6 Days 5 Nights Guilin & Yangshuo Karst Landscapes and Village Life

Tour Highlights

• Stay in Longsheng’s rice terrace area, surrounded by layered paddies and minority villages.

• Hike between Ping’an and Guzhuang villages, meeting Yao and Zhuang communities and learning about bamboo rice and oil tea.

• Step back in time in Daxu Ancient Town, hearing stories of its trading past and seeing a private collection of everyday objects.

• Admire Guilin’s icons at Elephant Trunk Hill and Reed Flute Cave.

• Drift down the Li River on a comfortable cruise to Yangshuo, then explore the countryside by bike and bamboo raft on the Yulong River.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival in Guilin, Transfer to Longsheng

On landing in Guilin, meet your guide and set off directly for the Longsheng rice terrace region. The drive leads you from city streets into greener mountains and terraced hillsides.
Check into a guesthouse in or near the terraces, breathe in the cool air, and enjoy the peaceful surroundings as you settle in for the night.

Overnight in Longsheng area.

Day 2 – Rice Terraces, Minority Villages & Return to Guilin

Wake up to views of sculpted hillsides: the Longsheng rice terraces, shaped by local people over centuries. Walk or ride a local buggy up to a viewpoint where you can see waves of paddies cascading down the mountains.

After taking in the scenery, descend to visit a Yao family home. Your hosts will show you how they cook rice inside bamboo and prepare local oil tea, sharing stories of daily life in the terraces.
Then lace up for a relaxed walk from Ping’an Village to Guzhuang Village. Along the way, you’ll pass through some of the most photogenic sections of the terraces and notice cultural differences between the Yao community at Ping’an and the Zhuang people around Guzhuang.

Your driver will be waiting with your luggage in Guzhuang. From there, you’ll travel back to Guilin, arriving in the city for a free evening.

Overnight in Guilin.

Day 3 – Daxu Ancient Town & Guilin Landmarks

After breakfast, head out to Daxu Ancient Town, once a busy riverside trading hub. Wander its flagstone main street and quiet side alleys lined with old houses and shopfronts.
An elderly local collector will welcome you into his traditional home and introduce a quirky assortment of everyday objects used by families over the last two hundred years, bringing the town’s history down to a human scale.

Return to Guilin for lunch, then visit two of the city’s classics:

• Elephant Trunk Hill, where the karst peak and river bend together resemble an elephant drinking from the water.

• Reed Flute Cave, a limestone cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites highlighted by soft lighting, creating a natural “underground gallery”.

The remainder of the day is yours to relax or stroll along the riverside.

Overnight in Guilin.

Day 4 – Li River Cruise to Yangshuo

Today you board a Li River cruise bound for Yangshuo. As the boat moves downstream, peculiar limestone peaks, riverside farms, and small villages slide by, forming some of China’s most famous landscape scenes. A higher‑standard boat with better facilities and a simple buffet lunch makes the journey comfortable as well as scenic.

Along the way, listen as your guide points out hills named for the shapes they suggest—from animals to legendary figures—or simply sit back on deck and enjoy the changing views.
Arrive in Yangshuo by early afternoon and transfer to your resort. Enjoy time for a quiet drink, a swim, or just a rest with the mountains outside your window.

Overnight in Yangshuo.

Day 5 – Yangshuo Countryside Cycling & Yulong River Rafting

Before the day gets hot, set off by bicycle (or e‑bike if preferred) into the Yangshuo countryside. Narrow lanes lead you between rice fields, ponds, and small hamlets, with farmers working in the fields and children calling hello as you pass. Your guide will choose routes based on your comfort level.

After lunch, swap wheels for water and board a traditional bamboo raft on the Yulong River. With no motor noise allowed here, you drift quietly past bamboo groves and gentle karst peaks, watching reflections of the landscape flicker on the surface. Your boatman poles the raft along while you enjoy one of the area’s most tranquil experiences.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon and enjoy a relaxed evening in town—perhaps exploring West Street or savoring a riverside dinner.

Overnight in Yangshuo.

Day 6 – Farewell to Guilin

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and a final look at Yangshuo’s peaks. At the agreed time, your driver will take you back to Guilin for your onward flight or train, bringing your Guilin, Longsheng, and Yangshuo journey to a close.