5 Days in Xianning

Arrive at Xianning North (on the 2009 Wuhan-Guangzhou HSR) or Xianning South (end of the 2013 intercity line). Climb the bamboo paths of Qianshan, then soak at Hot Spring Valley — locals count a dozen springs in the city, the "one city, twelve springs" tag.

1. xianning qianshan forest park
2. xianning hot spring valley

About 1.5 hours' drive to Chibi city. The battle of 208 AD is fixed in cliff inscriptions — the site gained 5A status in 2018 — with the Wu-Lord worship terrace and Fengchu hermitage nearby. Sunset boat on Lushui Lake, the reservoir behind the Three Gorges test dam, dotted with wooded islands.

1. xianning chibi ancient battlefield
2. xianning lushui lake

Stop at Tingsiqiao, a Southern Song stone-bridge town on the old Guangzhou line where the 1926 Northern Expedition fighting is commemorated. Continue to Yangloudong, ruts worn into the flagstones by tea barrows, and taste the local brick tea.

1. xianning tingsiqiao old bridge
2. xianning yangloudong ancient town

The Ming-Qing houses of Liu Family Bridge sit about 20 km from downtown; then the cave at Dafan runs just over 5 km, toured partly by boat and partly by mini-train. Overnight in Tongshan county town for the mountain day.

1. xianning liujiaqiao ancient village
2. xianning yinshui cave

Up to Yunzhong Lake at about 1,230 m, with the 1,656-m Laoyajian summit — the top of southern Hubei — and the memorial where Li Zicheng's 1645 campaign ended. Descend by late afternoon for the train from Xianning North, or one last soak.

1. xianning jiugong mountain