Li River cruise Guilin to Yangshuo: 4-star boat, private guide

Eight hours watching karst peaks rise from the water, one bend at a time

A full-day private tour of the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo aboard a 4-star boat with a private guide, private car pickup, and buffet lunch included. The boat stops at named landmarks (Nine Horse Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal, Xingping Town), so you see the river's most photographed views from the water. A live guide speaks English or Chinese. Children from age 1 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Li River4h · entry included
2. West Street30m
3. Yangshuo Parkpassing by

Li River cruise and Yangshuo visit

• Board 4-star boat in Guilin
• Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo
• View Nine Horses Fresco Hill
• Pass Yangdi Village
• Pass Xianggong Mountain
• Pass Xingping Town
• Enjoy buffet Chinese lunch on boat
• Visit Yangshuo West Street for 30 minutes

The experience

The cruise itself is the route: eight hours from Guilin downriver to Yangshuo, moving past bamboo groves, fishing villages and the steep karst hills the region is known for. You'll see the stone cliffs of Nine Horse Fresco Hill, where weathered rock faces in yellow, white, black and grey look like painted horses in different poses. Yellow Cloth Shoal and the hill that appears on the 20-yuan note pass as the boat moves. Xingping Town, which was the largest settlement on the Li River in ancient times, sits on the east bank 63 kilometers from Guilin, surrounded by the same peaks that draw photographers from across the world. The boat is a 4-star vessel (the most comfortable class on this route), and lunch is a buffet served onboard.

After the river portion ends in Yangshuo, the tour includes a 30-minute stop on West Street, the oldest street in the town and the center of its foreign community since the 1980s. The street is 517 meters long, paved in marble, lined with shops and cafes, and known for mixing Chinese and Western culture. From there, your private guide and driver take you to Yangshuo Park, where Double Moon Stream runs through grounds planted with bamboo and osmanthus trees, or to Shangri-la Park 17 kilometers away if you prefer a garden setting with ethnic minority demonstrations and Yanzi Lake.

A private car picks you up from your hotel in Guilin and returns you at the end of the day. Your guide speaks either English or Chinese throughout. The exact timing of transfers depends on traffic and the time of day, but the river portion itself is the anchor of the schedule. You'll need a valid passport on the day of travel.

What’s included

• Private guide in English or Chinese.
• private car with hotel pickup and return.
• 4-star boat ticket for the full river cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo.
• buffet lunch onboard.
• 30-minute stop at West Street in Yangshuo.
• entry to either Yangshuo Park or Shangri-la Park after the cruise.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:40

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by happychinatours

Is this one for you?The eight-hour day is built around the river itself. Most of your time is on the water, moving at the boat's pace, so this suits travelers who want to see the Li River's famous peaks without hiking or climbing. The private guide and car mean no group schedule to follow, and the 4-star boat is the most comfortable class available on this route.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Nine Horse Fresco Hill and why is it on this tour?

Nine Horse Fresco Hill, also called Mural Hill, is a steep stone cliff on the west bank of the Li River about 60 kilometers from Guilin. The weathered rock face has five peaks and looks from a distance like a huge painted mural with images of nine horses in different poses, created by the natural colors (yellow, white, black, grey and green) in the stone. It's one of the most photographed spots on the river and you see it from the boat.

Does the tour include time to walk around Xingping Town, or do we just see it from the boat?

Xingping Town is visible from the boat as a highlight of the river cruise. The tour focuses on the water route itself. The stops on land after the cruise ends are West Street in Yangshuo and either Yangshuo Park or Shangri-la Park, depending on which you choose.

What is West Street like, and how much time do we spend there?

West Street is the oldest street in Yangshuo, 517 meters long and paved in marble, with shops, cafes and a mix of Chinese and foreign culture. The tour includes 30 minutes there after the river cruise ends, enough time to walk and look around but not to linger at length in the shops.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food is it?

Buffet lunch is served onboard the boat during the cruise, included in the tour price.