Landscapes and Countryside | Guilin + Yangshuo + Elephant Trunk Hill + Reed Flute Cave Highlights 3-Day Tour (Li River Cruise + Yulong River Bamboo Rafting)

Welcome to Guilin. Our guide will meet you at the airport/train station exit and escort you to a downtown hotel for check-in. You can arrange the rest of the time freely. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to recharge. If it is still early, you can also stroll around the area. You can refer to the free-time suggestions below, or ask your guide for travel advice. Free-time suggestions 1. Prince Jingjiang Mansion: Prince Jingjiang Mansion is the longest-existing and best-preserved site of a Ming dynasty princely mansion in China. Here, you can admire exquisite ancient architecture and picturesque garden design, visit precious historical relics, learn about Guilin's history and culture, and also climb Solitary Beauty Peak to enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of Guilin. 2. East-West Lane: East-West Lane is the only remaining historical street area from the Ming and Qing dynasties, witnessing nearly 1,400 years of the rise and fall of Guilin since the city was established during the Wude period of the Tang dynasty. Strolling leisurely through it, you can admire quaint historical buildings and cultural relics, taste the most authentic local food and snacks, browse specialty handmade art shops, and experience Guilin's intangible cultural heritage, such as round fans and sand-stone paintings. 3. Two Rivers and Four Lakes cruise: The Two Rivers and Four Lakes are an important part of Guilin's landscape beauty, and a cruise on the Two Rivers and Four Lakes is the best way to enjoy Guilin's landscape city night views. You can tour Guilin's core scenic belt and experience the ring-city water system comparable to Venice, lasting about 1–1.5 hours. Suggested ways to arrive 1. By plane: Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL) has many direct domestic routes, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, etc., making transportation extremely convenient. 2. By train: Guilin has 3 railway stations in total. You can take high-speed rail to Guilin from cities such as Changsha (2.5–3h), Hong Kong (4h), Chengdu (5.5–6h), Chongqing (4.5–5h), Guangzhou (3h), and Zhangjiajie (7h).

After breakfast, you will take a car from the hotel for about 1 hour to Mopanshan Pier, and take the [Li River Cruise] (about 83 kilometers, 4 hours) to tour the best scenery of Guilin, explore the most essential Li River scenery from Guilin to Yangshuo, admire the magnificent karst landforms, picturesque karst landscapes, colorful rural fields, and ancient ethnic villages, and feel the wonderful sensation of "sailing on emerald waves, traveling in a painting." Along the way, attractions such as Immortal Pushing Mill, Nine Horses Painting Hill, Yellow Cloth Reflection, Xingping Ancient Town, and the background image of the 20-yuan RMB are worth careful appreciation. Li River Cruise Tips 1. Lunch upgrade: Our agency has carefully prepared a Western lunch for you, with freshly cooked meals in the morning. 2. If you prefer a four-star Li River cruise, please inform your travel consultant. 3. During peak tourist seasons, Li River cruise seats are in high demand. It is recommended to book 1-3 days in advance. After arriving in Yangshuo, our driver will pick you up at the pier and drive you to your Yangshuo hotel for check-in. After a short rest, you can fully explore [Yangshuo Countryside] and enjoy Guilin's most outstanding rural scenery. You can choose the following ways to tour: (1) driving plus walking, (2) cycling, (3) motorcycling (may require extra payment). Whichever way you choose, you can travel along country roads and enjoy the beautiful scenery of karst mountains, rice fields, villages, and rivers along the way. You may also see people working in the fields, children playing by the river, and cattle grazing in the fields. After that, head to the Yulong River bamboo raft boarding point and start the classic [Yulong River Bamboo Raft] drifting tour. Experience the fun of a manual bamboo raft rushing over dams, or sit on the raft to relax and enjoy the beautiful rural scenery on both banks. The riverbanks are dotted with villages, crisscrossed fields, green grass, lush bamboo, and shady trees. The river water is emerald and clear, with fish and shrimp swimming in it. A breeze ripples the water surface, very beautiful. Along the way, you will also pass ancient bridges, where you can briefly stop to photograph the beautiful scenery formed by the ancient bridge and Guilin's beautiful karst mountains. In the evening, head to explore Yangshuo's busiest street - [West Street]. This is a street perfectly combining Eastern and Western elements and the best place to experience Yangshuo's nightlife. Whether you want to taste some local food or find a small shop to order a drink, relax, and enjoy a rare leisurely time, it can meet your needs. Recommended Evening Activity (Optional): If you are interested in Guangxi's ethnic folk customs, you can watch the real-life landscape performance "Impression Liu Sanjie," directed by famous director Zhang Yimou, with the Li River landscape as the stage background. The performance lasts 1 hour.

After breakfast, you will take a bus from Yangshuo back to Guilin. Upon arrival in Guilin, you can spend some time visiting Elephant Trunk Hill, known as the "soul of Guilin's landscape." This is the city emblem of Guilin, Guangxi, China, and one of Guilin's iconic attractions, named for its shape resembling a giant elephant drinking water. This uniquely shaped hill and the clear river around it form a spectacular sight. No matter from which angle you appreciate it, Elephant Trunk Hill is impressive, and the Water Moon Cave and Elephant Eye Rock are worth seeing. After the visit, head to Reed Flute Cave, known as the "art palace of nature." Inside the cave, stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars, stone curtains, and stone flowers are uniquely shaped and highly transparent, leaving people in awe. They form various natural wonders such as Lion Ridge Morning Glow, Red Silk Treasure Tent, Coiled Dragon Pagoda, Primeval Forest, Crystal Palace, and Flower and Fruit Mountain, all evoking admiration. Under the colorful lighting, it feels as if you have stepped into a vivid underground fairyland—extremely dreamlike. Among them, the Crystal Palace is the most magnificent and is one of Reed Flute Cave's most famous sights. The stalactites shine like crystal under the lights and are worth stopping to admire. After the visit, this unforgettable Guilin and Yangshuo journey will come to an end. Our guide will take you back to your accommodation or to the airport/train station. If you wish to extend this trip and explore more destinations in China, such as Beijing, Harbin, Shanghai, Yunnan, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Chengdu, Tibet, Xinjiang, etc., you can also contact our customer service to arrange it for you.