Rice terraces and fishermen of the Li River

The Li River is well known among photographers from all over the world for its exceptional landscapes. Karst mountains of incredible shapes frame a winding river. Fishermen, like thousands of years ago, take the fish with the help of tamed gannets sitting on small bamboo rafts. They turn this Guilin region into a real "Mecca" for photographers.

In late spring, there is an amazing event in the neighbourhood of Guilin – rice fields are abundantly filled with water, and terraces look like long ribbons or chains hung on the slopes of the hills. Many photographers truly call these landscapes some of the most fantastic on Earth.

Day 1 (June 4)

Meeting in Guilin

We meet at the cozy Li river Courtyard Bontique hotel in Guilin, from where our journey to the world of stunning beauty of China will begin. There are several ways to get to Guilin. You can take a comfortable high-speed train from Hong Kong. The train arrives in the very center of the city, and we will meet you at the station.

You can also fly to Guilin International Airport, many flights arrive here from different parts of the world with a transfer in Beijing or Shanghai. From the airport the city center can be reached by a convenient shuttle that leaves every half an hour. At your request, we can provide you a transfer from the airport.

In the evening we will meet at the hotel and have dinner together in a restaurant with a beautiful view of the mountains and the Li River.

Day 2 (June 5)

Guilin and the Longzhi Rice Terraces.

Early in the morning we head to the Guilin Huixian Wetland region, where we will shoot an ancient stone bridge, buffaloes and local people working in the fields. There are usually no tourists here in the early morning, we will have a great opportunity to take good pictures. The nearest village Tianxing is situated near Guilin City, the journey will take about an hour, and we will reach the bridge in time for dawn.

This ancient stone bridge, standing in the middle of flooded rice fields surrounded by beautiful mountains, has recently been the hallmark of the entire province of Guilin. On the bridge we will photograph a peasant in a palm-leaf cloak and his bull.

After the photo shoot, we will move to the famous Longzhi rice terraces. Travel time is 2-3 hours, depending on traffic conditions.
Evening shooting will be in the picturesque location of Pingan Village's Dragon's Back. At sunset, we will climb to one of the most beautiful places with views of the rice terraces, where the shape of the fields resembles a dragon's backbone (about 30 minutes by foot).
Here we will shoot a local model in a national costume.

After shooting, we will walk (about 30 minutes) to one of the best hotels in the village of Longzhi, and porters will bring our things.

Day 3 (June 6)

Rice terraces

In the early morning, we have planned a short ascent to the dawn point, from where beautiful views of the rice terraces flooded with water open up. Local people in national costumes working in the fields will pose for us. It will be possible to walk among the terraces and take pictures of the peasants up close.

For sunset shooting we will go to another interesting place called Golden Buddha Summit. New landscapes with rice terraces flooded with water will be waiting for us.

Day 4 (June 7)

Rice terraces and transfer to Yangzhou, Mount Cuiping.

Today at dawn we will go to another very beautiful place to take pictures of other rice terraces from different angles. And again we will see local people in national costumes with their bulls.

After shooting, we return for breakfast, and then we will go down to our bus (20-30 minutes) and go to Yangzhou village (it will take about 3 hours).

Sunset shooting is planned on the famous Mount Cuiping. Here, the rays of the setting sun beautifully illuminate the surrounding fields and the confluence of two rivers. We will rise early to catch the golden hour and take the best places on the observation deck. Steps built by the locals lead to the top of the mountain. Climbing - 750 steps usually takes 20 - 30 minutes.

Day 5 (June 8)

Sunrise and sunset on the Li River with fishermen.

Early before sunrise, we will go to the beautiful place of Xingping on the Li River to take pictures, where fishermen with nets, cormorants and lanterns will pose for us.

They say that the scenery of the Li River is the most beautiful on Earth. The karst hills along the banks of the Li River seem to have descended from the paintings of talented artists. And the best points for photography are in Yangzhou and Xingping.

In the afternoon we will visit a traditional farmhouse, where we will be able to shoot scenes from the life of local people, the way of which has not changed for several centuries. Generations of peasants live in houses that are hundreds of years old.

At sunset, we will shoot famous Chinese fishermen with cormorants. We will see how fishermen, like many hundreds of years ago, get into their boats, light lanterns and, accompanied by their cormorant companions, go fishing. This incredible spectacle takes place before sunset against the backdrop of magnificent mountains, and we will have a great opportunity to take many beautiful photos.

Day 6 (June 9)

Sunrise on Xianggong Mountain and sunset on the river.

Early in the morning we will go to shoot in one of the most beautiful places on the Li River, Xianggong Mountain. 500 stone steps lead to the top of the mountain. The ascent will take approximately 15 minutes. If desired, porters can be hired to carry photographic equipment. On the mountain at different heights there are five sites that will allow us to shoot from different angles. Mount Xianggong is the best spot for sunrise photography in all of Guilin.

After breakfast, we will have an excursion to the ancient town of Daxu, where we will try to take portraits of local people. We hope that everything will work out, but people here have their own way of life, and they do not always invite photographers to their homes.

For sunset shooting, we will go to the river, where we will again shoot fishermen with cormorants in a different landscape.

Day 7 (June 10)

Guilin, departure home.

After breakfast, our tour ends, we will go to the train station or airport, from where you can go home.