Tour Code: gl-7
Departure Date: Daily
Features: 
Private Tour Guide 
Private Car & Driver 
Authentic Local Restaurants
China is full of many traditional ethnic minority populations, and many of them live in the Guilin area. This tour will take you to the outskirts of Guilin where you will find ancient villages and rural communities that proudly carry on the customs of their ancestors. As well, you will visit the vast mountain terraces that have become respected national icons and explore the peaceful Li River by boat.
Arrive into Guilin. We will pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel in the city. Enjoy the rest of the day as you like.
| Guilin Lijiang Waterfall Hotel 
| Guilin Park Hotel 
On your first day, you will have immediate exposure to the highlights of the city. Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin, will be your first destination. The natural rock formation extends out of a mountain and creates an organic arch shape which then dips into the river. As such, it looks like an elephant reaching its trunk into the Li River for a sip. Around the mountain area, there are various caves and even a temple at the top from which you are granted great views of the surrounding landscapes.
Next go to Reed Flute Cave which is illuminated with a rainbow of lights that bring out the best details of nature's wonder. Lunch will be at a local restaurant serving great local dishes.
Continue on to Daxu Ancient Town which is one of the province's 4 prominent ancient towns dating back to the Qin Dynasty. Time-honored shops, residences, and stalls are still in business as they have always been, selling local items such as rice wine, bamboo baskets, traditional Chinese medicines, and more. Also, you will stop by some famous temples, halls, bridges, and tombs in Daxu Ancient Town. The main street of interest to visitors is called Bluestone Street due to the blue painted stones that comprise its walkway.
| Guilin Lijiang Waterfall Hotel | Guilin Park Hotel Begin the journey to Longsheng in the rural countryside and Longsheng Terrace Fields is surely to be a favorite memory of your journey. These agricultural terraces were first set up in the Yuan Dynasty but not completed until the Qing Dynasty by the Zhuang people. Overall, the fields weave themselves around the mountainsides like a dragon's back. Throughout the seasons, the fields change colors, making it a year round attraction. For those who prefer, there are sedan chairs available to help you reach the top of the mountain for an extra cost.
The Longsheng region is a boon for those fascinated with human culture and traditions. There are many more ethnic communities that live in China. Two of these are the Zhuang and Yao people who are concentrated around Longsheng. Both are faily agricultural and remain very traditional to their old customs, costumes, and building styles. In particular, the Yao women are known for never cutting their hair. Instead, it is grown to exaggerated lengths and then wrapped around their head at the top, and their clothing is often pink in color and feature heavy silver earrings. On the other hand, the Zhuang people tend to wear shirts and pants while their shining feature is the colorful towels on their heads.
For lunch on this full day experience in the countryside, you will eat at a locla restaurant and transfer back to the city later in the afternoon.
| Guilin Lijiang Waterfall Hotel | Guilin Park Hotel Today, enjoy seeing the Li River by boat from Guilin and Yangshou. Throughout your stunning cruise, you will see the jagged peaks of the karst and limestone mountains cutting graceful shapes in the sky. Water buffalo drink from the banks and fishing cormorants might peek out from their hiding spots to reveal themselves if you are lucky! There is no shortage of wonders to behold along the Li River, and around every bend is a new surprise.
Disembark at Yangshou in the afternoon. Take a stroll down the main pedestrian walkway - the West Street, you will see countless restaurants, stores, cafes, bars, and more that cater to the international crowd.
| Yangshuo Mountain Retreat | Yangshuo Village Inn Take a bicycle excursion around the countryside in the morning to admire the Ming and Qing Dynasty constructions in the town as well as mountain landscapes that continue to surround you.
We will take you to Guilin airport for your outbound journey after lunch.
We use different hotels for different tour classes while the itinerary is the same. Deluxe Class is usually staying at a 5-star hotel, Superior Class at a 4-star hotel and Tourist Class at a 3-star level hotel. The prices for one person are based on sharing twin hotel rooms with another guest. A supplement is necessary if you want to book single rooms. And the prices may rise during national holidays, such as the National Day (September 30th to October 6th) and Chinese New Year (late January or early February)
All of our tour guides are certificated and experienced. They are local experts with detailed knowledge about attractions, history, culture and more. They know the best places to visit, can give you advice on restaurants that serve great local food, the best places to shop, or theaters for the best shows in town.
We use the modern air-conditioned luxury cars for families or 2-3 persons and small buses for small groups of 4-7 persons.
We ensure that all of the vehicles that we use are well-maintained (not over 4 years) and always very clean. Our drivers are very nice and careful with over 5-year drive experience.
Sally Guo
Travel Advisor
86-773-2865632(Int'l)
service@chinatravel.com