Guilin
Yangshuo Cycling & Countryside Day Tour
Flat paved lanes between the towers, a bamboo raft on the Yulong River, and cormorant fishing at dusk. Guangxi at ground level.
From US$129/per person
View tourGuilin
Li River Cruise Private Day Tour
Four hours downstream through the karst towers to Yangshuo, then the countryside by road on the way back. The classic Guangxi day.
The short version
The Li River runs 83 km from Guilin to Yangshuo through the karst towers that made Guangxi famous, and the only way to see them properly is from the water. The cruise takes about four hours; the day adds a Yangshuo lunch, the countryside by road, and a return to Guilin in the evening. About 9 hours, and it works in light rain.
- Four hours downstream, through the section that appears on the ¥20 note.
- The cruise is not replaceable by the road — the towers are only right from the water.
- Departures are morning only; the boats leave between 08:30 and 09:30.
- Add the Yangshuo countryside on the drive back and you have the full day.
What not to miss
07:00
Hotel pickup
Private vehicle to Zhujiang pier south of the city. Boats leave between 08:30 and 09:30, and boarding takes 30 minutes.
09:00
Board and cast off
Upstream out of Guilin past Elephant Trunk Hill, then the city drops away and the towers begin.
10:30
The tower section
The stretch that carries the famous view: cone after cone of limestone rising straight out of the river, with buffalo on the gravel banks.
12:00
Lunch on board
A simple set meal as the boat passes the fishing villages — river fish, greens and rice, included in the fare.
13:30
Arrive in Yangshuo
Disembark and walk out onto West Street, then a short drive into the paddy fields behind the town.
15:30
Countryside and return
The road back to Guilin through Moon Hill and the paddy villages, with a stop where the towers line up. Hotel by 17:30.
What's included and what isn't
Includes
- Private vehicle and driver for the full day
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Li River cruise ticket in tourist class
- Set lunch on board
- Yangshuo countryside stops and parking
- Bottled water
Not included
- Breakfast and dinner
- Gratuities
- The upgrade to a first-class cabin, if you want it
- Bamboo raft or caving add-ons in Yangshuo
Pickup, timing and getting around
Pickup at 07:00 from hotels in Guilin's city districts. The pier is south of the city and boarding closes 30 minutes before departure, so this timing is not flexible.
Cruises are daily but the boats do not run when the river is in flood, usually a few days each June. If that happens we switch to the Longji terraces or refund in full — we will know by the morning of the tour at the latest.
Route diagrams are schematic and illustrative, not to scale.
More day tours from Guilin
Guilin
Longji Rice Terraces Private Day Tour
Terraces cut by hand over 650 years and still farmed, in the mountains two and a half hours north-west of Guilin.
From US$149/per person
View tourFrequently asked questions
Is the cruise worth four hours?
Yes. The karst towers between Guilin and Yangshuo are the landscape that defines southern China, and the river is the only vantage point that shows them at full height. Driving parallel does not work.
What class of boat do you book?
Tourist class, which is a seated cabin with an outdoor deck, air conditioning and the included set lunch. First-class cabins cost more for a slightly better seat; the view outside is identical.
What if it rains?
Light rain and mist improve it — that is the weather in every painting of this landscape. The boats only cancel for flooding or storms, and in that case we reschedule or refund.
Can we stay in Yangshuo instead of returning?
Yes, and we recommend it. We can end the tour at your Yangshuo hotel rather than driving back, which saves two hours and gives you the town in the evening.
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- China's High-Speed Rail: How to Book, What It Costs, How Fast It Goes
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- Best Time to Visit China: Month by Month, Region by Region
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