Start in: Guilin
End in: Yichang
Special Experience: Li River Cruise, Longsheng Autonomous County, Yangtze River Cruise
Guilin Minority Discovery Tour and Yangtze Cruise
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival/Guilin
Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel 
Transfer via: International flight on your own arrangement
Upon your arrival at Guilin, the most scenic city in China, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at your own leisure.
Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Li River Cruise,West Street(Yangshuo)
After breakfast, drive to Zhujiang Pier (about 40-minute drive) to start the boat cruise along the tranquil Li River, the highlight of your sightseeing tour in Guilin, until you get to Yangshuo County. At Yangshuo, after roaming through the West Street, drive back to Guilin (1.5-hour drive).
- Li River Cruise: Along the river, you will be inspired by the breathtaking views of peaks and pinnacles, crystal-clear water and reflections in the water together with the serene pastoral views of rice paddies and water buffaloes.You will certainly feel like you are walking into a traditional Chinese painting by cruising on this wonderful river.
- West Street(Yangshuo): a busy and exotic slate street in Yangshuo County, about 2km long crammed with shops, pubs, cafes and hotels, where you can relax yourself and do some souvenir shopping.
Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel
Meals: B
Sightseeing: Longji,Zhuang People,Yao People
Today, you will enjoy a full-day tour to Longsheng Autonomous County, drive back to Guilin after the tour (about 2-hour drive). 90kms northwest to Guilin, the County lives many different ethnic minority groups such as Zhuang, Yao, Miao and Dong. In recent years, this county has gradually become a popular destination for photography enthusiasts and people who are interested in minority culture. On this tour you will not only enjoy the wonderful view of terraced rice paddies--the most famous section is called "Longji", lush bamboo groves and small villages on the hillside along the way, but also be amazed by the rich culture of the Zhuang and Yao people.
- Longji: means "Dragon's Backbone". When climbing to the top of it and looking down on the nearby terraced rice fields, you will have the feeling that you are standing on the dragon's back as the terraced rice paddies look like the shining scales of the dragon.
- Zhuang People: with over 17 million people, Zhuang is the largest ethnic minority group in China.
- Yao People: Yao is another major ethnic group living in the Guilin area that has a population over 2 million all over China. Yao women are believed to have the longest hair in the world.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B
Sightseeing: Reed Flute Cave,Fubo Hill,Elephant Trunk Hill
Transfer via: China domestic flight arranged by us
Today's excursion will bring you to the Elephant Trunk Hill, the Fubo Hill and the Reed Flute Cave before your transfer to the airport for your flight to Chongqing. Upon your arrival in Chongqing, our local will meet you and escort you to embark the Cruise. Departs Chongqing at 21:00.
- Reed Flute Cave: 5 kilometers away from the city center, famed as "A Natural Palace of Art", in which you can see lots of stalactites & stalagmites illuminated by the lights of different colors. You will also learn how they were formed.
- Fubo Hill: where you can see lots of Buddha statues left about 1000 years ago in the Returned Pearl Cave and have a birds' eye view of the whole city after climbing up to the very top.
- Elephant Trunk Hill : the symbol of Guilin, which resembles a giant elephant drinking water from the Li River.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: White Emperor City,Shibaozhai
Shore excursion to White Emperor City or Shibaozhai this morning. The ship company will decide to choose one of these two spots as the excursion destination.
- White Emperor City: actually a mini peninsular town scattered with temples and gates, it is located at the entrance of the Qutang Gorge on the north bank of the river.
- Shibaozhai: a gem of Chinese architecture, literally means Stone Treasure Fortress in English. It is a 12-storey red wood tower which was first built in Qing Dynasty with a history of 300 years. It was built against a rectangular rock with sheer cliffs on the river bank, 56 meters high, on the top of which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the rapid river and the surrounding countryside.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Lesser Three Gorges,Shennong Stream
Shore excursion to Lesser Three Gorges by smaller vessels or Shennong Stream this morning (08:00 - 13:00). The ship company will decide to choose one of these two spots as the excursion destination.
- Lesser Three Gorges: indicating three separate valleys along the Daning River, the chief tributary of the Yangtze River, they are called "Dragon-Gate Gorge", "Misty Gorge" and "Dicui (Emerald) Gorge" respectively. You can take a small boat to enjoy the spectacular views and experience a water-borne sensation you have never had before when the natural scenic wonders unfold in front of you with clear water flowing fast through the gorges, sheer cliffs and steep mountains rising on either side to create one fine art gallery.
- Shennong Stream: a small tributary of the Yangtze River is 60 kilometers long and is famous for its picturesque scenery. Shennong Stream is beautiful and ancient. When you take a sampan drifting along it, which is not without risk yet exhilarating and a challenge to battle with the nature. You will be attracted and surprised by its crystal clear steam flowing swiftly from north to south through deep gorges, steep ridges and peaks, thick vegetation and wild flowers, flying birds and a plank road built along a cliff and ancient hanging coffins. Sweet love songs will be presented to you by the local ethnic people.
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Three Gorges
Transfer via: China domestic flight arranged by us
Shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam site this morning (8:00 - 10:00). After lunch, you will disembark the ship in Yichang at 13:30. And then be met and transfered to the airport to take flight to Shanghai.
- Three Gorges: spanning the Yangtze at Sandouping, Yichang, Hubei province, China. Construction began in 1994, and the 'Three Gorges Dam' is now the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. The Dam will be 2,335 meters long, 18 meters wide, and its bottom will be 130 meters wide after completion in 2009. When completed, the water level will rise to 135 meters above sea level. The reservoir began filling on June 1, 2003, and it will occupy the present position of the scenic Three Gorges area, between the cities of Yichang, Hubei, and Fuling, Chongqing Municipality.
China domestic flights as specified in the itinerary 
Accommodations for 6 nights, including
3 nights at four star or higher hotels, 3 nights at five star yangtze cruise ship
12 meals, including 6 full breakfasts, 4 lunches and 2 dinners
Round-trip transfers---between airports, hotels and scenic spots in each city by private air-conditioned motor coaches with experienced drivers
A local English-speaking guide in each city
Entrance fees to scenic spots listed in the itinerary
Luggage transfers between airports and hotels
China Life Tourist Accident/Casualty insurance
Government taxes and service charges except tips for tour guides and drivers
We would like to let you know that we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Guilin. Libby was fantastic and we really enjoyed spending time with her. Her English was excellent and she was able to find out the answers to some of our strangest questions! The driver was also great-much safer than the other tours we took in Beijing and Chengdu.
- Karen and Michael,Canada
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