5 Days Insight Tour of Guilin

Arrive Guilin by train or flight, we will greet you and get to hotel for check in. The rest of the day, we explore the city’s essentials starting from Reed Flute Cave, a very impressive underground cave full of beautiful formations with lights highlighted their shapes. Then we move back for another landmark of the city, Elephant Trunk Hill. It is located right at the heart of the city at the confluence of Peach Blossom and Li River. The hill has u–shaped cave in the front making it looks like a giant elephant drinking water in the river. It is a typical scenery of karst topography in Guangxi area. We end up the day with a leisure walk along the lakefront trail to absorb in the views that the garden-like city provides. Optional evening cruise over the four lakes is also very popular.

After an early breakfast, we drive about 1.5 hour to Longji Scenic Area which covers several villages featuring terraces fields. Since Yuan Dynasty, people here began to construct the fields innovative on the mountains. Now, the existing paddy fields covers an area of 66 square kilometers. Local People still grows the rice and the whole rice terrace fields take on green color in Jun and August, and become yellow layer of rip rice in late Sep and Oct. And that was always considered as the most beautiful scenes. However, we are sure the fields are impressive at any time. The cascading terraces are astonishing when covered with snow in winter, or filled with water in Spring.

We will spend 4-5 hours in Ping’an village to have home visit and take pictures of the typical wooden architectures. Continue a walk for about 20 minutes onto the top of the hill to have panoramic view of the Terraces Fields.  Start the drive back around 3:30pm.

We make our way to Yangshuo and visit the Xianggong Mountain, Fuli Bridge on the upstream of Yulong River, as well as a bamboo raft ride.

Check out after breakfast. Today we take the road journey to Yangshuo and first visit Xianggong Mountain which has been a photographer base. Many visitors come for a bird view of the U-shape Li River winding through the soaring peaks. Then we turn to the upstream of Yulong River, take photos at some very iconic points like Fuli Bridge, Jinlong Bridge and Jiuxian Village, as well as a bamboo ride. This part of the river is very authentic and tranquil without crowds of visitors.

When reach Yangshuo in the afternoon, we have a brief stop of the town center and check in. Evening hours is free on your own or enjoy Impression Show (optional).

After an early breakfast, we drive 40 minutes to Xingping Town. Before the crowds of cruise ships coming down from Guilin, we can enjoy a round trip bamboo rafting on the Li River. There are many iconic spots including the Nine Horse Hill, Yellow Cloth Reflection and 20 RMB view, not to mention the barely visited villages and natural beauty. And you will find out finally why this is the most photographed region all over China. We will also spend some time at the old town, then take train to at the station nearby to Zhaoxing. The village is home to Dong people and still kept its traditional way. The night view is a highlight together with a performance done by locals.

Discover more of Zhaoxing town. The drum towers and all the wooden architectures are very impressive. We will also have a brief stop at Tang’an, a smaller Dong village offering stunning views of terraces fields. Depart to your next destination from Zhaoxing via the high-speed train or back to Guilin for flight home.