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

Five days through Guilin and Yangshuo: Li River cruise, Reed Flute Cave, Longji Rice Terraces, and the karst mountain bike loop.

5 天

total trip length · 4–10月 best

18 公里

total walking (3.6 km/day avg)

UNESCO World Heritage sites

$1,000

total per person (mid-range)

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中国UNESCO世界遗产行程:长城、故宫、兵马俑等。

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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.

Day 1 · 周一

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)

09:00Arrive at Guilin Liangjiang Airport; airport bus or Didi to …
¥80, 45 min
11:00Check into hotel near Zhengyang Pedestrian Street
Check into hotel near Zhengyang Pedestrian Street
13:00Afternoon: Two Rivers Four Lakes walking
see Sun and Moon Pagodas, glass bridges, and Shan Lake ¥160 combo ticket, 3 hours
15:00Evening: Zhengyang Pedestrian Street for local Guilin rice n…
mifen

🏨今晚住宿Central Guilin near Zhengyang Street· B: flight · L: airport · D: Guilin rice noodles at a street shop (¥15)

Day 2 · 周二

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

09:00Departure: Guilin Zhujiang Wharf at 9:00am for the 4
hour Li River cruise to Yangshuo ¥450 second class, ¥600 first class
11:00Highlights: Xingping Ancient Town section
the ¥20 banknote view), Nine Horse Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal
13:00Arrive Yangshuo around 1:30pm; check into hotel near West St…
Arrive Yangshuo around 1:30pm; check into hotel near West Street
15:00Evening: West Street walking, beer at a foreigner
friendly pub, local beer fish 啤酒鱼) dinner

🏨今晚住宿Yangshuo West Street or nearby countryside· B: hotel · L: cruise lunch box · D: West Street beer fish

Day 3 · 周三

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)

09:00Morning: rent a bike
¥30/day) or e scooter ¥80/day) for the Yulong River and Moon Hill loop 25 km
11:00Cross the Yulong River on a bamboo raft
¥200 per raft, 4 people) most photogenic section
13:00Lunch: rural farmhouse restaurant in Jiuxian village
Lunch: rural farmhouse restaurant in Jiuxian village
15:00Afternoon: Moon Hill climb
¥10) 30 min to the top for karst panorama, or skip for the well known photo from below
17:00Evening: Impression Liu Sanjie light show on the Li River
¥260, directed by Zhang Yimou

🏨今晚住宿same as Day 2· B: hotel · L: farmhouse · D: West Street

Day 4 · 周四

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)

09:00Morning: shuttle bus from Yangshuo to Longji
Ping'an) Rice Terraces ¥80, 2 hours
11:00Longji entrance
¥100) hike the Ping'an or Dazhai village loop; allow 3 4 hours of walking
13:00Lunch: Zhuang ethnic minority farmhouse meal
bamboo rice, smoked pork, fermented vegetables
15:00Return to Yangshuo by late afternoon
Return to Yangshuo by late afternoon
17:00Evening: rest day, massage at a Yangshuo spa
¥200/hour

🏨今晚住宿same as Day 2· B: hotel · L: Zhuang farmhouse · D: light dinner in Yangshuo

Day 5 · 周五

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)

09:00Morning: bus back to Guilin
1.5 hours
11:00Reed Flute Cave
¥90) 180 million year old limestone cave with colored lighting; allow 1.5 hours
13:00Afternoon: depart from Guilin
flights or HSR to Hongqiao Shanghai, 8 hours, or Kunming, 5 hours

✈️离开酒店· B: hotel · L: Guilin noodle shop · D: train/flight