2-DAY Guilin Rice Terraces, Li River Cuise, YangShuo Leisure Tour

The big draw here is the contrast: one day takes you into the mountain terraces and Yao minority country, while the next follows Guilin’s famous river scenery toward Yangshuo. I like the private vehicle for up to six people, since it keeps a long two-day route easier to manage. I also like the chance to switch from the one-hour electric bamboo raft to a four-hour luxury Li River cruise.

The main drawback is that the $250 group price does not include the major entrance fees, raft ticket, or meals. You also spend a good deal of time in the car, especially on the first day. Confirm your pickup time carefully, since the tour information gives both 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. as possible starting times.

Key points to know before booking

• Longji takes a full day: Expect roughly two hours of driving each way from central Guilin, plus time in the rice terrace area.
• The second day mixes river and countryside: You get an electric bamboo raft, a hilltop viewpoint, rural paths, and Yangshuo’s West Street.
• Your group has the vehicle to itself: The tour is private for your party, with space for up to six people.
• Several experienced guides may handle the trip: Jerry arranges the service, while guides named Sundy, Jacky, Mike, and Molly have led different days.
• Extra costs are significant: Admission and transport fees listed separately add up to CN¥280 per person before meals.
• The route can be adjusted: The provider can help replace the bamboo raft with a four-hour luxury cruise if that suits you better.

Two days that show Guilin from different angles

This is a strong choice if you want Guilin’s main scenic themes without arranging separate transport, guides, and tickets yourself. Day one focuses on Longji Rice Terraces, where mountain slopes have been shaped into wide bands of farmland. Day two shifts to the Li River and Yangshuo, with a raft ride, a panoramic hill, country lanes, and a stop on West Street.

I like this split because the days feel different. Longji is a highland outing tied to local minority culture and farming. The Yangshuo day is more about water, karst peaks, open fields, and easy sightseeing. You will not simply repeat the same kind of view twice.

The pace is active but not extreme on paper. The listed stops run from about four hours on day one to three stops totaling around two hours on day two, not counting driving, transfers, boarding time, and time in Yangshuo. You should think of this as a scenic road trip with stops, not a walking tour.

Day one: Longji Rice Terraces and Yao culture

Your first pickup is in the lobby of your Guilin city-center hotel. The planned departure is around 8:30 a.m., although the general meeting information says 8:00 a.m., so ask for the exact time when your booking is confirmed.

The drive to the Longji Rice Terraces Scenic Area takes about two hours. That matters when planning your day. This is not a quick side trip from Guilin, but the long ride gives you access to a very different setting from the city and river valley.

The first stop is Huangluo Yao minority village. The area is associated with Yao culture, and the tour places this visit before the main terrace sightseeing. That gives the day a cultural layer rather than treating the terraces as scenery alone.

From there, you visit the Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces. The name fits the shape of the mountain slopes, where cultivated steps curve across the hills. The visual effect changes with the season, weather, and water in the fields, so the exact scene will not be identical year-round. The attraction is the broad pattern of human work fitted to steep terrain.

The stated stop lasts about four hours, but that includes the general time in the scenic area rather than a promise of four hours of continuous hiking. The information does not specify a fixed walking route, so ask your guide what viewpoint or path best matches your energy and interests.

This is where a private tour helps. You can spend more time taking photographs, slow down for the views, or move on when you have had enough. Guides who have worked with the service include Sundy, Jacky, Mike, and Molly, while Jerry handles arrangements and may also serve as driver and guide. The exact person is not guaranteed, but the private format gives you a direct point of contact during the day.

The terrace entrance fee is not included. The listed price is CN¥80 per person. Meals are also separate, and no meal plan is described, so budget for food on your own.

A practical warning: Longji is a long-distance outing by road. If you want two relaxed days with very little sitting, this may feel tiring. If you are willing to trade driving time for a major mountain sight, the day earns its place.

Day two: Yangdi to Nine Horses Hill by electric raft

The second day starts later, with a planned pickup at 9:30 a.m. You drive for about an hour and a half to Yangdi Pier. This later start gives you a little more breathing room after day one, though the timing still depends on the road and your pickup location.

At Yangdi, the standard plan uses an electric bamboo boat for about one hour. The boat travels toward Nine Horses Hill dock, with the Li River’s karst peaks and riverbank scenery providing the main attraction. The ride is short, but it puts you directly in the setting that made the Guilin to Yangshuo route famous.

The electric raft is not included. The stated price is CN¥140 per person. The provider can also arrange a switch to a four-hour luxury cruise ship if you do not want the raft. These are not identical experiences. The raft option is shorter and fits neatly into a day with several other stops. The luxury cruise gives you much longer on the river but changes the timing and shape of the day.

Ask about the river option before departure, not at the last minute. A longer cruise may require changes to the other stops, and the information does not specify the exact cruise schedule or price.

The raft section is useful for you if you want a focused river experience rather than a full-day boat outing. It also leaves time for Xianggong Mountain and Yulong River. On the other hand, anyone hoping for several hours of quiet river viewing may find one hour too brief.

Xianggong Mountain gives you the wide view

After the river ride, the vehicle takes about 20 minutes to Xianggong Mountain. The listed visit lasts about 40 minutes. The purpose of this stop is simple: gain height and see the Li River’s winding course and karst peaks from above.

This viewpoint works well after the raft because you first see the river at water level, then look down across it from the hill. That change in position gives you two distinct views of the same region.

The entrance fee is CN¥60 per person and is not included. The visit is relatively short, so this is not presented as a long mountain walk. Still, you should expect some uphill movement and uneven ground at a scenic viewpoint. The supplied details do not give an accessibility rating, so anyone with mobility concerns should ask the provider for current conditions before booking.

If you care most about photography, Xianggong Mountain may be one of the day’s most important stops. Weather will affect the view, and the tour cannot control haze or cloud. The value here is the viewpoint itself, not a guaranteed postcard image.

Yulong River and the quieter side of Yangshuo

From Xianggong Mountain, the drive to Yulong River takes about 45 minutes. The visit lasts about an hour and focuses on rural scenery and photo stops.

The suggested places include Fuli Ancient Bridge and the area around Chaoyang Dam. You may walk or ride a bike toward Chaoyang Dam, with rice fields and country views along the way. This gives the afternoon a slower feel than the motorized portions of the day.

I like this part because it keeps the tour from becoming only a sequence of famous viewpoints. The Yulong River area lets you see fields, bridges, and village countryside at a closer pace. The details do not promise a bicycle rental, a guided cycling route, or a specific distance, so clarify what is included if biking is important to you.

The one-hour stop is enough for a taste, not a full exploration. If you want a long cycle ride or extended time beside the river, you may need to ask for a custom adjustment. The tour is private, so there is more room to discuss that than there would be on a large scheduled group trip.

Yangshuo West Street adds an evening option

The overview also includes Yangshuo’s lively West Street pedestrian area. The stop is not given a separate duration in the detailed timing, so confirm how it fits into your day.

West Street is a useful contrast to the countryside. After the quiet views around Yulong River, you can walk through a busy pedestrian zone, browse shops, and choose your own place to eat. Meals are not included, which gives you freedom but also means you need to pay separately.

Do not assume West Street will receive the same amount of time as the river or mountain stops. Ask whether the driver will drop you there, wait nearby, or return you to Guilin. The tour information confirms the area is part of the Yangshuo experience but does not give a final transfer plan.

What the $250 group price really covers

The price is $250 per group of up to six people, not $250 per person. That can be good value for a family or small group that would otherwise need private transport and a guide for two days.

Included are an English-speaking guide and driver service, plus an air-conditioned vehicle. For a full route with Longji, Yangdi, Xianggong Mountain, Yulong River, and Yangshuo, having one service coordinate the driving is the main convenience.

The extra costs are worth calculating before you commit:

• Longji entrance: CN¥80 per person
• Electric bamboo raft: CN¥140 per person
• Xianggong Mountain entrance: CN¥60 per person
• Meals: not included

That is CN¥280 per person for the three listed admission and transport charges if you use the standard raft plan. The luxury cruise option has a different cost that is not provided.

For six people, the base cost spreads well across the group. For one or two people, the fixed group price is less of a bargain, though private transport and a guide can still make the route easier than arranging every segment independently.

Guide service and flexibility

Jerry is the main contact associated with the service. The guiding team can vary, and the named guides connected with different trips include Sundy, Jacky, Mike, and Molly. Their roles have included guiding, driving, or helping organize separate days.

The strongest practical feature is the ability to adjust the plan. One example is changing the raft location or route to save time for a solo visitor. Another is switching from the electric raft to a four-hour luxury cruise. These examples suggest you should tell the provider your priorities before the day begins.

If you care most about Longji, ask for enough time there. If the Li River is your main reason for booking, ask how the longer cruise changes the second day. If you want West Street in the evening, confirm the drop-off plan. Private does not mean every possible stop is automatically included for as long as you like.

The service has also handled substitute guides when the main guide was unavailable. That can be reassuring, though you should confirm who will meet you and whether the same person will handle both days.

Who should book this two-day Guilin tour?

I would choose this for a small group that wants the major Guilin and Yangshuo sights without driving themselves. It suits families, couples, and friends who value a private vehicle and the ability to discuss route changes directly with a guide.

It also works well for a first visit when you want variety. In two days, you cover mountain terraces, minority culture, a famous river, a high viewpoint, farmland, and a pedestrian street.

I would hesitate if you dislike long car journeys or want unhurried time at each stop. Longji takes about two hours to reach from Guilin, Yangdi is another hour and a half away, and the second day has several transfers. The tour gives you breadth rather than a slow stay in one place.

Book at least with the extra fees in mind. Free cancellation is available until 24 hours before the start time, but changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours, subject to availability.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a private two-day sampler of Guilin’s best-known scenery, especially if your group has three to six people. The combination of Longji, the Li River, Xianggong Mountain, Yulong River, and Yangshuo gives you a lot of visual variety in a short visit.

Choose another plan if you want long walks, a slow river journey, or a fixed low per-person price with tickets included. For most small groups, though, the air-conditioned vehicle, English-speaking guide, and flexible routing make the $250 base price reasonable once you add the required fees.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts approximately two days. Day one is a full-day visit to Longji Rice Terraces, while day two includes the Li River area, Xianggong Mountain, Yulong River, and Yangshuo.

How many people can join the private tour?

The $250 price covers one private group of up to six people. Only your group participates.

Where does pickup take place?

Pickup is offered from your hotel lobby in central Guilin. The detailed schedule gives an 8:30 a.m. pickup on day one and a 9:30 a.m. pickup on day two. The general meeting information lists 8:00 a.m., so confirm the exact time after booking.

Is transportation included?

Yes. An air-conditioned vehicle and the English-speaking guide and driver service are included.

Are the attraction tickets included?

No. The Longji entrance ticket is CN¥80 per person, the Xianggong Mountain entrance fee is CN¥60 per person, and the electric bamboo ticket is CN¥140 per person.

Can I take a luxury Li River cruise instead of the electric raft?

Yes. The provider can help switch the electric bamboo raft to a four-hour luxury cruise ship. The price of that cruise is not provided.

Are meals included?

No. Meals and other items not specifically mentioned are separate.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted for a refund.