Li River cruise & Yangshuo countryside private day tour

Drift past limestone peaks on the Li River, then walk through working villages and rice fields

A private day tour from Guilin combines a morning cruise down the Li River, one of China's most famous waterways, with an afternoon in Yangshuo's countryside, visiting Fuli Bridge and rural settlements. The tour includes boat tickets, a lunch box, hotel pickup and return transfer, with an English-speaking driver throughout. Optional admission to additional Yangshuo attractions can be added at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Li River4h · entry included
2. Fuli Bridge30m

Li River cruise and Yangshuo countryside

• Board Li River cruise in Guilin
• Enjoy scenic cruise to Yangshuo
• Have lunch box on the boat
• Visit Fuli ancient Bridge
• Explore Yangshuo countryside scenery
• Tour ends in Yangshuo

The experience

The Li River cruise forms the heart of the day. You board in Guilin and travel by boat for roughly 83 kilometers downstream to Yangshuo, passing Nine Horse Hill and other landmarks that have inspired Chinese landscape painting for centuries. The river winds through bamboo groves and past steep limestone cliffs. A lunch box is served on board. The itinerary is built around what makes this stretch distinctive: the scale of the scenery and the fact that the route itself is the main event, not a means to reach one.

In the afternoon, after arriving in Yangshuo, you transfer to Fuli Bridge, a 500-year-old stone arch structure set 12 kilometers from town in the upper Yulong River valley. The bridge sits at the center of working countryside: rice fields, village houses, footpaths and water buffalo. This is where most foreign visitors first came twenty years ago and chose to stay, drawn to the rural landscape rather than the town itself. You walk the area around the bridge and through nearby villages, seeing how daily life actually unfolds in the region.

An English-speaking driver stays with you throughout, handling the logistics of transfers and timing. The tour runs 6 to 8 hours depending on how long you spend at each stop. At the end, you can either stay in Yangshuo or be driven back to your Guilin hotel. Admission to additional Yangshuo attractions (caves, viewpoints or other sites) can be purchased separately at checkout if you want to extend the afternoon portion.

What’s included

• Li River cruise ticket and lunch box on the boat.
• English-speaking driver service for the full day.
• hotel pickup in Guilin and return transfer from Yangshuo.
• service charge and tax.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (19 and older) · Youth (14 to 18 years) · Child (6 to 13 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

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 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendly

Operated by 桂林传美旅游服务有限公司

Is this one for you?The 6 to 8 hour span leaves room for a relaxed pace on the river and time to walk the villages without rushing, but it does not allow for a second major activity elsewhere in Guilin the same day. Choose this tour if the Li River and Yangshuo countryside are your main focus and you want a single, complete experience rather than multiple stops across the region.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 18 years); Child (6 to 13 years); Infant (under 6): 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 the Li River cruise actually like on the boat?

The Li River cruise is a slow, scenic journey by water from Guilin downstream to Yangshuo, passing limestone peaks, bamboo forests and the famous Nine Horse Hill. You travel for roughly 83 kilometers and eat lunch on board. The river itself is the attraction, not a transfer between destinations.

How much time do you actually spend in Yangshuo's countryside?

The afternoon portion focuses on Fuli Bridge and the surrounding rural villages and fields. The exact duration depends on your pace, but you have several hours to explore the area on foot after the boat arrives in Yangshuo.

Does the tour include getting back to Guilin at the end?

Yes, the tour includes a free return transfer from Yangshuo to your Guilin hotel. You can also choose to stay in Yangshuo if you prefer not to travel back the same day.

What is Fuli Bridge and why stop there?

Fuli Bridge is a 500-year-old stone arch bridge in the Yulong River valley, 12 kilometers from Yangshuo town. It sits in the middle of working countryside (rice fields, villages and footpaths), and is considered the best vantage point for seeing the rural landscape that draws visitors to the region.

Is hotel pickup included, and how does that work?

Yes, hotel pickup in Guilin is included in the tour price. Your English-speaking driver collects you from your hotel in the morning and handles all transfers throughout the day, including the return to Guilin at the end if you choose not to stay in Yangshuo.