7 Days in Guilin: First-Timer Plan

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Seven days is the unhurried version of the six-day spine (Guilin city, Li River cruise, Yangshuo, a Longji overnight, a Xingping overnight), with a free half-day at the end for Daxu ancient town or Crown Cave. The 6-day plan is the version to cut to if a full week is too long; 2 , 4 , and 5-day plans cover shorter trips.

Book these before you go

Day 1: Guilin city classics

Elephant Trunk Hill (¥55, hours per travelchinaguide.com ), Reed Flute Cave (¥90, constant ~20°C), Seven Star Park (¥55, +¥45 for the cave), and, with a full week to spend, Solitary Beauty Peak inside the walled Jingjiang Princes’ City. Close with the Two Rivers Four Lakes night cruise (¥210 adult/¥105 child).

Day 2: The Li River cruise to Yangshuo

One-way from Mopanshan (¥215, 3-star) or Zhujiang Pier (¥360-480, 4-star with meals), 3.5-5 hours through the Yangdi-Xingping stretch’s Nine Horse Fresco Hill. Check into Yangshuo and catch Impression Sanjie Liu (tiers ¥200-680) that evening.

Day 3: Yangshuo countryside

Bike the Ten-Mile Gallery route (maps at travelchinaguide.com ) to Moon Hill, then Yulong River bamboo rafting (¥200-320 per raft) in the afternoon. Beer fish for dinner on West Street, confirm the per-catty price out loud before it’s cooked.

Day 4: Up to Longji, the Dazhai/Jinkeng side

Go for the bigger Dazhai/Jinkeng terraces (about 2.5 hours from Guilin, cable car ¥60 one-way/¥110 return, three sunrise/sunset platforms), covered by the same ¥80 combined ticket as Ping’an and Huangluo Yao Village. Withdraw cash before heading up and settle into a village guesthouse for the night.

Day 5: Sunrise at Longji, then on to Xingping

Catch first light at West Hill Music or Golden Buddha Peak, then travel back through Guilin toward Xingping, since direct transfers between Longji and Xingping are limited. Reach Xingping by bus from Guilin (~1.5 hours, ¥40) or via Yangshuo (~30 minutes, ¥15). Overnight there for the sunrise ahead.

Day 6: Xingping’s old town and back to Guilin

Rise early for the ¥20-banknote view at Yellow Cloth Shoal, roadside and free, then wander Xingping’s old town, founded 1506 as a Ming fishing village. Bus back to Guilin (~1.5 hours, ¥40) by afternoon, or book any onward high-speed rail via trip.com , and settle in for a slower final stretch.

Day 7: A free half-day and departure

Use the unhurried morning for Daxu ancient town (free entry, a 2.5km bluestone street with Ming/Qing buildings and the Qing-era Wanshou Bridge, bus from Guilin South Bus Station ~30 minutes, ¥10) or Crown Cave (¥60, a five-stage cave visit including a 1,000-meter underground boat ride, bus via Lingchuan 306 to Caoping, ¥6). Either is an easy half-day close to the airport before your flight.

Getting around and where to stay

Guilin city suits days 1, 6 (evening) and 7; Yangshuo suits days 2-3; a Longji village guesthouse covers day 4; Xingping covers day 5. Search hotels on Booking.com for the city legs, and see our Guilin day trips guide for the Longji, Xingping, Daxu and Crown Cave details.

One concrete tip: pick Daxu over Crown Cave for day 7 if you’re tired by this point in the trip. It’s free, requires no ticket logistics, and the walk itself is the whole activity, no queue, no timed entry.