Karst landscapes: Guilin, Yangshuo and Zhangjiajie in 8 days
Guilin · Zhangjiajie
8Days
2Cities
Apr–May, Sep–OctBest time
China’s two most famous landscapes: river valleys of limestone peaks, then the sandstone pillars that inspired Avatar.
Moderate pace
The route
- High-speed train · about 3.5–5 hUsually with a change at Huaihua South. Check 12306 for direct trains on your date.
Journey times are typical. Check 12306 or Trip.com for trains on your date.
Day by day
- Day 1Guilin
Arrive in Guilin. Elephant Trunk Hill, the pagodas at night.
- Day 2Guilin
Day trip to the Longji rice terraces.
- Day 3Guilin
Li River cruise to Yangshuo, Impression Liu Sanjie at night.
- Day 4Guilin
Sunrise at Xianggong Hill, Yulong River raft in the afternoon.
- Day 5Zhangjiajie
Train to Zhangjiajie. Stay near Wulingyuan.
- Day 6Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: Yuanjiajie and the Bailong elevator.
- Day 7Zhangjiajie
Tianmen Mountain cable car and glass walkway.
- Day 8Zhangjiajie
Fly out from Zhangjiajie or take the train to Changsha.
Book before you go
- Elephant Trunk Hill Booking requiredFree timed booking up to 7 days ahead on glljsh.com or the official WeChat account, with your passport.
- Li River cruise Booking requiredReal-name tickets with your passport on the official site liriver.com.cn or through Trip.com and hotels. Book at least a day or two ahead in peak season.
- Longji Rice Terraces Booking recommendedBuy at the entrance gate or online with your passport.
- Impression Liu Sanjie Booking recommendedBuy online (Trip.com) or through your hotel.
- Yulong River bamboo rafting Booking recommendedReal-name booking with passports, ideally a day ahead, through your hotel, Trip.com or the official WeChat account.
Similar routes
Good first tripBeijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Guilin → ShanghaiChina highlights in 12 days: palaces, pandas and karst peaksThe classic five: Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin and Shanghai. Busy but doable with trains and two short flights.
Good first tripGuangzhou → GuilinFrom Hong Kong: Guangzhou, Guilin and Yangshuo in 7 daysCross from Hong Kong by high-speed train: Cantonese dim sum in Guangzhou, then the Li River and Yangshuo.