Private Guilin Photography Tour

In the early morning, your guide will accompany you to hike to the nearby Seven Stars Chase the Moon Viewing Platform for the sunrise! Remember to wear your non-slip shoes because of the heavy morning dew. As the sun begins to rise, a moon-shaped paddy field clustered by seven small hills emerges from the sea of clouds. Layer upon layer, the swirled terraces are just like the fingerprint of the earth, recording the hard work and wisdom of generations of Chinese farmers. For thousands of years, the local ethnic minorities have cultivated these slopes while preserving the forests as natural irrigation resources. The platform’s middle and left sides are advantageous for capturing more complete curves. Want the terraces as your backdrop? You can wear clothing in light colors and take selfies amid low embankments.

After that, we’ll go back to the hotel for breakfast, followed by visits to two surrounding ethnic villages. The first is Huangluo Yao Village, where all women have luxuriously thick and long hair, with the Guinness World Record holder’s hair reaching 2.5 meters (8.5 ft.)! Keep your eyes peeled for the jars in front of every household, which contain a mixture of fermented boiled rice water, grapefruit peels, and oil tea residues, a holy grail to keep voluminous and silky hair by fully massaging hair roots and rinsing with mountain spring water. Continue our visit to the 400-plus-year-old Golden Bamboo Zhuang Village, admiring their wooden stilt buildings and glimpsing their traditional techniques of making rice wine and tofu. 

Once finished, you’ll enjoy a private transfer to Xianggong Mountain in Yangshuo. Our well-selected hotel is located at the foot of the mountain, convenient for tomorrow’s sunrise.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Cloud Mountain Lodge, Xianggong Mountain

Rise and shine once more for an early meet-up with your guide at your hotel. We’ll aim to reach the summit of Xianggong Mountain by 5:00 am to secure the best vantage point. Don’t worry, the stairs to the top are quite manageable, taking only 15 to 20 minutes at a steady pace. A little patience will be rewarded with golden rays glistening on the surrounding karst peaks and the Li River’s panoramic views. You can shoot the stunning layers between the peaks and the sea of clouds below with the wide-angle lens or close-ups of the sun rising from the tops with a telephoto lens. Down the hill, you’ll return to the hotel for breakfast.

Enjoy a leisurely morning and we’ll check out around noon and drive to Cold Water Ferry, where one of the most renowned landscapes of the Li River, Mural Hills (Nine Horses Fresco Hill), awaits! Try to imagine and count 9 horses galloping on the rock face. Our next stop will be the Five Fingers Mountain, which boasts the most abundant karst rock formations, gone viral due to an international award-winning photograph by a Spanish artist. While it stands higher than Xianggong Mountain, the path is smoother and less steep. Upon arrival, you’ll find many photographers ready to pit against each other with professional gear. As the horizon turns into a sea of red and pink, you’ll get stunned at the gorgeous sunset view. Why not capture your own masterpiece? Frame the undulating peak forests, meandering rivers, and pristine cottages into an eternal moment. Just place the setting sun in the upper right third and better let the boats on the river add an extra touch!

Descend from the mountain, and then your guide and the driver will convoy you to the hotel in downtown Yangshuo. It is just a step away from the West Street, which buzzes with street food stalls, handicraft workshops, and bars. You can rest at your hotel or hang out by yourself to search for your favorite local specialties like Rice Noodles and Beer Fish.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Amari Hotel, Yangshuo (4 stars)

After breakfast, your guide and the driver will meet you at your hotel lobby, and then let’s kick off an exhilarating bamboo rafting on the Yulong River, the longest and most beautiful branch of the Li River. As the raftsman paddles through the emerald waters, just lean on your seat to take the chessboard-like rice paddies and the concerto of flowing water and the wind into vlogs, and prepare to get a little damp when rushing down the dams. 

Our travel experts have carefully chosen the best two routes for you: Xiatang Dock - Jima Dock, or Shui’edi Dock - Gongnong Bridge Dock. Both of them offer a 40-to-50-minute drift along the 3-km (1.9-mi) long river section and cross over 4 water dams. The former one is newly opened with fewer tourists, while the latter one features the most essential scenery of the Yulong River. You can choose it according to your own interests. 
 Tip: Please skip purchasing shoe covers, as they can increase the risk of slipping while getting on the bamboo raft. Instead, you can wear stream trekking shoes and bring a waterproof waist bag.

Following that, we’ll drive to Xingping Ancient Town, where the grey slab streets are lined with traditional buildings dating back 600 years. Browse through stalls selling Mugwort Rice Cake, Bamboo-Tube-Cooked Rice, and ethnic jewelry, and then walk to the riverside viewing platform to capture the same scenery depicted on the CNY 20 note - a solitary fisherman on his bamboo raft drifting through mist-shrouded peaks mirrored in emerald waters. You can focus on the local fishermen and their cormorants, a cooperative partnership that has lasted for over 1,300 years. Traditionally, fishermen used lamps to attract fish at night, rewarding the cormorants with a small piece of meat for catching fish. However, this method is now prohibited for environmental reasons, and the fishermen just pose for photo demonstrations to earn extra income.

Later, your guide and the driver will escort you to the nearby hotel for check-in. If you’re still energetic, perhaps meander along the Li River to enjoy the night views.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Rosewood Hotel, Xingping

Today is the end of your 5 days photography tour to Guilin. After breakfast, your guide and the driver will convoy you to Guilin airport or train station, taking about 2 hours on the way. Hope you enjoy the trip with us!

If your flight or train departs in the late afternoon or evening, consider contacting our travel consultants to customize a quick Guilin city highlight tour, visiting the iconic Elephant Trunk Hill and Reed Flute Cave. 

Meals: Breakfast