In-Depth Guilin Old Town Scenery and Longji Terraces

Stay in the city centre for all four nights, explore the hills, stone steles and royal city area district by district, and add a day trip to the Longji rice terraces.

This is a slower in-depth city itinerary, organized by area. Spend one day around the Royal City, East and West Lanes. Spend one day on Fubo Hill, Diecai Hill, Seven Star Park and the Guihai Stele Forest. On another day, visit Reed Flute Cave in the west of the city. On the middle day, hire a car to Ping'an Zhuang Village in Longsheng to see the Longji terraces and return the same day. Leave Li River cruises and Yangshuo for another trip. This route suits those who want to see Guilin's old town, stone carvings and inscriptions in detail without changing hotels often.

Longji's terraces are flooded in April and May, and look their best from late September to mid-October, when they turn golden.

Day by day

Day 1 · Shan Lake and Xiangshan Hill: first impressions of Guilin

Central Guilin（Li Zongren's Official Residence、Elephant Trunk Hill、Two Rivers and Four Lakes / Sun & Moon Pagodas）

Take the high-speed train to Guilin North Railway Station, then a taxi about 20 minutes to the city centre. In the afternoon, walk along Shan Lake and the Li River. In the evening, take a night cruise.

Stay: Two Rivers and Four Lakes · Zhengyang Road

Day 2 · Royal City, East and West Lanes, Fubo and Diecai Hills

Central Guilin（Jingjiang Princes' City & Duxiu Peak、Dongxi Alley & Zhengyang Pedestrian Street、Xiaoyao Tower、Fubo Hill、Diecai Hill (Folded Brocade Hill)）

Explore on foot all day. The Royal City, East and West Lanes and Xiaoyao Tower are close together. Continue north along the Li River to Fubo Hill and Diecai Hill, about 2 km in total.

Climb Solitary Beauty Peak early in the morning when it's quiet. Diecai Hill is a good place to watch the sunset.

Stay: Two Rivers and Four Lakes · Zhengyang Road

Day 3 · Seven Star Park and the Guihai Stele Forest

Central Guilin（Seven Star Park、Guihai Stele Forest Museum、Chuanshan Park）

Walk about 15 minutes across Liberation Bridge to Seven Star Park. In the afternoon, take a taxi about 10 minutes to Chuanshan Park.

The Guihai Stele Forest is in Seven Star Scenic Area. Allow 2 hours to see the inscriptions.

Stay: Two Rivers and Four Lakes · Zhengyang Road

Day 4 · Longji Ping'an Zhuang Village day trip

Longji Rice Terraces（Ping'an Zhuang Village Terraces、Huangluo Yao Village）

Hire a car or join a group tour for about 2.5 hours to the Longji scenic area. Transfer to the scenic area bus to Ping'an Village, walk to the viewing platform, then walk down the hill and return to the city in the evening.

The mountain roads have many bends, so take motion sickness medication if needed. The village has many uphill climbs, so wear non-slip shoes.

Stay: Two Rivers and Four Lakes · Zhengyang Road

Day 5 · Reed Flute Cave and Xishan Park before departure

Central Guilin（Reed Flute Cave、Xishan Park, Guilin）

Take a taxi about 20 minutes to Reed Flute Cave. On the way back, visit Xishan Park, then take a taxi about 40 minutes to the airport.

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