6 Days Private Guilin and Zhangjiajie Tour

To be familiarized with the beautiful landscapes of China, start with Guilin and Zhangjiajie! When you land at Guilin Liangjiang Airport, you will find our expert English-speaking guide, who holds a sign with your name on it, waiting for you at the exit. After a warm greeting, let’s hop in a comfortable private car and set off for the hotel in downtown Guilin. After checking in, have a good rest, or if it is still early, go for a stroll around the neighborhood to soak up the local atmosphere and relish specialty food.

► Dinner Suggestion:
For dinner, maybe take a 10-minute taxi ride to the local well-regarded restaurant, Guilin Special Farm Flavored Dishes, to satisfy your taste buds. The restaurant, which has been in business for nearly two decades, is known for its Beer Fish cooked with secret recipes and quality home-style dishes. Originating from Yangshuo County of Guilin, Beer Fish is rated as one of the top ten local eats. The delicacy in this restaurant is cooked with freshly gutted fish and native Liquan Beer, and there is no use of a single drop of water during the cooking process, keeping the original flavor. It is better to taste for yourself once than to hear praise from others many times, and just give it a try! For about CNY 55 / USD 7.5 per person, you will get an unusual culinary experience here.

As a saying in China goes, “Guilin landscape tops those elsewhere, while Yangshuo landscape tops those in Guilin.” So let’s embrace a cruise along the Li River this morning, heading for Yangshuo. The Li River, named one of the world’s top ten watery wonders by National Geographic Magazine, resembles an emerald ribbon snaking among thousands of karst mountains. On the way, we will pass by the most beautiful mountain here, the Nine-Horse Mural Hill. From a distance, it looks like a huge painting screen, and then take a closer look, you will find a group of horses’ images on the cliff, some lying, some raising their heads and neighing, and some galloping forward… Then comes the most captivating scene, Yellow Cloth Shoal, where the seven rolling mountains and bamboo forest are reflected in the crystal waters, making it hard to tell which is the real scenery and which is the shadow. It is interesting to know that this is where the background pattern of the RMB 20 note is taken. By the way, lunch today will be served on the cruise ship, and the fee is included in our price.

When arriving in Yangshuo, we will go cycling in the countryside for around two hours. Here, under the wheels are winding country roads flanked by golden rice paddies or verdant vegetable fields, and in the distance are undulating hills, which will make you feel as if you have stepped into a natural painting. A breeze carrying the fragrance of crops gently brushes your cheeks, and every time you pedal, you will get closer to the heartbeat of nature! Accompanied by our guide, stop every now and then to break or take photos. Of course, if bike riding isn’t your thing, we can also offer you a private car trip to go on the same romantic date with the idyllic scenery.

After that, make our way back to Guilin. En route, make a stopover at Xianggong Hill, the best place to overlook the panorama of the Li River, and enjoy a fantastic sunset view. It is so named because the hill is shaped like a Xianggong, literally means an ancient Chinese official, whose hair is tied high and wrapped in a traditional hat. Standing on its highest viewing platform, you will see the Li River with slow-moving sightseeing ships and bamboo rafts looming in the arms of mountains, the banks dotted with farmhouses and fields, and the sunset glow tinted the sky red. Take a picture from any angle and you won’t be disappointed, so just record to your heart’s content now! Upon arrival in Guilin, the guide will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Today, our guide will first take you to explore the Reed Flute Cave, the “State Guest Cave” of China. It has always been a must-visit site for foreign heads of state to visit Guilin, and has received more than 80 of them. In this cave illuminated with colorful neon lights, a dazzling array of stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars and stone curtains make up more than 30 landscapes, making it like a magnificent underground palace carved with gems, coral and jade. Among them, the most famous is the Crystal Palace, where the scenes of geological changes including crustal movement, the recovery of all things, and the stalactite growth process are projected on the cave roof, allowing you to fully feel the natural charm, and its harmonious integration with technology meanwhile.

The following destination is the Elephant Trunk Hill, the landmark of Guilin located at the confluence of the Taohua River and Li River. As you might expect, it got its name because it looks like a giant elephant with its trunk hanging out to drink water. Legend has it that the Elephant Trunk Hill was originally a divine elephant. Seeing that the people in Guilin were often disturbed by floods, he secretly descended from heaven to help dredge the river, and then stayed because of the deep friendship with the locals. Once when drinking by the river, the elephant was attacked by the heavenly soldiers and died, and finally turned into the Hill. What’s more, the Water Moon Cave between the “trunk” and “legs” is also a great wonder. With our guide, you will definitely have a chance to learn about the stories of it.

After the sightseeing, the guide will transfer you to the railway station to take a high-speed train to Zhangjiajie. Prepare for a long train ride of 7.5 hours, and you’ll arrive in Zhangjiajie around 22:00. Upon arrival, another local guide will escort you to your hotel in downtown Zhangjiajie for check-in.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Our time today will mainly be spent on the Tianmen Mountain, the highest mountain in Zhangjiajie, named after its world-renowned natural wonder Tianmen Cave. After breakfast, our guide will take you to the downtown station to ride on the world’s longest cableway. It is like taking an air train to travel from the human world to heaven, with the bustling city, the rural villages and twisting mountain roads at your feet, strange soaring peaks passing by, and mist-shrouded fairyland waiting ahead. Out of the cableway, walking not far, we come to the Guigu Plank Road, where we will walk along the edges of the cliffs. Here, you may encounter flocks of birds frolicking in the valleys and the occasional eagles passing in front of you. And then we will reach the Glass Skywalk. Standing on it, with your eyes closed, your legs numb, your heart pounding, and your arms outstretched, you will get the most exciting ‘spa’ closest to nature. Two hours sightseeing on the hilltop later, let’s take the 7-level downhill escalator to the Tianmen Cave, aka Heaven’s Gate. As it often has clouds and mists around, the middle hole seems to be breathing, with white fog spitting out and inhaling constantly. Since ancient times, it has been a place for wishing and blessing. Here you will find five prayer platforms that respectively represent fortune, prosperity, wealth, happiness and longevity, and you can pray for yourself or your family and friends, just as other Chinese do. Then walk down the 999-step Heavenly Stairway and take the cable car down the mountain.

In the late afternoon, visit the 72 stilted Tujia Buildings, which is praised as not only a pinnacle of Tujia architectural art but also a miracle of the world’s stilted structure history. With a large hole in the middle, the building more than 100 meters (328 feet) high will give you an impression of a village suspended in mid-air. Follow our guide into the building, and you will be welcomed by the ancient private residence of civil officials, the 200-plus-year-old archway commemorating the local No.1 scholar, and the old teahouses listed as intangible cultural heritage... All of them have quaint and vivid stone or wood carvings, showcasing the superb craftsmanship and aesthetic taste of Tujia artisans in the past. This place is even more charming at night, with brilliant lightning shows and ethnic music and dance performances. If you are still energetic, you can stay late and revel in a big bonfire party.

► Dinner Suggestion:
Zhangjiajie is the hometown of giant salamander, so you are in for a treat of this delicacy here. For dinner, it is recommended that you patronize the eating house Image Niyan, one of the top gastronomic representatives of Zhangjiajie, which happens to have a branch near the 72 Tujia Stilted Buildings, our last stop today. The restaurant has been featured on CCTV and visited by countless Chinese celebrities, so its popularity goes without saying. It is an exquisitely decorated single stilted structure, in which there are dark wooden tableware, landscape paintings on the walls, and servers wearing ethnic costumes, showing strong local flavor. Here, the giant salamander is made into various types of dishes, such as soup dumplings and grilled skewers, to meet all your taste demands. A meal costs around CNY 80 / USD 11 per person.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Get ready for a full-day exploration in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. At first, take the Bailong Elevator, the world’s largest double-decker sightseeing lift hanging on the cliff, to the top of the mountain, that is, to the Yuanjianjie Scenic Area. The creation of the elevator has solved the transport bottleneck problem that plagued local tourist authorities, making many inaccessible places that own stunning scenery become much-anticipated attractions. As the elevator goes up, you will see a jagged group of peaks towering over the land, which is the Divine Soldiers Party. It is said that the Tujia leader Xiang Da Kun had gathered 48 ministers here to discuss uprising affairs, so it is also called Forty-eight Generals Rock. What’s more, on the opposite hill there are numerous white houses where local farmers live, just like a sky garden. At the summit, one of the most spectacular sights you will take in is the Hallelujah Mountain. In 2008, Hollywood photographer Hansen conducted a four-day location shooting in Zhangjiajie, and a large number of landscape pictures he took were later used in the American science fiction blockbuster ‘Avatar’, with Hallelujah Mountain right the prototype of the floating mountain on Pandora planet. Looking at this 300 meters high stone column, you cannot help but be impressed by the magic power of nature.

Afterwards, take an eco-car to Tianzi Mountain, a place that seems to have come directly out of ancient Chinese mythology, with peaks of different lifelike shapes such as Chinese writing brushes, generals and fairies. Strolling on the mountain paths surrounded by smooth moss and wildflowers, sometimes you may also come across a few hares or squirrels roaming freely, adding a bit of vitality to the land. Take the cable car down the mountain and continue our hike along Golden Whip Stream, one of the most beautiful valleys in the world. On both sides of the stream, you will find diverse national class protected plants, including sequoia and Davidia, which is also called Chinese dove tree because it is only found in China and its flowers are like flying doves. Also you will meet some monkeys traversing back and forth in the woods, and some naughty ones may squat on the roadside waiting to get some bananas from visitors. The last destination today is Ten-mile Gallery, where we will take a sightseeing train to tour the whole way. With our guide, you will learn about many interesting legends behind those oddly-shaped peaks. One of the enchanting examples is the King Xiang Reading. Two hills stand close together, like a person holding a book in relish to read, and perhaps the book is the Art of War. After that, the guide will escort you back to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, our guide will lead you to sightsee in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, which is cool and quiet with fresh air, lush primeval forest, and lots of waterfalls and springs. The canyon also has two mysterious nicknames, one is called Rotten Ship Gorge, which is said to be named after many rotten ship planks that have gushed out from a spring of Shenquan Stream in the past; another one is Massive Springs Gorge, which refers to the numerous streams and springs in the canyon. This scenic area is famous both domestically and internationally mainly for its world’s highest and longest Glass Bridge spanning the canyon. The bridge is paved with double-layer special transparent glass, and it is said that in order to test its safety, a large truck was once dispatched to drive over from above. When you walk on it, you can not only experience the thrill of accelerated heartbeat and blood circulation, but also enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the canyon in a 360-degree panoramic view without any dead angles. Afterwards, let’s hike between the valleys to Shenquan Lake, the “bright eye” of the Grand Canyon, where we will take a boat tour. Slowly moving forward on the lake, you will be surprised to find tall green trees on both sides blotting out the sky, guarding the lake’s tranquility like loyal warriors. The sun glistens like countless pieces of gold through the leaves onto the lake, in which carps swim happily, sometimes jumping out of the water and splashing a string of crystal clear water. What a delightful scene it is!

It’s time to bid farewell to our 6 days Guilin and Zhangjiajie tour. The guide will send you to the airport or train station for your journey home. Bon voyage! By the way, we would also be glad to work with you to tailor your trip if you have a few days left on your holiday. Contact us anytime you have an intention.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch