May 1, 2015 - Heading to China
May 1, 2015 - We flew United Airlines #807 from Washington Dulles International Airport, departing at 12:25 pm and arriving at Beijing International Airport on May 2, 2015 at 3:40 pm. The aircraft was a Boeing 777-200 flying via the polar route and the total flight time was around 14 hours.
May 2, 2015- Took a taxi from Beijing International Airport and checked into the Marriott Northeast Beijing.
China was a trip to our seventh and final continent.
May 3, 2015 - Picked up by our local Tour Operator from our hotel for tours of Beijing Hutong area, Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City.
Here is a photograph of the Great Hall of the People government building located at Tiananmen Square.
Forbidden City
May 3, 2015 - Later in day we visited Forbidden City.
It was a public holiday in Beijing so the crowds of people visiting were large.
Visiting the Great Wall
May 4, 2015- We were again picked up by our local Tour Operator for a tour of The Great Wall, Mutianyu Section in Huairou County, and then back to Beijing for a walking tour of the Olympic Stadium area.
Here is a photograph of one of the Guard Stations on the Great Wall.
Flying to Chengdu and Joining our Tour Group
May 5, 2015 - Flew Air China CA4112 leaving from Beijing International Airport at 9:00am and arriving in Chengdu at 12:00 noon. Picked up by our Natural Habitat Adventures Tour operator and transferred to the Shangri-La Hotel to begin our “The Wild Side of China Photo Adventure” tour.
We would have a Natural Habitat Adventures Tour guide from the U.S., two Chinese Naturalist guides, and a bus driver for the duration of the tour. We had 8 participants on the tour.
May 6, 2015 - We drove to the Dujianyan Panda Base near Dujiangyan Town. This is a smaller facility and we are able to photograph some of the Giant Pandas and the Red Pandas. We were also able to make a donation to the Panda Base and it allowed the participants to be photographed sitting next to a Giant Panda Juvenile.
Here is a photograph of one of Giant Pandas at Dujianyan Panda Base.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
May 7, 2015 - We spent the morning at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Returned to Chengdu for lunch and then an afternoon visit to Wangjianlou Park (Bamboo Park) in Chengdu.
Here is a photograph of two Giant Panda cubs at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Second day at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
May 8, 2015 - We returned to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding for a second morning.
Had lunch in Chengdu and then drove 3 hours north to the town of Jiangyou where we stayed one night in a local hotel.
Here is a photograph of one of the Giant Panda cubs at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Qingxi Village
May 9, 2015 - Walked around the Jiangyou market in the morning, then we drove north into the Minshan Mountain range.
We visited a school in Qingxi village and walked the streets of the Qingxi ancient town.
We then drove into Tangjiahe Nature Reserve and checked into the Tangjiahe Hotel.
Here is a photograph of Qingxi ancient town.
Tangjiahe Nature Reserve
May 9, 2015 - Here is a photograph of a Takin in Tangjiahe Nature Reserve as we drove into the park on the first afternoon.
Tangjiahe Nature Reserve
May 10, 2015 - We spent the next two days in the Tangjiahe Nature Reserve.
Here is a photograph of a Tibetan Macaque.
Tangjiahe Nature Reserve
May 11, 2015 - Here is a photograph of another Takin.
Rhododendron Pass
May 12, 2015 - We drove through PingWu town, walked the market and ate lunch.
After lunch we drove through the Baima Tibetan region, and then drove up through the 10,200 Rhododendron pass.
We checked into the Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Hotel.
Here is a photograph of the Rhododendron pass area.
Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve
May 13, 2015 - Visited Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve.
Here is a photograph of Arrow Bamboo Falls - one of the most beautiful Water Falls in the Reserve.
