Guilin 4-Day Scenery In-depth Tour
Yangshuo In-depth: Classic Route + Extra Karst Caves & Landscapes
Day-by-Day Itinerary
1
Reed Flute Cave → Elephant Trunk Hill Scenic Area → Two Rivers & Four Lakes (night cruise)
Reed Flute Cave
Reed Flute Cave, also known as the "Palace of Natural Art," is a landmark tourist attraction in Guilin. It is named for the reed grass growing outside the cave, which can be made into flutes. The cave is filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and other rock formations. There are more than 70 ink inscriptions and travel notes in the cave, the oldest of which can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (792 AD). The cave was rediscovered in the 1940s by a group of refugees fleeing the Japanese army. Today, the cave is artificially illuminated with colorful lights, forming unique landscapes such as the Crystal Palace, Fish Tail Peak, and Dragon Pagoda.
Elephant Trunk Hill Scenic Area
Elephant Trunk Hill Scenic Area is the emblem of Guilin and a symbol of Guilin's landscape. It is named for its mountain shape resembling a giant elephant drinking water from the river. The mountain is composed of limestone formed 360 million years ago, and the miraculous craftsmanship of nature has created this unique landscape. There is a round cave running through the mountain from north to south, which is called "Water Moon Cave" because of its shape resembling the moon in the water, and it is an excellent location for viewing the night moon over the Li River. Elephant Trunk Hill intersects with the surrounding Peach Blossom River and Li River, forming a beautiful picture.
Liangjiang Sihu Scenic Area, Guilin
Liangjiang Sihu refers to the Li River, Taohua River, Rong Lake, Shan Lake, Gui Lake, and Mulong Lake, which together constitute the urban water system of Guilin and are now open as tourist attractions. Historically, these rivers and lakes were not interconnected, and some, such as the area around Gui Lake, were heavily silted up. After more than a decade of renovation, including large-scale natural lake dam construction and landscaping, this interconnected urban water system, Liangjiang Sihu, was completed in 2001.
2
Li River (bamboo raft or cruise) → Xingping Ancient Town → Yangshuo West Street
Li River Scenic Area
The Li River originates in Xing'an County, Guilin City, and is a tributary of the Xijiang River in the Pearl River system. The 83-kilometer water journey from Guilin to Yangshuo is the most essential section of the Li River, known as the "Hundred-Mile Gallery". Along the way, there are famous attractions such as Elephant Trunk Hill, Nine Horses Fresco Hill, and Yellow Cloth Shoal Reflection, making it a world-renowned scenic tourist destination.
Xingping Ancient Town
Xingping Ancient Town is one of the oldest towns along the Li River, with a history of over 1700 years. It is known for its well-preserved traditional architecture, unique karst landforms, and as the location featured on the back of the 20 RMB note. It is an important hub for exploring the stunning scenery of the Li River, where visitors can experience the rustic fishing village charm and beautiful landscape paintings.
Yangshuo West Street
Yangshuo West Street, located in Yangshuo County, Guilin City, is an ancient street with a history of more than 1400 years. It is famous for its unique karst landforms, Li River scenery, and the integration of Chinese and Western cultures. West Street is the core of Yangshuo tourism, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists. Chinese and English signs can be seen everywhere on the street, and many locals can speak some English. It not only has a rich history and culture, but also many climbing spots, such as Moon Hill, Low Mountain, Shuangmen, Frog, Egg, Bamboo Forest and Wine Bottle Cliff. At the same time, West Street is also a vibrant commercial street with a variety of shops, restaurants and bars, making it an ideal place to experience Yangshuo's nightlife.
3
Yulong River (bamboo rafting) → Ten-Mile Gallery → Silver Cave Scenic Area
Yulong River Scenic Area
Yulong River Scenic Area is located in Yangshuo County, Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and is the longest tributary of the Li River in Yangshuo. It is known as the "Little Li River" for its beautiful natural scenery and unique pastoral landscape. The river is crystal clear, surrounded by green hills on both sides, reflected by verdant bamboo, and dotted with rice fields and orchards, forming beautiful Chinese landscape paintings. There are no motorized boats on the Yulong River. Tourists mainly enjoy the scenery along the way by taking bamboo rafts, experiencing tranquility and leisure. In addition, cycling along the river is also a popular activity, allowing you to deeply experience the local rural life and customs. This is an excellent place to relax and get close to nature.
Ten-Mile Gallery
The Guilin Yangshuo Ten-Mile Gallery is located at Moon Hill in Yangshuo. It is called the Yangshuo Ten-Mile Gallery because of its beautiful scenery along the way, like a poem or a painting. The main attractions include Moon Hill, Big Banyan Tree, Totem Ancient Trail, Butterfly Spring, Jianshan Temple, etc. It is a good place for cycling and sightseeing.
Silver Cave Scenic Area
Silver Cave is a typical karst cave that runs through twelve mountain peaks. The stalactites in the cave are white, crystal clear, and as bright as silver, hence the name. It enjoys the reputation of "World Cave Wonder". The cave brings together stalactites grown in different geological ages, which are crystal clear, in various shapes, lifelike, and constitute magnificent pictures. The main attractions include "Snow Mountain Waterfall", "Musical Stone Screen", "Jade Pool Wonderland", and "Ten Thousand Buddhas Worshiping the Ancestors", which are breathtaking.
4
Shangri-La Scenic Area → Return to Guilin
Shangri-La
The Guilin Shangri-La Scenic Area is located in Yangshuo County, Guilin City. It is a comprehensive tourist attraction integrating natural scenery, ethnic customs, pastoral architecture, and ecological agriculture. The scenic area is based on Tao Yuanming's "Peach Blossom Spring" and showcases the ideal artistic conception of "Shangri-La". Visitors can take a boat trip to enjoy the pastoral scenery on both sides, the karst landscape, and the song and dance performances of ethnic minorities. There are also distinctive buildings such as wind and rain bridges and drum towers in the scenic area, allowing visitors to experience the rich ethnic culture. This is an excellent place to experience the pastoral scenery of Guilin.
Ready to customize this itinerary?
Chat with Magpie AI to adjust this route to your preferences, add or remove stops, and get personalized recommendations.
Plan with Magpie AI