11 days Guizhou Guilin ethnic culture tour with Li River cruise

As the entrance point of this ethnic tour, Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province, is home to more than 30 minority ethnic groups including Miao, Buyi, Dong and Hui. Upon your arrival at the airport or railway station, be assisted by your local guide and then get settled into the downtown hotel for a short break.

After having lunch at the hotel, drive to the Qingyan ancient town located in the southern suburb of Guiyang city. As one of the most famous historical and cultural towns in Guizhou province, Qingyan was first built in 1378 as a station for transferring military messages and to house a standing army. It was constructed completely of stone, and lots of sites of relics are well preserved to present the original architectural style of this ancient town. Spend a couple of hours roaming here. In the late afternoon, drive back to your hotel to retire.

Today you will visit the largest waterfall in Asia, Huangguoshu Waterfall. After breakfast, drive about 2.5 hours to the Huangguoshu Waterfall National Park, where you will see the magnificent waterfall cluster, mysterious Water-Curtain Cave and breathtaking Rhinoceros Pool. Resembling a Milky Way in miniature, Huangguoshu Waterfall is 74 m. (243 ft.) high and 81 m. (266 ft.) wide. During your visit, walk along a road near the waterfall which leads to the Water-Curtain Cave where you can hear, watch and touch the fall. 

In the afternoon, head to the Tianxingqiao Scenic Spot, which is only 6 km. (3.7 mi.) way from Huangguoshu Waterfall. This place consists of three main areas: Tianxing Cave, 'Potted Landscape' on Water, and Stone Forest in Water. All the spectacular landscapes are made by the hands of nature. The water, rocks, forests and caves compose a picturesque view for you during your stay here.

Visit Dragon Palace Cave in the morning, it is located in the southern suburb of Guizhou, Anshun, 27 kilometers from Anshun’s city proper, 116 kilometers from Guiyang, and only 30 kilometers from Huangguoshu Waterfalls which is a world-famous tourist attraction. Combined with caves, canyons, waterfalls, peaks, cliffs, rivers, stone forest, funnel, underground river and other different karst geological landscape, Loong palace is the best scenic spot to show comprehensively the karst topography, thus praised as "the world of karst, as Loong Palace". Then continue driving back to Guiyang, on the way visit Tianlong Old Han village. People here wear clothes in the style of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and speak the language used during that period. It's not a show but real life. This area is the only place in China that maintains the living customs of the Ming Dynasty. All the houses were made of stone and complicated hidden tunnels and exits were built. Overnight at Guiyang.

Drive to Kaili, visit Matang village. Matang is inhabited by Gejia people. Their festal clothes just look like an ancient warrior. Gejia people adore bow and arrow. As a legend goes, the ancestor of the Gejia people was a hero who could shoot the sun with the bow and arrow. Later you will visit Langde Long-Skirt Miao village, which has a strong national culture, it is considered to be the live museum of Miao Culture. This village is surrounded by mountains and rivers and boasts wooden stilt houses, winding mountain paths and well-preserved Wind and Rain Bridge. Most wooden buildings were built from 1616-1911. Overnight at Kaili.

After breakfast, drive to Rongjiang. Stop at the Shiqiao Miao Village, this village is famous for its old technology of papermaking from the bark of trees, continue driving to Rongjiang, on the way visit Gaoyao terrace, one of the top 10 most beautiful terraces in China. Late in the afternoon, you will arrive at Rongjiang. Then drive to the Chejiang Dong Village, where you will explore the lifestyle of ethnic Dong people. The main street of this village is surrounded by a group of big aged Chinese Banyan trees. Overnight at Rongjiang.

After breakfast, drive to visit Jiabang terraces. It is an off the beaten path trip in Guizhou which is not far from Congjiang, these colorful terraced fields are among the most beautiful ones in China. With the few villages perched amid these terraced fields, the landscape is breathtaking. In the late afternoon, head back to Congjiang for overnight.

Drive to visit another settlement of ethnic Dong people, Zhanli Dong Village in the morning. Couples in Zhanli Dong village give birth to two children, one girl and one boy, virtually no two girls or two boys rearing in a family. There is a mystical secret that Huanhua herb has the ability to help Dong people propagate one girl and one boy in a family. It is said that if there is a boy in the family, the next child will be a girl after taking Huanha herd, vice versa.

Then head to Basha Miao Village for a visit. This village is also known as the last gunmen's tribe in China as almost all the adult male villagers have a blunderbuss for hunting. Besides, the male villagers' distinctive hair dresses are reputed as the existing most ancient style in China. 

Your next destination is Zhaoxing, an ancient town where you will find the largest settlement of  Dong people in Guizhou province. During your visit to this town, see countless wooden stilt houses standing one by one as well as charming Drum Towers. Afterwards, spend the evening in a local hotel. 
 

Start today with a visit to the Tang'an Dong Village, which is reputed as the first ecological museum of ethnic Dong people. Then drive to Sanjiang, where you will arrive in Guilin and say farewell to Guizhou province. Visit the the unique Chenyang Wind and Rain Bridge and explore the Dong villages nearby.

In the Late afternoon, arrive at Longsheng, which is a famous town near Guilin. This place is noted for the abundant tourist resources, including the spectacular Terraced Fields. Upon your arrival, get settled into a local hotel for the evening.

The highlight of today is the Longsheng Terraced Fields. First built in the Yuan dynasty and completed in the Qing dynasty by Zhuang people, The terraced fields spread along the slope winding from the riverside up to the mountaintop, with the highest place of an elevation of 885 m. (2,904 ft.) and the lowest 380 m. (1,247 ft.). Here some moderate climbing is involved, you'd better to have comfortable walking shoes. Continue to visit the Yao People's Village in Longsheng.

Afterwards drive to Guilin, a beautiful city which is famous for the mountains and water. The journey takes 3 hours, you will enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way. Check into your hotel. The remainder of the day is on your own.

Spend today comfortably cruising along theLi River from Guilin to Yangshuo. The Li River is one of the most beautiful rivers in China, you will enjoy the scenery with beautiful water and majestic mountains along the way to Yangshuo. This cruise will take 3 to 4 hours.
 

After enjoy lunch on the ship and arriving in Yangshuo, have a two to three hours bicycle ride into the countryside of Yangshuo. Experience the real local life of Chinese peasants. If you prefer not to ride a bicycle, just let us know and we will prepare an alternative for you.

Morning drive back to Guilin to visit Yaoshan (Yao mountain) for a great view of the hill and rivers around Guilin, then the Reed Flute Cave, known as the Palace of Natural Arts, is a natural limestone cave with multicolored lighting and has been one of Guilin's most interesting attractions for over 1200 years. After that, to be driven to the airport or train station for departure by your local guide and driver. If you wish to continue your travels we are experts in tailor-made trips and ready to assist you in extending your stay in China.