Picturesque Karst Scenery and Idyllic Countryside
This tour promotes a leisurely transfer from the picturesque karst scenery in China's most beautiful countryside near Guilin to the diverse minority cultures in Guizhou, the provincial home of many of China's ethnic minorities.
Wonderful landscapes and cultures are combined. You will appreciate the stunning scenery of the Li River, stroll through the ancient town of Daxu to feel the weight of history, experience the unique charm of Guizhou's rice terraces , explore the traditional architecture of minority groups, and personally participate in handmade craft production. If you are an adventurous traveler, we offer personalized customization to ensure you discover unique joys throughout your journey.
Suggested 8-Day Itinerary
| Day | Highlights |
|---|---|
| 1-2 Guilin |
Guilin City Highlights, Daxu Ancient Town |
| 3 Yangshuo |
Li River Cruise, Bamboo Rafting |
| 4-7 Guizhou |
Rice Terrace Hiking，Minority Crafts Experience |
| 8 GuiYang |
Guiyang Departure |
Tour Map
Tour Highlights
Relax on a Li River cruise and view the natural art of karst landscape.
Hike through cloud-wrapped rice terraces and green paddy fields.
Explore one of the biggest Dong villages in China.
Make a piece of paper in the original way in a distinctive minority village.
<Suggested Itinerary
Your preferences design the real journey. We're ready to create a wonderful private China tour for you.
Welcome to Guilin! Your private guide will meet you at the airport/train station arrivals hall and transfer you to your hotel in a private car.
Tailor-Made Idea:
The night scenery in Guilin is beautiful and it makes a great way to unwind after a flight. The 'Two Rivers and Four Lakes' in the downtown area provide pleasant lakeside walks and night cruises.
Hotel options:
Lijiang Waterfall Hotel
Sheraton Guilin
breakfast & lunch
Daxu is an old town along the Li River and used to be the busiest bazaar in Guangxi. Popularity comes and goes, however, but the older generation still living there bears ongoing witness to the history of the old town. Today, discover the forgotten stories of Daxu.
After lunch, start sight-seeing in the city from Guilin's landmark, Elephant Trunk Hill. The name comes from the hill's shape. Seen from afar, it looks like an elephant drinking from the Li River.
Admire the natural art in Reed Flute Cave, a famous and massive limestone cave, with multicolored lighting, which casts intriguing shadows on the water.
breakfast & lunch
Feast your eyes on picturesque views either side of the Li River, as you enjoy the highest-standard cruise, to ensure your comfort. Your guide will show you the best spots for taking photos.
The cruise arrives in Yangshuo at noon and you will be welcomed by the sight of the most beautiful countryside in China.
Pick the transport of your choice, whether private car, bicycle, or moped, to embrace and enjoy these natural surroundings.
Hotel options:
Yangshuo Mountain Retreat
Alila Yangshuo
breakfast & lunch
After a good night's sleep, start your day with a bamboo-rafting tour. One great way of enjoying the rural view and tranquility is to sit back on a non-motorized raft that's steered along the Yulong River by a gondolier.
Your private guide and driver will transfer you to Yangshuo Railway Station. Take a rest on the easy journey of 1.5 hours. Your Guizhou guide will pick you up at Congjiang Railway Station and help you check in to your hotel.
Hotel options:
Indigo Lorge Zhaoxing (Boutique)
breakfast & lunch
The rice terraces in Guizhou are impressive for their altitude and wildness. Today you will hike round some of them.
The hike will be a 2.5-hour walk on solid flagstone, combined with morning rice-terrace viewing. You'll walk down from the top of the mountainside on paths through refreshing paddy fields. You will be guided through small yet unspoiled villages.
Freshen up and have lunch at our chosen restaurant, then have a free afternoon at Zhaoxing, one of the biggest Dong villages in China.
breakfast & lunch
Guizhou is home to many ethnic minorities. The Miao and Dong are large ancient groups with different subgroups, representing different cultures.
Settled deep in the mountains and with limited resources, rural people have a knack of making ends meet: for example, making paper from wood pulp. Visit a village where people still today carry on their forbears' trade of papermaking.
Learn how to make a piece of paper with a respected expert, step by step. Use your imagination to make a unique paper craft with your own hands, under the guidance of an experienced natural-paper maker.
Have lunch in a farmer's house, cooked with fresh local ingredients. Then visit a small yet unspoiled village famous for its dustpan-like shape. Stroll along the bluestone path, and observe close-up the daily lives of minority people.
breakfast & lunch
The village you are going to visit this morning is quite a special one.
The villagers dress differently. Females used to join the army, and their costumes still resemble army-uniforms. They are also renowned for their batik work. Villagers hang a pair of dyed cloths on the door, instead of the usual antithetical couplets written on red paper.
You will have an opportunity to step into the dye-house and see how to make a fine batik. Participate in the batik-making process.
After lunch, visit another special Miao village, famous for its females' gorgeous mini-skirt costumes and unique creative centuries-old way to store food.
Your guide will transfer you to Guiyang Airport and help you to check-in.
Trip Notes
Every element of the tour above can be tailored. Feel free to tell us your ideas and we will be happy to make adjustments for you.
1. Extend the Tour
- Zhenyuan:Add a day to take a relax gorge cruise and peaceful ancient town.
- Anshun:Add a day for China's biggest waterfall and karst park.
- Guilin and Yangshuo: Add 2-3 days for Li River Cruise and Yangshuo countryside.
- Zhangjiajie:Add 2-3 days to Zhangjiajie.
2. Hotels and Meals in Remote Areas
In remote areas, such as Zhaoxing, star-rated hotels might not be as good as the same standard of hotels in big cities.
China Highlights has carefully selected the best restaurant and hotel available, based on criteria like location and environment. Your private guide will assist you in ordering the dishes you like and will accompany you to check in to your room.
3. Transportation
As China's new big data valley, the network of Guizhou high-speed rail now links to many directions over the country.
Guizhou is a mountainous province but roads to every villages are accessible. So car is a ideal vehicle when transferring between villages. To provide you with a comfortable experience, private car is provided.
Tour Price
Price includes:
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- English speaking local guide
- Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Tour code: gy-4
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Beeindruckende Tage in Lijiang
Wir waren 3 N?chte in Lijiang, organisiert durch China Highlights. Wir haben den Jadedrachenschneeberg besucht, wurden in Baisha durch einen Naxi-Schamanen in die Bilderschrift der Naxi eingeführt, waren in der Tigersprungschlucht und sind durch die Altstadt von Lijiang gebummelt. Unser Guide Alice hat uns super geführt (englisch), ist auf unsere Wünsche eingegangen und wir hatten viel Spass und tolle Gespr?che miteinander. Ein tolles Erlebnis. more
Oct 2025, Ulrich
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A Very Memorable Visit to Shanghai.
We arrived in Shanghai on 30 Oct 2024 to the announcement that Shanghai would be hit by a severe typhoon on 1 Nov. But that did not faze our wonderful guide, Winnie! She reorganised our itinerary to max the time we had before the typhoon arrive which would have stopped all activities. Meeting us at 8.30am, she whisked us to Shanghai Tower - so that we could beat the morning crowd to get up to the observation deck on the 118th floor and take in the breath-taking view before the rolling fog reduced all visibility! Lunch was a v delicious meal of local treats at a famous local bistro after a tour of the Shanghai Museum. Winnie was so thoughtful, she even bought us a green bean soup each for us old folks to hydrate ourselves through the afternoon. Plus - a very pretty pumpkin pastry to celebrate Halloween! We spent the afternoon walking along the Bund with Winnie explaining the history and significance of the different buildings and a tour of the French Quarter after that. All these could not have been done the next day when the typhoon brought gusty wind and heavy rain. Because of Winnie's initiative and hard work on 31 Oct, we got to see the Shanghai we came to visit! Kudos to you, Winnie! more
Nov 2024, Navigate14411878263
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Great day in Suchzou and Tongli
Thanks to our guide Kenny! She was very welcoming and nice! Showed us Suchzhou in a very nice way. We visited the park, had a nice dinner in a restaurant that she chose for us (the food was great and atmosphere very warm) and visited Tongli water village. Her English is great, we understood her very well, and she was also very knowledgeable. Would totally recommend more
Nov 2024, Nidia
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