5 Most Recommended Guilin Itineraries: Day-by-Day Guide
If you want to spend a few days on a family vacation or capture stunning photos, Guilin is a perfect option for all ages. Apart from the famous Li River, the city offers many exciting attractions and a wide variety of activities to meet different needs, such as visiting Longji Rice Terraces and taking a bamboo raft on the Yulong River. Or if you have more time, you can travel to Guilin from Hong Kong or Shenzhen in just a few short hours, making it an ideal choice for a week-long journey.
In this article, we will introduce the top 5 itineraries to help you plan your ideal Guilin trip.
Landscape of Li River in Guilin
Enjoy the Essence of Guilin: 3-Day Easy Trip
The Sun and Moon Pagodas, Guilin
This 3-day tour captures the very essence of Guilin, allowing you to experience its most beautiful scenery in a short time. The itinerary is not overly packed, with a relatively light level of physical activity, keeping the overall pace relaxing.
Day 1: Arrival in Guilin and Getting around Guilin City
Welcome to Guilin! Our English-speaking guide will greet you at the meeting point at the airport or train station. After settling down, head to Reed Flute Cave and enjoy amazing stalactites in this karst cave.
If you arrive late in the day, have a good rest in the hotel or take a walk along Rong & Shan Lake, which are in the center of the city.
Day 2: Li River Cruise & Yangshuo West Street
In the morning, our exclusive car will drive you to the pier to take a Li River cruise. During this 4-hour journey, you will glide along the river and enjoy the view of endless karst peaks, lush bamboo forests, and traditional riverside villages on both sides of the river.
The cruise will lead you to the pier at Yangshuo West Street. You can freely explore West Street, browse for local souvenirs, relax in a café for afternoon tea, and sometimes even catch a street performance.
Day 3: Explore Yangshuo Countryside & Departure
On the last day, consider taking a walk or riding a bike in the Yangshuo countryside to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. You may enjoy the views of the surrounding fields, where rice is grown. With the rolling mountains as a backdrop, the scenery feels especially relaxing. After that, you can head back on your return journey.
Family Fun in Guilin: 5 Days With Karst Cave
Our customers on Li River Cruise
If you're planning to visit Guilin with your children, this itinerary will be more suitable. It focuses only on Yangshuo and Longsheng, with many fun activities, such as Impression Sanjie Liu show, karst cave visiting.
Day 1: Arrive in Guilin & Transfer to Longsheng County
On this route, we won't start the journey to downtown Guilin. Our local guide will escort you to the Longsheng Rice Terraces site. And you will stay in a lodge on the site and take a good rest.
Day 2: Enjoy Your Day at Longji Rice Terraces
In the morning, you can enjoy a traditional breakfast prepared by the guesthouse. After that, our guide will take you around the village and introduce its history and culture. Then, you will hike along the terraced paths to the highest point for a panoramic view of the entire village. Of course, if you prefer not to walk much, you can take a cable car or a shuttle bus to the top viewing platform.
Later in the day, our guide will accompany you back to Guilin city.
Day 3 & 4: Visit Yangshuo Highlights
On the third day, embark on a Li River cruise to Yangshuo West Street. Once there, you can stroll around with your children or wait until the evening to watch the Impression Sanjie Liu show.
The fourth day is more relaxing: you can dress up in traditional minority costumes and take artistic photos, with the Li River as the backdrop. Or you can rent an e-bike suitable for families with children to enjoy the countryside scenery in Yangshuo.
Day 5: Karst Cave Sightseeing & Departure
Karst caves are popular among kids. So, on the last day of your journey, our guide will lead you to a well-equipped karst cave, the Silve Cave. This cave is paved with tiled walkways and well-lit throughout, so feel free to take your kids on an adventure.
After the visit, our private transfer will take you to the airport.
Catch the Natural Beauty: Guilin Photography Tour
Longsheng Rice Terraces in Guilin
Guilin is a fantastic destination for landscape photography thanks to its unique karst landforms of rivers and mountains. Beyond the Li River, the Longsheng Rice Terraces also offer incredible photo opportunities, while capturing the sunrise from Xianggong Mountain is a truly unique experience.
Day 1: Discover the Beauty of Downtown Guilin at Night
After arriving in Guilin and having a short rest, you can take a walk around Shan & Rong Lake in the city center, capturing the nighttime beauty of landmarks such as the Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas, Nanmen Bridge, and Xiangshan Tower.
Day 2 & 3: Capture the Beauty of the Longsheng Rice Terraces
Our guide will accompany you to the Longji Rice Terraces. With rich experience, the guide knows the best photo spots around the terraces and will provide guidance. Here, you can not only capture the stunning scenery of the terraces but also take cultural photos—for example, Yao women in Huangluo Village washing their hair over one meter long by the riverside, or local villagers carrying bamboo baskets while working diligently in the fields. Also, the sunrise at the Longji Rice Terraces is beautiful and worth seeing.
In the afternoon, continue your journey to Xingping, a town in Yangshuo County.
Day 4: Admire the Sunset & Sunrise at Xingping Town
The local fishman in Xingping, Guilin
On the fourth day, you'll need to get up early to hike Xianggong Mountain and capture the stunning sunrise views. Afterwards, you can return to Xingping to freely explore the nearby ancient towns and fishing villages. By evening, find the iconic cormorant fishermen with gas lanterns at Cloth Shoal—one of the most picturesque spots along the Li River—where you can take plenty of beautiful photos.
Day 5 & 6: Discover Yulong River & Nearby Views in Yangshuo
Today we will take you to the Yulong River near Yangshuo, one of the most beautiful tributaries of the Li River. You can cycle or stroll along the riverside while capturing views of ancient stone bridges, bamboo rafts drifting on the water, and lush green mountains in the background.
On the final sixth day, our private car will transfer you to the airport or train station for your onward journey.
Side Trips Started from Guilin
The beautiful scenery of Yangshuo
Guilin is close to several famous tourist cities, and the high-speed rail network makes traveling even more convenient. It only takes a few hours by train to reach places like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Zhangjiajie from Guilin, so side trips are highly recommended. Among them, Shenzhen or Hong Kong are some of the top choices.
Guilin & Shenzhen: Karst Mountains & Future High-Tech
Shenzhen City-palnning Museum
This route is perfect for travelers who love natural scenery but also want to experience China's latest technology. After enjoying the picturesque landscapes of Guilin, you can take a three-hour high-speed train to Shenzhen, a highly modern and well-developed city where world-class drone technology was born, and which also preserves the rich heritage of Hakka culture.
| Day | What to do | Place |
| 1 to 3 | Explore Li River and Yangshuo countryside and try a cooking class | Guilin |
| 4 to 6 | Find the worldwide's latest drone in Shenzhen and learn about Hakka culture | Shenzhen |
Highlights:
- Day 1: Your journey starts in Guilin. After arriving in Guilin, your personal guide will meet you and drive you to the center of downtown Guilin. You may check in to your hotel and have a good rest or explore the nearby area at your own pace.
- Day 2: Enjoy the picturesque view of the Li River and karst mountains by taking a Li River cruise. When you arrive in Yangshuo, feel free to explore Yangshuo West Street.
- Day 3: There are lots of joyful things to do in Yangshuo: joining a cooking class in Yangshuo, riding a bike in the Yangshuo countryside, or taking a bamboo raft on the Yulong River. You may choose your favorite activities and have fun.
- Day 4: Set off to Shenzhen in the morning via bullet train. Then, explore OCT Harbour and experience the latest drone in DJI Flagship Store, a worldwide leading drone manufacturer. When the night comes, admire Shenzhen's glittering skyline on a Greater Bay Area cruise with dinner onboard.
- Day 5: On this day, you will learn about Hakka culture and architecture in Shenzhen via visiting Hehu Xinju, Dawan Shiju, and Dapeng Ancient City. Each of these towns has its own unique charm, and what they share in common is that they all have their own stories waiting to be discovered.
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Day 6: After breakfast, say goodbye to Guilin and continue on for your next trip.
Recommended Tour Itinerary
Guilin & Hong Kong: the Contrasts of Nature and Skylines
Night Views of Victoria Habour in Hong Kong
If you're interested in Hong Kong, we have this itinerary suitable for you. This route includes both Hong Kong's and Guilin's best places. By the way, getting from Hong Kong to Guilin is very convenient. You only need to take a 3-hour bullet train.
| Day | What to do | Place |
| 1 to 2 | Admire Victoria Harbour and immerse yourself in Hong Kong's modern life | Hong Kong |
| 3 to 7 | Take a Li River cruise to Yangshuo and visit the top attractions in Guilin: Longji Rice Terraces, Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill | Guilin |
Highlights:
- Day 1: Hong Kong is a multicultural city with a well-developed public transportation system that is very friendly to foreign visitors. We will meet you at the airport and drive you to your hotel. Then, the rest of the day all depends on you.
- Day 2: We highly recommend exploring Central and Western District as well as Yau Tsim Mong District since you'll only be spending one day in Hong Kong. Here, you'll find the city's landmark, Victoria Harbour. You can take the Ding Ding Tram to travel through the streets of Hong Kong and experience its modern lifestyle. It's best to take the Victoria Harbour cruise at night, as the night views are even more spectacular.
- Day 3: On this day, you're heading to your next destination, Guilin, by bullet train, which will take about 3 hours. Then, the rest of the day is free for you to explore downtown Guilin at your own pace.
- Day 4: Today's itinerary takes you to the Longji Rice Terraces. It takes about 2 hours by private transfer to reach the site in Longsheng County. In addition to the vast terraced fields, you can also visit minority villages in the mountains. In the afternoon, you will get back to Guilin city.
- Day 5: Today, the best part of the Guilin tour comes: boarding a Li River cruise to Yangshuo. Along the way, you can enjoy the stunning scenery of karst mountains. Upon arrival in Yangshuo, you can freely explore West Street or go hiking or cycling in the countryside.
- Day 6: You will get back to downtown Guilin on the sixth day. The last two attractions in the city on your itinerary await your exploration: Elephant Trunk Hill Park and Reed Flute Cave.
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Day 7: On the last day, bid farewell to Guilin and continue your journey.
Recommended Tour Itinerary
Plan Your Guilin Tour With Us
If you have more ideas about your trip, feel free to ask for suggestions via leaving us a message or writing to trip@odynovotours.com. Our travel consultants are happy to help you with all the problems you meet when you plan a trip to Guilin.
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