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Aerial view of the Li River running between karst peaks toward Yangshuo at sunset
Journey · 13 days · Private

China for NatureLovers

No big cities, no museums, no queues for palaces. Thirteen days through the three landscapes China is photographed for.

The trip in one paragraph

Thirteen days built entirely around landscape. The alpine lakes of Jiuzhaigou first, clear enough to count the sunken logs. The sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie second, walked from the valley floor and seen from the rim. The karst bends of the Li River last, finished with a slow day among the Longji rice terraces. The cities in between are transit, not stops; the days are paced for light and weather.

From · per person
US$5,540

Per person, twin share, your choice of hotels · selected hotels

Indicative · your trip is priced when we design it.

What's included
  • Hotels
  • Guide
  • Domestic flights
Driver & vehicle

Private 5-seater · from US$350/day

Driver and bilingual guide (English & Chinese) included throughout.

Design my trip
  1. 4 nights

    Days 1 to 4: Jiuzhaigou

    1. Day 01: Arrival and the village quarter

      1. Fly or take the rail line up from Chengdu

      2. Settle into the village quarter at Zhangzha

      3. Walk the lower river past the village prayer wheels

      4. Sit down to dinner at a Tibetan and Qiang family kitchen

    2. Day 02: Shuzheng lakes and the Rize branch

      The Shuzheng Lakes at Jiuzhaigou, small jade and turquoise pools stepping down past travertine dams with a Tibetan village on the slope above
      Shuzheng Lakes

      1. Enter the valley as the gate opens

      2. Walk the boardwalks of the Shuzheng lakes

      3. See Nuorilang Falls from the viewing shelf

      4. Pause at Five Flower Lake

      5. Follow the boardwalk past Panda Lake

      6. Finish the branch at Arrow Bamboo Lake

      7. Return to the village for dinner

    3. Day 03: Long Lake and Five Colour Pond

      Long Lake at Jiuzhaigou, a long band of jade water between fir-covered ridges at the head of the Zechawa branch
      Long Lake

      1. Start at Long Lake, the largest in the park

      2. Walk down to Five Colour Pond

      3. Take the quieter boardwalks at your own pace

      4. Keep the evening free in the village

    4. Day 04: The Huanglong terraces

      Calcified terraced pools at Huanglong stepping down a forested ridge in jade, gold and turquoise
      Huanglong

      About two and a half to three hours south, each way

      1. Drive south over the passes to Huanglong

      2. Ride the cable car toward the upper terraces

      3. Walk the boardwalk down through the pools

      4. Return to the village for a quiet dinner

  2. By air from the mountains, with a connection where the timetable needs one

    5 nights

    Days 5 to 9: Zhangjiajie

    1. Day 05: Arrival and Tianmen Mountain

      Heaven's Gate, the natural limestone arch through Tianmen Mountain south of Zhangjiajie city
      Tianmen Mountain

      1. Arrive by rail or air and settle in

      2. Ride the cable car up Tianmen Mountain

      3. Walk the cliff paths at the summit

      4. Take dinner in the Dayong old town

    2. Day 06: Yuanjiajie and the pillar country

      The Bailong Elevator climbing the cliff face of Wulingyuan, the world's tallest outdoor elevator
      Bailong Elevator

      1. Ride the Bailong Elevator up the cliff face

      2. Walk the Yuanjiajie rim past the pillar formations

      3. See the No. 1 Bridge Under Heaven

      4. Continue along the quieter viewpoints

      5. Take dinner in Wulingyuan town

    3. Day 07: Tianzi Mountain and the Ten-Mile Gallery

      The Tianzi Mountain ridgeline, sandstone peaks rising through cloud across the wider Wulingyuan landscape
      Tianzi Mountain

      1. Ride the valley tram through the Ten-Mile Gallery

      2. Walk the Tianzi Mountain viewpoints

      3. Stay for the sunset viewpoints

      4. Descend for dinner in Wulingyuan town

    4. Day 08: Golden Whip Stream

      Quartz-sandstone pillars of Wulingyuan rising above the forested valley floor in morning mist
      Golden Whip Stream

      1. Walk the Golden Whip Stream beneath the pillars

      2. Take the optional cable car to Yellow Stone Village

      3. Return for an easy evening in Wulingyuan town

    5. Day 09: The Grand Canyon and the glass bridge

      The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, its glass deck spanning high above the canyon floor
      Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon

      About an hour east

      1. Cross the glass bridge over the gorge

      2. Walk down through the canyon to the stream

      3. Return for dinner in Wulingyuan town

  3. South by air or rail, arranged around the day's best connection

    4 nights

    Days 10 to 13: Guilin

    1. Day 10: Arrival and the city lakes

      Elephant Trunk Hill on the Li River, the karst formation shaped like an elephant lowering its trunk to drink
      Elephant Trunk Hill

      1. Arrive by air or high-speed rail and settle in

      2. Visit Elephant Trunk Hill on the Li River

      3. Walk the Two Rivers and Four Lakes at dusk

      4. Take the evening boat loop past the Sun and Moon Pagodas

    2. Day 11: The Li River to Yangshuo

      A river vessel drifting under misty karst peaks on the Li River
      Li River cruise piers

      About forty minutes south to the pier

      1. Board the morning cruise at the pier

      2. Pass the famous river bend at Xingping

      3. Wander West Street in Yangshuo

      4. Spend the early evening by the Yulong River

    3. Day 12: Yangshuo by raft and bicycle

      A bamboo raft drifting under the stone arch of Fuli Bridge on the Yulong River, karst peaks behind
      Yulong River

      1. Drift the Yulong River by bamboo raft

      2. Cycle the country lanes between the karst peaks

      3. See the natural arch at Moon Hill

      4. Settle in Yangshuo or drive back to Guilin

    4. Day 13: The Longji Rice Terraces

      Flooded rice terraces stepping up the Longji ridges
      Longji Rice Terraces

      About two hours north, each way

      1. Drive north into the Longsheng mountains

      2. Take a long lunch in a village house

      3. Walk the terrace paths above Ping'an or Dazhai

      4. Return to Guilin by evening

When to go

When to visit,
and how it feels.

April

Jiuzhaigou
Daily max (°F): 57° · Cool
Rainfall (mm): 38 mm · Showery
Crowds: Steady

Snow still sits on the upper ridges while the lakes fill with meltwater. Qingming brings one short peak.

Zhangjiajie
Daily max (°F): 70° · Mild
Rainfall (mm): 145 mm · Rainy
Crowds: Steady

Warm and green, with the valley mist at its most reliable. Qingming brings one short peak.

Guilin
Daily max (°F): 73° · Warm
Rainfall (mm): 250 mm · Rainy
Crowds: Steady

Heavy spring rain, and the Longji terraces fill with water for planting. Qingming brings one short peak.

Temperature and rainfall are China Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991 to 2020. Crowd levels follow the Chinese public-holiday calendar and the park's daily entry cap.

Aerial view of the Li River running between karst peaks toward Yangshuo at sunset
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13 daysChina for Nature Lovers

The 13-day route, day by day, with the months that suit it

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Before you enquire

Questions worth
answering early.

  • By air, with rail where it is faster. These are mountain regions, so one leg usually carries a connection. Transit days are planned as half days, not lost days.

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China for Nature Lovers · 13 days

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Portrait of Jack Guo

Jack Guo

Your travel specialist

Jack has spent ten years working with the guides, drivers and hoteliers across China. He'll be your contact from first enquiry to final airport pickup.

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