Gobi Desert Photography Workshop

Songs of Gobi

Immersive Desert Photography Workshop on the Silk Road

This unique photography workshop, taking you into the heart of the Gobi Desert, is where you can immerse yourself in simple, delicate creativity far from the modern world and its distractions. For myself, a first visit was a life-changing experience, and I felt instantly at home, as I do in the Himalayas but differently. Its earthy and sensuous form echoes the romantic and surreal part of myself, and the body of work I created consisted as much of myself as the Gobi Desert .

We will pass hundreds of square miles of gigantic dunes, some of the world’s highest static sand dunes and rising to over 1640 feet and above a series of crystal clear lakes. This remote area is intensely sparse yet profoundly elemental and beautiful, and we’ll be camping out in the dunes for most of the nights with one or two nights beside the lake, and of course the spectacular starscapes is something you will never forget.

You will be travelling with someone well experienced in desert photography, and who has detailed cultural and practical and linguistic skills for this region, as well as being taken through this challenging terrain by an expert and experienced driver, making your journey a safe and enriching experience. The Gobi I take you into is so vast and astonishing that each journey visits not only some of the best viewpoints I know but also seeks to discover something new. Every trip is unique.

Upcoming fixed dates Gobi Desert Workshops

26 Oct – 5 Nov 2026 | GBP £3950 per person | New Date

Itinerary

26th Oct, arriving Lanzhou, workshop begins at 6pm group dinner.

27th Oct, breakfast at 7am, morning train to Zhangye, sunset at Danxia landform. We will be staying 4 star hotel.

28th Oct, checking out at 9:00am, vehicle transfer to the meeting point where we will be switching to the 4×4 desert drivers. For the next 6 nights we will be camping and moving to different camp sites every night.

3rd Nov, after morning photography, we slowly pack up our gear and make our way back to Zhangye Hotel for a relaxing dinner/evening; 4th November, sunrise at Danxia, check out hotel after an early lunch and take the high speed train to lanzhou, staying at 4 star hotel, and workshop ends group dinner between 6:30-8:30pm.

5th November, as myself and some participants may take the first flight out, we may not meet for breakfast today, hotel check out is noon, more often it can be extended. I will arrange an airport shuttle for you if your flight is later than mine.

Trip Information:

1) Workshop starts/end in Lanzhou. 26th Oct is full moon, so we will have some night open for participants who is interested to take images in bright moon light.

2) Included: All vehicle Transportation | Photography Location Entry Tickets | All meals, simple meals in the desert, we will bring lots of fruits, seeds, nuts, oats, eggs, vegetables and noddles with us | Accommodations – Single Occupancy, 6 nights in the desert will be camping, tents and sleeping mat provided

4) Photography skill level: All levels, non-photographers welcome. However, please come with good knowledge of and capability with your equipment. We are more than happy to share our approach at each significant stop, and discuss techniques/concepts via the camera screen at the end of the day as we gathering for a drink/meal.

5) You must be able to walk on sand. The photography opportunity will be good just beside the vehicle, but able to walk another mile onto top of different dunes offers even greater view.

6) One 50L bag for your clothes and sleeping bag; tripod and 1 camera bag will be the maximum allowance of luggage you can bring for desert trip, suitcase need to be stored in Zhangye Hotel

7) Booking Process: Complete Booking Form | Deposit GBP £700 to reserve your place after receive Invoice | Visa Application allowed from 90 days before the trip | The balance is due no later than 90 days prior to the Workshop | Packing list | Arrive Lanzhou on time

SIGN UP TO THIS UNFORGETTABLE GOBI DESERT ADVENTURE

Name of Registrant *

Email - Please double check ! *

Address *

Terms & Conditions - Offroad 4x4 driving will be over one hundred KM of up to 400m vertical height sand dunes *

I confirm I have read Workshops and Tours - Terms & Conditions, payment of deposit will confirm I accept these terms & Conditions

Payment Method - If you pay are non US Resident, all payment will be made in GBP, using xe.com for exchange rate at the date of Invoice *

Paypal - Add on 5% paypal charge

Bank Transfer

Which date are you interested to participate *

10-19 March 2026 - last place

10-18 March 2027 - co-lead with Andrea Pozzi

3-12 November 2027

Payment Method - If you pay are non US Resident, all payment will be made in GBP, using xe.com for exchange rate at the date of Invoice *

Paypal - Add on 5% paypal charge

Bank Transfer

How do you know about this workshop *

More about you: age, special dietary and any health issues, for group insurance purpose for applying permission to enter the remote part of Gobi Desert *

Please introduce second participant if you are booking for two places

If you are human, leave this field blank.

To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. William Blake

Adam Gibbs was on one of my Gobi desert workshops in 2018, and he has produced 3 videos from this 7 days trip. This video will give you a deeper sense of being there and his take on a startling group of trees beside a dried up lake. We will be visiting this and other lakes on our route; there are believed to be 144 lakes（113 named, and 12 fresh water) in this part of Gobi desert.

Winter Yellow Mountains Workshop

20-27 March 2027 | GBP £3150 | 5 nights in the mountains | 3 Participants