Li River Cruise Guilin to Yangshuo: Reed Flute Cave tour

Li River cruise, West Street wander, limestone cave with colored light

A full-day tour from Guilin combines a 4-hour Li River cruise to Yangshuo with lunch on board, a stroll through West Street's shops and alleyways, and a visit to Reed Flute Cave, a natural limestone cavern lit in multicolor. Private guide, car, and all entry tickets are included. Pickup starts at 8am from your hotel.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Li River4h · entry included
2. West Street20m
3. Reed Flute Cave50m · entry included

Li River cruise and Reed Flute Cave visit

• Hotel pickup in Guilin at 8:00 AM
• Transfer to Zhujiang pier
• Board Li River cruise to Yangshuo
• Enjoy lunch on board
• Stroll through Yangshuo West Street
• Drive to Guilin Reed Flute Cave
• Visit Reed Flute Cave for 40-50 minutes

The experience

The day begins with an 8am hotel pickup and a drive to Zhujiang pier, where you board a 4-star cruise boat at 9:30am. The Li River cruise lasts roughly 4 hours, running downriver from Guilin to Yangshuo while you eat lunch on board. The route passes Karst peaks, water buffalo in fields, rice paddies being worked, and bamboo rafts carrying fishermen and schoolchildren. The river itself is the draw: each bend reveals a different angle of the same dramatic landscape that has drawn travelers here for centuries.

After the boat docks in Yangshuo around 2pm, you have time to walk through West Street, the town's main shopping district. Hundreds of small shops line the alleyways selling local crafts, antiques and souvenirs, or you can wander the side streets and riverfront without buying anything. This is an unstructured stretch. You set the pace and the length of the stop.

The drive back to Guilin takes about 1.5 hours. On the way, you visit Reed Flute Cave, a natural limestone cavern over 180 million years old and lit throughout with colored lighting that shifts as you walk. You'll spend 40 to 50 minutes inside. The cave has been a documented attraction for more than 1,200 years and sits on the outskirts of Guilin. Your private guide leads you through, and entry is included. After the cave, the car returns you to your hotel, ending the day.

What’s included

• Private guide in your chosen language.
• private air-conditioned car and driver.
• Li River cruise boat ticket with lunch on board.
• Reed Flute Cave entry ticket.
• hotel pickup and return.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

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

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Cantonese and Chinese

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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by happychinatours

Is this one for you?The 8am start and 1.5-hour drive back from the cave mean a full day on the move, so this tour suits travelers with a flexible schedule and comfort with early mornings. The boat and cave involve no strenuous activity, but the pace is steady and the day is long.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Chinese and Cantonese.

Can children come?

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

How much walking is involved in this tour?

Walking is light. The cruise is seated; West Street is a flat, self-paced stroll through shops and alleyways; and Reed Flute Cave involves walking through the cavern on lit pathways, typically 40 to 50 minutes total.

Is Reed Flute Cave accessible, or does it involve climbing?

Reed Flute Cave is a natural limestone cavern with lit pathways inside. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

When does the day end, and how do I get back to my hotel?

After Reed Flute Cave, your private car returns you to your Guilin hotel. The full day runs roughly 8 hours from the 8am pickup, with the return drive taking about 1.5 hours from the cave.