Yangshuo countryside cycling tour: Moon Hill and rice paddies

Bike the same path Jimmy Carter pedaled through Yangshuo's villages and fields

A private cycling tour through the Yangshuo countryside that follows the Yulong River past rice paddies, water buffalo, and traditional villages including Jiuxian Village and Moon Hill. The route is flat with minimal traffic, starting from your hotel with bike rental, guide and pickup included. You choose to cycle only or add a bamboo boat ride, Guilin tour, light show, or Longji Terraces afterward.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Yulong River1h
2. Moon Hill10m

Cycling and sightseeing in Yangshuo countryside

• Meet guide at Yangshuo hotel lobby
• Drive to countryside and collect bikes
• Cycle along Yulong River and observe scenery
• Cycle from Yangshuo to Xiatang village
• Visit Jiuxian village old houses and streets
• Cycle to Moon Hill
• View Moon Cave from top of Moon Hill
• Cycle back to hotels or continue tour

The experience

The tour starts at your Yangshuo hotel at 9am, and your guide takes you by car to the countryside where the bikes wait. From there you cycle 2 to 3 hours on flat terrain along the Yulong River, passing through working rice fields where locals tend crops and water buffalo wade in the shallows. The route runs from Yangshuo toward Xiatang village and then follows the river to Jiuxian Village, an ancient settlement that took shape during the Tang Dynasty and was formally established around the 16th century. The preserved grey brick mansions and mud brick farmhouses line cobbled alleyways and courtyards, with an ancestral hall anchoring the village center.

After Jiuxian Village, the route continues about an hour to Moon Hill, a massive karst formation with a moon-shaped hole through its center. As you cycle past it from different angles, the cave opening shifts between the look of a full moon, half moon, or crescent moon. The 800 marble stairs called the "Appreciating Moon Path" lead to the top for a closer view of the Moon Cave and its stalactites, though the cycling route itself stays at ground level. From there you cycle back to your hotel, or if you booked one of the combination options, your guide can take you on to the next activity: a bamboo boat on the Yulong, a Guilin city tour, the Liusanjie Light Show, or a trip to Longji Terraces.

Your guide speaks English or Chinese and stays with you throughout. Bikes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included in every option. Children from age 1 can join if accompanied by an adult, though the tour is not suitable for pregnant travelers or anyone with spinal injuries or cardiovascular concerns.

What’s included

• Bike rental and hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private guide in English or Chinese.
• access to Jiuxian Village and Moon Hill.
• the option to add a Yulong bamboo boat ride, Guilin city tour, Liusanjie Light Show, Longji Terraces visit, or drop-off at another location instead of returning to your hotel.

Options for this experience

8 options

Cycling only-from YangshuoGuide in English or Chinese · 8 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 15:30Duration: 4 hours. The moderate cycling takes about 2-3 hours, and the total time including travel is 4 hours. Departure from Yangshuo Hotel: you will be picked up from and dropped off at your Yangshuo hotel. This applies only to the half-day cycling tour, with no other add-on tours. Pickup is included.

Cycling-only tour, departing from GuilinGuide in English or Chinese · 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Duration: 7 hours, including a 2-hour drive from Guilin to Yangshuo. Cycling from Guilin: You will be picked up from your Guilin hotel and driven to Yangshuo for a 2-3 hour cycling tour. This is the cycling tour only. Pickup location: you will be picked up from your Guilin hotel and dropped off at a Guilin/Yangshuo hotel. Pickup is included.

Cycling with a drop-off in GuilinGuide in English or Chinese · 09:00Duration: 5 hours. Cycling and drop off at Guilin: After the 2-3 hour cycling tour, you will travel by car to your Guilin hotel, airport, or train station, with a driver only and no guide. Pickup location: you will be picked up from your Yangshuo hotel and dropped off at your Guilin hotel, airport, or train station. Pickup is included.

See 5 more options

Cycling and drop off at LongshenGuide in English or Chinese · 09:00Duration: 6 hours. The drive from Yangshuo hotel to Longshen hotel (Ping'an/Dazhai) takes 3 hours. Cycling and drop off at Longshen: After the 2-3 hour cycling tour, you will travel by car to your Longshen hotel (Ping'an/Dazhai), with a driver only and no guide. Pickup location: you will be picked up from your Yangshuo hotel and dropped off at your Longshen hotel (Ping'an/Dazhai). Pickup is included.

Cycling plus a Guilin sightseeing tour by carGuide in English or Chinese · 09:00Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Hill: Reed Flute Cave has been honored as the "Palaces of Nature's Art." Elephant Trunk Hill Park is the landmark of Guilin. Duration: 8 hours. Cycling and Guilin City: After the 2-3 hour cycling tour, you will head to Guilin city and visit Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Hill Park. Pickup location: you will be picked up from your Guilin/Yangshuo hotel and dropped off at a Guilin/Yangshuo hotel. Pickup is included.

Cycling combined with a bamboo boat ride on the Yulong RiverGuide in English or Chinese · 09:00Yulong bamboo boat: Rafting along the Yulong River, you will not only enjoy the beautiful natural scenery but also discover ancient villages and stone bridges. Duration: 35 minutes. The bamboo boat ride lasts 35 minutes, with 2 people per boat, and people under 5 or over 70 years old cannot take it. Cycling and Yulong bamboo boat: After the 2-3 hour cycling tour, you will head to the Yulong River and take a bamboo boat. Pickup location: you will be picked up from and dropped off at your Yangshuo hotel. Pickup is included.

Cycling and Liusanjie Light ShowGuide in English or Chinese · 09:00Impression of Sanjie Liu: The largest stage set in a natural landscape and the most unprecedented expression of Zhuang folk songs in the world. Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes. The show lasts 70 minutes, but the total time including travel is 2 hours. The show ticket is the B-2 ticket. Cycling and Impression of Sanjie: After the 2-3 hour cycling tour, you will return to your hotel, and your driver will meet you again at 18:30 for the show. Pickup location: you will be picked up from and dropped off at your Yangshuo hotel. Pickup is included.

Cycling tour that also takes in the Longji TerracesGuide in English or Chinese · 08:00Longji Rice Terraces: The rice terraced fields of Longsheng are built along the slope, winding from the riverside up to the mountaintop. Duration: 10 hours. Cycling and Longji Rice Terraces: After the 2-hour cycling tour in Yangshuo, you will head out to visit the Longji Rice Terraces as a full-day tour. Pickup location: you will be picked up from your Yangshuo hotel and dropped off at your Guilin/Yangshuo hotel, airport, or train station. 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 day10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 15:30

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

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.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Operated by happychinatours

Is this one for you?The flat route along the Yulong River suits cyclists of any fitness level who want to move at a steady pace through working villages and farmland without steep climbs or heavy traffic. If you want to combine cycling with another major sight (a bamboo boat, Guilin's city center, or the Longji rice terraces), you can add it at checkout and skip the return to your hotel.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What is Jiuxian Village like to cycle through?

Jiuxian Village is an ancient settlement with preserved grey brick mansions and mud brick farmhouses dating to the 16th century, arranged along cobbled alleyways and courtyards with an ancestral hall at the center. The cycling route passes through the village so you can see the traditional architecture and local life up close.

Can I add another activity to the cycling tour?

Yes, you can combine the cycling with a bamboo boat ride on the Yulong River, a Guilin city tour by car, the Liusanjie Light Show, a Longji Terraces visit, or a drop-off at Longshen or Guilin instead of returning to your hotel. You choose your option at checkout.

How flat is the cycling route?

The route is flat with minimal traffic, running along the Yulong River area through countryside. The terrain is manageable for most fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

What happens at Moon Hill during the tour?

Moon Hill is a massive karst rock with a moon-shaped hole through its center. As you cycle past from different angles, the cave opening appears to shift between a full moon, half moon, or crescent moon. The 800-stair "Appreciating Moon Path" leads to the top for a closer view of stalactites inside the cave, though the cycling route itself stays at ground level.

What time does the tour start and how long does it take?

The tour starts at 9am from your Yangshuo hotel. Your guide picks you up and drives you to the countryside to collect the bikes, then the cycling portion lasts 2 to 3 hours along the Yulong River, with the full tour taking around 3.5 hours including the drive to the starting point.