Best of Southern China: Hong Kong, Guangzhou & Guilin

Meet your guide in the lobby of the West Hotel and check in to your room. Afterwards, your guide will give you a brief orientation about the activities for the next four days. End the day with a scrumptious dinner at a popular local restaurant (at passenger’s expense).

Spend the majority of the day getting to know the bustling city of Hong Kong with your expert guide. Walk down Canton Road, a commercial street home to many upscale retail shops, business establishments and various shopping centers. Step into Harbour City, the largest shopping and entertainment center in Hong Kong. Next, experience one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hong Kong. Board a ferry and spend the next 10-12 minutes crossing Victoria Harbour to the central district of the island. This quick ferry ride is considered a unique Hong Kong cultural experience by both tourists and locals alike. Then, take a tram up to Victoria Peak (The Peak). On the tram, you will have a unique and spectacular perspective of the city. The 8-minute scenic ride will offer you stunning views of Hong Kong Island and the Victoria Harbour. Once you reach The Peak, enjoy not only panoramic views of the city and the harbor below but also of the natural environment of the peak. After roaming the city, board a train and head to Guangzhou. Upon arrival in Guangzhou, a private transfer will drive you to the Holiday Inn for check-in. Rest up for the night because the next few days will be packed with adventure.

After breakfast, board the subway with your guide to visit the famous Chen Clan Academy, a symmetric academic complex of 19 buildings with nine halls and six courtyards. Marvel at the exquisite traditional Chinese architecture and style and admire the large collection of different Chinese art pieces, from woodcarvings to pottery. From there, your guide will lead you to Shamian Island, an area filled with European history. Witness several of these colonial structures like the French Catholic Church, the British Protestant Church and various bronze structures depicting Western individuals from the present and the past. Then, board a ferry for a 20-minute cruise along the Pearl River, where you can view the sights of the modern part of the city from the water. You will end at Canton Tower, an observation tower that stands at 1,968 feet (600 meters). Step into one of the observation rooms to see unobstructed panoramic views of the city. Before the end of the day, board a fast train to Yangshuo.

Your guide will lead you on a 50-minute scenic bike ride to Moon Hill to see the crescent-shaped cave that gave it its name. The scenery overlooking the countryside will take your breath away. Bike past the Yulong River and see people sailing the shallow water using bamboo rafts. Many of the land formations you will see in the county are karst topographies with distinctive features like sinkholes, caves and subterranean limestone caverns. After building up an appetite, a private transport will take you to Yangshuo West Street to visit a local village where you will take a Chinese cooking class. Learn how to make three to four traditional Chinese dishes like kung pao chicken, jiaozi (Chinese dumpling), a Chinese eggplant dish and/or a Chinese tofu dish. The best part – you get to eat what you cook! Then, enjoy a picturesque sunset boat ride on the Li River. You will feel as if you stepped into a painting as you marvel at the beautiful landscape that boasts impressive mountains, fantastic caves, tranquil waters and farming villages.

Today, travel with your guide to Guilin to see the Reed Flute Cave and the Elephant Trunk Hill. The Reed Flute Cave is a fascinating gallery of limestone cave formations. Marvel at the astonishing shapes formed by natural rock formations. Then, head to the centerpiece of Guilin's riverside park, Elephant Hill. Nature created this marvel some 3.5 million years ago and its shape resembles an elephant drinking water through its trunk. After lunch, enjoy private transport to Longsheng County to see the Longji Rice Terraces (Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces). These ingenious, large-scaled rice terraces are built to make the best use of arable land and water resources. Hear the history of this magnificent creation from your guide. Don’t forget to take pictures of this clever piece of art! Then, visit one of the county’s Miao villages and learn about their splendid ethnic customs and cultures. Spend the afternoon with your guide acquainting yourself with the local people’s colorful way of life. Stay in a guesthouse at the village for the night.

End your 6-day journey with a guided hike to Da Zhai in Longji. The hike will take between three and four hours, depending on your own pace. Admire panoramic views of the surrounding rice terraces, forests and mountains; explore more ethnic villages; and experience the diverse customs and traditions of these different cultures. In the afternoon, you will be driven back to the Guilin airport to catch a flight back to Hong Kong.