Enchanting Guilin: Step Into a Living Painting
$673
Guilin’s scenery truly lives up to its reputation — where rivers glide like ribbons between emerald karst peaks and every bend feels like a brushstroke on nature’s canvas. Begin in the city with its iconic Elephant Trunk Hill, then glide along the serene Li River, watching jade‑green waters mirror towering limestone peaks that seem pulled straight from a scroll. Pedal through the pastoral charm of the Ten‑Mile Gallery, where rolling fields and rugged silhouettes unfold in every direction. Venture to the Longji Rice Terraces, where labyrinthine terraces spiral from valley floors to mountaintops — a testament to centuries of ingenuity by the Yao people and a living, layered landscape etched into the earth. Wander winding stone paths, immerse yourself in village life, and breathe in views that blur the line between reality and art. In Guilin, every moment feels like stepping into a living painting — vivid, timeless and unforgettable.
Itinerary Summary
Guilin’s symbol, a natural wonder shaped like a giant elephant drinking from the river
Li River cruise – Glide over emerald waters and feel like you’re travelling through a living painting
Rolling peaks rise to your right, patchwork fields unfold to your left, and you ride right through the heart of it all
Spiraling from base to peak like a stairway to the sky, a 650-year survival epic carved by the Yao ancestors
Daily Itinerary
Welcome to Guilin, famed for scenery so beautiful it inspired the saying “Guilin’s landscapes are the finest under heaven.” At 1:00 pm, we’ll meet at the hotel for a welcome briefing. This is your chance to meet your fellow travellers, go over the trip details, and get set for the adventure ahead. Our journey begins with a visit to Guilin’s most iconic landmark, Elephant Trunk Hill. Shaped like a giant elephant dipping its trunk into the river, this natural limestone formation is one of the most recognisable sights along the Li River. Calm, elegant and quietly impressive, it offers a perfect introduction to Guilin’s extraordinary karst landscapes. As evening approaches, we visit Zhengyang Pedestrian Street to sample Guilin’s signature flavours, from classic rice noodles eaten dry first, then with broth, to tianluo niang—aromatic stuffed river snails beloved by locals. In the evening, take a relaxed walk around Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Area, where illuminated paths, calm lakes and the glowing Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas create a striking night-time blend of nature and city life.
1. Guilin City - Elephant Trunk Hill
2. Guilin City - Zhengyang Pedestrian Street
1. Guilin City - Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Area - free
2. Guilin City - Night cruise by boat - CNY200
4-star hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
- It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Today we experience the most scenic highlight of the trip, cruising downstream from Guilin to Yangshuo—gliding over emerald waters with limestone peaks unfolding like a living landscape painting. Along the way, we pass Nine Horses Fresco Hill, where natural rock formations resemble galloping horses, inviting a test of your imagination. The cruise continues to Huangbu Reflection, a wide, glassy stretch of river where green karst hills mirror perfectly on the water—one of Guilin’s most iconic views. In the evening, explore West Street Yangshuo at your own pace. You might choose to see Impression Liu Sanjie, the world’s first large-scale outdoor landscape show, sample Yangshuo’s famous beer fish, or simply sit back and watch travellers from around the globe bring the street to life.
1. Li River cruise (Guilin to Yangshuo)
2. West Street Yangshuo
1. Yangshuo - Impression Liu Sanjie - CNY220
2. Yangshuo - Beer fish - CNY100
4-star hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
- The cruise takes around four hours. Food options on board are limited, so we recommend bringing some water and snacks with you. Please follow the crew’s instructions at all times and wear your life jacket as required. Thank you!
Today, we hop on bicycles and immerse ourselves in the pastoral beauty of Yangshuo. If the Li River cruise is about seeing mountains reflected on water, the Ten-Mile Gallery is about cycling through the heart of the landscape. Peaks rise on your right, patchwork fields stretch to your left—every turn of the wheel feels like flipping through a three-dimensional painting of mountains and rivers. At lunchtime, we visit a local family, gathering around a simple wooden table for a home-cooked meal prepared over a traditional wood-fired stove. There’s no fancy plating here—just the genuine aroma of fresh ingredients and the warmth of home. Along the way, you can try a peaceful bamboo raft ride on the Yulong River, experiencing the landscape flowing gently past from a new perspective. For those who want to explore further, a visit to Moon Hill offers an up-close look at the natural “moon” carved by time and wind, a true marvel of nature’s craftsmanship.
Yangshuo - Bike tour along the Ten-Mile Gallery
1. Yangshuo - Yulong River rafting - CNY150
2. Yangshuo - Moon Hill - CNY11
4-star hotel (1 night)
Lunch
- The cycling tour will take about 4-5 hours including stops and lunch.
Today we travel to the spectacular Longji Rice Terraces. As we arrive, the sweeping lines of terraces spiralling from valley floor to mountain peak come into view—an extraordinary landscape shaped over 650 years by the Yao people, a living record of survival, skill and patience carved into the land. In the afternoon, we follow stone paths on a guided walk deep into the terraces. Walking along narrow ridges, we pass waves of emerald-green or golden rice on one side and traditional Yao wooden houses on the other, moving through what feels like a three-dimensional museum of farming life. If we’re here during the late-spring planting season or the golden autumn harvest, we’ll have the chance to join local villagers—rolling up our trousers to plant a rice seedling by hand or harvesting rice with a sickle, gaining a hands-on glimpse into daily life shaped by the seasons. As evening falls, we learn to make a local favourite, bamboo rice, guided by village aunties. We then sit down together around a wooden table to enjoy a home-style Yao meal, accompanied by locally brewed glutinous rice wine—a simple, generous feast and a rewarding end to a day spent connected to the land.
1. Guided hike through the Longji Rice Terraces
2. Jinkeng Dazhai - Learn to make bamboo tube rice
Guesthouse (1 night)
Dinner
- Rice planting usually takes place from late April to May, with the harvest season running from late September to October.
- The hike through the Longji Rice Terraces follows the Jinkeng Dazhai route and takes approximately 2–3 hours to complete.
Our journey quietly nears its end. Enjoy a leisurely morning amid the Longji Rice Terraces, as mist and terraces bid you farewell. Then, carrying a heart full of memories and calm, we head back to Guilin — where our adventure comes to its official close.
There are no meals included on this day.
- Your Guilin adventure comes to an end. There’s still so much to explore in Guilin, so if you’d like to extend your stay, just ask your booking agent.
Important notes
1. A single supplement is bookable for this trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Please send a scanned copy of the personal information page of your passport to your booking agent at least 15 days before departure, so that we can purchase your train tickets and make reservations for attractions..
3. Travelling in China will heavily rely upon using local payment apps – Wechat and Alipay for making payments. It’s essential to install them on your phone and have a data package ready prior to your travel. You shouldn’t rely on credit card for travel in China.
4. While travelling in China, you won’t have access to social media and some websites. You may consider installing a VPN to access those sites and apps.
5. Please note that there are some prohibited items for trains and flights in China.