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Overview
Two rivers, two bases, one journey. You will spend two nights in Guilin and two in Yangshuo, and the move on the third day is the boat itself: four and a half hours drifting downstream, which is also the day’s sightseeing. Guilin gets a full day, not just a stopover. Yangshuo’s days are smaller and more deliberate: bamboo rafts on the tributaries, cycling through the rice paddies, an afternoon by the water, and then absolutely nothing else. On the final morning, before dawn, you take the boat above the river bend you once drifted past. You will go home knowing what it feels like to do just one thing all day.
— LyrikTrip Travel Designer
Every LyrikTrip journey begins with a conversation. Please share your travel dates, number of guests, and the hub city you will fly into. We will provide an initial response within four hours; a clear quote for your dates within one business day. On this route, we will also transparently inform you of the current status of ship availability, connecting flight segments, and departure dates before you are asked to provide any further information.
Why you'll love this trip
- One region, two bases. Reed Flute Cave, old town streets, a bamboo raft and riverside tea, with English-speaking guides throughout.
- 5 days from a lit pagoda on the water to a hilltop before sunrise. See one river whole.
- Set off on the water the moment you arrive: banyan branches hanging over the shore, the double pagodas’ lights reflected in the lake, your luggage unpacked but the journey already begun.
- Devote the entire day to the river: no need to lose a day travelling to change bases, as the four-and-a-half-hour drift downstream to Yangshuo is itself the day’s sightseeing, not just a transit.
- Spend an afternoon without planning the next stop: ride a bamboo raft on the Yulong River, cycle through the rice paddies, then sip tea by the water as the mountains' reflection ripples across the surface.
- On the final morning, rise before dawn to climb and watch the peaks shift from silver to gold; from the height above, you can point to the bend you drifted past just two days ago.
Things to do
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Arrivals
Guilin · Day 1 - Day 2
· Arrive, then get on the water
No matter what time you arrive, start the evening with the Liangjiang Sihu night cruise before heading to your hotel in Guilin. Guilin lets you see the water first, and the streets later.
· The rock, above ground and below
A cave in the morning, an old street in the afternoon. By evening you can read the landscape you came for.
Li River Cruise
Yangshuo · Day 3 - Day 4
· One river, all day
The move to Yangshuo is by boat, so no day is spent travelling. Today is the day the trip stops being a list.
· A small river after a big one
Yesterday was one long look at the water. Today you get down onto it and then sit beside it.
Chartered Car
Guilin · Day 5
· Above the bend
Up before light, over the river you came down. The last morning gives the four days behind it their shape.
Departures
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Hotels
These are sample stays typically included in the itinerary. Final pricing depends on the hotel level selected.
Nanning
Nanning Marriott Hotel
Nanning Marriott Hotel offers luxurious rooms in central Nanning, with four restaurants, a spa and an indoor pool.
Nanning
Hampton by Hilton Nanning Jiangnan
Beihai
Shangri-La Hotel
Shangri-La Hotel Beihai: spacious rooms with an outdoor pool, sauna, hot spring and Cantonese and Hunan dining.
Guilin
Sheraton Guilin Hotel
Sheraton Guilin Hotel is situated on the banks of the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and convenient access to Guilin's attractions.
Nanning
Nanning Marriott Hotel
Nanning Marriott Hotel offers luxurious rooms in central Nanning, with four restaurants, a spa and an indoor pool.
Nanning
Hampton by Hilton Nanning Jiangnan
Beihai
Shangri-La Hotel
Shangri-La Hotel Beihai: spacious rooms with an outdoor pool, sauna, hot spring and Cantonese and Hunan dining.
Guilin
Sheraton Guilin Hotel
Sheraton Guilin Hotel is situated on the banks of the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and convenient access to Guilin's attractions.
Nanning
Nanning Marriott Hotel
Nanning Marriott Hotel offers luxurious rooms in central Nanning, with four restaurants, a spa and an indoor pool.
Nanning
Hampton by Hilton Nanning Jiangnan
Beihai
Shangri-La Hotel
Shangri-La Hotel Beihai: spacious rooms with an outdoor pool, sauna, hot spring and Cantonese and Hunan dining.
Guilin
Sheraton Guilin Hotel
Sheraton Guilin Hotel is situated on the banks of the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and convenient access to Guilin's attractions.
Included / Excluded
What's Included
- Private vehicleAir-conditioned vehicle for the listed excursions and land transfers on Days 1–5: airport or railway station pick-up in Guilin on Day 1, transfers at both ends of the pier on Day 3, and return transfer from Yangshuo to Guilin airport or railway station on Day 5. The specific vehicle type is subject to the written quotation.
- Inter-city transportThere is only one inter-city leg: on day three, the Lijiang River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, taking about four and a half hours downstream, which doubles as both transport and that day's sightseeing. Cabin class and whether this river cruise is included in the base price are subject to the written quotation issued before payment; any item not explicitly stated shall not be considered confirmed.
- Hotels4 nights at your chosen level, four-star, five-star or quality boutique, breakfast included: Guilin 2 · Yangshuo 2
- GuideLicensed English-speaking guide on all five days, including the night cruise on day one and the pre-dawn start on day five
- Tickets and entryTwo Rivers and Four Lakes night cruise · Reed Flute Cave · the Li River full cruise ticket · the Yulong River bamboo raft · Xianggong Hill. Nothing outside this list is a ticket item on this route
- ExperiencesGuilin old town on foot, a street-level walk with no ticket item · Yulong River countryside cycling, with bicycle, electric bike or riding in the vehicle at the same price · riverside afternoon tea, one serving per guest · Xingping Ancient Town, a walk through the old streets
- Meals4 hotel breakfasts, days two to five, plus one riverside afternoon tea on day four, one serving per guest. The pricing basis of the day-three on-board lunch is being finalised, so your quote states in writing whether that meal sits inside your base price.
- InsuranceTravel accident insurance
Not Included
- International flightsFlights into and out of China
- Connection to GuilinThe hub segments to and from Guilin (by flight or high-speed rail) and overnight stays in transit cities are not included in the base fare of this route. There are no direct flights from our selling markets to Guilin. Each quote will specify in writing which hub is used, who books this segment, and who pays for the tickets; anything not explicitly stated is neither deemed included nor booked.
- VisasVisa fees and application procedures. Verify whether US passports already hold a Chinese visa prior to payment; do not assume that a visa is in place as a given fact.
- MealsBeyond the four breakfasts and the one afternoon tea: lunches and dinners are recommended and booked by your guide, on your own account. Street food tasted on the day-two old town walk is on your own account
- In-park transportIn-park shuttles, electric carts, cableways and lifts, where a scenic area charges for them separately. None is needed for this route as it is written; where a site operates a compulsory in-park transfer, we state its charge in writing before payment
- Optional add-onsNone on this route. The three cycling modes on day four are a choice within an included experience, not an upsell, and all three cost the same.
- PersonalGratuities, single or extra-room difference, personal spending
Special Notes
A few things on this route follow the calendar, the season or a supplier's confirmation. Here they are, told straight.
- Available to book, subject to item-by-item confirmation — This itinerary can be quoted and booked by departure date. Before payment, please confirm in writing each of the following: the cabin class on the Li River cruise, whether lunch on board is included in the base price, who is responsible for booking and paying for the connecting transport to Guilin, and any items not specified in the quote. Bookability does not mean these are included in the base price, nor that the schedule has been locked in.
- Getting to Guilin — Guilin has no nonstop service from any of the markets we sell to, so every trip here starts with a connection through Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing or Shanghai. Shenzhen is the shortest, about three hours by high-speed rail. That leg sits outside this plan. Each quote states in writing the inbound and outbound connection plan, the hub used, and who books and pays for that leg.
- Group — Private tour, welcoming only your fellow travellers. Minimum of 1 guest; no fixed upper limit on group size.
- National holiday week — October 1 to 7 is a peak-crowd period on the Li River and around Yangshuo. Whether this route runs departures that week is under commercial review; until that is settled, every quote for those dates states the crowd situation in writing.
- Late-season water level — Day 3 involves inland river navigation. We are currently confirming the itinerary with our partner operator for the late autumn and winter river conditions relevant to this booking window. From 1 November 2026, should the operator shorten or reroute the Day 3 leg, the quote must specify the exact route in writing. Any leg not explicitly confirmed in writing should not be treated as a locked schedule. Itineraries remain available for enquiry.
- Substitutions already agreed — If the bamboo raft journey on the Long River is suspended on Day 4 due to water levels or safety regulations, the rafting activity will be cancelled, while the cycling tour and afternoon tea can still be arranged. Should the first-night cruise be fully booked, it may be postponed to the following evening; you will still stay in Guilin, and your hotel arrangements remain unchanged. Both alternatives are confirmed in writing before payment. Whether prices are adjusted is determined solely by that written quote; no guarantee of unchanged pricing is made here in advance.
- The pre-dawn start — Day five leaves in the dark for the hill, which is why day four carries no evening item. Your day-five departure time is checked against the climb plus the drive back to Guilin before your order is taken.
- Visa window — the 30-day visa-free policy currently runs through December 31, 2026. Because this is a 5-day plan, departures on or before December 27, 2026 finish inside that window; later departures are quoted only after the official renewal is announced.
- US passports — US passports are not on the current 30-day visa-free entry list. Whether a China visa has been obtained must be verified per guest's passport before payment; do not assume every guest already holds a visa. This route enters and exits via Guilin; do not treat the 10-day transit visa exemption as the default channel.
- Confirmation and changes — the confirmation-time commitment and the change and refund terms are being finalised with our ground partners. Until they are settled, each quote states in writing its own confirmation deadline and its change and refund conditions.
Is Five Days Your Length?
More than five days?
More than five days?
This plan also runs as the Guilin and Yangshuo stretch inside a longer China trip. It joins cleanly onto a stay in the south, since the connection you have to make anyway is a short one from Shenzhen, Guangzhou or Hong Kong. Tell us your dates and the rest of your route, and we plan around the leg you are already flying.
Good to Know
- Group
- Private group booking, reserved exclusively for you and your travel companions. Minimum of 1 guest. No fixed upper limit on group size.
- Pace
- Two bases in 5 days: Guilin 2 nights, Yangshuo 2 nights. One move between them, and that move is the day-three sailing
- Effort
- Mostly flat. The stone steps up Xianggong Hill on the last morning are the one real climb; on the cycling day a bicycle, an electric bike and riding in the vehicle all cost the same
- Ports
- In and out of Guilin. We do not offer direct flights to Guilin on the markets we serve, so every booking must connect via one of our hub cities—Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing or Shanghai. This leg is not included in the base fare of this itinerary. Our written quote will specify the hub, who books it and who pays for it; anything not explicitly stated is deemed neither booked nor paid.
- Visas
- UK, most European and Canadian passports enter visa-free for days; so do Australian and New Zealand ones. Checked order by order against your dates. US passports need a Chinese visa for this route
- Language
- Licensed English-speaking local guide on all five days
- Payment
- When this route opens for booking: From 1 guest. A 10% deposit (minimum $399) locks your dates. The balance is due 14 days before departure
- Season
- The page is written on the basis of October to December 2026. Departures from 1 to 7 October must be confirmed in writing regarding daily passenger flow and inventory. For the third-day cruise leg on or after 1 November, any shortening or route changes must be explicitly detailed in the quotation; otherwise, it is not considered that the sailing has been locked in.
Your Private Concierge Service
Jenny
China Private Travel Route Consultant
“A concierge desk offering bilingual planning services for bespoke China journeys”
Our China team carefully tailors the pace of the itinerary, hotel arrangements, and local reception services to suit the style of each route.
20+
Years
300+
Trips Designed
24/7
On-Trip Care
Step 01
Tell us what excites you
Not your dates and budget — your curiosity. Where have you always wanted to go? What do you want to feel? We start there.
24h
First concept delivered
Step 02
We design it around you
Your specialist builds the itinerary from scratch — routes, hosts, hotels, and experiences you won't find anywhere else.
100%
Private, never off-the-shelf
Step 03
Lock it in with 30%
When the plan feels right, a 30% deposit holds your trip. Balance due 30 days before departure.
30%
Deposit to confirm
Step 04
Travel. We handle the rest.
Your Trip Pack arrives before you fly. On the road, your concierge is one message away — for the expected and everything you didn't plan for.
24/7
Support throughout your journey
Cancellation terms agreed in writing
English-speaking concierge
Secure payment via Stripe
Guest Reviews
4.9 / 5 · from 523 verified reviews
E
Emily Carter
🇺🇸 Seattle, USA
Perfect for couples
“My partner and I had an amazing time in China. Everything was arranged for us — transfers, hotels, guides. No stress at all.”
May 2026
C
Claire Brooks
🇬🇧 London, UK
Great for families
“Traveled with my two kids and had zero issues. The team made sure the pace wasn't too rushed and included things the kids would enjoy. Communication was easy throughout. Will definitely use them again for our next Asia trip.”
Apr 2026
L
Laura Bennett
🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada
Alisa made the whole experience easy
“Alisa was our point of contact throughout and she was brilliant — patient, knowledgeable, and always quick to reply. The trip itself was wonderful. Beijing and Guilin were highlights.”
Mar 2026
M
Mark Henderson
🇺🇸 Denver, USA
Good service, minor hiccup but sorted quickly
“Really good service. There was a small mix-up with one of our restaurant bookings but it got sorted quickly. The rest of the trip was seamless.”
Feb 2026
R
Rebecca Miller
🇺🇸 Boston, USA
Really listened to what we wanted
“Really helpful team. They listened to what we wanted and delivered. Beijing and Xi'an were incredible.”
Jan 2026
China Ready
We've solved the hard parts. Here's everything a first-time Western traveller needs to know before arriving.
Do this before you fly
VPN & Internet Access
What's blocked
Google, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and most Western news sites are inaccessible in China without a VPN.
Download before you leave
It's nearly impossible to download a VPN once inside China. Install and test at home. Recommended: Astrill (most reliable), Mullvad, ExpressVPN — subscribe to at least two in case one stops working.
Hotel Wi-Fi tip
Some hotels block VPN connections on their Wi-Fi. Use your phone's mobile data as a hotspot if the VPN drops.
Good news
WhatsApp works perfectly through a VPN, so your messaging stays unchanged. Apple iMessage and Signal also work.
Your concierge sets this up on Day 1
Paying in China
China is cashless
Alipay and WeChat Pay are used for almost everything — restaurants, taxis, markets, tickets. Cash is rarely accepted in cities.
International cards now work
Foreign Visa/Mastercard can now link directly to Alipay (set up in minutes, $5,000 single transaction limit). Your concierge walks you through the setup on your first morning.
Carry some cash
We recommend ¥500–800 RMB in cash for the rare vendor that won't accept digital payment, and for small towns.
Booking this trip
Your deposit and balance are charged via Stripe — the same trusted platform used by Airbnb and Booking.com. USD billing, no surprise conversion fees.
We handle the paperwork
Visa & Entry
Do you need a visa?
Most US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand passport holders need a tourist (L) visa for stays over 10 days. We provide a visa invitation letter with every booking — it significantly speeds up approval.
240-hour visa-free transit
Citizens of 55+ countries (including USA, UK, most of EU, AUS, NZ, Canada) can enter China visa-free for up to 10 days if transiting through eligible ports. This covers our 12-day itinerary only if you have a confirmed onward flight.
Processing time
Apply 4–6 weeks before departure. Standard processing: 4–7 business days. Express (3 days) and same-day options available at most Chinese consulates.
What we provide
Visa invitation letter, hotel confirmation for all nights, suggested itinerary document — everything the consulate needs, formatted correctly.
Our responsibility, always
Safety & Practical Tips
Is China safe?
China consistently ranks among the safest countries for foreign tourists. Violent crime against visitors is extremely rare. Cities have extensive CCTV coverage and a visible police presence.
Emergency numbers
Police: 110. Ambulance: 120. Your concierge is your first call for any non-emergency situation — she has local contacts for every city on the itinerary.
Health & medications
Bring a full supply of any prescription medication. International pharmacies exist in major cities but may not carry your brand. Travel insurance is required — we can recommend policies that cover China specifically.
Language
English fluency outside hotels and tourist sites is limited. Your guides all speak English. We provide a printed pocket card with essential Chinese phrases and emergency contacts for every traveller.
Before You Book
Everything worth knowing before you book.
Through one hub, and we plan it with you before anything is charged. From Europe, the UK, North America or Australasia you fly into Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing or Shanghai, then take a short flight or a high-speed train on to Guilin. From Shenzhen the train runs about three hours. That leg is not inside this plan's price, and your quote states in writing which hub you use, who books that leg and who pays for it. We also check your day-one arrival time and your day-five departure time against the plan before we take the order.
It is the point of the day rather than the cost of it. That sailing is also how you get from Guilin to Yangshuo, so it replaces a road transfer instead of adding to one, and nothing else is scheduled around it. You are on deck with the peaks passing on both banks, there are seats inside when you want them, and the boat class booked for your order is written into your quote. If sitting still for an afternoon is not how you want to spend a fifth of your trip, this is the route to think twice about.
The Li River is a river, and its late-autumn and winter level is set by rainfall, not by us. We are confirming this selling window's conditions with our operator now, and no one can guarantee a river's depth months ahead. What we do instead: for any departure from November 1, 2026 your quote states in writing what happens to the day-three sailing where the operator shortens or reroutes it, and we will not take your order without that in writing. Whatever happens to the sailing, the two nights in Yangshuo, the Yulong River day and the Xianggong Hill sunrise are unaffected. They sit on a different river and on land.
It works, and it is checked against your actual departure time before we take your order. The hill is about two and a half hours including the drive out and the climb, and you are back down for breakfast time. Xingping Ancient Town follows, then the drive from Yangshuo to Guilin airport or the railway station, timed with room to spare. That is also why day four carries no evening item: the evening before a pre-dawn start belongs to sleeping. Where your departure is early enough that the sequence does not fit, we say so before you book rather than after.
Not yet, and we would rather say so than take your money. The remaining items have to be settled first: the boat class on the day-three sailing; who books and pays for your connection into Guilin; and this route's remaining pre-listing review. Until those items are settled, we take no orders and no deposits. What you can do now is send us your dates and your hub city; we will hold nothing, promise nothing, and write to you the day this route opens.
