Guilin - Longji - Guilin
Day 1: Longji Rice Terraces
The Day Before Your Day Trip
Your guide will call you before 9:30 pm to inform you the exact pick-up time for the next day’s trip.
Please Note:
With your permission, your guide may adjust your travel itinerary according to the weather, transportation or other reasonable situations.
8:00 –10:00am Hotel Collection and Drive to Longji Ancient Zhuang Village
You will meet your guide in the hotel lobby or other spots at an appointed time (usually around 8 am). He or she will hold a banner for you to recognize. There will be no more than six members in your group, so you can have a better tour experience.
After all the members collected, we will head to our first destination—Longji Ancient Zhuang Village, which is a 2-hour (108 kilometers) drive from Guilin, while it takes about 2½ hours (152 kilometers) from Yangshuo County.
Details about Your Transport:
If your hotel is in Yangshuo County, then you will be picked up between 7am and 7:30am. Your tour guide will give you the exact time the day before your departure. You will be picked up by your driver and driven to the ancient Zhuang village in Longji.
Please note that the free hotel pickup and drop-off areas are only confined to urban areas of Guilin and Yangshuo. If you live out of these areas, you can hail a taxi to the appointed hotel. Moreover, remember to provide your hotel information in the booking form.
Our drivers are licensed and highly experienced. In addition, our vehicles are comfortable and ample, with safety belts, air conditioners and free bottled water.
10:30am–12pm Visit an Ancient Zhuang Village in Longji
Located in Longsheng County, Guilin, the Longji Rice Terraced Fields span across six villages with a history of more than 2,000 years.
The local Zhuang and Yao people have been farming on these mountainous fields for their entire lives.
It is hard for the ancestors to imagine that their offspring could transform this tough terraced land in such a way, which now is rewarding the locals with amazing scenery that attracts tourists from across the world.
There are more than 300 Zhuang families live in the ancient Zhuang village you are going to visit. It is a small and quiet village. Many of the local residences can date back over 100 years. As the originating point of the Zhuang people’s terraced fields, this village has now become a window into the Zhuang culture for tourists from the outside world. The village’s highest altitude is about 1,300 meters while the lowest is around 350 meters. Feast your eyes on the magnificent terraced fields.
Details about Your Visit to the Village:
To begin with, you will take a 15-minute walk from the ticketing gate to the Ecological Museum. If you are lucky, you can see the locals plowing and sowing in the terraced fields. They are still working hard on this land to make a living without machines, just like their ancestors did, and preserving the history of this splendid wonder as well.
There are many folkloric articles exhibited at the Ecological Museum, highlighting the Zhuang people’s folklore and customs. After that, you will pay a visit to a local’s house to find out what their daily lifestyle is like.
Later, go to the best viewing point on the mountaintop, which is also known as ‘Slender Ditch’. From there, you will be taken aback by the beautiful terraced fields.
Good to know:
Although most tour groups won’t choose to visit the Slender Ditch viewing point due to the extra time, money, and energy, it is actually worth it.
12pm–1pm Hike from Longji Ancient Zhuang Village to Ping’an Village
We will hike to another renowned village—Ping’an Village, after appreciating the beautiful terraced fields. The 8-kilometer trip will take about 1 hour. The road you’ll hike along has no steep or dangerous paths, so it will not exhaust you.
Tips on Hiking
Anti-skid shoes are recommended because the stone road will be very slippery on rainy days.
Feel free to ask your guide if you need an alpenstock.
1pm–2pm Lunch of Bamboo Rice at Beidong’s Family Restaurant
After arriving at Ping’an Village, it is time to take a break and enjoy the tasty local-style lunch, such as bamboo rice and other minority dishes
2pm–2:30pm Visit the ‘Seven Stars with the Moon’ Viewing Point
After lunch, you’ll go to explore the most famous village in Longji—Ping’an Village, which is the paradise for shutterbugs.
Numerous award-winning pictures have made this village more and more famous, attracting plenty of tourists every year.
To begin with, you’ll visit the Seven Stars with the Moon viewing point. It is given the name because seven terraced fields are surrounding a small hill.
2:30pm–3pm An Interview with a Long-Haired Yao Lady
Afterwards, you will speak to an elderly Yao woman with very long hair from a nearby village, and learn about another ethnic group. The red clothing and long hair are favored by the Yao people.
In their culture, girls can only have their hair cut twice for the lifetime. Do you know when? Ask the woman by yourself.
After the Interview
Your guide will tip the woman in order to show gratitude for giving the interview. You don’t have to tip her but it’s up to you.
3pm–4pm Visit the Nine Dragons and Five Tigers Viewing Point
Then you are going to the highlight of the day—Nine Dragons and Five Tigers, also known as the most beautiful viewing point. Admire the breath-taking view of the terraced fields and appreciate the beautiful harmony between man and nature, while thinking about the wisdom of the Zhuang people and all the hard work they have contributed to this land.
Remember to take photographs when you are there.
4pm–6pm Drive Back to Guilin or Yangshuo
Your trip will end after visiting the Nine Dragons and Five Tigers viewing point. In order to avoid unnecessary walking, we will arrange an e-vehicle and drop you off safely at hotel in Guilin or Yangshuo.
Internet Access
Many popular websites and apps like Google and Facebook are blocked in China. Therefore, we highly recommend you to connect to the global Internet via a VPN service.
