Landscapes & Slow Days in Southern China

Your journey, day by day

Day 1 — Arrive in Guilin

Welcome to southern China. Your private driver will meet you at Guilin airport or railway station and take you to your hotel.

After settling in, enjoy an easy introduction to the city with a lakeside walk or simply relax after your journey. Your guide will meet you to discuss the days ahead and adjust the pace around your interests.

Overnight in Guilin.

Day 2 — The Li River to Yangshuo

Travel through one of China’s most distinctive landscapes on the Li River. Limestone peaks rise beside the water as the journey passes small settlements, bamboo groves and cultivated riverbanks.

Arrive in Yangshuo later in the day and transfer to your countryside accommodation. The evening is free to explore at your own pace or enjoy dinner overlooking the surrounding hills.

Overnight in Yangshuo.

Day 3 — Yangshuo Countryside

Discover the rural landscapes outside Yangshuo by bicycle, electric scooter or on foot, depending on your preference. Follow quiet lanes between fields, rivers and villages beneath the karst peaks.

Stop along the way for tea, a local lunch or time with residents. When conditions allow, a gentle bamboo-raft experience on the Yulong River can be included.

Overnight in Yangshuo.

Day 4 — Village Life and Regional Cooking

Spend a slower day learning about everyday life in the region. Visit a local market with your guide and discover the ingredients used in Guangxi cooking.

Continue to a family home or small cooking studio to prepare several regional dishes. The experience is relaxed and practical, with time to share lunch and conversation before returning to your accommodation.

Overnight in Yangshuo.

Day 5 — Yangshuo at Your Own Pace

Today is deliberately flexible. Choose a guided countryside walk, explore a riverside village, visit a tea plantation or leave part of the day free for the swimming pool, a café or independent exploration.

Towards evening, your guide can suggest a quiet viewpoint or riverbank walk as the changing light settles across the surrounding peaks.

Overnight in Yangshuo.

Day 6 — Journey to the Longji Rice Terraces

Leave Yangshuo and travel north into the mountains towards Longji. As the road climbs, the landscape changes from river valleys to forested slopes and terraced fields.

Continue on foot into your chosen village, with porter assistance arranged when required. Settle into a locally operated guesthouse and enjoy the mountain atmosphere after the day visitors have departed.

Overnight in Longji.

Day 7 — Walking Through the Terraces

Explore the Longji rice terraces with a route selected for your fitness level and the season. Walk between viewpoints and villages while learning how generations of local families shaped and maintained this landscape.

The appearance of the terraces changes throughout the year—from reflective water and young green rice to mature golden fields and quiet winter contours. Return to the village for a relaxed evening.

Overnight in Longji.

Day 8 — Longji to Guilin

Enjoy a final morning in the mountains before returning to Guilin. Depending on your interests and arrival time, visit a limestone cave, explore a local neighbourhood or walk around the city’s interconnected lakes.

Your final evening is free for a regional dinner or a gentle stroll beside the illuminated waterways.

Overnight in Guilin.

Day 9 — Depart Guilin

After breakfast, your private driver will take you to Guilin airport or railway station for your onward journey.

If your departure is later in the day, additional sightseeing or free time can be arranged. Your journey ends here, but its pace, accommodation and activities can all be adjusted around your preferences.

Flexible by design

This itinerary is designed as a starting point rather than a fixed package. Walking distances, river activities and the balance between guided experiences and free time will be adapted to the season, local conditions and your preferred pace.