Justin has called China his home since 2010. With a distinctive record of sales and marketing–related positions during these years in Beijing and Yunnan, his aptitude of successfully enticing customers to the wonders of greater China is seen as an immense forte for the company. An avid adventurer with a sustainable eye in offering the authentic and diverse side of China, Justin enjoys meeting and bringing people together, thrives off building trust and relationships, but most importantly achieves fulfilment by creating value for people. Contact Justin at justin.culkin@atrails.cn

Department Supervisor

Carrie is a history aficionado and holds a degree in Chinese Culture from Beijing International Studies University. She specializes in local history and culture and enjoys combining these subjects together with China's rich natural splendors to create authentic travel experiences. Carrie has worked in the travel and tourism industry for over 10 years serving for the Beijing Olympic Games and government inspections. She has also organised charter flight arrangements for clients and provided travel consultancy services for a number of multinational companies. Contact Carrie at carrie.xu@atrails.cn

Department Supervisor

The more places you visit, you more you understand culture. The more scenery you encounter, the more appreciation you have for nature. The more guests you serve, the more sincere you become. Victor has been engaged in outbound tourism for 7 years and is deeply knowledgeable on travel to Japan, Southeast Asia, the United States, and Europe. He has received and looked after the core team at Alibaba, the executive team at Ctrip, and the team at Sogou. Experienced with the mid to high-end market and customer service needs, he keeps learning and strives for progress in order to create the best and exclusive itineraries for our clients. Contact Victor at victor.wu@atrails.cn

Social media operater

Bringing a journalistic perspective to marketing, I believe in creating authentic connections beyond technical excellence. My passion for visual arts, from documentary photography to contemporary aesthetics, enables me to craft compelling narratives across various media. I combine technical expertise with creative vision to deliver unique marketing solutions through strategic writing, visual design, and video production. Contact Anna at anna.zou@atrails.cn

Tea Expert

Originally from Zhejiang province in China, Liyuan's passion for tea can be traced back to her childhood where her family environment cultivated a habit of drinking, tasting, and appreciating tea. After graduating in International Development in the UK, she developed a curiosity for travel, leading her to explore remote parts of South East Asia and China. Liyuan then moved to Beijing where she produced a series of international adventure and travel documentaries across China working closely with the Canadian Tourism Board and Tencent. At the same time over the course of 5 years she delved deeper into tea culture and became a student of tea master Jia Yingsong, a teacher of 15 years who studied Chinese Tea Science at Anhui Agriculture University. Now based in Dali in Yunnan, Liyuan curates her own unique tea experiences and travels regularly across China to visit tea plantations in search of new varieties and the finest leaves.

Expert

Jeremiah is a writer and historian based in Beijing since 2002. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis, and taught Late Imperial and Modern Chinese History for over 15 years. Jeremiah is frequently asked to speak and lead workshops on history, culture, and cultural adaptation for students, embassies, companies, and community groups. He supports educational programs and historic walking tours of Beijing's most famous sites and less-traveled byways. Along with David Moser, Jeremiah hosts the podcast Barbarians at the Gate.

Expert

Nicolas Grevot arrived in Shanghai in 2008, after having spent 15 years in Taiwan as an editor and a journalist. He now works as a consultant and is also a facilitator for a group of CEOs. In addition, he co-chairs the Society of History of the French in China. A great art lover and collector, he is passionate about China, Shanghai and its people. Nicolas tells us about Shanghai like a fable.  He leads workshops on the move or learning excursions in the urban world of Shanghai, devoted to the history and the culture of this fascinating city. He also regularly gives lectures to local organizations.

Expert

Ben has been guiding adventure travel trips for over 15 years and has participated in and staffed multiple 90-hour Wilderness First Responder trainings.  He lived on the Tibetan Plateau in Xining’s Qinghai Province since 2010 and collected an extensive trekking experience having completed the 2,650 mile (4,240 kilometer) Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada in America.

Award Winning Photographer

Professional photographer from Montreal, François has been selected and invited 5 times at the "World Photographers focusing on Beijing". He worked in Turkey for the project "Izmir, a legacy for tomorrow" organized by the Arkas Art Center and his photos were exposed at the Arkas Museum in Turkey. He also participated in Izmir photo days. He won the first prize at the international photo contest « 2014 Chinese dream in the Eyes of Foreign Friends ». In 2017, he is invited to Photo Beijing Event to present an important exhibition of his work. His book "China: photographic narrative in the Middle Kingdom" is published with Les Editions Cayennes. His photos were published in National Geographic Magazine and also in many magazines and websites. François Nadeau now lives in Beijing where he works on assignments for different magazines and teaches photography.

Award Winning Photographer

Mathias Guillin is a renowned French professional photographer who has been working in Shanghai since 2005. His photographs mostly focus on architecture and landscapes, however, he also features portraits and can do wonders with light! As Mathias explores the outdoors or unknown parts of his city, he always keeps his camera or his drone beside him. We had the rare opportunity to see some of his personal work, and then grew very interested in sharing the opportunity to have such an individual share his passion on his travels and stunning landscapes of China. Drone (aerial) photography is his latest interest, and this kind of traveling workshops is among our offerings. Learn to use your camera, frame your pictures and see things from a different perspective. If you want to create print worthy pictures, join him on a tour ! You may see some of his work visiting his Instagram: love_what_eye_see