OUR EXPERT
Francois Nadeau – Award Winning Photographer
A professional photographer from Montreal, Francois 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’ organised by the Arkas Art Center and his photos were exposed at the Arkas Museum in Turkey. He won the first prize at the 2014 international photo contest ‘Chinese dream in the Eyes of Foreign Friends’. In 2017, he was invited to the Photo Beijing Event to present an important exhibition of his work. His book “China: photographic narrative in the Middle Kingdom” was published with Les Editions Cayennes and his photos have been published in National Geographic Magazine and many other magazines and websites. Francois Nadeau now lives in Beijing where he works on assignments for a range of magazines and also teaches photography.
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Destination
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Trip duration
6 days, 5 nights
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Availability period
31 Dec. 2025
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Min/Max travelers
8
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Transport
Van
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Accommodation
Boutique Hotels
Created by Hani minority people, Rice Terrace in Yuanyang, the central Yunnan, boasts amazing view of Rice Terrace on the mountains, which is a paradise for photographers. It is a masterpiece of land art on the earth and owns different landscape in different seasons. Follow A Trails and enjoy the memorable Sunrise and Sunset on the Rice Terrace!
THE WORKSHOP
This photography tour is a great opportunity to put into practice some important notions of photography. Here are some of the topics our expert will approach on this trip:
• Preparation for a day of shooting
• How to be ready for situations
• Landscape, portrait, and panoramic photography
• Best setting to take pictures of the rice terraces
• Capturing beautiful sunrises and sunsets
• Composition
• Neutral density filters
• Digital Workflow
This workshop will adapt to all situations in order for you to learn how to take stunning pictures. It will help you to photograph subjects and create the best composition. Our expert will have daily group discussions as well as one-on-one sessions throughout the trip about different subjects, methods, and approach.
Day 1
ARRIVAL IN KUNMING
Arrive at Kunming airport to meet and greet with your guide before transferring to the city center for lunch. In the afternoon visit the Western Hill and Dragon Gate where you will have a panoramic view of Dianchi and pass the Dragon Gate. As the Chinese idiom goes, 'Once you ascend Longmen (Dragon Gate), you would receive a sudden boost in your prestige'. Dragon Gate is a certain gorge on a river flanked by precipices and with a natural dam. If carps swimming upstream could jump over the dam, they would become dragons.
If time allows, enjoy a leisurely walk to the Dianchi Dam, where you may have chance to photograph the flying seagulls.
Food
-/L/-
Accommodation
Kunming Cachet Boutique Hotel
Day 2
KUNMING - YUANYANG (300KM, 4H)
Depart for Yuanyang after breakfast and visit Stone Forest en-route. Stone Forest has the most unique karst landform in the world due to its long history, large scale, and rich categories. It’s reputed as the ‘First Wonder under the Heaven’ and enjoys a high reputation in world geography circles. Continue driving south to arrive in Yuanyang and check into your hotel.
Food
B/L/-
Accommodation
Yuanyang Oness Resort
Day 3
YUANYANG
On this day enjoy a full day of exploration to the Yuanyang Rice Terraces. The scenery of the terraced fields in Yuanyang is at its best from November to the following April when the fields are filled with water offering photographers stunning scenery to capture.
Proceed to a local Village called A zheke, famous for it’s mushroom-shaped houses. The village is home to the Hani and Yi minority group who live together peacefully.
We will hike around the villages to discover and photograph the daily life of the locals and enjoy the sunset on the terrace fields (weather permitting).
Food
B/L/-
Accommodation
Yuanyang Oness Resort
Day 4
YUANYANG - JIANSHUI
In the morning visit Duoyishu Scenic Area, the most beautiful natural and cultural landscape of the Yuanyang Terraces and the best place to go to photograph the sunrise.
Hike the terraced fields and enjoy the beautiful views before setting off to Jianshui to visit Ant Workshop by Luo Xu, a native artist of Yunnan. The project was built after the transformation of an original waste brick factory and consists of a large maze built with hollow bricks. All of the buildings in the “Ant Workshop” have been developed in accordance with local ceramic culture.
Arrive in Jianshui and check into a boutique guesthouse converted from an old Chinese courtyard.
Food
B/L/-
Accommodation
Jianshui Guesthouse
Day 5
JIANSHUII
In the morning enjoy a scenic journey by taking a sightseeing train to travel out of Jianshui Ancient Town to see the Double Dragon Bridge and Tuanshan Folk Houses.
Jump on the train at Lin’an Station (near Chaoyang Tower) and admire idyllic farming scenery along the route before making a stop at Double Dragon Bridge and Xianghui Bridge for some sightseeing and photography opportunies. Double Dragon Bridge, also called Shuanglong Bridge, is a seventeen arch bridge 148m long and 3m wide. It crosses above the injunction of Lu River and Tachong River, which looks like two Chinese dragons, hence the name Shuanglong Bridge.
Afterwards continue your train journey to
Tuanshan Village. Built in the Ming Dynasty, Tuanshan Village is regarded as the Gem of Chinese Civil Houses and the most beautiful village in Yunnan. Its architectural style of the 19th century and beyond remains intact and the distinctive way of people's life is preserved, fully showcasing China's indigenous cultural characteristics. Enjoy a wonderful stroll in this historic village to experience the unique lifestyle and folkways of Tuanshan villagers and explore distinctive buildings such as Zhang Family Garden.
Food
B/L/-
Accommodation
Jianshui Guesthouse
Day 6
JIANSHUI – KUNMING (195KM, 2.5H)-DEP
On your final day explore Jianshui Old Town at your own pace. Take a stroll to the local market like a local and encounter goods you may have never seen before. Step into hidden temples and admire the local wooden carvings and delicate gardens. Visit the ancient wells and walk into a traditional tofu workshop to learn how to make your own Jianshui tofu. Transfer back to Kunming and to the aiport for your flight back home.
Food
B/-/-
Accommodation
N/A
Enjoy the splendid Rice Terrace in central Yunnan and discover the local minorities' lifestyle
Enjoy the splendid Rice Terrace in central Yunnan and discover the local minorities' lifestyle
Create the experience of your dream with our travel experts
Make your own trailIncluded
- Professional photographer accompanying throughout the whole trip
- Accommodation as indicated in the program.
- Meals as described in the program
- Transfers, tours by A/C vehicle and private driver
- Entrance fees as indicated in the program
- Services of a private English-speaking guide
- Sightseeing train tickets (soft seat) in Jianshui
Not Included
- Ticket(s) for international flights / domestic flights / Train
- Tips for services of local guides and drivers
- Optional tours
- Tours & meals not mentioned in the program
- Porterage at the hotels (in and out)
- Chinese Visa
- Expenditures of a personal nature, such as drinks, souvenirs and laundry etc.
- Excess luggage surcharge
- Insurance
Payment and Cancellations
- Deposit: 25% of total package to confirm the booking.
- Full payment is due 4 weeks before departure. We reserve the right to release all services in case of payment overdue
- Cancellation policy:
•Between 60 and 30 days prior to arrival : 25% of total amount
•Between 30 and 15 days prior to arrival : 50% of total amount
•Less than 15 days : 100% of total amount
Important notes
Few important details to frame the experience:
- Please note that the itinerary and the order of the visits as described above is subject to change depending on local conditions
- We reserve the right to replace above hotels by other hotels of similar or superior category
- Price is based on shoulder season, Peak/High season supplements may apply during trade fair, public holiday or special events
Shoulder season: Apr, Jun-Aug, Nov, Dec
High season: May, September, October - Prices are subject to change in case of VAT or other tax increases
Prepare for one lifetime experience.
You are booking
Photography Workshop Tour: South Yunnan with Rice Terraces
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Destination
-
Trip duration
6 days, 5 nights
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Availability period
31 Dec. 2025
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Min/Max travelers
8
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Transport
Van
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Accommodation
Boutique Hotels
About your trip
RESERVATIONS
All tours and services can be booked directly with our office in China
A TRAILS CHINA / DAOCHENG
Beijing Office
Suite 810, SunFlower Tower
#37 Maizidian Street Chaoyang District, Chaoyang District
Beijing 100022, P.R. China
Tel: (86-10) 6515 9259
Fax: (86-10) 6515 9293
Email: info@atrails.cn
CONFIRMATIONS
All reservations are confirmed by return with the up-dated booking status within 2 working days. Due to occasional delays in communication with more remote destinations, it may take a few days longer to get confirmation.
RATES AND AVAILABILITY
All rates are quoted in RMB and are subject to change without prior notice. Inclusions and exclusions in the tour packages are indicated at the end of each itinerary. Commonly our package tour rates include accommodation, transfers, certain meals, and other tour related services. Domestic or international airfares are included where mentioned. Our tour itineraries do not include visa fees and expenses of a personal nature. The validity of our rates is November 01, 2018, until October 31, 2019, unless otherwise specified.
SERVICES
Local English speaking guides are accompanying tours and transfers in each destination. German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian and Chinese speaking guides are available on request in major cities and subject to confirmation.
DELIVERY FEES
A delivery fee will be charged according to the distance traveled, if any train tickets are required to be delivered to clients’ hotel.
PAYMENT
Full pre-payment by bank transfer is required 30 days before the commencement of services.
Our bank account details are:
Bank Name: Bank of China Beijing JianGuoMen Wai Sub-Branch
开 户 行：中国银行北京建国门外支行
Account Name：ATC TRAVEL SERVICES (BEIJING) LTD.
账 户 名：北京道成国际旅行社有限公司
Account No.：3259 6908 9747
账 号：3259 6908 9747
Swiftcode : BKCH CN BJ 110
For itineraries operated outside China
Account Name：BEIJING GLORY INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SERVICE CO, LTD.
账 户 名：北京千乘假期国际旅行社有限公司
Account No.：3211 6010 0100 1577 67
账号：3211 6010 0100 1577 67
Bank Name: Industrial Bank Co., Ltd Sanyuanqiao Sub-Branch
开 户 行：兴业银行三元桥支行
CHILD POLICY
For children aged between 2 and 11 years following rates will apply:
- Child in shared adults’ room with extra bed will pay 80% of the total package price
A maximum of two children per party is granted such a discount. Besides this general policy, specific conditions may apply case by case.
CANCELLATIONS
For cancellation of confirmed reservations, following general cancellation charges apply :
- Between 30 and 15 days prior to arrival : 20% of the total amount
- Between 15 and 7 days prior to arrival : 50% of the total amount
- Less than 7 days prior to arrival : 100% of the total amount.
Special conditions apply for cruises, beach resorts as well as for some of the boutique and landmark hotels. Expeditions and specific products may have different conditions.
Domestic and international air tickets are non-refundable once issued. You are obliged to pay full airfare (inclusive of any tax and fuel surcharge) of any cancelled tickets based on the contract rate.
PROGRAM CHANGES
We reserve the right to re-arrange the order of any tour program, to cancel or substitute elements of any tour itinerary without notice, when local conditions require such changes. All itineraries depending on domestic flight confirmations are subject to changes.
Any increase in taxes or fuel surcharges imposed by the authorities will be advised as soon as we are informed of them, and they will be added to the invoice.
Flight and train details mentioned in our itineraries are for indicative purposes only.
CONFIDENTIALITY
This agreement, its contents and all related documentation sent over to the customer/tour operator are strictly confidential and must not be disclosed to any third parties.
COMPLAINTS AND IRREGULARITIES
We consider complaints as valuable feedback to improve service delivery levels. We request that service delivery failures or customer concerns, be reported during the customer’s stay, to one of our representatives. It is the aim of the company to solve any irregularity on the spot. The company reserves the right to refuse to take action on perceived irregularities submitted to the company 14 days after the customer returns back home.
FORCE MAJEURE
During the term of this agreement, neither party shall be in default of its obligations to the extent that its performance is delayed or prevented by causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to, acts of God, natural disasters, bankruptcy of a vendor, strikes and other labor disturbances, acts of war, or civil disturbances, or other equivalent or comparable events.
INDEMNITY
The client agrees to indemnify and to save A Trails – Daocheng from harm and against all damage or injury (including death) to property or person(s) resulting from intentional or negligent acts or omissions from their respective officers, employees, agents, contractor or subcontractor in connection with the performance of this agreement.
LEGAL NOTE
This agreement is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of China (and/or applicable in relation to the country it is legally represented) for the time being in force and the parties agree to submit any dispute arising between the parties under this agreement to arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the respectable Arbitration Institute, Office of the Judiciary applicable at the time of submission of the dispute to arbitration and the conduct of the arbitration thereof shall be under the auspices of the specific Arbitration Institute accordingly.
IMAGES
Images displayed on the website have a promotional intent only and are not necessarily reflecting the actual destinations and service conditions. These may belong to ATrails staff, customers, photographers we are collaborating with or retrieved from websites such as Pexel, Pixabay, Unsplash or Originoo. While trying to be the most accurate as possible, is agreed that those images do not necessarily depict the actual services promoted.
LIABILITY
We act as an intermediary between the concerned airlines, hotels, all transport operators and local tourist offices providing the services. The Company is therefore not responsible for any loss, injury or damage sustained by the tourists, including those occurring outside the touring programs. Additional expenses incurred due to delay, accidents, natural and disaster, political actions and unrest must be borne by the tourists. Programs and prices, services and conditions are based on those valid at the time of printing and are therefore subject to change without advance notice before or during the tour. Acknowledgment and confirmation of the above-mentioned conditions is active, once clients participate in one of the provided services via us. The itinerary of the excursion, package and/or tour cannot be altered or changed without prior permission from us. We cannot be held liable if you amend the excursion and its content in your brochures or give wrong descriptions to clients that are travelling.
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING AUTONOMOUS REGIONS IN CHINA
The Company is not responsible for any last-minute closure of specific regions or tourism sites caused by decisions taken by local or national authorities to restrict access hereto. We will provide alternative itineraries where necessary and reduce cancellation fees to a minimum, however, such imposed closures are beyond our control and constitute a case of force majeure.
The areas concerned include but are not restricted to : The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, minority regions in Qinghai and Gansu provinces.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Travel breaks down borders and brings people together: The nearly 900 million people who travel every year make the sector one of the biggest in the world, a major employer and a key element in the global economy. But this has its downside, too: increasing pollutant emissions from the tourist traffic, loss of coastlines and other landscapes through excessive building development and sexual exploitation of children are just some of the negative consequences of the growth in global tourist travel. In order to minimize the negative impacts and enhance the positive ones, our Corporate Responsibility Strategy focuses on four prime issues:
- We increase efforts to ensure that children and adolescents in tourist areas are protected against sexual exploitation, one of the worst forms of abuse of young people today.
- We promote fair working conditions and sensibly service provider partners to social and environmental concerns.
- The supply and saving of clean water is a further key issue.
- We develop our own projects to meet the growing threat posed by climate change. Indeed, helping counter the adverse effects of global warming is one of the biggest challenges faced by the world tourist.