2-Day Guilin Tour: Longji Rice Terraces & Li River Cruise

Two days, two of China's most photographed landscapes, without arranging the logistics yourself.

A 2-day tour of Guilin combining the Longji Rice Terraces and a Li River cruise, with hotel pickup, private vehicle transport and an English-speaking driver-guide. Day one is a hike through rice paddies and minority villages to two viewing platforms. Day two is a four-hour cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with lunch on board, followed by an hour exploring West Street. The itinerary runs on fixed dates with set pickup times, so the schedule is locked in when you book.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Explore Longji Rice Terraces and village life

• Pick up from Guilin hotel
• Drive two hours to Longji parking lot
• Walk to Viewing Platform No. 2 via village
• Observe Zhuang people and wooden houses
• View "Seven Stars with the Moon" formation
• Walk to Viewing Platform No. 1 through terraces
• Enjoy panoramic terrace views
• Walk down to village
• Have Chinese lunch at local restaurant
• Drive back to Guilin hotel

Day 2: Li River cruise and West Street visit

• Pick up from Guilin hotel
• Transfer to Li River dock
• Take 4-hour Li River cruise
• Enjoy Chinese lunch box on board
• Meet driver at Yangshuo dock
• Explore West Street for one hour
• Drive back to Guilin hotel or Yangshuo hotel

The experience

The Longji Rice Terraces occupy day one. Your driver-guide picks you up from your Guilin hotel at 9:00 am (or a time you choose) and drives two hours to the parking lot. From there you walk uphill through a Zhuang village, passing traditional wooden houses and rice paddies, to Viewing Platform No. 2, where the terraces form a pattern locals call "Seven Stars with the Moon." A flat path through bamboo groves leads to Viewing Platform No. 1, which opens onto the full panorama of the terraced landscape. After descending back into the village, you eat a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant: bamboo rice, bamboo chicken, and smoked pork with bamboo shoots are the specialties. The drive back to Guilin takes about two hours, arriving around 6:00 pm.

Day two centers on the Li River. Your guide meets you at 8:00 am, transfers you to the dock by 9:00 am, and you board a four-hour cruise at 9:30 am. The boat carries you past lush bamboo groves, limestone karst peaks, water buffalo in the shallows, and villages that look like landscape paintings. A Chinese lunch box is served on board. Your guide travels separately to Yangshuo and meets you at the dock when you arrive at 1:30 pm. You then have an hour to walk West Street, Yangshuo's oldest thoroughfare, which dates back over 1,400 years and is now lined with shops and cafes. After that, the driver takes you back to your Guilin hotel, or to a Yangshuo hotel if you prefer to stay there instead.

The tour runs with one English-speaking driver-guide for the entire two days. Hotel pickup is included. You can arrange to be collected from your hotel, Guilin Railway Station, Guilin Airport, or the city center. The pace is set (times are fixed and the route does not change), so you know exactly when each day begins and ends.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Guilin (or from the airport or railway station if you prefer).
• private vehicle transport for both days.
• one English-speaking driver-guide for the full two days.
• lunch on day one at a local restaurant in the Longji village.
• lunch box on day two served during the Li River cruise.

Options for this experience

12 options

For singleUp to 1 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included for the Longshen Rice Terraces and Li River Cruise Tour

For coupleUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, for a couple

Group of 3Up to 3 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 3

See 9 more options

Group of 4Up to 4 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 4

Group of 5Up to 5 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 5

Group of 6Up to 6 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 6

Group of 7Up to 7 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 7

Group of 8Up to 8 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 8

Group of 9Up to 9 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 9

Group of 10Up to 10 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 10

Group of 11Up to 11 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 11

Group of 12Up to 12 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included, group of 12

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to3h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Guilin Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want the two most recognizable Guilin landscapes in a single trip without renting a car or navigating Chinese transport. The fixed schedule and set pickup times mean you know exactly when to be ready each morning, and the guide handles all the navigation and logistics between sites.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What is the Longji Rice Terraces hike actually like on day one?

The Longji Rice Terraces hike involves walking uphill through a Zhuang village on stone stairs to reach Viewing Platform No. 2, where you see the "Seven Stars with the Moon" formation of the terraces, then walking on a flat path through bamboo groves to Viewing Platform No. 1 for a panoramic view. The descent takes you back down into the village for lunch.

How long is the Li River cruise and what do you see?

The Li River cruise lasts four hours and passes through landscapes of bamboo groves, karst limestone peaks, water buffalo wading in the river, and traditional villages. A Chinese lunch box is served on board so you can eat while watching the scenery.

What time does the tour start and when does it end each day?

Day one starts with hotel pickup at 9:00 am (or a time you choose) and ends around 6:00 pm when you return to your Guilin hotel. Day two starts at 8:00 am with hotel pickup and ends in the afternoon after you return from Yangshuo, timing depending on traffic.

Is the guide with you the entire time on both days?

Your English-speaking driver-guide is with you for hotel pickups, transfers, and the Longji hike on day one. On day two, the guide travels separately to Yangshuo and meets you at the dock after the cruise, then escorts you through West Street and back to your hotel.

What is West Street in Yangshuo?

West Street is Yangshuo's oldest thoroughfare, dating back over 1,400 years. It became a cultural hub in the 1980s and is now a vibrant area with shops, restaurants and cafes where you have about an hour to explore on your own after the Li River cruise.

Where does the tour pick you up and drop you off?

Hotel pickup is included from your Guilin hotel, Guilin Railway Station, Guilin Airport, or the city center at a time you specify. At the end of day two, you are driven back to your Guilin hotel, or you can arrange to be dropped at a Yangshuo hotel instead.