The 8 Best Li River Cruises in Guilin

1.1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 148 reviews · from $209Our pick

Start with hotel pickup in Guilin, then cruise four hours down the Li River past famous karst peaks. Your private English-speaking guide, such as Tony or Jeff, helps explain the scenery. Lunch is served aboard, followed by Yangshuo’s West Street, countryside touring, and a private transfer back to Guilin.

“The river cruise was a fantastic way to see the famous Guilin karsts, and the visit to Yangshuo and the charming surrounding countryside was wonderful. Tony was a great guide, patiently answering our questions and giving us plenty of time to enjoy our walk after the cruise. Highly recommended!”

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2.Li River Cruise with Transfer to Yangshuo

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 89 reviews · 4 - 8 hours · from $82

Travel from Guilin to Yangshuo by air-conditioned vehicle and boat. Choose a 3-star cruise with a box lunch or a 4-star boat with buffet lunch. Andy organizes pickup and tickets, while drivers such as Mei handle the road transfers. The four-hour Li River ride offers wide views, onboard seating, and the option to take luggage to Yangshuo.

“Magnifique ballade nous emmenant à notre prochain lieu de séjour..les paysages sont magiques et reposants, le bateau est vaste et la box suffit amplement et est delicieuse délicieuse Merci à notre guide qui nous a emmèné et à tout géré!”

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3.4 Star Luxury Li River Cruise with Buffet Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 80 reviews · 4 hours · from $92

Start with downtown Guilin hotel pickup around 8:00 AM, then cruise from Zhujiang Pier to Yangshuo for about four hours. You’ll pass karst peaks, farms, villages, bamboo groves, and waterfalls while enjoying a Chinese or Western buffet lunch. There is no English-speaking guide, but a QR code provides multilingual commentary.

“Beautiful river! But really overpriced, we have paid 3 times more than the actual price of the tickets! The first class toilet was broken.”

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4.Guilin Highlights Tour Li River to Yangshuo and Xianggong Hill

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 50 reviews · from $79Best value

You’ll spend a full day moving from Guilin’s hotel district to the Li River, Yangshuo’s West Street, and Xianggong Hill. A private English-speaking driver-guide, such as Leo, Liu, Sandy, Nick, or Li, handles transfers and boat arrangements. The cruise takes about four hours, with a Chinese boxed lunch on the three-star boat or buffet lunch on the four-star option.

“Nice tour including various highlights of the area around Guilin. The guide was friendly snd spoke good English.”

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5.Private Full-Day Li River Cruise and Liusanjie Show

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 27 reviews · 12 hours · from $263

You’ll travel by private car and boat from Guilin to Yangshuo with an English or Chinese-speaking guide, lunch onboard, time on West Street, and an evening Liusanjie performance. Guides such as Jeff, Leo, Alonso, and Josef have been praised for friendly, flexible service. The day runs roughly 8:20 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

“Migliorerei il rapporto qualità del servizio/prezzo pagato. Per un’esperienza pagata circa 450 Euro mi sarei aspettato molto di più (tutte le esperienze a Yangshuo sono extra), in considerazione del costo effettivo dei servizi (DiDi, crociera, spettacolo, 200 Euro approssimativi).”

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6.Li River Cruise, Yangshuo Biking & Flexible Pricing

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 20 reviews · 1 - 2 days

Travel from Guilin to Yangshuo by Li River boat, then explore West Street and the Yulong River by bicycle. A private English-speaking driver handles hotel pickup, transfers, and bike rental. Guides including Blues Lee, Bruce Lee, and Mok have earned strong praise, but boat tickets cost extra and the guide may not join you on board.

“The boat trip through one of China's most iconic and picturesque landscapes with views of the characteristic limestone mountains is very beautiful and relaxing. We had booked a four star boat with lunch buffet and enjoyed the trip which lasted a little over 4 hours. The subsequent bike ride in Yangshuo was disappointing as the trip was very short and the bikes were of poor quality.”

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7.Li River Cruise with Yangshuo Countryside Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 13 reviews · 6 hours · from $128

Spend six hours traveling from Guilin to Yangshuo by Li River boat, passing karst peaks, rice fields, and working villages. After a simple included lunch, your English-speaking driver takes you to West Street, Yulong River, and Fuli Ancient Bridge before returning you to Guilin. Guides such as Jacky Li, Mike, and Silvia may be available on request.

“Gita bellissima e organizzata molto bene. La nostra guida - una ragazza cinese Silvia che parla inglese - è stata bravissima e ci ha accompagnato e fatto passare una giornata stupenda. Vi consiglio questo tour e assolutamente di richiedere lei come guida. Bravi!”

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8.Li River Cruise with Buffalo and Tour of Yangshuo

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 12 reviews · 8 - 14 hours · from $222

Start with hotel pickup in Guilin, a four-hour cruise from Zhujiang Pier to Yangshuo on a four-star boat, and a buffet lunch. Then choose from more than seven Yangshuo activities, including cycling. Guides such as Andy, Colin, Kim, Bruce, and Cristóbal provide private transport, local help, and language support in English, Spanish, French, or Chinese.

“Absolutly stunning landscapes. Well organised tour. Our guide Bruce spoke well English, was very entertaining and knowledgeable. Highly recommend tour. Need to be slightly fit to climb up the mountain evening, but it's so worth it, a true highlight!”

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