Catch the Exclusive Beauties of Guilin
6-Day Guilin Photography Tour
This Guilin photography tour is designed for shutterbugs, catching scenery only otherwise found on postcards or magazines. Climb to the top of a mountain to photograph the great bend on the Li River, take a ferry to the most beautiful section of the river in the early hours of morning to shoot the picturesque scenery, capture an old fisherman and his ospreys, and take candid photos of minority people living near the Longji rice terraces.
Tour Highlights
- Specialized English-speaking guide with professional photography experience
- Professional guiding to Guilin's photography locations
- Attractions around Guilin that only serious travelers and shutterbugs can find
- The beautiful nature and idyllic life around the Li River
China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.


![]() ![]() |
Another excellent trip with China Highlights
Another wonderful four-day section of our tailor-made three week China Highlights trip, this time in the region around Guilin, Yangshuo and in the Longji rice terraces with our friendly guide Chase. The 4-hour Li river cruise on a 4-star boat, the bamboo rafting - which our guide kindly got us by queueing from 4am onwards - hike to Moon Hill, bicycle river trip and Liu San Jie light show were all excellent, so was the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat hotel. The hike in the Longji rice terraces from Ping’an to another village, bamboo rice cooking experience and Baike Boutique Hotel with its great views were also all wonderful. We wished we could have stayed longer! more
Aug 2023,
Axel R
|
Inoubliable
Séjour inoubliable dans la région de Guilin avec China highlight et la guide Alice. Choix d’activités surprenantes où nous avons été comblés à plusieurs reprises : grotte de la fl?te de roseau, visite des marchés ou des lieux importants de Guilin ou Yangshuo, spectacle à couper le souffle, visite d’une maison ancestrale de paysans, rizières et visite dans une maison pour faire un repas transitionnel, etc. Tout était super ! Même les enfants ont adorés ! Les choix de logements étaient aussi super ! La chaufffeure qui nous conduisait d’un point à l’autre était aussi bien gentille et patiente ! Expérience et souvenirs gravés dans notre c?ur ! Merci ! 11/10 more
Aug 2023,
Jasmine B
|
Another great China Highlights trip
Another wonderful four-day section of our tailor-made three week China Highlights trip, this time in the region around Guilin, Yangshuo and in the Longji rice terraces with our friendly guide Chase. The 4-hour Li river cruise on a 4-star boat, the bamboo rafting - which our guide kindly got us by queueing from 4am onwards - hike to Moon Hill, bicycle river trip and Liu San Jie light show were all excellent, so was the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat hotel. The hike in the Longji rice terraces from Ping’an to another village, bamboo rice cooking experience and Baike Boutique Hotel with its great views were also all wonderful. We wished we could have stayed longer! more
Aug 2023,
Axel Rudolph
|
Guilin and Yangshou - well worth a trip!
Both Guilin with its amazing rice paddies and Yangshou with the Karst landscape are scenically stunning and a must see in China. Gary our tour guide from China Highlights is incredibly passionate about his role as tour guide and does everything possible to ensure your time in Guilin and Yangshou is memorable. From Guilin we went to see the famous rice paddy fields and spent a day walking through the paddy fields and eating a fantastic lunch in a local restaurant. In the evening we went on a foodie tour of Guilin which was very well worth it and we ate some very local food we would never have tried on our own. We then spent two days in Yangshou. The scenery here is just stunning and there are lots of different ways you can enjoy it. Gary took us up a particular mountain, off the beaten track, that meant we had the view really all to ourselves - absolutely stunning. But the rafting down the rived, cycle ride and the sidecar rides were also great fun. Thank you Gary for making our time in Guilin and Yangshou very memorable more
Aug 2023,
Sandra
|
Superb tailored tour in exquisite place!
We were treated to the most amazing, full, tailor-made, unique & personalised tour of Guilin & Yangshuo over 4 days.. Our excellent guide Vincent went the extra mile to give us the best experience and included local, personalised activities & adventures, hidden gems off the beaten track! We had the best time, using every minute tfor both 'wow" & 'local' experiences and with helpful advice always. His helper Karpo was also amazing & helped us a lot, as did our driver Mr Tan. It all flowed effortlessly for us, while they were working hard behind the scenes! ..and also to meet our every need. We are so grateful. Thank you for showing us the best of Guilin & Yangshuo, & for looking after us so well, while also avoiding the crowds in high season. more
Aug 2023,
teresamk8
|
Beautiful scenery and great experience!
Visiting Yangshou County in Guilin was the most scenic and beautiful part of our 2 week trip in China. Chase from China Highlights was our guide. He was friendly, funny and very personable in our time in Guilin. He had great recommendations for us to try at the hotel and would go out of his way to make sure our wants and needs were met. He knows the area of Yangshou very well and truly made the culture of the area come to life. more
Aug 2023,
Annie A
|
Amazing Guilin-Yangshuo trip
Wonderful experience in the amazing landscapes of Guilin area. A big thank you to guide Ken for his amazing help and guidance, and to Carol for organizing this trip on very short notice. more
Aug 2023,
Filip
|
Guilin experience
First of all thank you to our English speaking guide Steven, who’s help and knowledge about China made sure this trip exceeded out expectations. more
Aug 2023,
Filip Naudts
|
Amazing experience with Chase and CHINA HIGHLIGHTS
The whole experience was amazing. Chase our tour guide and the driver were super nice. The attractions we went to in Guilin and Yangshou were magnificent and the choices of hotels to stay at were clean and relaxing. Definitely would recommend China highlights to friends wanting to visit China from abroad. more
Jul 2023,
Consumer
|
Had an amazing time in Guilin and…
Had an amazing time in Guilin and Yangshou. Everything was well organized and the places we visited were beyond beautiful. Our tour guide, Chase, was very humble, helpful and knowledgeable. He also speaks English very well so we didn’t have trouble in communicating. I did an amazing wedding shoot in Yangshou and Chase was kind enough to take photos and videos. I definitely recommend this service to friends wanting to visit China and will definitely recommend asking the company for Chase to be your tour guide. more
Jul 2023,
Afnan Alqadri
|
Amazing experience
Me and my husband took a trip to Guilin and Yangshou and it was for sure amazing! I had a pleasant experience with Highlights in China. The tour Guide Chase was super kind and helpful and very knowledgeable about China. He made the trip easygoing I forgot about the language barrier because he was automatically translating without us even asking. The attractions we went to were magnificent and getting to places was just way easier with a driver picking us up and taking us to far away places. I definitely recommend it to anyone coming from abroad to visit China more
Jul 2023,
hakiim a
|
Unforgettable River Lii
We took a trip to Guilin as part of our China journey. We had some great time there due to our guide Frank from China Highlights. Everything was perfectly organized and went as planned. We visited the amazing rice terraces, we took a 4 star boat on the river Lii, we rode a bike along the river, had delicious food, stayed at a wonderful hotel. more
Jul 2023,
Viki B
|
Wonderful 3 days in Longji/Guilin/Yangshou with guide Vincent
My wife in and spent 3 delightful days in the area, including an overnight in the Longji Rice terraces and a cruise on the Li river. We had laid out our preferences and all the arrangement had been made by China Highlights: guide, car, hotels and the cruise. I appreciate their willingness to ability to tailor the time to our priorities, and our guide Vincent, also was happy to adapt the schedule to our interests on the fly. Vincent is an outstanding guide and was an important part of the success. In addition to being knowledgeable and flexible, he is also very personable - critical when someone is joining your vacation for 3 days. He ably helped find and arranged for vegetarian food and took additional photos that he shared with us. I highly recommend both China Highlights and Vincent. more
Jul 2023,
Flamenco64
|
Best Tour of Guilin
My family and I went to Guilin over the summer, and we had a wonderful experience. We went to see the Longsheng Rice Terraces and on a cruise to see the landscape of Guilin. Our guide Chase was able to make the tour more enjoyable, with his knowledge and his patience. He went out of his way to make sure we got the most out of our trip. I recommend this trip to anyone who wants to enjoy Guilin to the upmost, but doesn’t want to have the hassle of touring with a big group of strangers. Thank you Chase!! more
Jun 2023,
Jimena M
|
Perfectly organized trip to Guilin
We spent 3 days in GuiLin and Yangshuo. The trip was great! China Highlights booked everything for us so we didn’t have to worry. The accommodations were clean and comfortable and the activities were exactly what we were looking for. Our guide, Chase, was excellent. He spoke fluent English and was friendly, knowledgeable, efficient, very willing to accommodate our requests and pleasant to be around. He was the perfect balance of being warm and helpful while giving us space to have our own trip. more
Jun 2023,
S R
|
A truly unforgettable tour
I would like to thank our guide Jenny for our wonderful time in Guilin and yangshuo. Your expertise and attention to detail helped us understand and appreciate the history and culture of the city in a way that we never could have on our own. Your friendly and personable nature made the tour enjoyable and engaging, and we loved the stories and anecdotes you shared along the way. We will never forget this experience and we are so grateful to have had you as our guide. Thank you again for a truly unforgettable tour. We will definitely be recommending you to our friends more
Jun 2023,
ajay p
|
Excellent, will book again
I have booked Guilin and Yangshuo tour with Chinahilights and it was amazing. Our guide was Jenny. She is very helpful and good command in English. She take care of our all China trip starting from arrival to return. We did not face a single problem although I did not know Chinese. It is worth to book with Chinahilights and ask Guide Jenny. I guarantee your tour will be memorable. Thanks again Chinahilights and Jenny. more
Jun 2023,
Brahma Nath
|
Amazingly Awesome!
The guy who was our tour guide, Chase, was a total gem ! He was so professional and knowledgeable. He was never overbearing, gave us plenty of space, while guiding us on a breathtakingly beautiful, fun, educational, exciting and relaxing adventure!They arranged for a private driver to escort us to each new attraction.We hiked, saw ancient villages, took a Li River cruise, went to the Reed Flute Cave, hit the local street markets, went electric bike riding in the countryside along rice paddy fields, and more! I would do it again, and probably will do it again with more friends. So, yes, worth it! An absolutely awesome time more
Jun 2023,
Wondy C
|
Amazing Guilin and Yangshuo trip!
Booked a 5 day private tour for me and my senior parents. Incredible experience! Our tour guide was Oscar and he was insightful, professional, and understanding of our questions and needs. The hotels were beautiful and comfortable, the attractions we saw were stunning (Longji rice terraces, reed flute caves, river cruise, etc), the activities were really fun (hiking, cooking class, meeting a villager). Super comfortable, well-planned itinerary. We went a bit off season in mid-June, which was great because there were hardly any tourists in some of the places we visited, like the rice terraces and the caves. Definitely try to avoid national holidays because Oscar said those places get packed. more
Jun 2023,
Domee
|
Million thanks to Chase , Kimi and China Hightlights!!
Our Tour Guide Chase is very caring and full of patience throughout the trip , we have the best of fun in Guilin and Yangshuo , so much to see and sceneries to die for . Thank you China Hightlights!! more
Jun 2023,
Jade
|
Suggested Itinerary
Recommended Hotel in Guilin: Guilin Park Hotel (3-star, central location and by the lakeside)
Upon arrival, you will be met by your local tour guide displaying your name at the arrivals hall of the airport. If you arrive by train, your guide will meet you at the exit of the train station.
Your guide will escort you by private vehicle to your hotel. Have a good rest and be ready for the next day's adventure!
Evening Ideas:
The night scenery in Guilin is beautiful and provides a great way to unwind after a flight. The ‘Two Rivers and Four Lakes' in the downtown area offer pleasant lakeside walks and night cruises.
Meal: breakfast & lunch
Recommended Hotel in Longji : Longji Panorama House Hotel (3-star,the best hotel in the village)
Longji rice terraces are a sight not to be missed when visiting Guilin. They are one of the most impressive man-made wonders in China, built into steep mountainsides. When viewed from the mountaintops, they look like a dragon's ribs; hence the name ‘Dragon's Backbone' (Longji).
Longji is about 2½ hours' drive from Guilin. The terraces cover an area of 66 square kilometers (25 square miles). They were built 600 years ago by local minority people. There are various villages in Longji; the three most famous are Ping'an Zhuang village, Longji Ancient Zhuang village, and Dazhai Yao village.
Today you will head to Dazhai Yao village, one of the most beautiful areas around Guilin. Upon your arrival, first have lunch in a local farmer's restaurant. You will have an opportunity to taste the local food, such as rice cooked in a bamboo tube - a typical dish for local minority people - and some local fresh vegetables. After lunch, have a taste of photographing the fields, as you hike along for about 2 or 3 hours to reach your hotel. You'll snap the marvelous terraced fields from all angles, with local minority houses dotted around; especially spectacular in autumn when the harvest is ripe and golden.
Good to know:
- Longji Panorama House Hotel is at the top of a mountain and it takes about 2 or 3 hours to walk there from the parking lot. If you are not able to walk that far, please ask your advisor to substitute another hotel, nearer the cable car station.
- We tentatively arrange the overnight stay in Dazhai because from July to October the scenery there is more attractive. From November to March, however, the scenery at Ping'an is more attractive. If your trip is any time between November and June, please ask your travel advisor to arrange the overnight stay at Ping'an Zhuang village.

Meal: breakfast & lunch
Recommended Hotel in Yangshuo : Yangshuo Changfeng Green Water Resort
Your hotel is the best hotel in the vicinity, with the best location for photographing the sunrise less than 10 minutes' walk away. Get up early (if the weather is good) to shoot the stunning sunrise over the spectacular terraced rice fields. Walk down through the fields after breakfast, and you can continue to take photos from different angles. In September and October, locals hang lots of red peppers and golden corncobs under their roofs. The nearby Yao and Zhuang minority villages, with traditional wooden houses, should not be missed.
On the way, visit a local minority family and taste a local snack of minority origin, particularly popular with the Yao and Zhuang people: oil tea. This can quench thirst and cure rheumatism in humid mountain areas. You'll see how to make it and will interact with local people who have lived there for generations.
After lunch, you will go down the mountain and leave Longji for Yangshuo (about 4 hours' drive), visiting Cuiping on the way. Cuiping Five Fingers Mountain, 22 km north of Yangshuo, near the town of Putao, is a nice place for taking sunset photos. It takes around 20 minutes to climb the mountain and from there you'll photograph the karst mountain peaks, with some villages, many paddies and a river flowing by. It's a wonderful view, not to be missed, even in bad weather.

Meal: breakfast & lunch
Recommended Hotel in Xingping : Yangshuo Xingping Island Resort (a boutique hotel on a beautiful location beside the Li River)
You will rise early and transfer to Xianggong Hill, the best place for photos of the breathtaking sunrise over the bend in the Li River. After you reach the top, you'll have about 20 minutes to watch the Li River running round a right-angled bend as the sun rises in the background (the top photo of this tour).
After Xianggong Hill, you'll visit Fuli Bridge, which has a history of over 600 years. It's a special spot not so well known to travelers, located at the upper reaches of the Yulong (Meeting a Dragon) River. You can take some photos of the bridge stretching across the river, surrounded by Guilin's unique karst hills.
Later relax and take a ride on a bamboo raft. The raft drifts along for about 1.5 to 2 hours from Jinglong Bridge to Jiuxian village. The raft journey on the Yulong River is idyllic and therapeutic; watching the rice fields and water buffaloes glide by, listening to the birds and enjoying the cool gentle breeze makes everything seem worthwhile.
Lunch will be served in one of the local restaurants in Yangshuo.
In the afternoon, you will be driven to Xingping Ancient Town to photograph another highlight of the Guilin area: a Li River fisherman, on his bamboo boat and with a unique gas lamp, resplendent in the rose sunset (pray for cooperative weather). You will love the fisherman, who poses in many different yet natural ways. Your guide will make sure you get the best possible photos of the fisherman and the river.
Good to know:
1. Upon arrival in Xingping, you will take a ferry to a small, beautiful and peaceful island, where you hotel is located. Your luggage will be transferred to Xingping in advance, by private car.
2. As Yangshuo is extremely touristy and crowded, especially during festivals, we arrange for an overnight stay in Xingping, to save you all the hustle and bustle. Besides, Xingping is the best place for photographing the beautiful Li River sunrise and sunset.
Meal: breakfast & lunch
Continue to collect sunrise photos or misty-morning photos around the Li River. You'll be taken to the dock in Xingping. Enjoy the beautiful, peaceful river, as you take a ferry to sunrise spots nearby, for some fantastic photos of the sunrise. This stretch is one of the most spectacular on the river, incorporating the 20-yuan banknote view.
The next destination is Xiping Ancient Town, a time-honored town which grew from a small fishing village. The village still preserves buildings built in styles from the Ming (1368–1644 AD) and Qing (1644–1911 AD) dynasties.
Your guide will take you to the side of Xiaomian Mountain (Small Face Mountain) to capture the sunset, along with the 20-yuan banknote view. Standing there, you will see the whole banknote mountain from a different angle than usual.

Trip Notes
1. The Best Time to Photograph Guilin
The prime time for photography in Guilin is from May to October. During these months, the daytime is longer and the light is good, and temperatures are hot or warm. November to February is the low-water season.
2. Guilin's Best Sunset Locations
Guilin: Pierced Hill (Chuanshan)
Yangshuo: Cuiping Wuzhishan, Wulong Spring village, Gongnong Bridge
Xinping: Small Face Mountain and Big Face Mountain
3. Guilin's Best Sunrise Locations
Yangshuo: Xianggong Hill
Xingping: Laozhai Mountain, Yellow Cloth Shoal, Xialong Bay
4. About Xianggong Hill
Xianggong Hill is great for sunrises and sunsets. It takes 1.5 hours to drive there from Guilin city center, and 40 minutes from Yangshuo. The sunrise is at about 05:30 hrs from June to August, 06:00 hrs from September to October, and 06:30 hrs in December. You must climb many steps to reach the viewpoint. Our guide will prepare flashlights for you.
5. Small Face Mountain
It is a great place for sunset photography at any season in Xingping. Sunset is around 17:30 in summer and 16:30 in winter. The path to the shooting area is difficut to walk in rainy days.
6. Fuli Bridge
Suitable for shooting at any time. Rarely interrupted by tourists, you can take photos of this ancient bridge with its reflection in the water. There are more chances to come across water buffalos or ducks in this fantastic karst landscape between 16:00 and17:00.
7.Sunrise comparison between Reflection of Yellow Cloth Shoal and Xialong
The Yellow Cloth Shoal is one of the highlights of the Li River and one of the best places for Guilin's karst landscape sunrise. The sunrise is much better at the Yellow Cloth Shoal than at Xialong. The morning clouds in Xialong, however, are fantastic. So we will first take you to photograph the sunrise at the Yellow Cloth Shoal, and then to enjoy the colorful morning clouds at Xialong. Reach the Yellow Cloth Shoal via a 30-minute ride on a motorized bamboo raft. Sunrise starts at 05:00 hrs in summer and 06:30 hrs in winter. September is the best time for the sunrise.
Reach Reflection of Yellow Cloth by a motorized bamboo raft for 30min. Sunrise starts at 05:00 in summer and 06:30 in winter. September is the best time for the sunrise.
8. Longji Rice Terraced Fields Photography Tips
Jinkeng (Dazhai) Terraced Fields is better preserved with more capacious views and has much less tourists and is less commercial than Ping'an Village. The golden rice is cut later than Ping'an Village during China's National Day holiday.
In spring
The end of March is the best time to shoot the many cole flowers in the terraced fields. From the end of April to the beginning of May, the fields turn a beautiful red, because of the fertilizer the farmers use.
In summer
At the beginning of June, the watered fields are like mirrors, yielding impressive photos. June 8-10 is the annual Spring Plow Festival of the local Zhuang and Yao minorities. If you are fortunate to be there for the festival, you will see many celebrations, but relatively few visitors.
July to August is the best time for viewing the terraced fields. They turn a verdant green, with some clouds in the otherwise clear blue sky.
In autumn
Golden terraced fields are fabulous during China's National Day holiday. Although we don't recommend visiting China during this period, it's the best time to photograph the countless yellow rice terraces. The rice stalks don't turn golden before National Day and are quickly harvested after the holiday. Rice in Dazhai village is harvested later than in the Ping'an village area. In October, morning and dusk are better periods for photos.
In winter
Snow sometimes covers the fields during China's Spring Festival holiday. It's the best chance to obtain photos of snowy terraced fields and at the same time to experience local minority culture.
Tour Price
Price includes:
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.