9 Days Chongqing Yangtze Zhangjiajie Guilin Picturesque Nature Tour

Ni Hao! Welcome to Guilin, the city with the most beautiful landscape under the earth! You will be met by local tour guide at airport / train station, then be escorted to your hotels in Guilin downtown. 

Arrival Ideas: Guilin Liangjiang Airport has flights connecting Guilin with Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Lijiang, Kunming and more cities. Also, Guilin Railway Station or Guilin North Railway Station has high speed trains well linking Guilin with Guangzhou (about 2.5~3hrs), Shenzhen (about 3hrs), Hong Kong (about 3~4hrs), Guiyang (about 2.5hrs), Changsha (about 3hrs and 20mins), Wuhan (about 5hrs), Kunming (about 7.5hrs), and Shanghai (about 9.5hrs), etc.

If you arrive in Guilin early and have some free time, here are some suggestions for you to enjoy:
1. Visit the Iconic Elephant Trunk Hill: This hill is the symbol of Guilin’s landscape. It looks like a giant elephant drinking water from the river. It’s a must-see! If you have more time, you can explore the historical sites nearby, such as ancient stone carvings, Buddhist temples, and relic exhibitions. These places are full of stories from the past.
2. Explore the Reed Flute Cave: This is a magical underground world. The cave is filled with colorful lights that highlight the amazing rock formations. These formations, like stalactites and stalagmites, took millions of years to form. It’s like stepping into a hidden palace created by Mother Nature.
3. Discover the Sun and Moon Twin Towers: These towers are a modern wonder in Guilin. The Sun Tower is made of copper and shines brightly during the day, while the Moon Tower is made of steel and looks beautiful at night when it’s lit up. They are surrounded by a beautiful lake and garden, making it a perfect place to take a walk and enjoy the scenery.
If you need us to arrange your itinerary for the day, please communicate with your travel consultant in advance. We are here to make your trip as smooth and enjoyable as possible!

Elephant Trunk Hill

Reed Flute Cave, the Art Palace of Nature

As the Chinese textbook says, "Guilin’s landscape is the best under heaven." Today, start your scenic cruise along the Li River from Mopanshan Pier to Yangshuo, spanning 84 kilometers. The breathtaking vistas resemble an endless Chinese scroll, featuring winding river, verdant limestone karst mountains, fascinating countryside views, the amazing A Painting of Nine Horses, and iconic scenery on the 20 RMB note. (Please note: Lunch onboard is served by the cruise with simple local cuisine. You can take some snacks before boarding.)

After 4 hours’ cruise, arrive in Yangshuo and check into your hotel. After a short break, immerse yourself in the charming sightseeing and ideal countryside ease of Yulong River. Let all the refreshing scenes delight your eyes and souls to the utmost, the Karst hills dotted around, chattering stream, rippling mountain reflections, swaying flora, patches of vivid crops, gentle breeze... Choose from biking, hiking, bamboo rafting, scooter or riding to explore the fun and beauty there. (Please tell your likes to your travel consultants before booking the tour, as final prices will vary by activity.)

Biking (some physically demanding & view by the river) - Ride to enjoy the river view and the real fields (route: Yangshuo - Jima - Shuiedi Dock - Gongnong Bridge - West Street; for 1.5-2 hours).

Bamboo Rafting (relaxing and interesting & view on the river) - Have fun with the classic bamboo rafting (Route A: Shuiedi Dock - Gongnong Bridge for 40-50 minutes; Route B: Jima Dock - Gongnong Bridge for 1.5 hours) to see the more serene view like pieces of traditional Chinese landscape ink paintings.

Driving (most leisurable and comfortable & view on the road) - Sit leisurely on the car and travel from Jima to Gongnong Bridge to appreciate the lovely countryside view (about 0.5 hour). You can get off and on anywhere on the middle way to explore more about your interested place.

Finally, have a leisure walk on West Street where the western and Chinese culture coexist harmoniously here. Whether you want to enjoy a drink in a bar, taste local food, or just soak in the relaxing atmosphere, you get it there.

Note: according to the regulations of Yulong River Tourism, children less than 1 meter high and elders over 70 years old are not allowed to take the bamboo rafting.

Optional Activity: Watch the splendid evening performance of Impression Liu Sanjie with the Li River as the stage, which was directed by famous director - Zhang Yimou (usually performs for an hour between around 19:45 and 22:20).

Beautiful Li River Landscape

Li River Cruise

Idyllic Countryside Scenery at Yangshuo Yulong River

Heaven-like Countryside Scenery in Yangshuo

Relaxing Cycling at Yangshuo Countryside

Yulong River Bamboo Rafting

Yangshuo West Street

Today, you’ll have a relaxing morning in Yangshuo, soaking up the charming atmosphere of this picturesque town. Afterward, your driver and guide will come to your hotel to pick you up and drive you to Guilin Station or Guilin North Station. There, you’ll catch a high-speed train to Zhangjiajie. The journey takes about 7 hours, but it’s well worth it. Zhangjiajie is a truly remarkable destination, famous for its unique sandstone pillars and peaks that rise dramatically from the ground. These natural wonders create a surreal landscape that feels like something out of the movie Avatar.

When you arrive in Zhangjiajie by train, a local guide will be waiting for you at the station. They will take you to your accommodation in the Wulingyuan District, which is conveniently located near Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. You’ll travel in a private, comfortable, and smoke-free vehicle, ensuring a pleasant and hassle-free transfer.

High Speed Train to Guilin

After an early breakfast, unveil the exploration of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the Pandora World in "AVATAR" and a UNESCO World Natural Heritage since 1992! First, go to the Ten-mile Gallery. This leisure journey leads you through a captivating valley filled with storytelling landscapes. Take a sightseeing tram in and stroll back out to fully immerse in the captivating landscape.

Next, take Bailong Elevator up to Yuanjiajie to admire the symbolic Hallelujah Mountain that inspired "Avatar" and appreciate towering sandstone columns floating amidst lush forest. Then, take a sightseeing bus to Tianzi Mountain for its grotesque rocky peaks shrouded in drifting mist. There are four breathtaking sceneries: peak forest, cloud sea, sunrise and winter snow. Appreciate the majestic stone forests and peculiar peaks, including Yuyi Peak and Fairy Flowers. If energy permits, visit the Warriors Training Horse for the unique scene of dozens of peaks standing, resembling a proud steed and a warrior holding reins. Finally, ride the exhilarating and scenic Cable Car down to the park exit.

After the visit, be escorted to your hotel in downtown Zhangjiajie. Have a good sleep!

Optional Activities: 1. Visit Kongzhong Tianyuan (1~2 hours) popular for photography and features breathtaking views of terraced fields amidst towering peaks and the majestic Bailong Elevator. Lower platforms offer close-up views of "Avatar" peaks, but needs a half-hour's walk. Cautiously walk in rainy and snowy days. This optional visit needs a sightseeing bus transfer (extra payment). 2. Watch Tianmen Fox Fairy Show (20:15-21:50), an excellent large-scaled musical drama with real landscape background and stage, telling a touching story.

Our Customers at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Yuanjiajie - The Pandora World

Tianzi Mountain

Tianzi Mountain

After breakfast, begin your discovery of Tianmen Mountain, a renowned national forest park. Let's begin with the world's longest cable car ride - Tianmen Mountain Cable Car (7,455 meters) from the city center up to the summit soaring over 1,400 meters above sea level. Do not miss the breathtaking views of meandering Tongtian Avenue from its glass-bottomed sections.

First, explore the West Line through the mountain’s peak area. Be surrounded by natural marvels and walk on the thrilling Guigu Cliffside Path, a 1,600-meter long path clinging to the cliff face and providing a unique mountain grandeur. Visit the Tianmen Mountain Temple since the Tang Dynasty and renowned as one of the world's five Buddhist temples preserving Buddha's body relics. Take a stroll to admire the Qing Dynasty architecture surrounded by lush greenery.

After the temple visit, you can choose either the East Line, hiking to Yuhu Peak by passing South Overlooking Tianmen Cave, Yu Hu Peak and Happy Grove, etc. Or, taking a forest sightseeing cable car (extra payment) up to Yunmeng Fairy Summit, then walk down to Turbulent Water at Tianmen.

Then, take the Transmountain Escalator down to the breathtaking Tianmen Cave of 131.5 meters high, 57 meters wide and 60 meters deep. Afterward, descend via the steep 999 steps with an incline of 45°, ride the Tianmen Mountain Express Cableway down to the gate, and take a shuttle bus back to the Tourist Center.

After the visit, be transferred to the airport or railway station in Zhangjiajie for your flight / train to your next destination or home! Tour ends!

Tianmen Mountain Travel Tips: 1. Three glass skywalks are available: one to the east and two to the west (extra payment). 2. Save your energy with the escalator down to Tianmen Cave square (extra payment). 3. The tour of Tianmen Mountain are flexibly operated. The guide arranges the specific order of sightseeing according to the flow of visitors on site. If you have specific interested places to explore, please share with your guide.

After the tour, your guide and driver will escort you to the railway station to catch your high speed train to Chongqing (about 2~3 hours). Upon arriving at Chongqing, you will be met by local tour guide, and escorted to check in to your hotel in Chongqing downtown.

Tianmen Cave at Tianmen Mountain

Tianmen Mountain Temple

Tianmen Mountain Tongtian Avenue

Tianmen Mountain Guigu Cliffside Path

After breakfast, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel and then take you to enjoy a full day exploration of this cyberpunk metropolis! Let's start with the Three Gorges Museum, showcasing more than 280,000 pieces of precious cultural relics to introduce the great Yangtze River, formation of the Three Gorges, and the thriving history of Chongqing from 3,000 years ago to its status as a municipality in China. Next, have an impressive look at the People’s Assembly Hall which is renowned for its elegant classical exterior and was listed into the History of Architecture compiled in London in 1987.

Then, take Line 2 of Chongqing Rail Transit from Huanghuayuan Station to Liziba Station for 15-minute with cityscapes. Get off and watch a train passing through a 19-storey apartment, unique to mountainous Chongqing! Continue to visit the must-see Hongya Cave to appreciate its layers of featured Ba and Shu regional wooden tilted houses rising up to 11 storeys against the hill. As night falls and warm lights illuminate these structures, they become even more enchanting. After the tour, go to board your 4-day Yangtze River cruise at Chaotianmen Port (18:00~21:00), which will sail at 21:00!

Optional Activity (with extra payment): Enjoy Chongqing City panorama from "Eye in the Clouds" Observation Deck (altitude: 520m) with a 360° open-air platform at the city center.

Tips for Cruise Boarding: 1) There are 12 sub-piers at Chongqing Chaotianmen Port; please confirm the exact boarding pier with your travel consultant one day prior; 2) Tell your driver the exact pier to minimize walking; 3) Be aware of boarding time and pier changes based on the ship line or factors like water level, season, weather condition, etc. Please pay attention to the important info from your travel consultants.

Liziba Metro Station

Three Gorges Museum

People's Assembly Hall

Hongya Cave Night View

Hongya Cave Daytime

Board Yangtze Cruise Ship at Chaotianmen Port

Good morning! Wake up leisurely and enjoy the gentle sunshine over the tranquil Yangtze. You can either follow the Taichi master to play Taichi or enjoy a cup of coffee to start a beautiful day!

Enjoy various entertainment onboard, like attending a Yangtze River History and Culture Lecture, enjoying seasonal themed activities, meeting new friends at the Captain's Welcome Party, having fun at the wonderful evening show, etc.

You will follow a local English-speaking tour guide to visit Fengdu Ghost City onshore, which is about 2,000 years old and called “the Homeland of Divine Comedy in China”. In this “City of Ghosts”, you will see a series of temples, shrines, palaces, pavilions, and more traditional styled architecture complex. The colorful statues and story scenes of afterlife in hell displayed show the underworld, cruel tortures, different kinds of devils, Chinese demons and the traditional Chinese belief: pure spirits would be rewarded, and sinful ones would be subject to severe punishments. (Please note: Fengdu Ghost City visit requires much walking and comfortable shoes are highly recommended!)

Optional Excursion to Feng Yan San Guo (Three Kingdoms Fire Show): A reputable and impressive real landscape show telling the brilliant history during the Three Kingdoms Period (over 1,800 years ago) and praising the loyalty spirit of General Guan Yu. (with an extra fee)

Beautiful & Tranquil Yangtze River

Play Taichi in the Morning

Fengdu Ghost City

Three Kingdoms Open Air Show

Today, you'll sail through the spectacular Three Gorges! Soak up the breathtaking gorge scenery as you drift through Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge respectively.

You'll switch to a smaller boat to take an enjoyable shore excursion to Shennv Stream (Goddess Stream), a tributary of the Yangtze River. Sail down this primitive stream to closely marvel at steep mountains and hanging coffins high on the cliffs, hear local history, and appreciate featured dance and music by Tujia ethnic people!

At evening, enjoy the well-prepared Captain’s Farewell Party with all your mates onboard and have a whale of time of the last night onboard!

Optional Excursion to White Emperor City: This cultural and historic site at the entrance of Qutang Gorge tells the touching stories of the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and is the best spot to appreciate the magnificent “Kui Gate” on the 10 RMB note! (with an extra fee)

Our Customer Visiting Magnificent Qutang Gorge

Qutang Gorge

Breathtaking Wu Gorge Scenery

Enjoy Wu Gorge Scenery on Sundeck

White Emperor City

Shennv Stream with Primitive Gorge Scenery

After breakfast, go through a check-out procedure and disembark at Maoping Port and take the arranged tourist bus to visit the global famous Three Gorges Dam. It is the largest hydropower station in the world, with an annual energy output of 84.7 billion kilowatt-hours. The Dam is about 2,300 meters (7,546 ft) long and about 115 meters (377 ft) wide. With a water capacity of 39.3 billion cubic meters, it can hold a huge reservoir to efficiently prevent flooding in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze. Take your time to appreciate this great project from different angles and learn more at the project museum.

After that, take the tourist bus to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal in Yichang downtown (arriving around 12:30-13:30). Your local guide and driver will pick you up there and transfer to Yichang Airport / train station for your flight or train to your home / the next destination. Trip Ends!

Optional Experience of Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift: Take a tourist boat to sail through this world’s largest ship lift with an elevation of about 113 meters (370 ft), which is totally fresh and exciting! (with an extra fee)

Departure Ideas: You can take flights from Yichang Sanxia Airport to Shanghai, Xian, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hangzhou, etc. Also, you can take high speed trains from Yichang East Railway Station to Wuhan (about 2hrs), Shanghai (about 8hrs), Beijing (about 7.5hrs), Hangzhou (about 7.5hrs), Chengdu (about 7hrs), Guangzhou (about 7hrs), etc.

Notes: 1) Only Dam visit: take the bus from Maoping Port to visit Three Gorges Dam and arrive at Yichang downtown at around 12:30. 2) Dam visit + Ship Lift: switch to a tourist boat to sail through the Ship Lift and visit Three Gorges Dam. Then, take the bus and arrive at Yichang downtown at around 13:30.

World-famous Three Gorges Dam

Three Gorges Dam - 185 Observation Deck

Three Gorges Dam in Summer

Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift, the Largest Ship Lift in the World

Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift