5-Days Historical Cultural and Scenic Guilin Tour
A Historical and Scenic City of Guilin
This five-day trip to Xing'an in Guilin and Yangshuo will take us on a journey to appreciate the natural scenery while exploring the major and meaningful historical and cultural relics of Glinui.
The journey includes a wide range of diverse and rich experiences. In addition to the world-famous Elephant Trunk Hill and the Li River, it also includes two lesser-known ancient streets, Daxi Town and East-West Alley. Visit a hydraulic engineering project that has been in operation since ancient China and learn how it works.
Take a cruise on the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo Xingping Town to admire the most magnificent scenery of Guilin's karst landform, and watch the sunrise or sunset on the Li River.
Itinerary List
| Day | Place | Itinerary | transportation | accommodation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guilin City | Arrival, Check-in | Private Vehicle | Guilin City |
| 2 | Daxu ancient town / Elephant Trunk Hill / Reed Flute Cave Park | Private Vehicle | Guilin City | |
| 3 | Xing’anGuilin | Ling Canal, East-West Alley | Private Vehicle | Guilin City |
| 4 | YangShuo | Guilin cruise to Xingping Town,YangShuo County | 5-Star Cruise | Xingping |
| 5 | Guilin | Xianggong Hill, Departure | Private Vehicle |
Tour Highlights
Discovering a forgotten ancient town of Daxu in Guilin.
The town may be small, but you can see real traces of the rural life in the southern China, and gain insight into a side of China's modern and contemporary humanistic and historical heritage.
Explore a hydraulic project has existed for over 2000 years .
The Ling Canal played an important role in water transportation, military affairs, and agriculture in ancient southern China, and it continues to serve its purpose in hydraulic engineering, showcasing the wisdom of the ancient Chinese laborers.
Enjoy the scenery of fishermen fishing on the Li river, and watch the beautiful sunrise and sunset.
In the early morning or evening, local fishermen paddle bamboo rafts and cast nets in the Li River to catch fish, what is a beautiful visual. You can see it here in Xingping and take a photo with it. The scenery on Xianggong Mountain is absolutely stunning, especially at sunrise or sunset.
Explore a underground karst cave
The karst geological landform in Guilin is the most concentrated and representative of this type of geological feature on this planet, and caves are the most unique part of this geological structure. You will see the most bizarre and imaginative geological wonders.
Itinerary Overview
This is a classical Guilin tourism rout, and here is a suggested itinerary. We are glad to customize a tour according to your interests.
Day 1 Guilin arrival.
When you arrive at Guilin airport or railway station, your private guide with a private vehicle has already prepared to meet you at the arrivals hall of the airport or the exit of the railway station. Your guide he driver will escort you to your reserved hotel by private car, then assist you check in.
Day 2 Take a leisurely stroll through Ancient Town and visit the classic attractions of Guilin.
Daxu Ancient Town is located by the Li River, about 20 kilometers away from the city center of Guilin. It used to be a bustling and lively town, with the passage of time, the town's prosperity faded away. Houses in the town made of clay and wood lining the street have been preserved in good condition. It is one of the four most beautiful ancient towns in Guangxi province.
In the morning, let's stroll along the cobblestone streets of the town, knock on the doors of the ancestral mansions of the noble families who once lived here, and take a look at the historical details of Daxu. There are still many locals living here today, and as you travel through the timeless passage from ancient to modern times, a historical and cultural landscape of a southern Chinese town will unfold before your eyes.
This exploration trip is expected to take 2-3 hours, so enjoy this leisurely time.
Elephant Trunk Hill is a famous landmark of Guilin scenery, and Reed Flute Cave is one of the must-visit places for guests who come to Guilin. In the afternoon, let's go and take a walk, and have a look at these two places together.
Day 3 Visit the Ling Canal and take a walk in the East-West Alley.
The Ling Canal was constructed in 214 BCE and is one of the oldest canals in the world, boasting the title of "a pearl of ancient water conservancy architecture in the world". Despite over 2,000 years of wear and tear, it still functions as it should today.
The Ling Canal is located in Xing'an County in the north of Guilin, about 70 kilometers away from Guilin City. We will depart early in the morning and take a highway drive, which is expected to take about 1.5 hours to reach the destination. Our professional guide will provide you with more information about the history and details of the Ling Canal. If you are interested, you can take a bamboo raft or a wooden boat to tour the Ling Canal.
After lunch, your guide and driver will pick you up and take you back to Guilin City according to the plan.
The East-West Alleys are located in front of the city wall of Jingjiang Wangfu in the center of Guilin, which was the core street district of Guilin during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is a reconstructed historical and cultural street district in the original site.
Nowadays, it is very lively and a popular place for shopping and leisure entertainment for both Guilin locals and tourists. You can take a look at the ancient city wall, and if you are interested, you can also visit Jingjiang Wangfu (which requires a separate entrance fee). There are many cafes and bars in the street district, and you can sit down for a cup of coffee when you feel tired. Enjoy your afternoon here.
Day 4 From Guilin to Yangshuo, the Li River cruise and a cycling tour through the countryside.
This is a trip to experience the essence of Guilin's scenery. We will take a five-star cruise from the dock in Guilin City down the Li River to Yangshuo, where we will disembark. The scenery along the way is worthy of any superlative. The five-star cruise is currently the highest level and most luxurious cruise on the Li River.
We will depart early in the morning. After breakfast, your private guide and driver will transfer you to the Li River cruise dock. You will take a boat ride along the Li River, cruising through the unique karst landscape with towering limestone peaks. The scenery of the Li River varies in its beauty depending on the season. The 4-hour cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is guaranteed to be one of the most unforgettable experiences of your trip.
A Chinese buffet is serviced on board. The boat usually arrives in Yangshuo between 1:00-2:00 pm, and after arriving in Yangshuo, you can take a short break. During this short time, you can stroll around West Street in Yangshuo, or simply sit down and have a cup of coffee.
Explore the beautiful countryside of Yangshuo, you can choose to by bike or electric motorcycle. In the early evening, your guide and driver will transfer you to Xingping Town (a distance of 25 kilometers from Yangshuo, about a 30-minute drive).
Day 5 Xianggong Hill
In the morning, our plan is to climb to the top of Xianggong Hill to enjoy a panoramic view of the Li River and karst peaks. If the weather is favorable, and if you don't mind getting up early, I strongly recommend climbing to the top of the mountain before the sun rises, as the view will be unparalleled.
After descending the mountain, we will have concluded our trip. Your private guide and car will take you to Guilin Liangjiang International Airport for your departure flight or to the raiway station.
