Guilin Tours

Guilin City Center - Your Best Place to Stay for Arrival and Departure Days
It is near the airport and train stations, with convenient transportation and easy access to downtown attractions. Consider staying close to Elephant Trunk Hill or the Two Rivers and Four Lakes, and other landmarks are within a 20-minute taxi ride.

Yangshuo - Best Place for Countryside Adventure
For an immersive Guilin tour, staying in Yangshuo for at least one or two nights allows you to wake up surrounded by limestone peaks and try all kinds of outdoor adventures. West Street is popular due to its excellent location, while Xingping Ancient Town appeals to those seeking a more peaceful atmosphere.

While Guilin is the gateway, the essence of a Guilin trip actually lies in Yangshuo. For a quick stop in Guilin, you can visit its iconic Elephant Trunk Hill and stroll along the lively Zhengyang Road Pedestrian Street. The real adventure begins once you reach Yangshuo. Enjoy this natural outdoor playground through activities like countryside cycling, hiking, bamboo rafting, and even rock climbing, all of which provide a closer connection to the karst landscape.

While Yangshuo’s natural landscape is undeniably captivating, the visitor experience is often marred by inadequate infrastructure and a lack of oversight. To ensure a smooth trip, be aware of these common challenges:

Unauthorized Ticket Hawking: At popular sites along the Ten-Mile Gallery, including the Gongnong Bridge, Big Banyan Tree, and Moon Hill, unauthorized locals often try to sell tickets for bamboo rafting and the ‘Impression Sanjie Liu’ performance, claiming to offer the lowest prices. There are also unlicensed guides who mislead visitors about site closures to redirect them to alternate viewpoints where the “guides” earn a commission.

Traffic Chaos: The unforeseen influx of tourists over the past few decades has overwhelmed the town’s original urban planning, resulting in severe congestion, especially on West Street, the Ten-Mile Gallery, and in the nearby Xingping Ancient Town. During major public holidays, illegal parking and lane obstruction can stretch a 20-minute drive into a 4-hour ordeal.

Arbitrary Price Increases: It is noticeable when taking taxis and renting bikes. Taxi drivers may inflate fares under the guise of traffic congestion, while some bike rental shops impose exorbitant charges for pre-existing or non-existent damages.

Navigating such a small town really requires the insight of a reliable agency. Choosing our private Guilin tour itineraries with expert planning, all-inclusive service, and a strict “no-shopping” guarantee, you’ll avoid the traps and focus entirely on the scenery.

For independent travelers, you need to take a 1-hour taxi to Mopanshan Pier (for 3-star ships) or Zhujiang Pier (for 4-star ships). Cruises often set sail between 8:40 and 9:00 a.m.

Choosing our private Guilin tour packages, you can enjoy spot-to-spot pick-up service, full-course companionship, and detailed explanations of stories behind those karst peaks. Planning to stay overnight in Yangshuo? Don’t worry - your luggage will be transported by your driver overland.

Both 3-star and 4-star vessels are available for the Li River cruise. The 3-star boat accommodates 98-110 passengers and includes a convenient lunch box with complimentary tea, while the 4-star boat holds 75-80 guests and features a Chinese buffet lunch, with a premium of USD 30-50 per person depending on the seat class. We typically recommend the 3-star boat for its exceptional value. Since most of your time is spent on the open-air top deck enjoying the same breathtaking scenery, it offers the ultimate cost-effective way to experience the river.

The high-speed train is the most convenient. There are three daily services that take 3 to 3.5 hours from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station to Guilin West Railway Station. The ticket price for a second-class seat is CNY 427 (USD 62). Direct flights are only available on Tuesday and Wednesday each week, taking about 2 hours.

After your Guilin tours, you can take one of the two daily direct high-speed trains from either Guilin or Guilin North Railway Station to Zhangjiajie West Railway Station. The 7.5-hour journey costs CNY 344.5 (USD 50) for a second-class seat. Currently, there are no direct flights available.

Unlike Guilin’s soft and rounded limestone peaks, Zhangjiajie is known for its towering and angular sandstone pillars like the famous Hallelujah Mountain, and also the adrenaline-pumping Glass Bridge. Climbing Zhangjiajie’s mountain stairs requires a higher fitness level, but the breathtaking views are an incomparable reward. If you would like to visit both cities, just contact us for a personalized itinerary tailored to your needs.

The best time to plan your Guilin tour is from April to November, when the average temperature hovers around 14-23℃(57-73°F). Wearing light jackets, T-shirts, and jeans is enough. The Li River and its surroundings, along with the Yangshuo countryside, show their best during this time with lush vegetation and crystal-clear waters. The Longji Rice Terraces are also attractive with mirror-like effects during late April and June, and gold waves between September and early October.

While January is the coldest month, a windbreaker, a hoodie, and thick sweatpants should suffice for outdoor activities. June is the rainiest month, creating a dreamy, ink-painting atmosphere across the misty Li River and its surrounding peak clusters. If you visit between July and September, be sure to keep an eye on local typhoon warnings.

Try to avoid the May Day holiday from May 1 to 5 and the National Day holiday in the first week of October, as these holidays attract maximum crowds and higher prices. Additionally, the summer vacation from July to August with increased visitor numbers and humid weather may also impact your tour experience.

The Rice Noodles are a must-try, served with toppings like fried pork slices, pickled beans, and scallions, whose rich flavors complement the noodles’ silky and resilient texture. Other popular local specialties include Beer Fish, Steamed Bamboo Tube Rice, and Osmanthus Cakes.