8 Days Guilin and Guizhou Tour: Nature & Culture
Tour Overview
This 8-day China tour, Guilin and GuizhouĀ reveal the natural beauty and local traditions. Discover the ancient charm meeting natural wonders at Daxu Ancient Town,Ā Elephant Trunk Hill, and Reed Flute Cave. Then cruise the Li River, cycle through Yangshuoās countryside, and experience bamboo rafting on the Yulong River.
Take a high-speed train for a 1.5-hour ride to Congjiang into Guizhou. Be guided to hike terraced landscapes, immerse in Dong and Miao cultures, and witness traditional crafts. From wax dyeingĀ to paper-making, savor the diverse flavors of these enchanting regions before say goodbye in Guiyang.
Travel destinations: Guilin, Yangshuo, Congjiang, Zhaoxing, Guiyang
Suitable for: Culture Explorers, Nature Lovers
Tour type: Private
Highlights of this tour:
- Stroll down the narrow stone-paved alleys of Daxu Ancient Town and enjoy the old wooden homes. As you explore, you will feel the charm of the centuries gone by and you will learn stories that relate to the deep history of Guilin.
- Visit the Elephant Trunk Hill, the most recognizable natural symbol of the city of Guilin, resembling an elephant drinking from the river.
- Enjoy a picturesque cruise along the Li RiverĀ and marvel at Reed Flute Cave decorated with colorful lights with amazing rock formations.
- With the coming of sunrise, float on a bamboo raft along the Yulong River while enjoying the countryside scenery, watching farmers work their fields and admiring the karst peaks surround us.
- Trek across terraced hillsidesĀ that have been carved into the mountainside. In Zhaoxing Village, experience Dong peoples’ traditions included wooden drum towers and folk songs.
- Find Miao villagesĀ and try to create handmade paper, eat their traditional cuisine, visit and watch how wax dyeingĀ is carried out, which carry on generations of heritage.
Day-by-day Itinerary
- Day 1: Welcome to Guilin
Guilin is famous for its picturesque landscapes - karst mountains and the Li River. Upon your arrival, your private driver will greet you and then send you to your hotel in the downtown area. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city at your own pace.
Meal: N/A
- Day 2: Guilin's LandmarksExplore the Historical Daxu and Natural Wonders
In the morning, you will be picked up and then driven to visit Daxu Ancient Town, located about 18 kilometers southeast of Guilinās city center. Follow your guide to wander through its flagstone lanes, admire the ancient stone bridges, and explore centuries-old wooden houses and archways. The well-preserved buildings transport you back through 1,800 years of history.
Daxu Ancient Town Return to Guilin downtown area and tick off the cityās landmark - Elephant Trunk Hill, where the Li and Taohua Rivers meet. The natural rock formation just resembles a giant elephant drinking from the river.
After that, we drive for 20 minutes to the Reed Flute Cave. 240 meters deep and 500 meters long, the cave features its illuminated ancient stalactites, stalagmites, and rock formations. These earn it the title āthe Palace of Natural Art.ā Crystal Palace and Lion Rock and Sunrise are the best spots here. After a full day of cultural and natural wonders, go back to your hotel in central Guilin to relax.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Reed Flute Cave - Day 3: Guilin to Yangshuo by CruiseLi River Cruise & Yangshuo Countryside Cycling
This morning, your guide and driver will transfer you to Mopanshan Pier to board a Li River CruiseĀ for an 84-kilometer journey to Yangshuo. As you cruise downstream, you can admire breathtaking scenes that have inspired Chinese art and poetry for centuries - tall Karst mountains, water buffaloes grazing by the riverbank, and the very landscape featured on the back of the 20 RMB banknote. A simple local-style lunch will be served on board.
Luxury cruise ship on Li River After around four hours, we arrive in Yangshuo Town and check in at your hotel. Take a brief rest and then we go out in the late afternoon for a countryside cycling tour along the scenic Ten-Mile Gallery. Ride past rice paddies, lovely villages, and limestone hills under the golden afternoon light. Hold your camera and catch the peaceful rural setting - farmers working in the fields and the soft chirping of birds.
As evening falls, don't miss the amazing "Impression Liu Sanjie" night show (optional, at your own expense) on the Li River! This beautiful performance uses the river as its natural stage. Created by famous director Zhang Yimou, the show runs for about one hour each evening at 7:40pm.
You will stay overnight at a Yangshuo local street.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
- Day 4: Yangshuo to Congjiang by High-speed TrainBamboo Rafting on the Yulong River
Check out your hotel after breakfast. This morning, before leaving the town, you will experience another must-try activity in Yangshuo - bamboo rafting on Yulong River. It is non-motorized and steered by a local boatman. You will enjoy the countryside views of rising Karst hills, rice paddies, ancient bridges such as Fuli or Gongnong...
Yulong River bamboo rafting After the adventure, enjoy some relaxing time or a light lunch. In the early afternoon, your guide will transfer you to Yangshuo Railway Station. From there, take a high-speed train for a 1.5-hour ride to Congjiang Station. Along the way, you may catch the karst landscapes gradually transform into the mountainous scenery of Guizhou.
Upon arrival in Congjiang, the local drive will pick you up and then escort you to a hotel for check-in.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
- Day 5: Congjiang to Zhaoxing VillageHike with Terraced Landscapes, Explore Zhaoxing Dong Village
This morning is for nature hiking. After breakfast, meet your tour guide and be led on a 2.5 hours of walk through the beautiful terraced hills. The layered rice fields, stretching across the mountains, skillfully sculpted by generations of local farmers. It is a prove to centuries of agricultural wisdom, and also the harmony with nature.
In the afternoon, transfer you to explore Zhaoxing Dong Village, the largest Dong ethnic village in China. The village is famous for its Drum Towers and Wind-and-Rain Bridges. The Dong people are good at music & dance, intricate embroidery, and architecture built without nails. The daily performances offer a chance to glimpse the local traditions.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Hike the Rice Terraces - Day 6: Guizhou Miao Village ExplorationWitness Paper Making and Visit the Da Boji Miao Village
After breakfast, you will be guided to experience the culture of the Miao ethnic minority. Shiqiao Miao Village boasts its 1,300-year-old paper making craft. It is a national intangible cultural heritage. Today Miao people still use ancient techniques to craft paper from tree bark in a method passed down for generations. You will create your own flower paper under the guidance of a local master.
Learn the ancient art of paper-making Continue your exploration of Da Boji Miao Village. It has a unique shape of a dustpan, hence the name. Strolling through this village, you will find the stilted wooden houses. Your guide will tell you how each three-story structure serves a purpose: livestock on the ground floor, living quarters above, and grain storage on the top. Gain deeper insight into the daily life and customs.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Da Boji Miao Village - Day 7: More Miao Culture ExperienceLearn the Wax Dyeing and Glimpse Traditional Miao Skirts
Today is another day to discover Miao culture. You will be taken to a Miao village known for wax dyeing. Upon arrival, visit a local workshop and appreciate the Gejia batik patterns and embroidery. Also, you can watch how plain white fabric is dyed blue and decorated with wax-drawn designs.
Wax dyeing process Continue to another Miao village thatās famous for its unique short skirts. The women here wear pleated skirts that are only 17 to 27 centimeters long, often called āmini skirts.ā Normally, they wear two layers of skirts, but during festivals, they may wear three or four, decorated with beautiful butterfly embroidery. Get a chance to learn more about the cultural meaning behind these special outfits.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch
Short-skirt Miao Village - Day 8: Departure from Guiyang
Enjoy a leisurely morning with free time. Your driver will then escort you to Guiyang, where you will catch your flight or train to your next destination or return home. Your 8-day Guilin and Guizhou tour comes to an end!
Accommodation: N/A
Tour Price ($=USD)
FromĀ $1047 P.P, which is based on a private tour forĀ 2 people. The price varies depending on the activity, number of people, travel date, and selected hotel.
