14 Days in Longnan

Wudu, the prefecture seat on the Bailong river; the karst cave about 10 km out of town cools the afternoon, and the promenade runs to peppercorn-scented stalls.

1. longnan wanxiang cave
2. longnan bailong riverfront

About 100 km north to Dangchang — the 5A area's Guanzhu valley strings green lakes and falls below peaks near 4,000 m; sleep in the county town, some 5 km from the gate.

1. longnan guanegou

The quieter, meadow-topped Eman valley with boardwalks toward the high basins; a second county-town night keeps the pace unhurried.

1. longnan guanegou

About 35 km down the valley, the memorial and preserved street correspond to the September 1935 halt when newspapers found here set the Red Army's course — a quiet, factual visit — then back to Wudu.

1. longnan hadapu memorial

A long southern day — the mountain lake near 1,700 m in forested folds some three hours from Wudu, then the old river town of Bikou below; sleep in Bikou.

1. longnan wenxian tianchi
2. longnan bikou ancient town

Into Kang County, the subtropical Meiyuan valley folds — one of Gansu's few tea-growing corners — with terraced rows and gorge boardwalks; overnight toward Chengxian.

1. longnan yangba

The Eastern Han cliff inscription of 171 AD, one of the "Three Odes" of Han calligraphy, in the Xixia gorge, then Jifeng's forest paths; night in Chengxian.

1. longnan xixia song
2. longnan jifeng mountain

North to Lixian, the Qin culture museum showing finds from the Dabuzishan royal cemetery — early Qin lords buried on these hills from around the Western Zhou transition; overnight in Lixian.

1. longnan qin culture museum
2. longnan dabuzi shan

An honest long loop — Xihe's Wanxia reservoir, heart of the maidens' Qiqiao festival listed nationally since 2006, then some two and a half hours back to Wudu.

1. longnan wanxia lake

An honest neighbor-city day — Jianmen belongs to Sichuan's Guangyuan, two hours or so south by rail on the Lanzhou-Chongqing line; the Three-Kingdoms-era pass walks well in an afternoon, with the evening train back.

1. guangyuan jianmen pass

A slow day — riverfront loops, the pepper-and-herb market streets, and a tasting round of the local peppercorn oil that perfumes everything here.

1. longnan bailong riverfront

Another honest neighbor-city day, and a long one — the Maijishan grottoes belong to Tianshui, about three hours north by expressway; the cliff sculptures joined the Silk Roads World Heritage listing in 2014, so start at dawn or overnight there.

1. tianshui maiji mountain

A farewell loop — one last cool hour in the cave you hurried past on day one, a riverside lunch and packing of peppercorn and honey gifts.

1. longnan wanxiang cave

A market breakfast, then the train from Longnan station on the Lanzhou-Chongqing line, through here since 2017.

1. longnan bailong riverfront