7-day Guilin landscape and Sanjiang ethnic customs tour
This 7-day journey allows you to experience the grandeur of Longji Rice Terraces, immerse yourself in the traditional lifestyle of the Dong ethnic group in Sanjiang, enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Li River, climb Mount Ruyi for a panoramic view of the stunning landscapes, and indulge in the delicious local specialties.
A suggested 7-day itinerary：
| Date | tourist attractions |
| D1 Entering Guilin |
Elephant Trunk Hill, Fuyang Lake, East-West Alley, and Xianyao Tower |
| D2 Guilin-Longsheng-Sanjiang |
Longji Rice Terraces, Sister Performance |
| D3 Three Rivers-Guilin |
Chengyang Eight Villages, Flower Bridge, night cruise on Two Rivers and Four Lakes |
| D4 Guilin-Yangshuo |
Lijiang River cruise, Yangshuo West Street, Impression Liu Sanjie |
| D5 Yangshuo-Lipu-Yangshuo |
Cycling in Yangshuo countryside, climbing Ruyi Peak, drifting on the Yulong River |
| D6 Yangshuo-Guilin |
Shangri-La, Yaoshan, afternoon tea |
| D7 Departing from Guilin |
After the trip ends, we will take you to the airport to fly back to your cozy home. |
Travel experience：
Visit the ethnic minority families in Longsheng, Guilin, and explore their centuries-old way of life.
Invited into local Yao family homes, they shared lunch with them, learning how to pack rice into bamboo tubes to make bamboo tube rice, and tasted freshly squeezed oil tea.
Cycling around picturesque countryside, enjoying the rural scenery
Stay away from the hustle and bustle, relax your mind and body, and cycle through rice fields and tranquil villages. These activities allow you to get up close with nature, truly wonderful.
Rush to an enchanting afternoon tea by the Li River.
On a sunny afternoon, a few close friends gather for a ritualistic afternoon tea, seeking a way to find tranquility in modern life.
key attractions：
Enjoy the most beautiful scenery of Longji Rice Terraces and experience an exquisite visual feast.
Longji Rice Terraces are renowned for their stunning scenery. Standing atop such an immense man-made marvel itself is an extraordinary experience.
A large-scale live performance showcasing Dong ethnic culture – ‘Sitting with Sister’
Combining modern stage technology with traditional Dong ethnic culture, it showcases the beautiful, simple, and romantic love stories of the Dong people. The performance integrates various aspects of Dong culture, featuring rich content and diverse musical forms, providing a panoramic display of Dong ethnic customs.
Chengyang Eight Villages, Flower Bridge
One of the world-renowned four historical bridges, the Chengyang Yongji Bridge, is located here. Within the scenic area, you can also experience the charm of Dong ethnic customs and culture.
Take a cruise on the Li River, enjoying its scenic beauty for miles, known as the ‘gallery of a hundred miles’.
Fully enjoy the beautiful landscape of Guilin’s mountains and waters, which are renowned as the best under heaven, and find the real location depicted on the back of the 20 yuan RMB note.
The Secrets of Li River – Intangible Cultural Heritage – Cormorant Fishing
Cormorant fishing on the Li River is a cultural spectacle with a thousand years of history, and it is also an excellent experiential activity. It offers a thrilling on-site experience of cormorant fishing right on the Li River.
Check-in at business district：
Guilin East-West Alley, a historical and cultural street area representing traditional Guilin architecture and culture.
The streets and alleys are home to numerous former residences of renowned figures and time-honored brands, as well as quintessential northern Guangxi-style dwellings. Nestled along the banks of the Li River and adjacent to the Prince Jingjiang Mansion, this area has been the heart of Guilin for millennia, embodying the city’s cultural essence where natural beauty and human excellence converge.
Yangshuo West Street, a ‘global village’ where Eastern and Western cultures blend
The guesthouses, cafes, bars, and other Western romantic artistic ambiance on Xi Street blend seamlessly with the local architectural features of Guilin’s northern region, such as small blue tiles, sloping roofs, horse-head walls, wooden windows, and hanging balconies, creating a ‘global village’ where Eastern and Western cultures intersect.
tasting gourmet food:
Guilin rice noodles are the breakfast of Guilin people, and they also represent the nostalgia of Guilin people.
When you come to Guilin, you must taste the authentic Guilin rice noodles. Remember, the dry-mixed braised meat rice noodles are the essence of Guilin rice noodles.
Best Time to Go:
In spring, summer, and autumn, try to avoid major holidays (Chinese National Day, Spring Festival, Canton Fair, ASEAN Expo) for better travel experiences and significant cost savings!
A detailed 7-day itinerary：
The following itinerary is for your reference. If you have other needs, we would be honored to arrange professional travel planners for you. They will tailor a special itinerary based on your interests, schedule, and budget.
Day 1: Arrival in Guilin
Welcome to Guilin! To ensure a worry-free journey, your personal guide will meet you at the airport arrival hall, then take a bus to the hotel for check-in. Afterward, you will visit the city emblem of Guilin – Elephant Trunk Hill, stroll around Rongshanshu Lake, the Twin Towers of the Sun and Moon, East-West Alley, and the Xiaoyao Tower.
Meal arrangement: Chinese cuisine – Guilin horse meat rice noodles for lunch & dinner
Transportation: Bus
Hotel options:
Guilin Convention Hotel (4-star)
Guilin Shangri-La Hotel (5-star)
Day 2: Guilin – Longsheng – Sanjiang
Start your day’s journey by exploring Longji Rice Terraces, which are built along the mountainsides. The scenery is especially enchanting when sunlight reflects off the water in the rice paddies; when the rice is ripe, the fields shine golden.
The Zhuang and Yao people have lived here for generations, residing in wooden stilt houses. They have a unique culinary culture, such as bamboo tube rice and oil tea. Gather around the traditional kitchen fire with the host to make bamboo tube rice.
In the afternoon, I took a bus to Sanjiang to watch the large-scale live performance of Dong ethnic customs – Zuo Mei Sanjiang.
Zuo Mei”, a grand outdoor live performance created by China Dong Cultural Park, showcases the enchanting customs of the Dong ethnic group, including their unique “night singing and courting” traditions and mysterious wedding ceremonies.
The spectacular production highlights the charm of traditional Dong instruments such as the lusheng (reed pipe), leaf flute, ox-leg fiddle, and pipa, while presenting the exquisite beauty of Dong costumes, the lively lusheng group dance, and the rhythmic “Duo Ye” dance.
Audiences will also be mesmerized by the heavenly harmonies of Dong grand songs, the melodious leaf flute tunes, and the captivating chants of “Duo Ye”, offering an immersive journey into Dong culture.
Meal arrangements: breakfast & lunch – Dragon Backbone Bamboo Tube Rice & dinner
Transportation: bus
Hotel options:
Sanjiang Guangyuezun Hotel (4-star)
Sanjiang Wanjie Hotel (5-star)
Day 3: Sanjiang to Guilin
After breakfast, visit Chengyang Eight Villages and the Rain-Frost Bridge. After the tour, take a car back to Guilin and go on a night cruise along the Two Rivers and Four Lakes.
Chengyang Eight Villages Scenic Area boasts over 2,000 stilt houses, 13 drum towers, and 11风雨 bridges. It is renowned for having the largest Dong wooden architecture museum in China and is home to one of the world’s four famous historical bridges, the Chengyang Yongji Bridge.
Meal arrangements: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Transportation: bus
Hotel options:
Guilin Conference Hotel (4-star)
Guilin Shangri-La Hotel (5-star)
Day 4: Guilin to Yangshuo
Wake up naturally in the morning, have breakfast, then take a bus to Yangshuo Xingping Pier. Board a cruise to tour the Li River scenery, experiencing the stunning landscape of the ‘hundred-mile Li River, a hundred-mile painting gallery.’
In the afternoon, you can stroll along the famous Yangshuo West Street, which is a ‘global village’ where Eastern and Western cultures blend.
After dinner, enjoy Zhang Yimou’s directorial masterpiece, the world’s largest live performance set against natural landscapes – Impression Liu Sanjie.
Meal arrangements: breakfast & lunch & dinner – Yangshuo Beer Fish
Transportation: bus
Hotel options:
Yangshuo Xijie Grand Hotel (4-star)
Yangshuo Bilyan River View Hotel (5-star)
Day 5: Yangshuo to Lili, back to Yangshuo
Today’s journey begins with a bike ride through Yangshuo’s countryside, soaking in the fresh air and traversing beautiful pastoral scenery, allowing you to experience the unique charm of Yangshuo while cycling.
Following your guide, you will be taken to a famous spot known for its popularity among influencers, the Ruyi Peak. You will reach the summit by cable car, enjoy the sea of clouds and sunset, take in the panoramic view of the mountains, and appreciate the Guilin landscape from a different perspective.
In the afternoon, drive to the Yulong River Scenic Area, take a bamboo raft ride on the Yulong River. The bamboo rafts glide over the emerald waters of the river, with verdant mountains on both banks shrouded in mist, resembling a flowing landscape painting. You can also see fishermen using cormorants to catch fish, a fascinating display of nature and ingenuity.
Meal arrangements: breakfast & lunch – Lili Pu taro-stuffed pork & dinner
Transportation: bus
Hotel options:
Yangshuo Xinxijie Grand Hotel (4-star)
Yangshuo Bilian River View Hotel (5-star)
Day 6: Yangshuo to Guilin
After breakfast, we drove to Yangshuo’s Fili Town to visit Shangri-La Beyond the World. Here, peach blossoms are in full bloom, surrounded by mountains and waters. We took a boat ride and experienced the sense of sudden enlightenment described by Tao Yuanming.
After Chinese lunch, we arrived at Yao Mountain, the highest peak in Guilin City. Sitting in the cable car, as the altitude increased, the beautiful scenery of Guilin unfolded like a scroll painting, making it feel as if we were immersed in a flowing landscape painting.
This afternoon, your guide has arranged a romantic afternoon tea by the Li River for you. While enjoying desserts, you can feel the passage of time and savor the slow pace of life.
Meal arrangements: breakfast & lunch & dinner
Transportation: bus
Hotel options:
Guilin Conference Hotel (4-star)
Guilin Shangri-La Hotel (5-star)
Departure from Guilin on Day 7
When your 7-day Guilin Scenery and Sanjiang Folk Customs tour ends, we will see you off at the airport and wave goodbye before returning to your cozy home.
Meal arrangement: breakfast
Transportation: bus
hotel selection：
Recommendation for boutique hotels to enrich your travel experience.
Membership fee quotation：
The price depends on your travel plans, travel dates, number of people, and the hotel and meal requirements you choose.
The price includes：
- travel bus
- Chinese-English bilingual tour guide
- The attractions, hotels, and meals listed on the itinerary.
- Travel insurance
- 24/7 customer service hotline during travel
