Longqing Gorge & Guyaju Cave day tour: Private cruise
Boat through a mountain gorge carved by water, then climb into thousand-year-old cliff dwellings.
A private day tour from Beijing to Longqing Gorge and Guyaju Cave includes hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, entrance to both sites, and a cruise ride through the gorge. After a 2.5-hour drive north, you board a boat to drift through the water-carved ravine, then visit the ancient rock dwellings built into the cliffs by the Xi tribe over a thousand years ago before returning to your hotel.
Step-by-step itinerary
Explore Longqing Gorge and Guyaju Cave
- Pickup from Beijing hotel
- Drive 2.5 hours to Longqing Gorge
- Explore mountain and water scenery
- Boat on Longqing Ravine
- Drive 30-40 minutes to Guyaju Cave
- Visit Guyaju ancient rock dwellings
- Transfer back to Beijing hotel
- Longqingxia Ravine Entry included 3h
- Guyaju Caves Entry included 2h
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Beijing.
- private air-conditioned vehicle with driver.
- gas, tolls and parking.
- English-speaking guide.
- entrance tickets to Longqing Gorge and Guyaju Cave.
- boat cruise through the gorge.
Times
- Every day 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30
Information
Private day tour from Beijing to Longqing Gorge with boat ride and Guyaju Cave, including hotel pickup, guide and entrance fees for a full day outside the city.
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The experience
The drive from Beijing takes about 2.5 hours, and the tour runs eight hours total. Once you arrive at Longqing Gorge, you have leisure time to explore the mountain and water scenery on your own. The gorge is often compared to the Li River in Guilin, though locals say it surpasses it. The centerpiece is the boat ride: you drift through the ravine as the cliffs rise around you, the water reflecting the rock faces and the breeze carrying the quiet of the gorge.
After lunch (on your own), you drive another 30 to 40 minutes to Guyaju, the ancient rock dwelling site in Yanqing County. The caves were carved into the cliffs between the Tang and Liao Dynasties and still puzzle historians. What you see are not natural cavities but constructed spaces: rooms with doors, windows, kitchen ranges and closets, all shaped from the rock face. Walking through them, you can trace how people lived inside the stone.
Your guide speaks English throughout the day and handles all logistics: the private vehicle with air conditioning and a driver picks you up at your Beijing hotel, covers gas and tolls, and returns you to your accommodation when the tour ends. Entrance fees to both Longqing Gorge and Guyaju are included, as is the boat ride.
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What is Guyaju, and why does it confuse historians?
Guyaju is an ancient rock dwelling site built into the cliffs of Yanqing County over a thousand years ago, constructed between the Tang and Liao Dynasties by the Xi tribe. The caves contain rooms with doors, windows, kitchen ranges and closets carved directly into the stone, and the exact purpose and construction methods still puzzle researchers.
Is lunch included in the tour?
Lunch is not included. You eat on your own after the Longqing Gorge portion of the day. The tour resumes with the drive to Guyaju afterward.
What happens if the tour runs longer than eight hours?
The standard tour is eight hours. If it extends beyond that, an extra fee applies, so plan your pace accordingly or let your guide know if you need more time at either site.
Operated by Catherine Lu Tours. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 6 days ago
Longqing Gorge & Guyaju Cave day tour: Private cruise
8h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 198 per person
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