14 Days in Liangshan

Arrive on the 1970 Chengdu-Kunming line or the 2022 express trains and open with an evening loop of the roughly 31-square-kilometre lake at 1,510 metres.

1. liangshan qionghai lake

The mid-slope museum opened in 1985 documents Liangshan Yi history and the 1956 social reforms; the hill itself rises to about 2,317 metres with temple courts on the path.

1. liangshan lushan
2. liangshan yi slavery society museum

A city day around the Ming-era Datong gate, the covered market lanes and the lake wetland boardwalks — in Torch Festival season, lunar June 24, the square fills with evening torch processions.

1. liangshan xichang old town

Cable car toward the 4,359-metre glacial peak on the Puge side, ice-carved lakes and May-June azaleas, and the clay pinnacles of the Huanglian earth forest on the return.

1. liangshan luoji mountain
2. liangshan huanglian earth forest

Reserve ahead for the centre about 60 kilometres northwest — founded in 1970, first mission 1984, Chang'e-1 lifting off 24 October 2007 — then the old-route streets of Lizhou.

1. liangshan satellite launch center
2. liangshan lizhou ancient town

Honest long-transfer note — about 260 kilometres and five hours via Yanyuan County to the 2,690-metre lake shared between Sichuan's Yanyuan and Yunnan's Ninglang counties; overnight by the Sichuan shore.

1. liangshan lugu lake

The grass-marsh boardwalk over the reeds with about 93 metres of water at the deepest point, then the drive back through Yanyuan to Xichang.

1. liangshan lugu grass marsh

About 180 kilometres south — restored gates, lanes and pomegranate markets in the prefecture's far corner; overnight in Huili to split the southern loop.

1. liangshan huili ancient city

Honestly labelled neighbouring-city day, about two hours on — the centuries-old Lipo-Yi courtyards of Yishala village and the 240-metre arch dam of Ertan finished around 2000; return toward Xichang in the evening.

1. liangshan yishala village
2. liangshan ertan dam

An honest long day east, about 200 kilometres each way — Mahu, some 7 square kilometres, ranks with Qionghai and Lugu among Sichuan's three great natural lakes; sleep in Leibo county town.

1. liangshan leibo mahu lake

The road back to Xichang, then an unhurried late-afternoon hour on the wetland boardwalks — an easy recovery day after the eastward push.

1. liangshan qionghai lake

A half-hour south to the Anha Yi village at the foot of Luoji — cave walks, buckwheat-flower fields in season and farmhouse tables; back by the lake for a second museum pass if closed earlier.

1. liangshan anha yi village

Honestly labelled neighbouring-city day on the way out — about four hours north on the G5 to Yaan's Bifengxia base, a valley research-and-breeding centre; overnight in Yaan for a morning Chengdu connection.

1. yaan bifengxia panda base

An optional morning on Mengding hill, the tea mountain that anchors Yaan's tea history, before the two-hour road into Chengdu for the flight or the HSR home.

1. yaan mengdingshan