3, 5, and 7-day self-drive road trip plans for different travel styles.
Best for: First-time visitors with limited time.
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive Guilin. Pick up rental car. Visit Elephant Trunk Hill and the lakes at sunset. |
| Day 2 | Drive Guilin → Xingping → Yangshuo. Stop at the 20-yuan viewpoint. Evening on West Street. |
| Day 3 | Cycling along the Yulong River. Drive back to Guilin and return car. |
Best for: Most travelers wanting Guilin, Yangshuo, and Longji.
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive Guilin, pick up car, city exploration. |
| Day 2 | Drive to Longji, overnight in Ping'an or Dazhai. |
| Day 3 | Sunrise viewpoints. Return to Guilin in the afternoon. |
| Day 4 | Drive to Yangshuo via Xingping. Yulong River or West Street. |
| Day 5 | Cycling or bamboo raft. Return to Guilin, return car. |
Best for: Travelers who want to explore beyond the main circuit.
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Days 1–2 | Guilin city and arrival. |
| Days 3–4 | Longji Rice Terraces with time to hike between villages. |
| Day 5 | Drive toward Sanjiang to see Chengyang Wind-Rain Bridge. |
| Day 6 | Return to Guilin, then drive to Yangshuo. |
| Day 7 | Yangshuo countryside and departure. |
Keep driving days short. Base in Yangshuo for 3 nights and take day trips. Include easy activities: bamboo rafting, cycling, and short viewpoint walks. Avoid Longji's steep hikes with young children.
Add sunrise at Xianggong Mountain, hiking between Longji villages, kayaking on the Li River, and exploring Xingping's lesser-known trails. Best for active travelers with hiking shoes and early alarms.
See distances, times, and road conditions for every route in our road trips guide.
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