Above the Clouds
Chengdu · Chongqing · Zhangjiajie · Fenghuang · Changsha
What Awaits You
Five places. Five completely different Chinas.
The landscape keeps changing as you move east. Chengdu is the soft entry — slow, green, unhurried by design. Then Chongqing blows the doors open: a vertical megacity climbing mountains, crossed by rivers and lit up after dark.
Next comes Zhangjiajie, where sandstone pillars rise through the mist and the scale suddenly becomes cinematic. Fenghuang slows everything down again, with wooden houses and lantern-lit streets following the Tuo River. Then Changsha finishes the route at full volume — restless, social, and unmistakably modern.
It is the most dramatic geography on any ROAM route. But the real appeal is the contrast: Sichuan food, sprawling cities, ancient towns, impossible mountains and contemporary Chinese energy, all connected in one 13-night journey.
The Journey
Chengdu to Changsha, through Sichuan’s food heartland, sacred mountains, and historic riverside towns.
You Want Variety
Travellers who want cities, mountains, ancient towns and modern energy in the same trip. This is the route for people who want to feel the landscape and atmosphere change from one stop to the next.
What You’ll See
- Chengdu — pandas, tea houses and a city that deliberately takes its time.
- Chongqing — a mountain megacity and one of the most surreal urban landscapes in China.
- Zhangjiajie — enormous sandstone pillars rising from mist and forest.
- Fenghuang — an atmospheric ancient town along the Tuo River, especially beautiful early in the morning.
- Changsha — loud, modern, food-obsessed and completely different from where the journey begins.
What the trip itself costs.
All prices are in Euro (€). Solo pricing is based on single occupancy. Duo pricing is per person, based on double occupancy.
Based on what we actually spent on our own travels.
Curated Design & Boutique Stays
No generic corporate chains or dead-end districts. Every hotel in the pack is hand-picked for its architectural character, neighbourhood vitality, and seamless direct booking links across all five stops (direct Trip.com links provided inside the guide).
- Chengdu: A quiet, design-led travel hotel blending traditional Sichuan hospitality with contemporary minimalist interiors.
- Chongqing: A premium loft property situated right in Guanyinqiao, one of Chongqing’s most vibrant, food-rich, and well-connected urban districts.
- Zhangjiajie: An atmospheric mountain lodge nestled close to the national park gates, offering dramatic natural views and tranquil surroundings.
- Fenghuang: A traditional river-view property overlooking the Tuo River, built for watching the ancient town light up at dusk.
- Changsha (2 curated options): Two distinct stays — choose between a quiet, character-filled courtyard property tucked inside historic alleys or a high-design lifestyle hotel featuring a rooftop bar with views over the city, both offering smart room tech and walkability to Chaozong Street or Wuyi Square.
Everything you need to follow the route.
- 6 curated hotel recommendations with direct Trip.com booking links across the route.
- High-speed rail logistics and transfer notes for every leg of the journey.
- Bilingual address cards in Chinese characters for every stop.
- Regional dining guidance with curated local recommendations along the route.
- Golden Hour Clock with the best times and places for the route’s key views.
- The Chinese Digital Kit included free, covering payments, VPNs, eSIMs, trains, DiDi, translation and practical troubleshooting.
Start Your Journey
Get the complete route pack instantly — hotels, rail logistics, addresses, food, timing, and the Chinese Digital Kit.
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