Last Steam Trains of china & Yellow mountains

Join Thierry Bornier and take your camera on an adventure to the Last Chance to shoot the steam Trains of China in the coal mines and the breathtaking cliffside walkways that hang over the seas of clouds around the Yellow Mountain.

 

Itinerary 

Day 1 – January 13,2020 : Shanghai to Hami

we will catch a Flight from Shanghai to Hami (5.5 hrs.), then transfer to the hotel for check-in and have our dinner.

Day 2 to Day 5 – January 14-17,2020 : Steam Trains shooting

The morning will be transferred by car (2 hrs.) to reach our final destination in the coal mines of Sandaoling where many steam trains run 24 hours. Every day we will follow the same schedule, with early Morning shooting when the trains get ready and need to refill water and check their trains before to start to work. we will have afternoon shooting and one-night train shooting. Every day we will review the pictures after dinner.

Day 6 – January 18,2020 : Hami-Shanghai

we will catch a Flight from Hami to Shanghai (4.5 hrs.), then transfer to the hotel for check-in  in the Boyue hotel   and have our dinner.

Day 7–January 19,2020 : Shanghai -Yellow mountains

In the morning after breakfast we will catch a fast train to Yellow mountains , Upon arrivalwe commence the journey to the Yellow Mountain, which entails a 1-hr private transfer by coach, a shuttle hop to the cable car station, a fast cable car ride taking everyone up to the Yellow Mountain, followed by a ~45min hike before we finally arrive at our hotel. As you exit the cable car, there will be porters available for hire to carry your luggage.

Day 8 to day 10– January 20 – 22, 2020 : Yellow Mountains

Each of these 3 days starts before dawn in order to catch the magnificent sunrise. We will then return to the hotel for breakfast and some rest. Later in the day, we will be trekking up and down the Yellow Mountain’s many overgrown peaks where, tucked away amidst craggy granite overhangs and pine trees, you can find hidden hot springs and vantage points offering splendid panoramic views of the surrounding peaks that burst and break through the rolling sea of clouds. Every evening, we will gather for dinner and group discussion.

 

 

 

Day 11 – January 23,2020 : Yellow mountain - shanghai

After a final morning photo shoot, we bid farewell to the Yellow Mountain, and make our way downhill by cable car, and then a shuttle hop followed by a private transfer to Huangshan North Railway Station to catch a high-speed train back to Shanghai, where the workshop concludes and transferred to your hotel in the international Pudong Airport to catch your flight the next day.

 

DESTINATION OVERVIEW

Steam Trains of Xinjiang

Chinese steam trains are becoming a thing of the past.As China reduces coal capacity to combat pollution, mines and their locomotives are being shut down. An approaching cacophony of rattles and blasts of steam tore through the silence of the Xinjiang. Noises from another era. Then it appeared, clattering and shuddering at 30 kilometers per hour－one of China’s few surviving steam trains at the Sandaoling coal mine currently the biggest steam locomotive operation in the country. The operations of the 11 steam locomotives will stop in September 2020 forever. the only time to shoot these locomotives are during middle December to end of January because temperature reaches minus 21 degrees. Thierry know the local people working there and will organize the only 2 last session for these trains, December 2019 and January 2020.

Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)

“Huang” meaning “yellow” and “shan” meaning “mountain”. One writer remarked on the view of the clouds from Huangshan as follows: “To enjoy the magnificence of a mountain, you have to look upwards in most cases. To enjoy Mount Huangshan, however, you’ve got to look downward.” That writer was referring to the Sea of Clouds, which is named quite literally. The area also is host to notable light effects, such as the renowned sunrises. Watching the sunrise is considered a “mandatory” part of visiting the area. A phenomenon known as Buddha’s Light is also well-known and, on average, Buddha’s Light only appears a couple of times per month.

The Yellow Mountain is a mountain range in southern Anhui province in eastern China. It was named Huangshan in 747 AD in recognition of the legendary Huang Di, who was the reputed ancestor of the Chinese people and who supposedly made magic pills of immortality here. The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped granite peaks, pine trees, hot springs and winter snow. Huangshan is a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature, as well as modern photography. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of China’s major tourist destinations. Huangshan is also a famous place for Chinese teas of high quality.

ACCOMMODATION

Sandaoling Hotel

this hotel is a simple twin bed  room and warm place to stay , just average  hotel.

Beihai hotel

Huangshan’s Beihai Hotel (Beihai Binguan) is a popular 4-star hotel extremely well located for those wishing to watch the sun set or rise from the mountain’s Eastern step.

This Huangshan hotel has standard rooms and suites that come equipped with all the standard up-to-date amenities.

Boyue Airport hotel

Free Wi-Fi is provided at the hotel. All rooms here are equipped with domestic long distance telephone, electric kettle, bathtub, slippers, TV, independent desk, etc. For the comfort and convenience of guests, the hotel offers laundry service, car rental service, concierge service, luggage storage service, elevator. Besides, the hotel’s host of recreational offerings ensures you have plenty to do during your stay. Superb facilities and an excellent location make the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Hotel-AirChina the perfect base from which to enjoy your stay in Shanghai.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Cancellation and Refund Policy

We strongly recommend you get a Trip Cancellation & Travel Insurance after booking your trip. If you cancel and the Workshop is otherwise filled, we will refund you the full amount you have paid towards the tuition, minus a $300 service charge. If you cancel and the Workshop does not fill, then you will be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the Workshop:

Greater than 90 days from the start date of the Workshop: full refund minus $300 service fee.

75 days or more: 75% refund
60 days or more: 50% refund
Less than 60 days: no refund

Refunds will be paid by the same method that the original payment was made.