Huangshan-Zhangjiajie Photo Workshop

ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOUR TOUR

If you have not already completed the following, please inform me via email at kahwailin@outlook.com:
 
  • Registration form & waiver: Please ensure that you have filled out and signed the registration form and waiver using DocuSign.
  • Arrival and departure information: Kindly provide your flight details, including the flight number, date, and time of arrival and departure.
  • Follow the steps below to get added to our WeChat group chat.

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Arrival (8 December 2026) in Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG)

Departure (20 December 2026) from__tpx__Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG)
 
There are many flights operated by Air China, China Southern, Delta, United, etc., and transit via Guangzhou (CAN), Beijing (PEK), or Shanghai (PVG).
 

ITINERARY

Day 1 (8 December): Arrival in KMG
Day 2 – 5 (9 – 12 December): Yuanyang rice terraces
Day 6 (13 December): Yuanyang – Kunming
Day 7 (14 December): Fenghuang Ancient Town
Day 8 (15 December): Furong Ancient Town
Day 9 (16 December): Tianmen Mountain
Day 10 – 12 (17 – 19 December): Wulingyuan, Zhangjiajie
Day 13 (20 December): Departure from DYG

 

VISA

Please check whether you require a tourist visa to visit China based on your citizenship. U.S. citizens generally need a tourist visa to enter China.
 
We will provide you with an invitation letter from our tour company in China. You may apply for a visa through the Embassy or a Consulate of China.
 
Alternatively, an easier option is to use a tour company or tour agency in your area, especially those operated by Chinese. For a service fee, they can handle the submission of your application to the embassy or consulate on your behalf, saving you the trip.
 
In most cases, a 10-year multiple-entry tourist visa is issued. If you have visited China in recent years, please check whether your existing visa is still valid.
 

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Full trip cancellation insurance, along with accident, medical and baggage insurance, is highly recommended. Before you leave home, ensure your policy reflects your actual dates of travel, covering you from the date you leave home until the date you return. Update your travel insurance coverage to include extra hotel nights, non-refundable flights, etc., if applicable. Confirm that your policy covers medical evacuation from China.

 

CLOTHING

The average temperature in December:

  • Yuanyang 38°F – 59°F (3°C – 15°C)
  • Zhangjiajie 32°F – 51°F (0°C – 10°C)

What to bring in terms of clothing:

  • Full thermal gear is essential. Bring thick thermal/wool underwear, a warm fleece coat, a down jacket and a wind-stopper/soft-shell jacket. A good Gore-Tex (or similar) outer layer is really nice in this windy area.
  • Warm gloves. Insulated and perhaps water resistant. It’s recommended to bring gloves you can operate the camera with without having to take them off. I am using the gloves from The Heat Company, please see the next section for the discount code.
  • Water resistant jackets and trousers. Gore-Tex or similar.
  • A balaclava/scarf and warm hat to keep you warm if the weather is intense.
  • Winter hiking boots.
  • Hiking stick (optional).

Here’s the article about winter clothing: https://kahwailin.com/clothing-for-winter-trip/

Here’s the packing tips for winter trip: https://kahwailin.com/packing-tips-for-winter-trip/

 

PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR

  • Camera and lenses. We recommend bringing an ultra-wide angle zoom lens like the Canon 11-24 or 16-35mm, Nikon 14-24mm or Sony 12-24mm; a standard zoom like 24-70mm or 24-105mm; and a telephoto zoom lens like 70-200mm or 100-400mm.
  • Sturdy tripod.
  • A camera remote.
  • Filters: polarizer (to control reflection of water in rice terrace), ND (6 and 10-stops) (if you want to create long exposure of cloud movement, there’s won’t be any seascape or waterscape).
  • Microfiber cloth, blower and lens brush.
  • Memory-cards and camera batteries. Make sure to bring chargers.
  • A solid backpack for all your photography gear, preferably with a rain cover.
  • In China, power plugs and sockets (outlets) of type A, type C and type I are used (we use types A and B in US). The standard voltage is 220 V (US: 120 V) at a frequency of 50 Hz (US: 60 Hz). Bring power plug adapter and voltage converter. This is what I am using: voltage converter (https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Universal-100-220V-Converter-Worldwide/dp/B07R2JMHQR/?th=1) and travel adapter (https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Worldwide-Universal-Adaptor-Charging/dp/B01DJ140LQ/)
  • A headlight/lamp and extra AA/AAA batteries.
  • (Optional) laptop and external hard drive for backups.
  • (Optional) drones, certain areas are drone friendly. Keep in mind that it is your responsibility to fly the drone in compliant with the drone regulations in China.

 

DISCOUNT FOR PRODUCTS

For The Heat Company gloves, please use 10% discount code kahwailin26 to shop at: https://www.theheatcompany.com/

 

ACCOMMODATION

Mostly 4 stars hotel, or the best hotel we can find locally.

 

FOODS

Variety of Chinese foods. Please inform us if you have any dietary restriction.
 

INTERNET ACCESS AND CONNEVTIVITY

AT&T and Verizon have the international day pass ($15/day) that works in most area in China. Some of the more remote locations may have spotty cell reception and Wi-Fi connections can be limited.

Most hotels have WiFi.

Purchasing local sim card required passport identification and the procedure can be complex.

Keep in mind that there are many websites being blocked by firewall in China, e.g. Google, Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.

 

LAUNDRY

Laundry is available at reasonable fee in most of the hotels.

 

CONTACT

You can contact me by phone or WhatsApp before you arrive in China at +1 (609) 216-8607. Please note that WhatsApp does not work in China, so we will use WeChat instead, which is widely used there.

Kindly install WeChat on your phone and register an account in advance. Once your account is set up, please add me using the steps below:

1. Go to the “Chats” section and tap the “+” icon in the top right corner, then select “Scan”

2. Scan my QR code

3. Once I receive your request, I will accept it and add you to the group chat

Rest assured, you can always call my cellphone number whether I am in the United States or China. My phone will always be on.