Updated 10 October 2026 · LocalKey consultant team
We suggest giving Guilin and Yangshuo three days on a first China trip, with one of them on the Li River. The official highlight-reach cruise routes are Mopanshan (Zhujiang) Passenger Terminal to Yangshuo and a Yangshuo to Yangdi return trip, and tickets are sold through the "Li River Ticket Office" WeChat service account.
How many days do you need in Guilin and Yangshuo?
We suggest planning three days for Guilin and Yangshuo together, and four if you prefer a slower pace with more time for the countryside.
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre lists the Guilin Karst component in Guangxi as part of South China Karst. It sits within Lijiang National Park, contains fenglin (tower) and fengcong (cone) karst, and has two sections, Putao and Lijiang. Guangxi is one of the 24 provincial-level areas permitted under 240-hour visa-free transit, and its permitted area covers Guilin's administrative region, so eligible travellers can include Guilin and Yangshuo in a stay of up to 10 days. We usually factor that in when building a first trip, so you can plan the region alongside other cities if you are arriving from abroad.
How do you book the Li River cruise?
The official Guilin Li River Scenic Area website lists two highlight-reach cruise routes, shown below. Tickets for cruise ships and sightseeing rafts are bought through the WeChat service account "Li River Ticket Office".
| Route | Direction | How to book | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mopanshan (Zhujiang) Passenger Terminal to Yangshuo | Terminal to Yangshuo | WeChat service account "Li River Ticket Office" | Guilin Li River Scenic Area (official) — Highlight Reach of Lijiang River |
| Yangshuo to Yangdi | Return trip | WeChat service account "Li River Ticket Office" | Guilin Li River Scenic Area (official) — Highlight Reach of Lijiang River |
Cruises are offered on 3-star, 4-star and 5-star ships. On 3-star ships, multilingual self-service audio guides are available by QR code. We suggest checking the official site before you travel, so you can compare ship classes and choose the one that fits your group.
Should you stay in Guilin or Yangshuo?
We suggest basing yourself in Guilin city if you want convenient arrival and departure connections. We suggest Yangshuo if you would like countryside evenings after the day's sightseeing.
We suggest deciding from your flights and onward travel; either base works for a Li River day in our planning.
LocalKey can arrange accommodation in either town as part of your own China trip, planned, booked and backed by our team.
How do you get to Guilin and Yangshuo?
Guilin Liangjiang International Airport is about 28 km from the city centre, and airport shuttle buses, taxis and ride-hailing services run into town. Guilin has several railway stations, namely Guilin, Guilin North, Guilin West and Yangshuo, with direct high-speed services to major cities.
From the stations, buses, taxis or ride-hailing reach the piers. Bus services run from Guilin's bus stations to Yangshuo town, Yangdi and Xingping. We suggest flying in if you are coming from far away and taking high-speed rail if you are already in southern China. LocalKey can arrange an airport pickup as an optional add-on if you prefer.
How do you combine Guilin with Guangzhou or Hong Kong?
We usually suggest pairing Guilin with Guangzhou or Hong Kong on a longer first trip. For a sample sequence, see Hong Kong + Guangzhou + Guilin in 10 Days, or see our Guangzhou and Guilin private tour page for a shorter two-city pairing.
For background on the region's culture, read Guilin and Guangxi culture. For the local food scene, a short start is Guilin rice noodles. You can find more on the city itself at Guilin destination.
LocalKey can plan the full route for you, using the Guilin Yangshuo private tour sample route as a starting point.
Plan your trip with LocalKey
LocalKey can arrange your Guilin and Yangshuo trip in one of two ways. The Independent option, described on the private China tours page, lets you travel on your own with the LocalKey app and 24/7 backup. There is no full-time guide on any day, and a local guide, airport pickup or a private car and driver are optional add-ons on demand; see Independent for details.
The Private Guided option, also on the private China tours page, gives you an English-speaking private guide and a private car throughout the trip; see Private Guided for details.
Talk to a 1:1 specialist any time through our 7×24 WeChat or WhatsApp support to shape your own China trip, planned, booked and backed by LocalKey.
Sources
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — South China Karst — verified_on 2026-10-10
- Guilin Li River Scenic Area (official) — Highlight Reach of Lijiang River — verified_on 2026-10-10
- Guilin Li River Scenic Area (official) — Ticket Information — verified_on 2026-10-10
- Guilin Li River Scenic Area (official) — 3-Star Cruises — verified_on 2026-10-10
- Guilin Li River Scenic Area (official) — Transportation — verified_on 2026-10-10
- National Immigration Administration — Visa-Free Transit Policies, 20 August 2026 — verified_on 2026-10-10
- National Immigration Administration — 240-hour transit permitted areas, 19 December 2024 — verified_on 2026-10-10
