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A single day built around one boat trip, and the reason it is worth the drive is that the stretch between Guilin and Yangshuo is where the karst towers stand closest to the water and stack into ridge after receding ridge. You board near the city, spend roughly four hours on the river, and pass the two landmarks everyone asks for: the Nine Horses Fresco and the reach at Xingping that appears on the 20-yuan note.
Lunch is served on board. You disembark at Yangshuo, have time for West Street, and drive back to Guilin in the late afternoon. Cabin class is confirmed at the time of booking and priced accordingly.
One honest note: in the dry season, and after heavy rain, operators sometimes shorten the run or change the boarding pier. Your guide confirms the arrangement the day before and adjusts the Yangshuo side of the day if the river has other ideas.
Morning — transfer to the pier and boarding
Your guide and driver collect you from your Guilin hotel and drive south to the Mopanshan pier area, the boarding point for the classic downstream run. Boarding is by vessel and by class of cabin, so your guide confirms the pier and the departure window with the operator the day before rather than fixing it months ahead. While you wait, your guide points out how the river is used: passenger cruise boats, sand barges, and the bamboo rafts that still work the shallower reaches.
Late morning to early afternoon — the cruise
The run downstream to Yangshuo is the stretch of the Li River that appears in nearly every Chinese landscape painting, because this is where the karst towers stand closest to the water and stack into ridge after receding ridge. You pass the Nine Horses Fresco, a cliff face whose mineral staining is traditionally read as nine horses — counting them all is the local game — and then the reach at Xingping whose reflection is printed on the back of the 20-yuan note. Cormorant fishermen work some sections, and bamboo rafts carry visitors along the quieter banks. Lunch is served on board; the format varies by vessel and class of ticket.
Lunch
Served on board, format depending on the vessel and cabin class booked.
Afternoon — Yangshuo and the road back
You disembark at Yangshuo and have time to walk West Street, the old trading street that has been rebuilt around tourism but still keeps a few of its older shopfronts and a Ming dynasty bridge a short walk away. Your vehicle meets you here for the drive back to Guilin, roughly an hour and a half depending on traffic.
Note on the water level
In the dry season, and after heavy rain, operators sometimes shorten the run or change the boarding pier. Your guide will tell you the day before if the schedule has moved, and the Yangshuo side of the itinerary can be extended to make up the difference.
Meals
Lunch
Accommodation
Day tour - no hotel night included.
| Group Size | Adult(Age:8-80) Price/p.p | Child(Age:4-7) Price/p.p | Infant(Age:0-3) Price/p.p |
| 2 PAX | from $338 | / | / |
| 4 PAX | from $229 | / | / |
| 6 PAX | from $195 | / | / |
| 8 PAX | from $177 | / | / |
| 10 PAX | from $165 | / | / |
| 20 PAX | from $136 | / | / |
| 30 PAX | from $127 | / | / |
Please read the notes below before you book. They cover entry formalities, pace, weather and what to bring.
Q: Is this tour private or shared?
A: It is a private tour. Only your own party travels with the guide and vehicle, so the pace and the order of stops can be adjusted on the day.
Q: What is the best season for this itinerary?
A: April to June and September to November bring the mildest weather and clearest light. The programme runs year round, and we adjust the daily timings in mid-summer and winter.
Q: Can you handle dietary requirements and accessibility needs?
A: Yes. Vegetarian, halal, gluten-free and allergy-aware menus are arranged when you tell us in advance. Step-free and low-mobility versions of the route can also be planned.
Q: How do we book and pay?
A: Send us your travel dates and group size for a same-day quotation. A deposit confirms the booking, the balance is due before arrival, and prices are guaranteed for 7 days.
