The Essence of Guilin
This 3 days Guilin and Yangshuo tour will allow you to relax in a world of tranquil natural beauty. Marvel at the beautiful timeless countryside on one of the best cruise boats on the Li River. Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the Li River meandering among hundreds of karst hills from Xianggong Hill. Our tours are private and customizable, which means only your requirements to meet, flexibility, and no hurrying.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Relax on a top-class guided Li River cruise, enjoying spectacular landscapes
As travelers leisurely cruise down the river, they can see stunning views of karst mountains, bamboo groves, and traditional fishing villages along the riverbanks.


Enjoy panoramic views of the Li River meandering among karst hills
Xianggong Hill is considered to be one of the best places to enjoy a bird's eye view of the Li River


Explore Guilin's best cave, with your guide's stories of its peculiar formations
Reed Flute Cave is known for its stunning underground gallery of stalactites, stalagmites, rock formations, and various multicolored lights illuminating the cave's interior, creating a magical and surreal atmosphere.


Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

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I highly recommend Lele to anyone visiting Guilin !
![]() Our trip to Guilin would not have been the same without Lele as our guide! He was absolutely amazing in every way. His English was excellent, making communication smooth and easy. Lele was always punctual, professional, and went above and beyond to ensure we had the best experience. His explanations were insightful and engaging, bringing the history and culture of Guilin to life. Lele even helped us take photos, making sure we captured every special moment. Thanks to Lele , our visit to Guilin was a perfect 10/10—from the incredible tourist sites and friendly people to the delicious food. I highly recommend him to anyone visiting Guilin ! more
Apr 2025, Pong J
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Recommended to anybody
![]() We had a great experince staying in the mountain hotel when viewing the incredible rice terrasses. A visit to the hotsprings was invigurating and very relaxing. We would highly recommend this for a change of normal tourist routines. Guilin was vibrant and even more so as it was a local festival. Food galore, people got dressed up in traditional dresses to take photoes with spectecular colourful backgrounds of the lake with the two pagodas. The highlight was a visit to the caves. Huge chambers expertly lit to bring out the many different features. Travelling by boat from Guilin to Yangshuo for four hours showed us the beautiful scenery, part of which is even depicted on the rmb 20 bill issued in China. Yangshuo is surrounded by the fascinating Peaks which mark the country in thousands. Punters on the rivers provide a romantic foreground for pictures to be treasured long after our visit. A cable car ride transported us over great heights towards a wooden suspension bridge followed by challenging steps to the top. The view was worth the effort but we quit going down to the famous glass bridge as the subsequent walk up the hill to the cable car station was too daunting for me being slightly aged. A great lunch of beer fish in a boutique hotel in one of the old villages was followed by a visit to a famous old stone bridge which inspired a number of local artist to play their craft. A perfect finish to our six night holiday Our tour guide was Chais who displayed a remarkable patience to our wims and showed us how to appreciate his home country. All the places we visited by car driven by Shi whom I would recommend to anybody as a very safe driver taken care of us. Thank you to all who made this trip worthwhile Rosita and Folker Krueger from Perth West Australia more
Apr 2025, Folker
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We had an excellent time in Guilin. Our guide Sarah was very helpful and packed our days full of amazing sites. When our boat cruise was cancelled due to weather she quickly rearranged our itinerary and we were still able to do everything we had hoped to. The extra driving that it took to make this happen was at no cost to us.
![]() I spent two short days in Guilin my travel guide Sarah was a wonderful host, making sure we got to see and taste the best of Guilin. Our driver Zeng was also excellent, she made sure we arrived at each destination safely. I would definitely recommend travelling to Guilin however two days is not enough to see all the beautiful sites it has to offer. I will be sure to come back again and book a tour with Sarah as she is very welcoming and funny so we had many laughs during our stay together. more
Apr 2025, Stay32724810674
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Suggested Itinerary
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Welcome to Guilin! No matter whether you're arriving by plane or bullet train, your private guide will be ready to meet you at the arrival hall. A comfortable private car with an experienced driver will be waiting to show you the most beautiful sights of Guilin.
Let's start with the symbol of Guilin, Elephant Trunk Hill. Take signature pictures, listen to the legend of how an elephant turned into a hill there, and find out the secrets hiding in the belly of this "elephant".
After lunch, spend a literally cool afternoon in the Reed Flute Cave. It's a pleasant temperature year-round and fun to see the amazing array of limestone formations highlighted in neon lights.
At the end of the day, your private guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel and assist you with check-in. Enjoy a relaxing evening.
Hotel options:- Lijiang Waterfall Hotel (5-star location and facilities, 4-star service)
- Shangri-La Hotel Guilin (best in Guilin)
Karst hills, graceful bamboo groves, and fishing cormorants - the charming views of the Li River are the essence of Guilin. While most tour groups have a 3-star cruise, we will arrange a 4-star cruise (the highest level, with better facilities and buffet lunch) to ensure you have the best experience of the river's charm.
Arriving at Yangshuo, it's time to explore a hidden gem of the Li River - Xianggong Hill. It is considered to be one of the best places to enjoy a bird's eye view of the Li River.
After the tour, sit back and relax, as our private transport returns you to your hotel in Guilin.
We will arrange with your guide to pick you up and see you off based on your schedule.
Tips to Tailor-Make Your Tour
If you only have two days for Guilin and Yangshuo, the arrangement above is the best solution for classic landscape lovers, however…
Of our customers who spend two nights in the Guilin area, 60% chose to spend at least one night in Yangshuo, and 20% opt for two nights. Yangshuo offers a relaxing country-resort atmosphere and various activities: photography, cooking classes, tai chi lessons, farming experiences, and even rock climbing.
If you would like to spend more time in Yangshuo, please feel free to let us know.
Hotel Selection
—the Icing on the Cake
Boutique hotels are recommended to enrich your travel experience.

Tour Price
Price includes:
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- English speaking local guide
- Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Tour code: gl-1