Li River Cruise Yangshuo Day Tour from Guilin: 4-hour boat

Four hours on the Li River, lunch included, then Yangshuo is yours to wander

A private day tour from Guilin that takes you on a 4-hour Li River cruise to Yangshuo, with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, and lunch served on board. The boat passes Xingping Old Town before reaching Yangshuo at 1:30pm, leaving you the afternoon to explore on your own or return to Guilin by evening. Children from age 2 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Li River4h
2. Xingping Town
3. Yulong River1h
4. Impression Sanjie Liu1h

Li River cruise and Yangshuo visit

• Meet at hotel lobby 8:00-8:30am
• Join group tour to pier
• Embark on 4-hour Li River cruise
• Enjoy Chinese lunch on board
• Pass Xingping Old Town at 1:00pm
• Arrive Yangshuo Pier at 1:30pm
• Free time to explore Yangshuo
• Optional bicycle ride or bamboo rafting
• Optional Impression Sanjie Liu show
• Return to Guilin or stay in Yangshuo

The experience

You're picked up at your Guilin hotel between 8:00am and 8:30am and driven to the pier. Once on board the deluxe cruise, you spend the next 4 hours watching the Li River landscape unfold: limestone peaks, bamboo groves, and water buffalo. Around noon, lunch is served on board so you stay in place while the scenery keeps moving. The boat passes Xingping Old Town at 1:00pm, a settlement that has stood for over a thousand years, and arrives at Yangshuo Pier by 1:30pm.

Yangshuo is where the day splits into two paths. If you're staying overnight in Yangshuo, your guide points you toward your hotel and you're free to spend the afternoon however you want: walk West Street, rent a bicycle to ride along the Yulong River, or book a bamboo raft on the water. If you're heading back to Guilin, you'll be picked up at a designated time and driven back, arriving around 6:30pm. The tour includes an English-speaking driver who guides you through the day, and you can choose between a 3-star or 4-star boat with either a lunch box or buffet lunch depending on which option you book.

Evening options in Yangshuo, like the Impression Sanjie Liu show, are suggested but not included, so you can add them if the timing works. The whole day is built around the river itself, not a rushed checklist of stops.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Guilin or Yangshuo.
• the 4-hour Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo.
• lunch on board (choice of lunch box or buffet depending on boat option).
• an English-speaking driver and guide throughout the day.

Options for this experience

2 options

3Star Boat+Lunch BoxGuide in English · 08:00A 3-star boat takes you from Guilin to Yangshuo along the Li River, self-guided, with a lunch box served on board at around 12:00. Pickup is included.

Buffet lunch on a 4-star boatGuide in English · 08:00Includes pickup

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 08:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (6 to 80 years) · Child (2 to 5 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

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 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Top China Travel

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a private boat with your own driver-guide for the full Li River journey, or if you prefer to stay overnight in Yangshuo rather than return to Guilin the same day.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 5 years).

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.

How long is the Li River cruise itself?

The cruise lasts about 4 hours, departing Guilin in the morning and arriving in Yangshuo by 1:30pm. Lunch is served on board around noon.

What's included in the lunch on the boat?

A lunch box or buffet lunch comes with your ticket depending on which boat option you choose at checkout. It's served on board while you're on the water.

Do I have to go back to Guilin the same day, or can I stay in Yangshuo?

You choose. If you're staying in Yangshuo, your guide will direct you to your hotel after you arrive at 1:30pm. If you're returning to Guilin, you'll be picked up at a set time and driven back, arriving around 6:30pm.

What can I do in Yangshuo during the free time?

Yangshuo has free time built in after the cruise ends. You can walk West Street, rent a bicycle to explore the countryside around the Yulong River, or book optional activities like bamboo rafting or the Impression Sanjie Liu evening show.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. You're picked up at your hotel lobby in downtown Guilin between 8:00am and 8:30am, and if you're returning to Guilin, you're dropped off at your hotel around 6:30pm. If you're staying in Yangshuo, your guide helps you reach your hotel there.