12 Days Huangshan Guilin and Yunnan Tour

Arrive in Tunxi, downtown of Huangshan City. Meet our guide and be transferred to hotel . Since you'll have to carry everything yourself up Huangshan unless you hire a porter, it is advisable that you leave your big luggage in the hotel in downtown and bring only a small handbag or backpack with you up mountain.

In the morning, we'll drive for one hour to visit the World Heritage Site of Hongcun, one of the most photogenic villages in China, with its characteristic Anhui architecture set along the edge of Nan Lake. In the Song dynasty, the villagers of Hongcun constructed an irrigation canal that runs between each house, so virtually every household had easy access to water, providing a source of washing water as well as fire prevention. All of the houses in the village follow the ancient architectural style, with exquisite carvings and fine craftsmanship. This enchanting old village was used as a film location for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Later, we'll visit Mukeng village which is only about ten-minute drive away from Hongcun. It is a small village of approximately 90 people who live a simple and traditional lifestyle and all bear the same surname - Fu. Located half way up a hill surrounded by sea of bamboo trees, Mukeng offers extraordinary views to visitors. Finally we'll be visiting another old village, Nanping.

After breakfast, we'll be driving for about one hour and twenty minutes to reach the foothill of Huangshan and then to hike up or take the Yungu Cable Car up mountain from the eastern steps. Sightsee the Fairy Maiden Peak, Beginning-to-believe Peak, Lion Peak, Stone Monkey Gazing Over the Sea of Clouds. In the afternoon, we will visit the Purple Cloud Peak and the most spectacular Grand Canyon of the West Sea.

Watch the sunrise in the early morning. After breakfast, you will be walking for about 3.5 hours from the eastern steps to the western steps of Huangshan. On the way, you would enjoy numerous breathtaking scenery, including the Flying-over Rock, Bright Summit, Tianhai Scenic Area, White Clouds Scenic Area, Stone Turtle on the Back of a Crocodile, Narrow Cliff, Old Monk in Meditation, One Hundred Ladders, Lotus Peak which is the top peak of Huangshan with an elevation of more than 1864 meters above sea level, Welcoming-guest Pine, Celestial Capital Peak. Stay in Yupinglou Hotel

Take the Yuping Cable Car down the mountain after breakfast before driving in a private car for about one and half hours to reach Shexian County where we'll visit Tangyue Archway Complex, the unique one in China now. We'll also visit the Bao's Family Garden, the largest one in East China. Afterwards, we'll be sending you to Huangshan Bus Station where you'll take the public bus to Hangzhou, a city about 2 hours and 40 minutes drive from Huangshan. When you get to Hangzhou West Bus Station, you can take a taxi to reach Hangzhou Xiaoshan International airport in less than one hour to take the evening flight to Guilin. Upon your arrival, you'll be met by our guide and transferred to  Hotel .

Depart your hotel in the morning and be transferred to the Zhujiang Pier (about 1 hour drive) for a 4.5 hours wonderful cruise on the Lijiang River connecting Guilin city and Yangshuo. This beautiful river offers fantastic scenery of extraordinary peaks and sprays that make you were in fairyland when you are taking the cruise downstream from Guilin to Yangshuo. Paint Brush Hill, Cock-fighting Hills, Mural Hill, kinds of spots named as in Chinese habit, with your imagination, you will find unimaginable fascination and enjoy the picturesque mountains, peaceful green fields, farms and villages with water buffaloes, cows wandering around on both sides of the river bank. Disembark at the one-thousand-year-old town Yangshuo to take a rest to explore the West Street.

Today you will take a biking tour to the Yulong River, the largest tributary in Yangshuo County, to explore the fabulous scenery in the countryside. Later on, we'll take a bamboo raft along the river. Then be transferred to Longsheng which is located in the mountainous region on the northeastern part of Guilin. The natural beauty and the colorful ethnic Chinese cultures and customs attract people from all over the world from day to day. Overnight in Ping'an Guesthouse

Early in the morning, have a light hiking to the summit of mountains and enjoy the wonderful sunrise sight. Then you will visit Zhuang and Yao Minority tribes' villages and some families if you like. Those ethnic girls dressed in their own colors may have a demonstration on hair combing or singing and dancing upon guests' request and gratuity. The terrace rice fields were first built in the Yuan Dynasty (about 800 years ago) and completed in the Qing dynasty as the crystallization of the wisdom and labor of the Zhuang people. The terraced fields are built along the slope winding from the riverside up to the mountain top, with the highest elevation being 885m and the lowest 380m. The coiling line spirals up from the mountain foot to the top, making the mountain look like a huge snail seen afar. We'll take overnight train from Guilin to Stone Forest, a world natural heritage well known for its karst landform.

Upon arrival, your tour guide and driver will pick you up at a train stop near the Stone Forest. The Stone Forest is located in Shilin County, 85 kilometers southeast of Kunming. Covering a few hundred square kilometers, stone peaks rise abruptly from the ground in numerous layers like bamboo shoots, forests and pagodas. If you climb to the top of one of the peaks, you can behold thousands of peaks and valleys just like a marvelous vast black forest. There is a popular local saying: 'It is a waste of time not to visit the Stone Forest while visiting Kunming', which vividly expresses the deep love by the local people toward this world wonder. The quintessential karst landscape makes every tourist lost in wonder. In the afternoon, we drive back to Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, to visit the flower market. After dinner, we take night train to Lijiang.

After arrival at Lijiang, our guide will send you to hotel to have breakfast first. From Lijiang, you'll drive about 60KM to the First Bend of the Yangtze River with imposing gorgeous scenery. The scenery is magnificent as the road running through the Lijiang valley which is filled with wheat fields and drying haystacks. We continue driving 40KM more to visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. With 34 rapids of the Yangtze River, it is called the Jinsha in this area because you can find gold in the river. We'll drive back to Lijiang in the afternoon to visit the Black Dragon Pool and the Dongba Museum to explore the rich culture of Naxi minority. After dinner, you will attend the Naxi Orchestral and Show in Naxi Concert in Lijiang Ancient Town.

Today, we'll visit Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishui (White Water) River; take the cable car to visit the Spruce Meadow (3200M) in the Yulong Snow Mountain. After lunch, you will enjoy the Impression Lijiang Ethnic Show directed by Zhang Yimou. The grand performance is held in Ganhazi Meadow about 3100M above the sea level.

--Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles). Looking from Lijiang Old Town in the south which is 15 kilometers (nine miles) away, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence, the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The highest peak named Fan Peak (Shanzidou in Chinese) which is about 5596 meters above sea level. There are three cable cars in the mountain, the first to the Glacier Park (4500M), the second to the Spruce Meadow (3200M) and the third to Yak Meadow (3700M).

In the afternoon, you'll stroll through Baisha Village, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan village. Visit the Baisha Mural about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO in 1997. After dinner, we take evening flight to Kunming. Stay in Kunming Hotel (4 star)

After breakfast, we'll send you to the airport to fly to your next destination.