7 Days in Zhaotong

The city sits at about 1,900 metres — keep day one gentle. Old-town lanes, Qingguan Pavilion and Wanghai park, plus apples grown here since 1940.

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

About 80 kilometres west, above 3,000 metres: from November to March more than 1,000 black-necked cranes winter at Dahaizi and Tiaodunhe; Jigongshan's rim looks down a deep canyon. Back to the city.

1. zhaotong dashanbao reserve
2. zhaotong jigongshan canyon

Morning at the Long family shrine, built in the early 1930s for the warlord-governor Long Yun, then the district's apple orchards — the fruit here dates to 1940 plantings — with a market lunch.

1. zhaotong long shrine
2. zhaotong apple orchards

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

1. zhaotong huanglianhe falls

The Qin-era Wuchi Road — over 2,200 years — climbs the pass above the Guan river, past Bo-people coffins in the cliff face and the 794 Tang inscription of Yuan Zi. Sleep in Yanjin.

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

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

1. zhaotong xiaocaoba valley

In Weixin's Zhaxi town the Red Army leadership met in February 1935 during the Long March; the site and its exhibits are open as a heritage visit. Return to Zhaotong for evening flights, or continue east toward Bijie and Guiyang.

1. zhaotong zhaxi conference site