Li River Cruise & Longji Rice Terraces Private Day Tour

Two of Guilin's most visited sights fit into a single day with the right route and a driver who knows the timing.

A private day tour from Guilin that combines a short Li River bamboo boat cruise with a full afternoon in the Longji Rice Terraces, including hotel or airport pickup, an English-speaking guide, and lunch at Ping'an village. The tour runs roughly ten hours and covers two of the region's most popular attractions in one outing, with the starting point (Guilin or Yangshuo hotel) determining which river pier you depart from.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Li River1h
2. Longji Rice Terraces2h

Li River cruise and Longji terraces visit

• Pick up from Guilin or Yangshuo hotel
• Transfer to Caoping or Xingping river pier
• Enjoy short Li River cruise
• Transfer to Longji Rice Terraces
• Visit Longji Ping'an and Long hair villages
• Have lunch at Ping'an village
• Return to hotel, airport, or train station

The experience

The day starts with a pickup from your hotel, train station or airport between 7:30 and 8:30, then a short transfer to either the Caoping or Xingping river pier depending on where you're staying. The Li River cruise itself runs about an hour on a small bamboo boat: the kind that moves slowly enough to take in the karst peaks rising straight from the water. After the boat returns, you'll transfer inland toward Longsheng, a two-hour drive that crosses from river valleys into terraced hillsides.

The Longji Rice Terraces occupy the afternoon. You'll walk through the Ping'an or Dazhai terrace areas, where the hillsides step down in narrow bands of water and rice. Lunch happens in Ping'an village itself, so you eat where people actually live and farm. The terraces change with the season (flooded and mirror-like in spring, green in summer, gold in autumn), and the walking is steady but not steep. By late afternoon, the drive back to your hotel, airport or train station takes you through the same landscape in reverse, arriving around 5:30 or 6 p.m.

The guide speaks English and travels with you the whole day, handling the route and the stops. The private car means no other travelers on the boat or the paths, and no waiting for a group to assemble. Air conditioning in the vehicle matters during the long transfer hours.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• English-speaking guide throughout.
• hotel, airport or train station pickup and drop-off.
• Li River bamboo boat cruise.
• access to the Longji Rice Terraces and both the Ping'an and Dazhai village areas.

Options for this experience

2 options

Pickup from Guilin HotelGuide in English or Chinese · 07:30Your guide will pick you up from your Guilin hotel at 7:30 am, then take you on a short Li River cruise from the Caoping area by small boat before heading to the Longji terraces. Pickup is included.

Pickup from Yangshuo HotelGuide in English or Chinese · 07:30Your guide will pick you up from your Yangshuo hotel at 7:30 am, then take you on a short Li River cruise from Xingping by small boat before heading to the Longji terraces. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

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 07:30

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (12 to 70 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

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.

Paid on siteUS$ 29

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by happychinatours

Is this one for you?Pick this if you're based in Guilin or Yangshuo and want to combine the Li River cruise with Longsheng terraces in one day: your pickup location determines which stretch of river you'll see, and you can be dropped at your hotel, train station, or airport.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children go on the Li River boat?

Children under 7 years old or under 1.2 meters in height cannot take the small bamboo boat. Children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the day.

What's the difference between starting from Guilin and starting from Yangshuo?

If you're picked up from a Guilin hotel, the Li River cruise departs from Caoping, which is closer to the city center. If you're picked up from Yangshuo, you'll go to Xingping pier instead. Both cruises cover the same river and take about an hour. The choice just depends on where you're staying.

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

Lunch is not included in the tour price. You'll eat in Ping'an village during the afternoon at the terraces, and you can choose where and what to order. The guide can recommend local restaurants in the village.

How much walking is involved at the Longji Rice Terraces?

You'll spend about four hours at the terraces visiting the Ping'an or Dazhai areas. The walking is steady and on hillside paths, but not technically difficult. Moderate fitness is recommended, and the terrain is not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries or serious cardiovascular concerns.

What time does the tour end?

The return journey starts around 3:30 p.m. and you'll arrive back at your hotel, airport or train station between 5:30 and 6 p.m., depending on traffic and the exact distance.