Southeastern Chongqing

Wulong, Shizhu, Youyang, Qianjiang, Pengshui and Xiushan: World Heritage karst, cool highland retreats, and Tujia and Miao villages and ancient towns.

This region corresponds to the Southeast Chongqing Wuling Mountains Town Group in Chongqing's "one area, two groups" framework. It includes six districts and counties: Qianjiang, Wulong, Shizhu, Xiushan, Youyang and Pengshui. It is home to the Tujia and Miao peoples and is best known for its karst landscapes and ethnic culture. Wulong is the most popular destination in the region: the Three Natural Bridges, the Longshui Gorge ground fissure and Furong Cave are part of the South China Karst UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, and the forests and grasslands of Fairy Mountain are cool in summer and offer skiing in winter. Huangshui Town in Shizhu is at a high altitude and is a popular summer retreat for Chongqing residents, with the Dafengbao forest and Wanshou Mountain nearby; Shizhu is also a Tujia autonomous county. Gongtan Ancient Town in Youyang is built along the Wu River and has well-preserved stilt houses and bluestone streets, while Youyang's Peach Blossom Land is themed on the vision described by Tao Yuanming. Zhuoshui Ancient Town in Qianjiang is a representative example of a covered-bridge and trading town, and the Puhua Underground River and Qianjiang Xiaonanhai are also worth a visit. The Ayi River canyon in Pengshui has clear water and is suited to rafting and water play, and Chiyou Jiuli City showcases Miao culture; Hong'an Border Town in Xiushan is linked to the setting of Shen Congwen's novel Border Town, and the Xiushan flower lantern is a traditional folk custom. Classic route: two days in Wulong, one day in Huangshui, then along the Chongqing–Hunan direction through Pengshui and Qianjiang to Gongtan in Youyang, for five to seven days in total, well suited to a self-drive. For transport, the Baomao Expressway and the Chongqing–Hunan Expressway run through the region, the Chongqing–Huaihua Railway has stations at Wulong, Pengshui, Qianjiang, Youyang, Xiushan and elsewhere, and Wulong Fairy Mountain Airport and Qianjiang Wulingshan Airport have domestic flights. Falling rocks are common in the mountains during the rainy season, so drive carefully; accommodation is tight during the summer retreat season, so book in advance.

Destinations

Itineraries