19Days Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Ethnic Minorities Discovery Tour

Take the flight to Lijiang, meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel.
Visit Lijiang Ancient Town.
–Lijiang Ancient Town is a largely Naxi settlement first built 800years agao, located at the foot of the Lion Hill and completely surrounded by the new city of Lijiang.In December 1986, the State Council designated it a famous ancient historical and cultural city of national caliber. In 1997, UNESCO made Lijiang a World Cultural Heritage Site. Most of the dwellings, scattered at the foot of a mountain or by the river, are brick-and-tile structures with carved doors and painted windows. Traffic across the river is facilitated by a large number of tiny stone bridges. The town is similar to the Zhouzhuang Water Town in the south of the Yangtze River.

–Tiger Leaping Gorge:
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Gorge) is on the Jinsha River of the upper reaches of the Yangtze) is located 105 kilometers south of Zhongdian County. The gorge is 17 kilometers long with a drop of 213 meters. The gorge is divided into three sections: Upper, Middle and Lower Hutiao. At the narrowest spot the river is only 30 meters wide. The mouth of the gorge is 1,800 meters above sea level. The river is flanked by Yulong and Haba snow mountains, with a height difference of 3,900 meters. It is one of the deepest gorges in the world.

–The first Bend of Yangtze River:
The First Bend of the Yangtze River is located about 70 km away from lijiang. The upper reaches of the Yangtze River is named the Jinsha River, which originates from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Jinsha River flowed southward along the Hengduan Mountain ranges and was forced to the turn to north because of the Alpine movements which caused changes in the earth’s physiognomy. When the river reaches Shigu Township, it makes an abrupt turn and flows further northward, forming the rare V-shape bend.

–Shigu Ancient Town:
Shigu town is 50 kilometers from Lijiang. It was named after a stone tablet in the shape of a drum.Shigu in Chinese is Stone Drum. Jinshajiang River flows at great speed down to Shigu Town and then with the width of the river enlarged from here, the speed of the water gradually comes down and makes Shigu Town a natural ferry Shigu Town is always an important part of the Tea-horse Road. From this place people can go south to Dali and north to Tibet. In the history, Zhuge Liang and Kublai Khan all close here to cross the Yangze River.

–Iron Chain Bridge:
There is a famous iron chain bridge spanning across the Chongjiang River that flows along from the left side of Stone Drum Town. The bridge is also named Tiehong Bridge because it resembles the shape of a rainbow arching over the waves below. The iron chain bridge was built during the Qing Dynasty with wooden boards held onto the iron chains on the bottom as the flooring and on the both sides as fence to protect the walkers. 17 meters in length, people would be feeling a bit wiggling while on it, but it does send them back to the snapshots of history.

–Xizhou Ancient Town:
About 18 km north of Dali old town, Xizhou is the typical town with Bai’s characters. More than 1500 years ago, Xizhou and nearby area has been the major habitat for the Bai people. Xizhou was once a commercial center of Yunnan, and the birthplace of Bai’s modern entrepreneurs. It is said that more than 140 wealthy families built their houses here, including the Yan’s, the Yang’s, the Dong’s and the Zhao’s. All these houses are decorated with woodcarvings, colored patterns, marbles and wash drawings, which represents the masterpieces of Bai’s architecture.
–Zhoucheng Village:
Zhoucheng Town is the biggest town of Bai people in Dali. More than 1,500 Bai families live in their houses which are located all together there in Zhoucheng Town. Zhoucheng Town you can see typical houses of Bai people with closed courtyards, consisting of three rooms and a “shining wall.” The purpose of the “shining wall” is to reflect light into the houses. Another configuration consists of four rows of houses and five dooryards.
–Bai ethnic Tie-dye Cloth Workshop:
Tie-dyeing originated from the central plains area in ancient China over 1,000 years ago. Being one of the locations of this craftsmanship, Zhoucheng Village near Butterfly Spring in Dali Old City is famous as the “Hometown of Bai People’s Tie-dyeing Art”. The tie-dyeing products in Zhoucheng Village are well sought after, both at home and abroad. Do drop by and witness for yourself the process of this historical craftsmanship. Who knows, you will return home with some cheap and beautiful crafted cloths.

–Dali Ancient Town:
Located in Yunnan Province, Dali Ancient City is located 13 kilometers (about 8 miles) away from Dali City. The city’s history can be traced back to the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Dali Ancient City was traditionally settled by the Bai and Yi ethnic minority groups and is the capital of the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture. The city is a beautiful example of an ancient Chinese city and has remained relatively untouched. Beautifully located on a fertile plateau nestled between the Cangshan Mountains to the west, and Erhai Lake to the east, the ancient city has been attracting visitors for centuries.

— Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Monastery
Between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, the Three Pagodas stand like the legs of a huge tripod. Qianxun Pagoda, the main one, is square-shaped with closed eaves similar to Xiaoyan Pagoda in Xi’an. It has 16 tiers with a total height of 69.13 meters, and is in a typical architectural style of the Tang Dynasty. It was first built in the era of Fengyou Emperor of Nanzhao Kingdoms about the same time of the Tang Dynasty. On the south and north sides of the main pagoda stand two smaller ones of octagonal shape with dosed eaves. Each one has 10 tiers with a height of 43 meters.
–Erhai Lake:
Erhai Lake is named after its shape and expanse. “Er” in Chinese means a human ear and “Hai” means a sea, hence its name Erhai. It is one of the seven biggest fresh water lakes in China and the largest highland lake next to Dianchi Lake (in Kunming). So it was called “Plateau Pearl”. The dimension is 41.5 km. by 6.9 km. It starts from Jiangwei of Eryuan County in the north and ends at Xiaguan in the south. The total storage capacity is 3 billion cubic meters and its elevation 1,972 meters.
–Dali Ancient City Wall:
The Ancient City Wall of Dali was built in the 15th year of Hongwu in the Ming dynasty (AD1382) after the Ming army occupied Dali. Backing on the Mt. Cangshan and facing the Erhai, it is 7.5 meters high and 6 meters deep rounding an area of 36 square kilometers. Nowadays, only some parts of the north and south ancient wall were still standing. The Ancient City Wall of Dali is a well-known brand of Dali. As a tourist attraction, it is already given much publicity to among the general people around the country and abroad.
–Foreigner Street:
The Foreigner Street is originally named Huguo Road. Paved by stone tablets, the street extends from east to west, 1,000 meters long and 7 meters wide. There are many Chinese and western food shops, jewelry stores, antique shops, galleries and tie-dyeing shops there.

-The Western Hills, about 15 km from Kunming city, lie along the western shore of Dianchi Lake. It stretches from north to south for about 40 km. The Hills resemble a reclining maiden lying on the banks of Dianchi Lake with her long hair flowing down into the lake.

As a result, the Western Hills have the nickname of the “A Sleeping Beauty Hills”. In actuality, the Western Hills is a forested and lovely park which is perfect for hiking. Some of the major sites include: Huating Temple (Huating Si), an ancient Buddhist temple that was originally a retreat for the local ruler; Taihua Temple (Taihua Si), with its charming orchard courtyard; Sanqing Pavilion (Sanqingge), a Daoist temple dedicated to that religion’s three major deities; and Dragon Gate (Longmen), a collection of Daoist caves and sculptures.

–Yunnan Nationalities Villages is located at a narrow peninsular at the north shore of the Dian Lake. Ethnical villages of over 25 minorities including Yi, Dai, Miao, Jingpo, Wa, Hani, Naxi, Dulong and so on have been built here. Through ways of display and recreation of the original villages, Yunnan Nationalities Villages present the diverse local ethnical culture. Villages of different styles are well arranged and show visitors their unique charm. Displaying the variety of buildings, lifestyles, religious belief in this region, the villages are microcosm of Yunan’s colorful and diverse ethnical culture.

–Yunnan Nationalities Museum is located on the east bank of Dianchi Lake next to Yunnan Nationalities Village in Kunming City, China. Completed in 1995, it is a comprehensive ethnology museum. Covering an area of over 200 mu, the museum has a building area of 130,000 square meters. It consists of various exhibition halls, office building, report hall, storage and workshops. The ecological environment, religious customs, culture and arts and ethnic relics of the ethnic groups of Yunnan are collected in it.

– The Stone Forest:
The Stone Forest is in Shilin Yi Nationality Autonomous County, which is about 85 kilometers from Kunming. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers (96,000 acres) and includes both large and small stone forests, as well as many other scenic spots. An old local saying says that ‘If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.’ Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan.

–Luliang is famous for its rich colored Sand Forest. The International Sand Sculpture Festival is held at the end of March, right after the Chinese New Year, although accommodation is at a premium then. One of the delights of a visit to Luliang is the opportunity to admire, and buy sand art crafts. A sand painting is a distinctive object, based like so many things in the Boyi community, on century old traditions.

From the provincial capital Kunming, take the 324 national freeway and drive just 128 kilometers to reach the Luliang Sand Forest. The Sand Forest was formed thousands and thousands of years ago while this landscape used to be an ocean. The current attraction covers an area of about six square kilometers.

–Duoyihe River and Lubege Scenic Region is located where Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi border, 230 kilometers away from Kunming. It mainly consists of Jiulonghe River (Nine Dragon River), Duoyihe River and Lesser Three Gorges of Lubuge.Jiulong River is situated 20 kilometers northeast of Luoping County. 10-tier waterfalls are compactly grouped in a valley with a length of 4 kilometers and depth of 200 meters, offering a splendid view. The biggest waterfall is 110 meters wide and 56 meters high, as magnificent as Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou Province. The widths of other waterfalls range from 10 to 40 meters. There are other scenic spots such as the Gaihua (calc-sinter) Platform, the Beach for Playing, the Green Moon Pool and the Crescent Lake.

–Jiulong Waterfall is consist of 10-tier waterfalls which are compactly grouped in a valley with a length of 4 km and a depth of 200 m ,which forms a splendid view. The biggest waterfall is 110 m wide and 56 m high. Each of them represent a dragon, so we call it “nine dragon waterfalls “.

Twenty kilometers to the northeast of Luoping county town, the Jiulong Cascades is located on the Jiulong River by Yidulei Village and is one of the most magnificent sights of Luoping. The cascades are scattered is on a two-kilometer-long section of the river. It is the most peculiar part of the river course. Thousands of years’ scouring and sedimentation have given birth to the ten terraces of cascades which vary from each other in height and width.

Visit Maling River Gorge  on the way.
Drive to Liuzhi. Liuzhi is an attractive countryside and we plan to see Miao nick-named Four Seal Miao . They have been named Four Seal as they once served the emperor and it is said that the seal was awarded to them by the emperor.

–Maling River Gorge, located 10 kilometers from Xingyi west of Guiyang city, boasts “the spectacular crevice of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau”. There are various strange karst caves in cliffs. An intelation of waterfalls numbering in hundred sprashing water, karst landform, and lush tropical and subtropical plants covering the river sides forms a special magnificent, precipitous and beautiful scene. There are 18 beaches, 20 bends, 30 ponds and more than 60 waterfalls with grand fall in the valley. Floating down steam by boat along the floating route with a length of 12km, you will see picturesque scenery. You can raft down a 13.8-kilometre’section from Maling Town to Tianxing Bridge to enjoy the marvelous views and have a breathtaking experience. There are also plank ways built halfway up the cliffs on both banks, and a cableway.

–Soga is an heartbreakingly basic village. Most of the province still lives below the national poverty level even though the government is trying to change this. Soga was dirty with lots of chickens running around (visions of “bird flu” ran through my mind) …View image…but the “Hair” was what made Soga so interesting and worth visiting along with the exquisite batik and embroidery that they make.
At one time, their wigs were made of human hair but collectors have cornered the market by visiting the villages and buying them up.
It’s the same situation with most of the “silver” that you see. Silver ornaments make up an important part of Miao dress because it is believed to be the symbol of light which dispels evil spirits. When bathing a newborn, parents often put a piece of silver into the water to act as a blessing for the baby’s future. Miao families also dress their daughters with silver ornaments. Silver worn by young women during special occasions can weigh more than 22 pounds. Heavy stuff! A4gain, collectors have purchased the really old pieces of silver from these villages.

Visit Soga Village in the morning, explore the Changjiaomiao minority, which is a branch of Miao ethnic minority.
One-day tour included Huangguoshu Waterfall and Tianxingqiao Scenic spot .
–Huangguoshu Waterfall is one of the largest waterfalls in China and East Asia located on the Baishui River (白水河) in Anshun, Guizhou province. It is 77.8 m (255 ft) high and 101 m (331 ft) wide. The main waterfall is 67 m (220 ft) high and 83.3 m (273 ft) wide. Huangguoshu Waterfall’s vista changes depending on the location of the viewer. One viewing spot is Waterfall-Viewing Pavilion (Guan Bao ting), where you see the whole waterfall from a distance. Another is Water-Viewing Stage (Guan Bao Ting) where you get a bird’s eye view. The third is Waterfall-Viewing Stage (Guan Bao Tai) in which you raise your head to see the scene.
–Tianxingqiao Scenic Resort is located six kilometers away from a famous waterfall – Huang Guo Shu Waterfall. It consists of three adjoining scenic areas: Tianxingpeng area, Tianxingdong area, and the Stone Forest area above water. The most distinguished character of the scenic resort is its abundance in water, rocks, forests and caves, which compose a picturesque view for the visitors. The first scenic area Tianxingpeng is actually a stone forest above the water covering an area of 0.19 square kilometers, with natural rocks of different sizes and shapes. There are winding stone paths zigzagging through the rocky hills.

Today’s program highlights the remaining culture of the Old Han (Chinese) ethnic group.The ancestors of these villagers migrated from Jiangxi Province to Guizhou Province in the Ming Dynasty. We will drive for 1.5 hours to reach Tianlong village. Women here are still dressed in traditional Ming dynasty costumes, and houses remain faithful to the Ming architectural styles. We will watch a local opera performance called Ground Opera , famed for the performers’ symbolic masks. Another village visit will be arranged to Stone village, a Buyi village.

–Tianlong Village is one of these ancient Tun-Bao settlements built during the reign of Emperor Hongwu by the descendants of the soldiers of the expeditionary troops of the Ming Dynasty, where locals still wear the old-style clothes of that time and keep most of the cultural traditions of the Ming Dynasty.
–The Ground Opera,in Chinese, it sounds like DiXi.  Ask every local people they will tell you what it is!  Now in Tianlong Tunpu, there are presentation of 20 minute play for tourist, for you have a basic understand of what it is like.   Ask locals when it is the time for next show. Most of the popular operas are based on historical battle stories, such as Wars between Chu and Han, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the History of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and Generals of the Yang Family. These stories have been told for hundreds of years but still remain fresh.
–Stone Village, located in the Biandan (shoulder pole in Chinese) Mountain of Zhenning County in the southwest of Guizhou , is one of the 48 Buyi mountain villages. Overlapping with each other, its stone houses are built near the mountain in apple-pie order. Made of woods and stones without any bricks or tiles, they are strong and durable. And, the dwellers of these stone houses will feel warm in winter and cool in summer. Moreover, designed and built by local people, they are full of local and national features.
Dixi or Ground Opera in Guizhou.

This morning will be left for you to fresh up, visit Qianling park , Hongfu temple and Jiaxiu pavilion in the afternoon. Later today you will be transferred to Kaili by 3 hours drive.

–Qianling Park is located on Mt. Qianlingshan, northwest of Guiyang. It is named after Mt. Qianlingshan which was awarded the title of “the First Mountain in South China.” Covering an area of 1,052 acres, the park offers a fantastic mixture of forested seclusion, religious solemnity, and amusement park.
–Jiaxiu Pavilion is a magnificent three-storied building 20-meter-high with three eaves and a pointed top, containing carved windows and red lattices and upturned eaves on all sides. Downstairs is the Floating Jade Bridge which spans both north and south banks. Under the bridge, the clear blue swirling water forms a pool named Hanbi. When night falls with all the lights on, the outline of the pavilion and the bridge are reflected in the river as if it were a fairy land.

Pay a visit to the Kaili Museum , it will leave you an overall view of the ethnic costume in Guizhou. Visit Qingman , a quiet village inhabited by the Folded & Silkfelt Miao , where we will learn about their culture.

Drive from Kaili to Xijiang Township, Leishan county, explore the biggest Miao village, ” One Thousand Family Miao village “. In the afternoon, we will reach Maomaohe village, which is known for its Long-Skirt Miao, a subgroup of Miao ethnic minority group. We will have dinner with local people and gain a better understanding of life and customs in their area.

–Kaili Museum is located in Downtown Kailim, it is actually a collection of Ethnic Minorities culture in Guizhou, where you can have a background knowledge of all minority native culture in this area. The museum displays some buildings, food and drink, costumes, festivals, production, recreation, etiquette, morals and beliefs etc. created by Miao People. It provides a broad, comprehensive introduction to the history of the various ethnic minorities that make up the multi-cultural patchwork that is the southeastern part of present-day Guizhou Province.

–Qingman Miao Village,located 23 kilometers southwest away from Kaili city, is one of the biggest characteristics here. It is a place where a guest who visits a household at will may have witnessed the entire process of traditional Miao clothes-making.

–Xijiang Miao Village, also named ‘China’s Miao stockade village of one thousand households’, is supposed to be the largest Miao Village in China. A continuous row of houses spreads in line of the hilly area. These houses are unique and grand under sunshine and verdant trees. Researchers believe the village is the ‘living fossil’ to study Miao ethic minority’s history and traditional culture. Senior Miao women wear their long dark hair coiled up in neat buns on the top of their heads while the younger Miao women prefer to adorn them with large colorful plastic or bone combs and pretty flowers.

A short drive along the Bala River will take us to the village of Langde , a real gem with traditional wooden houses and waterwheels. After lunch we will continue our journey to Datang , a Miao village with an aquatic granary and the women’s ” Mini skirt “. Visit the Paika village, know more about Lusheng -the Miao people’s most important musical instrument.
After lunch, we will drive from Kaili to Rongjiang via Sandu, visit the traditional way of paper making in Shiqiao. Meet and visit Shui people on the way to Rongjiang.
–Langde Miao Village is situated on the Danjiang riverside at the foot of Leigong Mountain, 32km southeast of Kaili. Consisting of Upper Langde and Lower Langde, the one known to visitors is upper Langde.Around 500 villagers in ten families, the Langde Miao Village is considered small. Members of the Miao Ethnic Minority, they adopt common habits and customes. Entering the village, visitors would find themselves literarily immersed in works of art.
–Datang Miao Village is situated at the foot of Leigong Mountain. Visitors will drink the way-blocking wines before entering the village. Its silver ornaments will leave visitors a deep impression. The villagers are well known for their traditional dance performances, with an aquatic granary as well as the Miao version of the miniskirt.
—-PaiKa village is known for its manufacture of Lushengs, the characteristic musical instrument of the Miao. Visit the home of a Lusheng maker and know more about Lusheng-the Miao people’s most important musical instrument.

Drive to Zhaoxing, visit Longtu (bridge), Yinton Dong village and Basha Village on the way. On this day we will explore ZengChong Dong Village in the morning. A local show accompanied by the court musical instrument of the Tang Dynasty will leave you an unforgettable memory on the Dong people’s culture after dinner.

The people rarely venture out of the village except for selling firewood and shopping for daily necessities in markets, and both men and women can be seen in traditional costumes, wearing their hair long. Yintan, a Dong village built on the top of the mountain with its beautiful landscape. The Dong can be recognized by their turbans (for men), and pleated skirts (for women). They are also known for their architecture, particularly their drum towers, and Feng yuqiao (or wind and rain bridges), which are pavilions for sheltering people during bad weather. 2 more hours drive will take us to Zhaoxing , one of the largest Dong villages in the region, with more than 700 households and a population of 4000. We may see the drum tower in Gaozeng and roofed bridge in Longtu.

Located in Rongjiang County, edged by an enchanting stream almost on all sides, Zengchong looks like a marvellous oval gem, embedded exquisitely among pretty hillsides with greeneries of all sorts- banyan trees, bamboo patches, terrace fields,  cobbled lanes, enveloped by beautiful houses, winds along water channels running through all parts of the village. Limited open space is filled with ponds that are essential for fire protection as most of the houses are old and wooden. Unusually there are also a couple of very old stone houses.

–Zhaoxing is located in the southern part of Liping County, Guizhou Province, a place with richly accumulated essence of the Dong culture that exhibits all aspects of this unique culture. It is the home of over 6000 Dong people with a history of nearly 2000 years. The village is built on mountain with two brooks passing its center. Along the brooks are rows of wooden houses, drum towers and roofed bridges, hence Zhao Xing is regarded as the biggest Dong Village in the world.

From Zhaoxing we will continue our journey for Guizhou travel south into Guangxi Province, visit Sanwang temple , which was set for three sons of Yelang emperor .
Sanjiang in Guangxi province, a village inhabited by the South Dong, one of the two subgroups of the Dong ethnic minority. A short drive away from Sanjiang will take us to Chenyang, a quaint little village with one of the largest Fengyuqiaos (Wind and rain bridge) in the region. Here we will explore the villages on foot, visiting lively markets and hillside farms.
–Chengyang Bridge is also named as Yongji Bridge or Panlong Bridge. It is one of the artistic precious buildings of Chinese wood architecture. Built in 1916, it was the best one among the wind and rain bridge in Dong stockade villages. At present, Chengyang Bridge is the largest wind and rain bridge in China which showing the Dong people’s wisdom.
With magnificant looking , like a brilliant rainbow, the bridge is made from wood and stone, and with 64.4 meters long, 3.4 meters wide and 10.6 meters high. On both side of the bridge, long stools were set up which convenience for people to rest. From the stools one could see the Linxi River windingly flow, on both sides of the river it was full of tea forest and green woods on the sloping hills. This charming bridge attracts flocks of visitors every day.

We will leave for Longsheng , where the mountains are covered with terraced rice fields, some of them reaching up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) peaks. Arrive in Longsheng, visit Longji Rice Terraces, PingAn Zhuang Village; In the afternoon, we will arrive Guilin.

–Longji is famous for the Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces: 60square kilometers of terraced rice fields southeast of Longsheng. They were first built in the Yuan dynasty and completed in the Qing dynasty by Zhuang people. The terraced fields are built along the slope winding from the riverside up to the mountaintop, with the highest place of an elevation of 885m and the lowest 380m. The coiling line spirals up from the mountain foot to the top, making the mountain looks like huge snail seen from afar.

After the breakfast you take bus to Dock. You will start your Li River Cruise from here. The total Journey is around 30 Kilometers and takes 4 hours. On the way you will see the most beautiful landscapes and pass throw the local villages.

Later this day you will arrive at Yangshuo. You can also choose to stay in the town, stroll around the local market, witness the daily activities of local society. Or you might enjoy a class for Chinese Tachi in Yangshuo at sunset.
–Li River, one of China’s most famous scenic areas, was listed as one of the world’s top ten watery wonders by America National Geographic Magazine.Originating in Mao’er Mountain in Xing’an county northeast of Guilin, the Li River winds its way southeast for about 437 km, passing through Guilin, Yangshuo, Pingle, Zhaoping and finally meets Xi River in Wulin. It boasts the largest and most beautiful scenic area in China and attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Cruising on Li River is always a pleased thing. You can breathe the fresh air, feel gentle breeze and appreciate the fabulous landscape on both sides of Li River. In spring, tourists may stand on the front of a boat and let the mizzle falls onto their faces. It is really a wonderful experience.
“I have visited more than 80 countries and over a hundred cities. I have found that no city can surpass the beauty of Guilin. Guilin is really a bright pearl in China.” said the former US president Richard Nixon. Besides, former US president Bill Clinton and George Bush, Comrade Deng Xiaoping and former Chinese president Jiang Zemin ever cruised on Li River.
–Yangshuo, the natural scenery features unique karst hills, crystal water, exquisite stones and intricate caves as well as a cultural historic heritage and folks of diverse customs.   At night, have fun on the West Street, don’t drink too much to miss tomorrow’s program.  Or you can go to watch the envening show – Impression Liu Sanjie.   The optional ticket is RMB 188 per person.  The Cormorant Bird catching fish show at night is also something new (optional).
Li River Cruise Tour from Guilin to Yangshuo.

It is an easy and casual private tour in Yangshuo. In the morning local tour guide will pick you up at your hotel in Yangshuo. Your guide will help you choose a suitable bicycle. Just ride and rush to the beautiful countryside around Yangshuo! The first stip can be the Big Banyan Tree. Then to the Moon Hill. It is a small hill and looks like a crescent moon in it. You can watch from foot of the hill, or climb it! On the top you will see fields and rivers around.
Lunch can be at a common peasant family, or a small local restaurant at the West Street. Then continue to enjoy your biking tour in the afternoon.

Transfer to Guilin by road. Visit Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill. Take evening cruise on Li River and surrounding lakes.

Visit the Reed Flute Cave. Aside ten minutes drive (half hour bike ride) from downtown, the cave is one of the largest known examples of what each tropical karst cone conceals within it. The script writers and set designers for Star Trek would have a field day in this cavernous underground stalactite/stalagmite maze-style theater. The dropping water is rich and the dripstones are not only in various types but also in big size, displaying a wonderful cave world. This cave was called “The Art Gallery of Mother Nature”. Colored fluorescent lights which cast shadows and illuminate shapes of imaginary animals, fruits and vegetables complete the unworldly effect.

Following with Elephant Trunk Hill. It is located on the west bank of the Li River by a small branch called Peach blossom River, and resembles a huge elephant standing on the bank of the river, sucking up water with its long trunk. The trunk is particularly striking and lifelike when viewed either nearby or afar. A circular foot cave called Shui Yue Dong (Moon-In-the Water Cave) separates the trunk and the body. A 3-story Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D) brick pagoda rises from the top of hill.