In the very northeastern tip of China lies the province of Heilongjiang, renowned mostly for its cold winters, when temperatures commonly fall below negative 20 degrees Celsius. It’s capital, Harbin, is host to the largest Ice Festival in the world, and is known for it’s unique snow and ice sculptures and themed parks. It definitely gets cold, but it is one of those once in a lifetime experiences that everyone should try.

The planned itinerary is as follows:

Day 1:
– Arrive in Harbin and transfer to Hotel from airport. We will be staying in a 4 star hotel, located in the Heart of Harbin on Central Street. This street will have many ice sculptures and Russian themed shops to enjoy, as well as offering a number of eateries in the area.
– Afternoon: Photo talk and photo walk for those who are interested. Learn how to deal with your cameras in cold weather, in addition to taking great colorful photos while balancing ambient and artificial light.
Day 2:
– Morning to Mid Afternoon: Walking tour of central Harbin, featuring Central Street and the St. Sophia cathedral.
– Late Afternoon: Early evening (before sunset): Harbin Snow and Ice World Park, where we will see large structures made of ice that are beautifully lit from the inside.
– Free evening
Day 3:
– Morning: Early Afternoon: Siberian Tiger Park where we will get up close to and see Siberian Tigers roaming in large enclosures.
– Afternoon: Visit the Sun Island Snow Sculpture Park where we will see carved snow sculptures of many different sizes and designs.
– Dinner at a Russian Restaurant (optional, not included)
Day 4:
– Check out and transfer to the Airport in the morning.

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