Longji Rice Terraces All In One Dazhai and Pingan Villages Tour

The best reason to book this tour is simple: you see both Dazhai and Ping’an in one day instead of choosing between them. Longji’s rice terraces change character from one village to the next, and this route gives you a broad look at the winding fields, minority villages, and mountain views without arranging separate transport.

I like the private vehicle and the English-speaking driver-guide, especially for a long day outside Guilin. I also like the mix of viewpoints and local food, including bamboo rice, bamboo chicken, and smoked pork. The catch is that the advertised $99 price does not cover the cable car, golf cart, or lunch, and nine hours is a full day on the road.

Key points to know before booking

• Two major terrace areas in one day: Visit Dazhai and Ping’an, the two most scenic parts of Longji.
• Cable-car views at Dazhai: The ride takes about 30 minutes to the viewing platform, with the cable-car fare paid separately.
• Ping’an’s Nine Dragons and Five Tigers: Reach the high viewpoint by round-trip golf cart, also at an extra cost.
• Private transport from Guilin: Your driver-guide picks you up at 9:00 am and returns you to the starting point.
• Village food is part of the experience, not the price: Lunch is not included, but local dishes such as bamboo rice and smoked pork are available.
• A good choice for a full overview: This suits you if you want Longji’s main sights in one relaxed, organized day rather than a single-village visit.

Why seeing both Dazhai and Ping’an matters

Longji Rice Terraces is not one single lookout. It is a broad mountain area made up of several terrace sections, including the Ancient Zhuang Village terraces, Ping’an, and Jinkeng Dazhai. The two most scenic sections on this tour are Ping’an and Dazhai.

The fields were built into the hills for farming, so their shapes are practical first and beautiful second. From above, the ridges curve around the mountains like long spines. In different seasons, the appearance changes, but the basic appeal remains: narrow bands of cultivated land following steep slopes where flat ground is scarce.

Many day trips from Guilin focus on only one village. That can work well if you prefer a slower visit, but it leaves you with only one section of Longji. This tour takes the broader approach. You spend time in Dazhai, then continue to Ping’an, giving you two sets of viewpoints and a better sense of how the area is arranged.

That wider coverage is the central value of the tour. You do not have to compare complicated bus routes or work out how to move between the villages on your own. The private vehicle handles the long transfer from Guilin and the movement between the two terrace areas.

Starting from Guilin at 9:00 am

Pickup is scheduled for 9:00 am at the Guilin Bravo Hotel on Ronghu South Road. The tour is described as offering pickup, but the stated meeting point is the hotel, so you should confirm the exact arrangement when booking if you are staying somewhere else in Guilin.

The drive takes you out of Guilin toward the Longji area. The tour lasts about nine hours, so you should expect a substantial portion of the day to involve road travel. That is not a flaw in the tour. The two terrace areas are spread out, and seeing both requires time. Still, you should not book this expecting a quick morning outing.

Your vehicle is air-conditioned, and the tour is private, meaning only your group takes part. That gives you more control than a large coach tour. You can ask questions, adjust the pace within reason, and hear explanations from one driver-guide rather than following a guide speaking to a crowd.

The English-speaking guide is an important part of the day. One guide named Li is specifically praised for keeping up a lot of conversation and explaining the area well. Li may not be the guide assigned to every booking, but the detail gives you a useful idea of the personal style this private tour can offer.

Dazhai and the cable-car ride to the heights

Dazhai, also called Jinkeng Dazhai, is known for its dramatic terraces and cable-car system. The cable car takes about half an hour to reach the viewing platform, giving you a relatively easy way to gain height and see the fields from above.

I like this part of the route because it makes the steep setting accessible without requiring the whole group to climb the mountain. You can sit back during the ride and watch the terraces spread across the slopes. For anyone with limited time, the cable car also helps the tour cover more ground.

The cable car costs 100 yuan per person and is not included in the tour price. That is a major practical detail. The $99 booking price covers the vehicle, driver-guide, and Longji entrance fee, but you should budget for the ride if you want the full Dazhai experience.

The viewing platform gives you the broadest sense of Dazhai’s scale. Rather than seeing one field from a village path, you look across multiple ridges and folds in the hills. The exact appearance depends on the season, but the winding form of the terraces is the constant feature.

Dazhai is also a place to notice village life beyond the postcard view. The tour describes time among minority communities, and local food is part of the stop. Bamboo rice, bamboo chicken, smoked pork, and similar dishes may be available in the village. These foods connect the sightseeing to everyday life, though your meal remains your own expense.

Ping’an and the Nine Dragons and Five Tigers viewpoint

Ping’an offers a different viewing experience. The key viewpoint is called Nine Dragons and Five Tigers. The nine ridges are said to resemble dragons branching from a main ridge, while five rocks are compared with tigers.

You reach the upper area by round-trip golf cart from the base. The golf-cart fare is 50 yuan per person and is also excluded from the booking price. This additional ride is worth planning for because it saves time and gets you to the viewpoint efficiently.

From Nine Dragons and Five Tigers, you can look down across the Ping’an rice fields. The arrangement of the terraces is especially clear from this height. You see how the ridges bend, divide, and reconnect, rather than simply viewing one hillside at eye level.

Ping’an also gives you a chance to spend time in a local village. Lunch is not included, but the village setting makes a local meal a natural choice. Bamboo rice and bamboo chicken are the types of dishes associated with the experience, while smoked pork offers a different taste. You should treat lunch as an optional purchase, not a promised part of the $99 package.

The golf cart is convenient, but it also means the Ping’an visit is less of a walking-focused exploration. If you want a long village walk or a quiet hike between viewpoints, this route may feel structured. If you want to see the main high viewpoint without tiring yourself out, the cart is useful.

A closer look at the local villages

The terraces are the headline attraction, but the villages explain why the fields exist. This is working farmland shaped by generations of cultivation, not a garden built only for visitors. The slopes provide food for local communities, and the terraces also support tourism today.

The tour is designed to give you an introduction to minority village life rather than an extended cultural program. You will have time to see the villages, eat if you choose, and hear explanations from your guide. The experience is best approached with curiosity and respect. The farms and homes are part of a living community, not merely scenic backdrops.

Food is one of the clearest ways to connect with the place. Bamboo rice and bamboo chicken are especially fitting choices because bamboo is used as part of the cooking process. Smoked pork adds another local flavor. Since meals are not included, you can decide how much to spend and what suits your appetite.

Do not expect a formal cooking class or a long cultural performance. Nothing in the tour details promises either. Instead, you get a practical look at village life set within a day of sightseeing.

What the $99 price really covers

At $99 per person, this tour is priced as a private full-day outing rather than a basic shared bus transfer. The included services are an air-conditioned vehicle, private transportation, an English-speaking driver-guide, and the entrance fee to Longji Rice Terraces.

The price is stronger if you are traveling as a small group and value door-to-door planning. A private vehicle removes much of the uncertainty of connecting Guilin with two separate terrace areas. It also gives you a guide who can explain the route and help you manage the day.

You should add the following costs to your budget:

• Dazhai cable car: 100 yuan per person
• Ping’an golf cart: 50 yuan per person
• Lunch
• Personal expenses

That means the advertised price is not the final cost of the complete outing. The extra 150 yuan for the cable car and golf cart is predictable, so it is easy to plan for. Lunch varies depending on what you order.

Pickup from Yangshuo or Xingping is possible only with an additional private-transfer fee of $70 per booking. The standard arrangement is based around Guilin, so you should not assume that a Yangshuo hotel pickup is included.

The pace, group size, and practical tradeoffs

The tour lasts approximately nine hours and begins at 9:00 am. You return to the meeting point at the end of the day. That schedule gives you enough time for both Dazhai and Ping’an, but it leaves little room for a long independent hike or an unplanned side trip.

The private format is a real advantage. Only your group participates, so you are not waiting for a bus full of people at every stop. It also makes the day more comfortable for couples, families, or friends who want to stay together.

The tradeoff is that a private tour can be more expensive than a shared outing, especially for one or two people. You are paying for the vehicle, guide, and efficiency, not just entry to the terraces. If your priority is the lowest possible price, a public bus arrangement may cost less, but it would not offer the same convenience.

Most people can take part, according to the tour information. Even so, you should remember that Longji is a mountain area with viewpoints, village paths, and changes in elevation. The cable car and golf cart reduce some of the effort, but they do not turn the setting into a flat urban attraction.

What the strongest praise tells you

The clearest positive points are the scenery, the guide service, and the completeness of visiting both major terrace areas. One especially useful detail is the praise for Li, who kept the conversation going and offered plenty of information during the day.

That matters because the road time is significant. A quiet driver who provides little context could make the journey feel longer. A guide who explains the villages, farming, and viewpoints helps turn transportation into part of the visit.

The all-in-one design is also important. You do not have to choose between Ping’an’s Nine Dragons and Five Tigers viewpoint and Dazhai’s cable-car platform. You see both, which is why this tour works well for a first visit to Longji.

The published rating is based on only two ratings, so I would not treat it as a broad measure of every possible experience. Still, the consistent praise points to the parts that deserve the most attention when you book: confirm your pickup, ask who your guide will be, and plan for the extra attraction fees.

Who should book this Longji day tour?

I would choose this tour if you are staying in Guilin and want the main Longji highlights in one day. It fits you especially well if you prefer private transport, want an English-speaking guide, and would rather avoid arranging several connections in a mountainous area.

It also suits first-time visitors who want an overview. Dazhai gives you a cable-car ascent and broad high views, while Ping’an adds the Nine Dragons and Five Tigers viewpoint and a village meal option.

You may want another plan if your main goal is a long hike, several quiet hours in one village, or the lowest-cost way to reach the terraces. This schedule prioritizes coverage and convenience over a slow, deeply local stay.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if seeing both Dazhai and Ping’an is important to you. The private vehicle, guide, and organized route make the $99 starting price reasonable for a full day, especially when shared among a small group.

Before you commit, add 150 yuan per person for the cable car and golf cart, plus lunch. If that total still fits your budget, this is a practical way to get a broad and scenic introduction to Longji Rice Terraces without trying to coordinate the mountain transport yourself.

FAQ

How long does the Longji Rice Terraces tour last?

The tour lasts approximately nine hours, including the journey from Guilin and visits to Dazhai and Ping’an.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 9:00 am.

Where does the tour start?

The listed meeting point is Guilin Bravo Hotel, 14 Rong Hu Nan Lu, Xiang Shan Qu, Guilin.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Pickup is offered, with the standard arrangement based in Guilin. Pickup from Yangshuo or Xingping requires an additional private-transfer fee of $70 per booking.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

Is the Longji entrance fee included?

Yes. The entrance fee to Longji Rice Terraces is included.

Are the cable car and golf cart included?

No. The Dazhai cable car costs 100 yuan per person, and the Ping’an round-trip golf cart costs 50 yuan per person.

Is lunch included?

No. Meals are not included. You can buy lunch in a local village, with dishes such as bamboo rice, bamboo chicken, and smoked pork available as part of the local food experience.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.