Some photography destinations are defined by one iconic animal. Others are defined by the sheer variety of what might appear around the next bend.

Our new China Wildlife Photo Safari brings photographers deep into the forests and mountains of Sichuan Province, one of Asia’s most remarkable wildlife regions, for an 11-day journey focused on species, habitats, and photographic opportunities found few other places.

From elusive Red Pandas moving through moss-covered mountain forests to brilliantly colored pheasants, Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys, takin, Tibetan macaques, and a remarkable assortment of forest birds, this is a journey built around discovering the unexpected.

And, of course, there are pandas.

But this isn't a trip built around a single species. It's an exploration of one of China's richest wildlife landscapes.

A Different Kind of Wildlife Safari

Sichuan sits where subtropical forests meet the mountains of western China, creating an extraordinary range of habitats within a relatively compact region. Broadleaf forests, bamboo slopes, coniferous woodland, river valleys, and high mountain terrain provide shelter for an equally diverse collection of wildlife.

Our itinerary takes us beyond China's major cities and into these quieter mountain landscapes, where each location offers a different photographic experience.

At Mount Wawushan, we'll search the forest for wild Red Pandas. In specialized photography hides, we'll work patiently with some of Sichuan's most spectacular pheasants and forest birds. At Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, we'll explore protected mountain forests in search of mammals and birds. We'll also dedicate time to the extraordinary Golden Snub-nosed Monkey before concluding the journey with a visit to a Giant Panda breeding and research center.

The result is a safari with an unusually broad range of photographic possibilities.

In Search of the Red Panda

Few wildlife encounters are more captivating than seeing a Red Panda in its natural habitat.

Our search takes us into the forests of Mount Wawushan, where these elusive animals move through a landscape of moss-covered trees, bamboo, rhododendron, and mountain forest. Red Pandas spend much of their lives in the canopy, and their reddish coats can blend remarkably well into the surrounding vegetation.

That's why this experience is built around time and patience.

We'll have multiple opportunities to explore Wawushan in search of these elusive mammals rather than relying on a single brief outing. And while we're searching, the forest itself becomes part of the experience, with opportunities for regional specialties including parrotbills, laughingthrushes, scimitar babblers, woodpeckers, treecreepers, and the distinctive Emei Shan Liocichla.

When a Red Panda finally emerges from the forest, you'll have more than a fleeting sighting. You'll have the time and setting to work on portraits, behavior, and environmental images.

Photograph Sichuan's Spectacular Pheasants

Sichuan is also home to some of the most striking pheasants in the world.

Rather than simply hoping to encounter these birds while traveling through the forest, our itinerary includes dedicated photography hides positioned near productive wild-bird feeding locations. The birds remain wild, while the hides allow photographers to work quietly and concentrate on the details that turn a sighting into a photograph: light, background, posture, behavior, and composition.

Potential subjects include Golden Pheasants, Lady Amherst's Pheasants, Silver Pheasants, Temminck's Tragopans, Sichuan Partridges, Chinese Bamboo Partridges, and Koklass Pheasants, along with an assortment of other forest birds.
For wildlife photographers, these sessions offer something different from traditional safari photography: the opportunity to slow down, study a species, and wait for the right moment.

Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys

With golden fur, powder-blue faces, and highly expressive features, Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys are one of China's most distinctive primates.

We'll dedicate nearly a full day to photographing these social animals in their mountain forest habitat. Rather than focusing exclusively on portraits, we'll watch for the interactions that make wildlife photography so rewarding; grooming, feeding, movement, playful juveniles, family groups, and animals framed naturally within the surrounding forest.

It's an opportunity to photograph both the animal and the world it inhabits!

Two Days in Tangjiahe

The journey continues into Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, an important, protected wildlife area within the greater Giant Panda ecosystem.

Here, the rhythm changes again.

Instead of working primarily from photography hides, we'll spend two full days exploring forested slopes, river valleys, and mountain habitats with an experienced local wildlife guide. Potential sightings include takin, Tibetan macaques, Chinese goral, Chinese serow, Reeves's muntjac, tufted deer, and wild boar, along with a wide variety of birds.

Asian black bears, Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys, and wild Giant Pandas also inhabit the broader ecosystem, although these are considerably more elusive and should be considered possibilities rather than expected sightings.

That uncertainty is part of wildlife photography.

Conditions change. Animals move. Weather shifts. The best opportunities often come from being willing to adapt!

And Yes, There Will Be Giant Pandas

No journey through Sichuan would feel complete without an opportunity to photograph its most famous resident.

Wild Giant Pandas still inhabit protected mountain forests in the region, but encountering one in the wild is exceptionally difficult. Rather than build the itinerary around a sighting that may never happen, we've included a visit to a Giant Panda breeding and research center.

This provides a reliable opportunity to photograph pandas in a managed setting while learning more about the conservation work surrounding this iconic species.
It also creates an interesting contrast within the journey: days spent searching for wild animals in remote mountain forests, followed by dedicated time with one of the world's most recognizable mammals.

Built Around Your Photography

The China Wildlife Photo Safari isn't simply a sightseeing tour with cameras along for the ride.

The itinerary has been designed around wildlife photography.

We'll use specialized hides when they offer the strongest photographic opportunities, spend multiple days in important wildlife areas, and work alongside experienced local wildlife guides who understand the species and locations we're seeking.

We'll also adapt our schedule according to wildlife activity, weather, and conditions in the field. That flexibility matters when the goal isn't simply to see an animal, but to create photographs that tell a story.
The trip offers opportunities for wildlife portraits, behavior, action, environmental images, and intimate details across a remarkably diverse collection of species.

And because this is Backcountry Journeys, you'll experience it alongside a small group of fellow photographers, with professional photography guidance throughout the journey.

Your Journey Through Sichuan

Over 11 days and 10 nights, the China Wildlife Photo Safari will take you from Chengdu into the mountain forests of Mount Wawushan, through dedicated pheasant photography hides, into Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, and finally back toward Chengdu for a Giant Panda experience.

The group is limited to eight guests, allowing the experience to remain photography-focused.

There will be long-lens opportunities, forest walks, photography hides, wildlife searches, and plenty of moments when the best strategy is simply to slow down and see what the forest reveals.

Because wildlife doesn't follow a schedule, neither does your perfect photograph!

A New Perspective on China

China is often imagined through its cities, architecture, and cultural landmarks. This journey offers a different perspective, one that leads into quiet mountain forests and protected wildlife habitats where some of Asia's most remarkable species still live.

Red Pandas. Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys. Golden Pheasants. Takin. Tibetan Macaques. Forest birds. And, of course, Giant Pandas.

This is China through the viewfinder of a wildlife photographer.

The China Wildlife Photo Safari is now part of the Backcountry Journeys collection of international photography adventures.

Come explore wild Sichuan with us!