Guizhou + Guangxi + Yunnan 15-Day Grand Tour: How to Route from Waterfalls to Li River to Erhai Lake

Last month, Mr. Chen's family of five from Singapore reached out to us, wanting to travel from Guiyang to Yunnan with a stop in Guilin to see the Li River. "15 days—enough? How do we connect these three provinces?" These are questions we know well. With 10 years of ground handling experience and dozens of trips on this multi-province route, let's break down the itinerary today.

Overall plan: Enter from Guiyang and exit from Kunming, with no backtracking.

Route: Guizhou → High-speed rail to Guangxi → High-speed rail to Yunnan, forming an arc from east to west. Guizhou 4 days, Guangxi 4 days, Yunnan 6 days, transit 1 days.

Guizhou Section (Day 1-4)

Day 1: Arrive in Guiyang, pick-up at airport, and stay downtown. Enjoy Siwawa and Changwang noodles at Erqi Road Snack Street in the evening. Average cost: 30 RMB per person.

Day 2: Visit Huangguoshu Waterfall. Ticket price is 160 CNY, including shuttle bus access. In the morning, explore the main waterfall and Water Curtain Cave (raincoats recommended). In the afternoon, tour Tianxingqiao Scenic Area.

Day 3: Visit Xijiang Thousand Households Miao Village. Admission: $90. Stay in a stilt-house homestay. Enjoy the night view of thousands of lights and a long-table banquet at an average cost of $80 per person.

MeituShuo ReminderArrive at Huangguoshu by 10 for the best experience; after 11, tour groups flood in and queue times at Water Curtain Cave can reach 40 minutes. Friends flying in overnight from abroad: start your trip one hour later on Day 2 instead of pushing yourself too hard.

Day 4: Morning photo session at the Miao village; return to Guiyang North Station for lunch. Afternoon: Take high-speed rail to Guilin (approx. 3h 20m, Economy Class, ¥139).

Guangxi Segment (Day 5-8)

Day 5: Li River Bamboo Raft Ride - $216 per person. Background scenery in Xingping section. Afternoon: Explore West Street in Yangshuo. Evening: "Impression Sanjie Liu" show starting at $198.

Day 6: Yulong River bamboo rafting at 200 yuan per raft—quieter than the Li River. In the afternoon, ride an e-bike along the Ten-Mile Gallery.

Day 7: Visit Longji Rice Terraces. One-way Golden Pit Village Cable Car: ¥55. Rice fields still look great through end of 8.

Avoid These PitfallsLijiang bamboo rafting requires advance booking via the official mini-program; spots are rarely available on the day during peak season. Children under 1.2 meters and guests over 65 years old cannot ride the bamboo raft and must take the cruise boat instead. Please arrange accordingly if traveling with elderly or young children.

Day 8: Take the high-speed train from Guilin North to Kunming South (approx. 4.5 hours, ~260 CNY for 2nd class). This is your second transfer point—choose the morning departure at 8, arriving in Kunming around 1.

Yunnan Segment (Day 9-15)

Day 9: Kunming Stone Forest. Ticket price: 130 CNY (includes electric cart). Full tour takes approximately 4 hours.

Day 10: Take the high-speed train to Dali. Second-class seat, approx. 2 hours, $145. Explore Dali Old Town in the afternoon.

Day 11 private round-trip tour around Erhai Lake covering approximately 130 km. Our business van with driver is 1200 CNY per day. Route includes Shuanglang, Wase, and Xiaopu'tuo.

MeituShuo ReminderThe east shore of Erhai Lake offers the best photo spots. Visit the east in the morning and the west in the afternoon for ideal lighting.

Day 12: Cangshan Xima Tan Gondola Round-Trip Ticket for 280 yuan. Afternoon entry ticket to Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas for 75 yuan.

Day 13: Take the high-speed train to Lijiang (approx. 1.5 hours). Economy class: 65 CNY. Explore the Old Town and Mu Mansion.

Day 14: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Cable car to Glacier Park costs 180 CNY; Blue Moon Valley is free.

Avoid These PitfallsSilver and tea shops in Lijiang Old Town are often scams. Shop at Zhongyi Market instead for prices that are half as high. The Yulong Snow Mountain cable car requires booking one day in advance on the official platform; daily capacity is limited to 1 million, so tickets are unavailable on the same day during peak season.

Day 15: High-speed train from Lijiang to Kunming takes about 3.5 hours. Second-class seat costs 220 yuan. Flight back from Changshui Airport in the afternoon.

Charter a car or take the high-speed train?

High-speed rail is convenient and transparently priced between provinces, making intercity travel easy. However, hiring a private car within each province is more hassle-free, especially for families returning from overseas with lots of luggage—having a driver makes the journey much smoother. In Guizhou, we provide our own 7-seater business van for 900 yuan per day, including the driver and fuel. For Guangxi and Yunnan, we work with local partner fleets under unified pricing and quality control. A full 15-day charter can be negotiated as a package deal.

Say a few words

3-day, 3-province itinerary: balanced pace covering the best of Southwest China's top three routes. Adjustable based on time and fitness—chat with us on WeChat.

Read more

• Guizhou + Yunnan 8-Day Combo Tour: How to Connect High-Speed Rail and Private Car

• How to plan a 5-day trip to Guizhou on your first visit

• How much does Guizhou car rental cost? 2026 latest rates + how to choose a vehicle

Chat with us on WeChat first:18285125548 (Phone / WeChat)Free route planning for you. No deposit required upfront.