14 Days in Zhaotong

The city lies at about 1,900 metres — a gentle first day of old-town lanes, Qingguan Pavilion and Wanghai park.

1. zhaotong old town
2. zhaotong qingguan ting park
3. zhaotong wanghai park

The Long family shrine was built in the early 1930s for the Long Yun era; the district's apple orchards trace to 1940 plantings. Market lunch between the two.

1. zhaotong long shrine
2. zhaotong apple orchards

About 80 kilometres west, above 3,000 metres: from November to March more than 1,000 black-necked cranes winter here. Sleep at a plateau guesthouse for the early hours.

1. zhaotong dashanbao reserve
2. zhaotong jigongshan canyon

A second wetland morning for the cranes' feeding hours, then the road back to Zhaotong for a low-altitude night.

1. zhaotong dahaizi lake
2. zhaotong tiaodunhe lake

North to Daguan county, whose scenic area counts 47 waterfalls; the gorge loop between cascades and bamboo takes a relaxed half day. Sleep in Daguan or Yanjin.

1. zhaotong huanglianhe falls

The Qin-era Wuchi Road — more than 2,200 years old — climbs past Bo-people coffins in the cliff face and the 794 inscription of Tang envoy Yuan Zi. Sleep in Yanjin.

1. zhaotong doushaguan pass
2. zhaotong wuchi road
3. zhaotong bo hanging coffins
4. zhaotong yuanzi cliff inscription

Down the Jinsha to Shuifu — the "first port on the long river" — for cliffside soaks at the West Grand Canyon springs and the 6.4-gigawatt Xiangjiaba dam. Overnight at the resort or in town.

1. zhaotong west grand canyon hot springs
2. zhaotong xiangjiaba dam

East to Yiliang county's Xiaocaoba — forests, streams and the local tianma markets, red leaves in late October. Sleep in Yiliang or Weixin.

1. zhaotong xiaocaoba valley

In Weixin's Zhaxi town the Red Army leadership met in February 1935 during the Long March; the preserved site reads as a heritage visit. Second night in Weixin or the road back east.

1. zhaotong zhaxi conference site

A travel day back to Zhaotong — about four hours — with a reset evening of market skewers and an early night before the western legs.

1. zhaotong old town

An honestly labelled neighbouring-city day — south into Qujing's Huize county for the Dahai grasslands, whose rolling pastures run from about 2,600 to 4,000 metres. Sleep in Huize old town.

1. zhaotong dahai grassland

Morning in Huize's guild-hall old town, then the mountain road west into Zhaotong's own Qiaojia county on the dry Jinsha valley. Sleep in Qiaojia town.

1. zhaotong huize old town

The morning road runs past the Baihetan reservoir area — its 16-gigawatt station is among the largest on the Yangtze — then an honest province-crossing into Liangshan for Xichang's Qionghai lakeside. Sleep in Xichang.

1. zhaotong qiaojia jinsha river
2. zhaotong xichang qionghai

A lakeside morning in Xichang, then out from Qingshan airport — or continue east toward Bijie and Guiyang by way of the expressways, closing the tri-province loop.

1. zhaotong xichang qionghai