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5-Day Guilin & Yangshuo Itinerary 2026: Li River, Karst Peaks, and Longji Rice Terraces cover photo
★ 5-day itinerary

5-Day Guilin & Yangshuo Itinerary 2026: Li River, Karst Peaks, and Longji Rice Terraces

Guilin and Yangshuo are China's most well-known landscape — limestone karst peaks rising from flat rice paddies, bamboo rafts on the Li River, and old villages. Five days is right. Day 1: arrive, Two Rivers Four Lakes walking. Day 2: Li River cruise to Yangshuo (4 hours, the highlight). Day 3: Yangshuo countryside bike loop. Day 4: Longji Rice Terraces day trip. Day 5: Reed Flute Cave, depart. Budget ¥2,800–5,500 for the week depending on hotel and cruise tier.

5 days·By NihaoVisit Editorial Team·Updated
§ 01 · The route, at a glance

5 days, 5 cities.

Day 1Guilin arrival and city lakes
Day 2Li River cruise to Yangshuo
Day 3Yangshuo countryside bike loop
Day 4Longji Rice Terraces day trip
Day 5Reed Flute Cave and departure
At a price
Backpacker / day$248
Mid-range / day$550
Luxury / day$1320
Download offline PDF

Quick Answer

Guilin and Yangshuo are China's most well-known landscape — limestone karst peaks rising from flat rice paddies, bamboo rafts on the Li River, and old villages. Five days is right. Day 1: arrive, Two Rivers Four Lakes walking. Day 2: Li River cruise to Yangshuo (4 hours, the highlight). Day 3: Yangshuo countryside bike loop. Day 4: Longji Rice Terraces day trip. Day 5: Reed Flute Cave, depart. Budget ¥2,800–5,500 for the week depending on hotel and cruise tier.

AT A GLANCE

5 days at a glance

  1. Day 01

    Guilin arrival and city lakes

    Arrive at Guilin Liangjiang Airport; airport bus or Didi to downtown (¥80, 45 mi

  2. Day 02

    Li River cruise to Yangshuo

    Departure: Guilin Zhujiang Wharf at 9:00am for the 4-hour Li River cruise to Yan

  3. Day 03

    Yangshuo countryside bike loop

    Morning: rent a bike (¥30/day) or e-scooter (¥80/day) for the Yulong River and M

  4. Day 04

    Longji Rice Terraces day trip

    Morning: shuttle bus from Yangshuo to Longji (Ping'an) Rice Terraces (¥80, 2 hou

  5. Day 05

    Reed Flute Cave and departure

    Morning: bus back to Guilin (1.5 hours)

ROUTE OVERVIEW

Route Overview

Every stop on this itinerary, ordered by day. Tap a city to read our in-depth destination guide.

  1. Day 01GuilinGuilin arrival and city lakes
  2. Day 02YangshuoLi River cruise to Yangshuo
  3. Day 03YangshuoYangshuo countryside bike loop
  4. Day 04YangshuoLongji Rice Terraces day trip
  5. Day 05YangshuoReed Flute Cave and departure

  • 5

    days

  • 21

    stops tested

  • 5

    editors involved

  • 25

    hotels short-listed

  • $1000

    mid-range / person

  • Q3 2026

    last re-priced

Duration5 days
Best forNature, Adventure, Families
Pricing$450 (backpacker) / $1000 (mid-range) / $2400+ (luxury) per person

Lock in this trip

Pre-vetted platforms to handle hotels, transport, and connectivity.

Trip timeline

01
DAY 01

Guilin arrival and city lakes

Stay: Central Guilin near Zhengyang Street

  1. Arrive at Guilin Liangjiang Airport; airport bus or Didi to downtown (¥80, 45 min)
    B: flight · L: airport · D: Guilin rice noodles at a street shop (¥15)
  2. Check into hotel near Zhengyang Pedestrian Street
    B: flight · L: airport · D: Guilin rice noodles at a street shop (¥15)
  3. Afternoon: Two Rivers Four Lakes walking — see Sun and Moon Pagodas, glass bridges, and Shan Lake (¥160 combo ticket, 3 hours)
    B: flight · L: airport · D: Guilin rice noodles at a street shop (¥15)
  4. Evening: Zhengyang Pedestrian Street for local Guilin rice noodles (mifen)
    B: flight · L: airport · D: Guilin rice noodles at a street shop (¥15)
02
DAY 02

Li River cruise to Yangshuo

Stay: Yangshuo West Street or nearby countryside

  1. Departure: Guilin Zhujiang Wharf at 9:00am for the 4-hour Li River cruise to Yangshuo (¥450 second class, ¥600 first class)
    B: hotel · L: cruise lunch box · D: West Street beer fish
  2. Highlights: Xingping Ancient Town section (the ¥20 banknote view), Nine-Horse Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal
    B: hotel · L: cruise lunch box · D: West Street beer fish
  3. Arrive Yangshuo around 1:30pm; check into hotel near West Street
    B: hotel · L: cruise lunch box · D: West Street beer fish
  4. Evening: West Street walking, beer at a foreigner-friendly pub, local beer fish (啤酒鱼) dinner
    B: hotel · L: cruise lunch box · D: West Street beer fish
03
DAY 03

Yangshuo countryside bike loop

Stay: same as Day 2

  1. Morning: rent a bike (¥30/day) or e-scooter (¥80/day) for the Yulong River and Moon Hill loop (25 km)
    B: hotel · L: farmhouse · D: West Street
  2. Cross the Yulong River on a bamboo raft (¥200 per raft, 4 people) — most photogenic section
    B: hotel · L: farmhouse · D: West Street
  3. Lunch: rural farmhouse restaurant in Jiuxian village
    B: hotel · L: farmhouse · D: West Street
  4. Afternoon: Moon Hill climb (¥10) — 30 min to the top for karst panorama, or skip for the well-known photo from below
    B: hotel · L: farmhouse · D: West Street
  5. Evening: Impression Liu Sanjie light show on the Li River (¥260, directed by Zhang Yimou)
    B: hotel · L: farmhouse · D: West Street
04
DAY 04

Longji Rice Terraces day trip

Stay: same as Day 2

  1. Morning: shuttle bus from Yangshuo to Longji (Ping'an) Rice Terraces (¥80, 2 hours)
    B: hotel · L: Zhuang farmhouse · D: light dinner in Yangshuo
  2. Longji entrance (¥100) — hike the Ping'an or Dazhai village loop; allow 3–4 hours of walking
    B: hotel · L: Zhuang farmhouse · D: light dinner in Yangshuo
  3. Lunch: Zhuang ethnic minority farmhouse meal — bamboo rice, smoked pork, fermented vegetables
    B: hotel · L: Zhuang farmhouse · D: light dinner in Yangshuo
  4. Return to Yangshuo by late afternoon
    B: hotel · L: Zhuang farmhouse · D: light dinner in Yangshuo
  5. Evening: rest day, massage at a Yangshuo spa (¥200/hour)
    B: hotel · L: Zhuang farmhouse · D: light dinner in Yangshuo
05
DAY 05

Reed Flute Cave and departure

  1. Morning: bus back to Guilin (1.5 hours)
    B: hotel · L: Guilin noodle shop · D: train/flight
  2. Reed Flute Cave (¥90) — 180-million-year-old limestone cave with colored lighting; allow 1.5 hours
    B: hotel · L: Guilin noodle shop · D: train/flight
  3. Afternoon: depart from Guilin (flights or HSR to Hongqiao Shanghai, 8 hours, or Kunming, 5 hours)
    B: hotel · L: Guilin noodle shop · D: train/flight

BEFORE YOU GO

Practical Tips for this trip

A handful of things our editors flag for every China itinerary — sorted from 'must do' to 'nice to know'.

  1. Visa and entry documents

    Most Western passports get 30-day visa-free entry in 2026. Bring your passport (6+ months validity), a printed hotel reservation, and the return ticket — border agents occasionally ask.

  2. Payment setup

    Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly and link a Visa or Mastercard. Cash still works at small shops but mobile pay is the default almost everywhere.

  3. Connectivity

    Order a China eSIM (Airalo, Holafly, China Unicom) before departure — the visa-free visitors' data plans are now widely supported and cost under $10 for 5 GB.

  4. How we calculated costs

    All figures are in USD per person for the full itinerary, not per day. Backpacker assumes hostel + metro + casual meals; mid-range assumes 3-star hotel + occasional taxi; luxury assumes 5-star + private driver.

BUDGET

Budget Breakdown

Per-person totals across the whole trip, in USD. Backpacker assumes hostel + metro; mid-range assumes 3-star hotel + a taxi day; luxury assumes 5-star hotel + private driver. Figures assume a 5-day trip.

Line itemBackpackerMid-rangeLuxury
Accommodation$248$550$1320+
Food$90$200$432+
Transport$45$120$240+
Attractions$45$80$168+
SIM / data$10$15$25+
Visa$0$0$0+
Misc$23$50$240+
TOTAL$461$1015$2425+

USD per person, across the whole trip. Excludes international flights. Last verified Q3 2026.

Day-by-day breakdown

  1. DAY 1

    Guilin arrival and city lakes

    • Arrive at Guilin Liangjiang Airport; airport bus or Didi to downtown (¥80, 45 min)
    • Check into hotel near Zhengyang Pedestrian Street
    • Afternoon: Two Rivers Four Lakes walking — see Sun and Moon Pagodas, glass bridges, and Shan Lake (¥160 combo ticket, 3 hours)
    • Evening: Zhengyang Pedestrian Street for local Guilin rice noodles (mifen)
    Stay
    Central Guilin near Zhengyang Street
    Meals
    B: flight · L: airport · D: Guilin rice noodles at a street shop (¥15)
  2. DAY 2

    Li River cruise to Yangshuo

    • Departure: Guilin Zhujiang Wharf at 9:00am for the 4-hour Li River cruise to Yangshuo (¥450 second class, ¥600 first class)
    • Highlights: Xingping Ancient Town section (the ¥20 banknote view), Nine-Horse Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal
    • Arrive Yangshuo around 1:30pm; check into hotel near West Street
    • Evening: West Street walking, beer at a foreigner-friendly pub, local beer fish (啤酒鱼) dinner
    Stay
    Yangshuo West Street or nearby countryside
    Meals
    B: hotel · L: cruise lunch box · D: West Street beer fish
  3. DAY 3

    Yangshuo countryside bike loop

    • Morning: rent a bike (¥30/day) or e-scooter (¥80/day) for the Yulong River and Moon Hill loop (25 km)
    • Cross the Yulong River on a bamboo raft (¥200 per raft, 4 people) — most photogenic section
    • Lunch: rural farmhouse restaurant in Jiuxian village
    • Afternoon: Moon Hill climb (¥10) — 30 min to the top for karst panorama, or skip for the well-known photo from below
    • Evening: Impression Liu Sanjie light show on the Li River (¥260, directed by Zhang Yimou)
    Stay
    same as Day 2
    Meals
    B: hotel · L: farmhouse · D: West Street
  4. DAY 4

    Longji Rice Terraces day trip

    • Morning: shuttle bus from Yangshuo to Longji (Ping'an) Rice Terraces (¥80, 2 hours)
    • Longji entrance (¥100) — hike the Ping'an or Dazhai village loop; allow 3–4 hours of walking
    • Lunch: Zhuang ethnic minority farmhouse meal — bamboo rice, smoked pork, fermented vegetables
    • Return to Yangshuo by late afternoon
    • Evening: rest day, massage at a Yangshuo spa (¥200/hour)
    Stay
    same as Day 2
    Meals
    B: hotel · L: Zhuang farmhouse · D: light dinner in Yangshuo
  5. DAY 5

    Reed Flute Cave and departure

    • Morning: bus back to Guilin (1.5 hours)
    • Reed Flute Cave (¥90) — 180-million-year-old limestone cave with colored lighting; allow 1.5 hours
    • Afternoon: depart from Guilin (flights or HSR to Hongqiao Shanghai, 8 hours, or Kunming, 5 hours)
    Meals
    B: hotel · L: Guilin noodle shop · D: train/flight

What is included

Included

  • Hotels (4 nights)
  • Daily breakfast
  • Li River cruise
  • Longji shuttle and entrance
  • Reed Flute Cave

Not included

  • International flights
  • Bike/e-scooter rental
  • Impression Liu Sanjie show
  • Lunches and dinners not listed

READ BEFORE YOU GO

Read before you go

6 articles our editors recommend reading in the week before departure. Most take under 10 minutes each.

OUR PROCESS

How we tested this itinerary

Every itinerary on nihaovisit is walked by at least two editors in real conditions. Here's the method we used for this one.

  1. Step 01

    Editorial research

    Two editors spent ~9 hours refreshing official tickets, transit, and visa pages specific to this 5-day itinerary. We cross-checked prices against at least 3 booking platforms.

  2. Step 02

    On-the-ground booking

    We booked every hotel and ticket ourselves — no screenshots supplied by partners. Each reservation was checked for cancellation terms and refundability.

  3. Step 03

    Walking the itinerary

    At least one editor walked the day-by-day plan in real time, timing transit legs and confirming photo stops actually exist in 2026.

  4. Step 04

    Contingency tests

    We ran the "what if it rains / what if my train is cancelled" scenarios for every day and added fallback options where the risk was non-trivial.

  5. Step 05

    Refund + re-review cycle

    Every itinerary is re-priced and re-tested every 90 days. Last review pass for this page: 2026-06-12.

Source: itinerary walk-through log, last updated 2026-06-12T00:00:00.000Z

TRY ANOTHER ROUTE

Try another route

Not quite the right length or pace? Here are 3 sibling itineraries our editors recommend.

Frequently asked questions

Can I do this itinerary from Guilin only without moving hotels?
Yes — there is a bus network that lets you base in Guilin for the whole trip. But Yangshuo overnight is far more atmospheric and saves 2 hours of daily commuting.
Is the Li River cruise worth it vs. a bamboo raft?
Different experiences. The 4-hour cruise is the classic full panorama. Bamboo rafts on the Yulong River (Yangshuo) are smaller-scale and more peaceful. Do both if you have time.
When is the best season for rice terraces?
Late May–June (flooded terraces, mirror effect) and late September–October (golden harvest). Winter terraces are still beautiful but water levels are low.
Is Yangshuo safe for kids?
Very — most activities are bike-friendly and gentle. The bamboo rafts are stationary (not whitewater), the bike loop is flat, and Impression Liu Sanjie is family-appropriate. Skip Moon Hill if your child is too young to climb.

References

  1. Li River cruise official booking
  2. Longji Rice Terraces tourism
  3. Yangshuo tourism
NihaoVisit Editorial Team headshot

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NihaoVisit Editorial Team

Travel research team · Regular policy and price audits

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