8-Day Guilin Yangshuo Guizhou and Zhaoxing Relaxation Tour

Arrival in Guilin

Welcome to Guilin! Your private guide will meet you at the airport/train station arrivals hall and transfer you to your hotel in a private car. Tailor-Made Idea: The night scenery in Guilin is beautiful and it makes a great way to unwind after a flight. The 'Two Rivers and Four Lakes' in the downtown area provide pleasant lakeside walks and night cruises.

Lijiang Waterfall Hotel Sheraton Guilin

Daxu Old Town and Guilin Highlights

Daxu is an old town along the Li River and used to be the busiest bazaar in Guangxi. Popularity comes and goes, however, but the older generation still living there bears ongoing witness to the history of the old town. Today, discover the forgotten stories of Daxu. After lunch, start sight-seeing in the city from Guilin's landmark, Elephant Trunk Hill. The name comes from the hill's shape. Seen from afar, it looks like an elephant drinking from the Li River. Admire the natural art in Reed Flute Cave, a famous and massive limestone cave, with multicolored lighting, which casts intriguing shadows on the water.

Lijiang Waterfall Hotel Sheraton Guilin

Li River Cruise and the Idyllic Yangshuo

Feast your eyes on picturesque views either side of the Li River, as you enjoy the highest-standard cruise, to ensure your comfort. Your guide will show you the best spots for taking photos. The cruise arrives in Yangshuo at noon and you will be welcomed by the sight of the most beautiful countryside in China. Pick the transport of your choice, whether private car, bicycle, or moped, to embrace and enjoy these natural surroundings.

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat Alila Yangshuo

Bamboo Rafting and High-Speed Train to Zhaoxing

After a good night's sleep, start your day with a bamboo-rafting tour. One great way of enjoying the rural view and tranquility is to sit back on a non-motorized raft that's steered along the Yulong River by a gondolier. Your private guide and driver will transfer you to Yangshuo Railway Station. Take a rest on the easy journey of 1.5 hours. Your Guizhou guide will pick you up at Congjiang Railway Station and help you check in to your hotel.

Indigo Lorge Zhaoxing (Boutique)

Rice-Terrace Hiking and Dong Village

The rice terraces in Guizhou are impressive for their altitude and wildness. Today you will hike round some of them. The hike will be a 2.5-hour walk on solid flagstone, combined with morning rice-terrace viewing. You'll walk down from the top of the mountainside on paths through refreshing paddy fields. You will be guided through small yet unspoiled villages. Freshen up and have lunch at our chosen restaurant, then have a free afternoon at Zhaoxing, one of the biggest Dong villages in China.

Indigo Lorge Zhaoxing (Boutique)

Ancient Handmade Paper Experience

Guizhou is home to many ethnic minorities. The Miao and Dong are large ancient groups with different subgroups, representing different cultures. Settled deep in the mountains and with limited resources, rural people have a knack of making ends meet: for example, making paper from wood pulp. Visit a village where people still today carry on their forbears' trade of papermaking. Learn how to make a piece of paper with a respected expert, step by step. Use your imagination to make a unique paper craft with your own hands, under the guidance of an experienced natural-paper maker. Have lunch in a farmer's house, cooked with fresh local ingredients. Then visit a small yet unspoiled village famous for its dustpan-like shape. Stroll along the bluestone path, and observe close-up the daily lives of minority people.

Indigo Lorge Zhaoxing (Boutique)

Batik-Making and Mini-Skirted Miao

The village you are going to visit this morning is quite a special one. The villagers dress differently. Females used to join the army, and their costumes still resemble army-uniforms. They are also renowned for their batik work. Villagers hang a pair of dyed cloths on the door, instead of the usual antithetical couplets written on red paper. You will have an opportunity to step into the dye-house and see how to make a fine batik. Participate in the batik-making process. After lunch, visit another special Miao village, famous for its females' gorgeous mini-skirt costumes and unique creative centuries-old way to store food.

Indigo Lorge Zhaoxing (Boutique)

Departure from Guiyang

Your guide will transfer you to Guiyang Airport and help you to check-in.