Longji Rice Terraces & Minority Villages Private Tour from Guilin

The terraces are still farmed by the villagers who live there, not preserved behind glass.

A private day tour from Guilin to Longji Rice Terraces, a UNESCO-recognized agricultural heritage site, with an English-speaking driver, hotel pickup, park admission and electric car access to Pingan. You visit Huang Luo Yao minority village, then spend 2–3 hours hiking the Pingan terraces while Yao and Zhuang farmers work the same fields around you. The tour runs 10 hours round-trip, with flexible lunch timing and return to your Guilin hotel by 5:30pm.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Longji rice terraces and villages

• Pick up from Guilin hotel or airport
• Travel to Longsheng mountain area
• Visit Huang Luo Yao Village
• Hike at Pingan rice terraces
• Enjoy flexible lunch during hike
• Return to Guilin hotel

The Experience

You're picked up at your Guilin hotel at 8:30am and driven into the mountain area for about two hours, arriving at the Longji Rice Terraces entrance around 10:30am. The first stop is Huang Luo Yao Village, a minority settlement where you spend roughly 30 minutes before moving on to the main event: the Pingan rice terraces, where the real hiking begins. This is not a lookout-and-leave kind of place—you're walking through active farmland, the terraces still producing premium rice, with the landscape shifting beneath your feet as the mountain ridges rise and fall.

The afternoon is yours to move through the Pingan terraces at your own pace, with 2–3 hours to cover the trails. An electric car takes you partway up the steeper sections, which means you're not climbing the entire mountain on foot, but you're still walking through the working fields themselves. The terraces look different depending on the season: in spring they hold water like mirrors, in summer they're bright green after transplanting, in autumn they turn gold as the rice ripens, and in winter the snow softens the lines into something like an ink painting. Lunch happens whenever you're hungry—the timing is flexible and built around your appetite, not a fixed schedule.

By 3:00pm the terraces portion wraps up and your driver takes you back down the mountain. You're back in Guilin by around 5:30pm. The tour includes the park admission ticket, all transportation in a private car, the electric car access to Pingan, and the driver's English-language commentary throughout the day. You cover your own lunch and any personal expenses.

What’s included

• Private car transportation with an English-speaking driver.
• hotel pickup and return to Guilin.
• admission ticket to Longji Rice Terraces.
• one-way electric car access through the Pingan terraces.
• service charges and tax.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by 桂林传美旅游服务有限公司

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a private car to set your own pace through the terraces and stop for hikes without coordinating with a group schedule.

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Top questions

What's the difference between Huang Luo Yao Village and the Pingan rice terraces on this tour?

Huang Luo Yao is a minority village where you stop for about 30 minutes to see how the Yao people live. Pingan is where you spend 2–3 hours hiking through the actual terraced fields, walking among the rice paddies that local farmers actively cultivate.

How much of the tour is walking versus sitting in the car?

You drive for about two hours from Guilin to reach the terraces, then spend 2–3 hours hiking the Pingan trails on foot. An electric car helps with the steeper sections, so you're not climbing the entire mountain, but most of the afternoon is spent walking through the fields themselves.

Is lunch included, and when do we eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. The timing is flexible and depends on your appetite—you eat whenever you're ready during the afternoon, rather than stopping at a fixed time.

What should I wear for a day at the Longji Rice Terraces?

Comfortable walking shoes are essential, since you'll be hiking 2–3 hours on mountain trails through the terraces. The terrain is uneven and can be muddy, especially after rain. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat, and dress in layers since the mountain temperature can shift through the day.

Can I do this tour if I'm not very fit?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The electric car helps with the steeper climbs, and you set your own pace through the Pingan terraces—there's no rush to cover a fixed distance, so you can rest whenever you need to.

What's included in the price?

The tour includes private car transportation from your Guilin hotel, admission to the Longji Rice Terraces park, the electric car ride through Pingan, and an English-speaking driver for the full 10 hours. You pay separately for lunch and any personal expenses.