China Train Tour from Guilin to Shanghai

At Guilin airport, you will meet our enthusiastic guide who will drive you to the hotel later. You can take a walk or have a good rest after check in. 

Located in southern China, Guilin is a beautiful city. It covers an area of 27,800 square kilometers with a population of nearly 5 million. There are 28 minorities such as the Zhuang minority and Hui minority, and each of them has its own custom. The average altitude of Guilin is 1,000 meters. The climate in Guilin is mild with abundant light supply. Guilin is also known for its natural scenery. There are lush green vegetation, clear rivers, thousands of kinds of wild animals and plants.

This morning, we will drive southeast for about 35 kilometers to the Mopanshan Pier which will takes about 1 hour. Then you will get onto the cruise ship and began to enjoy the Li River Cruise. The whole journey will take about 4 hours(80 kilometers). What we will visit is the most beautiful section of the Li River. There are many attractions along the river, such as the Nine Horses Mountain and Yellow Cloth Shoal. 

Nine Horses Mountain is a very popular attraction, which is located on the west bank of the river. One side of the mountain facing us is a steep cliff. Local people find it looks like a giant picture with nine horses on it. About the Nine Horses Mountain, there is an interesting story. It is said that the nine horses used to live in the heaven. Every morning, when the sun rose, numerous horses would be freed from the stable. But one day, nine horses fled to the earth. After they came to Li River and saw the beautiful scenery, they decided to stay here forever. Because they thought this place was much more attractive than heaven. They are happy everyday. Sometimes, they ran on the bank, and sometimes they bathed in the river. But it was not long after those happy days, the god in the heaven heard that his nine horses were playing in the human world and did not want to back. He was very angry. Later he changed the nine horses into nine stone horses and fixed them to a huge mountain on the west bank of Li River. As time went by, under the influence of nature, the images of the nine stone horses were not as obvious as before. When the ship passes by this mountain, you can try to find the nine stone horses by using your imagination.

At noon, we will have lunch on the cruise ship. When the ship arrives at Yangshuo, we will disembark and then go to Yangshuo West Street, which is the busiest and oldest street in Yangshuo county with a history of 1,400 years. It is also a popular tourist destination. The street is about 8 meters wide and 800 meters long. There are many shops and restaurants. What you can not miss is the local food, such as the Beer Fish and Stewed Field Snail. The two dishes are the specialties of Yangshuo. The ingredients of Stewed Field Snail are not just snail. The cook will first take out the snail meat, and then mix the meat with raw eggs, pork and other spices. After mincing them, the cook will put them back into the filed snail shells. This dish retains the original flavor of the field snail. And I am sure you will love it. After our visit to Yangshuo West Street, we will drive back to Guilin.

Li River Cruise

Yangshuo West Street

This morning, we will visit Reed Flute Cave. The length of the cave is 240 meters, and its widest section is about 93 meters. You will be shocked at the scenery when you walk into this mysterious cave. Countless stalactites and stalagmites illuminated by colorful lights present you various fabulous scenes. Those stalactites and stalagmites in different shapes form over 30 scenes, such as Tower-shaped Pine and Crystal Palace. Tower-shaped Pine consists of two unique stalagmites. One looks like a snowman and the other one looks like a tower-shaped pine. Walking into the cave, you will feel as if you were in a maze. Except for beautiful scenery, there are many inscriptions with a long history on the wall. They were written by poets, monks, and visitors one thousand years ago. If you want to learn more about the inscription culture when you visit, our knowledgeable guide would love to introduce to you. 

After that, we will visit Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas. The Sun Pagoda is 41 meters high. It is a nine-floor bronze building with an elevator. As the highest bronze pagoda in the world, the Sun Pagoda attracts many visitors each year. The Moon Pagoda is lower than the Sun Pagoda. It is 35 meters high with seven floors. According to the information available, Jian Zhen, a famous monk during the Tang Dynasty(618-907), went through hardships and tried six times to cross the sea to Japan, because he wanted to spread Buddhist theories and Chinese culture. After his fifth failure, he came to Guilin and stayed in a famous temple. One day, he found an auspicious place around the temple, so he raised funds and presided over the building of two wooden pagodas respectively named Sun Pagoda and Moon Pagoda. Unfortunately, the two pagodas were destroyed in the wars. Until modern times, local people found the two pagodas’ underground palace when they dredged waterway. Then, they rebuilt the two pagodas, namely Sun Pagoda and Moon Pagoda, based on the original design. 

After lunch, we will go to the Elephant Trunk Hill. Originally it was named Li Hill. As it stands at the junction of Li River and Taohua River. There are many attractions, like Shuiyue Cave(Water Moon Cave) and Puxian Pagoda. It is said that Elephant Trunk Hill is transformed from a sacred elephant lived in the heaven. It is a pet of the Jade Emperor(the supreme god in Chinese mythology). One day, the Jade Emperor, accompanied by this elephant, came to the human world to stroll around. But they got separated accidentally. Unknowingly, the elephant came to Li River. The scenery here is so beautiful that the elephant did not want to leave anymore. Many days later, the Jade Emperor got to know that the elephant did not want to return to the heaven. He got very angry and turned the elephant into a mountain by the Li River. 

Then, we will visit Ronghu Lake and Shanhu Lake. It is not far from Elephant Trunk Hill. In fact, the two lakes are connected. In this place, you can also see the Sun Pagoda and Moon Pagoda. During the Tang and Song (618-1279) Dynasties, this water area was an artificial moat, and people called it Nanyang River. In the center of Ronghu Lake, there is an island. On the island, there is a complex of buildings with a total area of 120 square meters. It consists of a big pavilion, a small pavilion, and a corridor. It was first built in the 1940 and rebuilt in the 1970 with unique and novel structure. You can also step across the zigzag bridge and walk into the pavilions to admire the beauty of the lake.

Reed Flute Cave

Elephant Trunk Hill

After breakfast, we will escort you to the train station, and then you will take the estimated train G2856 11:27/16:00 to Chongqing. When you are on the China’s bullet train, you will be surprised by its stationarity. At the same time, you will enjoy a comfortable and quiet environment. After you arrive at Chongqing train station, you will see the local guide who will escort you to the wharf. Then, you can go aboard and start your Yangtze River Cruise.

In the morning, you can learn the Tai Chi, and there will be a professional teacher to teach you.

Today, we will first visit the Shibaozhai Pagoda. It is located on the north bank of the Yangtze River. Known as the “Pearl on the River”, Shibaozhai Pagoda receives about 220,000 visitors on average every year. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it was built leaning on a steep mountain, about 56 meters high. In the pagoda, there are many statues, and almost each statue has its own story. For example, one of the stories is about a female named Qin Liangyu. She disguised herself as a man so that she could took the place of her father and went to the battlefield. When she faced the enemies, she was calm and unafraid. Her story was spread to every corner of the country. In fact, when she was young, she began to practice martial arts with her father and brothers. She also read many books about tactics and was always praised by her father for her excellent ability.       

Then, there will be an additional visit to Fengdu Ghost City. If you are interested, you can pay for it. Fengdu Ghost City can be traced back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD). You will see many architectures about Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism in Fengdu Ghost City. There are many attractions, such as the Ghost Torturing Pass and Gate of Hell. According to the Chinese mythology, when a person died, his/her soul will come to another world and suffer various tortures. The Ghost Torturing Pass is one important pass to test these souls. There are some guards at the gate of the pass. They will check whether the souls are “good” or “bad”, namely whether the people had done something bad or not when they were alive. And if they meet a bad soul, they will torture the soul cruelly. Such a saying is often used to remind people alive that they can not do bad things, otherwise, they will be punished after they die.

Shibaozhai Pagoda

Fengdu Ghost City

Today, our cruise ship will pass through three gorges. First, we will see the Qutang Gorge. As the shortest gorge among the three gorges, Qutang Gorge is eight kilometers long, but it is the most majestic gorge. It stretches from Fengjie County to Wushan County. Along the way, there are many attractions. For example, on the steep cliff of the Qutang Gorge, there is an artificial Ancient Plank Road. In the old days, it was the only path for military transport and business. When ancient people walked on the plank road, they could see the crumbling rocks if they looked up, and they could also see the rushing river if they looked down. What a dangerous thing it is, and how courageous they were! 

Then we will visit the Wu Gorge. After feeling the majesty of the Qutang Gorge, we will enjoy the wonder and beauty of Wu Gorge. It is longer than Qutang Gorge and people also call it Great Gorge. The most popular attraction along the Wu Gorge is the Twelve Peaks. On the north bank of the river, there are six peaks. On the south bank, there are also six peaks, but you can just see three peaks because the other three peaks are not close to the riverside. The twelve peaks are like green gems embedded on both sides of the gorge. At the same time, the twelve peaks have their own features. Some peaks are like slim and beautiful girls looking at the surging river, and some peaks are like prideful peacocks spreading their beautiful tails. 

After that, the ship will pass through the Xiling Gorge. As the longest gorge among the three gorges, Xiling Gorge is about 76 kilometers long and divided into four sections. In the past, Xiling Gorge was known for its zigzag river course and surging water, so it was also the most dangerous gorge among the three gorges. There were many shoals and rocks in this area, which increased the risk of sailing a boat. Until the Three Gorges Dam was built a dozen years ago, the river in Xiling Gorge flows more quietly due to the rising water level. Since then, the boatmen do not need to fight against the choppy water and dangerous shoals as they used to.

Wu Gorge

Xiling Gorge

Today, we will visit the most eye-catching project - Three Gorges Dam along the Yangtze River. As one of the greatest projects in China and the largest hydro-power station in the world, the Three Gorges Dam has brought huge benefits to Chinese people. It can generate electricity and control floods. The construction of the Three Gorges Dam lasted for about twelve years. It has a total length of 1,983 meters and the maximum height of the dam is 185 meters.

After disembarking at Yichang, our guide will pick you up at the visitor center, and then drive you to the train station. You will take the estimated train D2208 14:55/23:15 to Shanghai. If you are tired, you can have a nice nap on the smooth China train. There will be a guide waiting for you at Shanghai train station, then, he or she will drive you to the hotel.  

Three Gorges Dam

Three Gorges Dam

After breakfast, we will visit the Jade Buddha Temple. It is located in the northern part of Shanghai. The founder of the Jade Buddha Temple is Master Huigen, who is also the first abbot of the temple. Covering an area of more than 7,000 square meters, the Jade Buddha Temple has a regular layout. On the central axis, there are the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Main Shrine Hall, and the Jade Buddha Hall in order. And the precious jade Buddha statue is enshrined in the Jade Buddha Hall. The Buddha statue is 1.95 meters high and carved from a whole white jade. The face of the Buddha is plump with a pair of willow leaf eyebrows. Besides, his eyes are half-closed. The Jade Buddha looks kindly and solemn.

Then, we will go to the Yu Garden (closed each Monday). It was a private garden during the Ming Dynasty. In 1961, it was open to the public. The first owner of the Yu Garden was an official named Pan Yunduan. In 1559, he began to build the garden in his vegetable field behind his residence. It took twenty years to finish the garden. He named it Yu Garden (Yu means safeness) and paid a lot attention to the landscaping in the garden. At present, there are over 600 trees in the garden. In front of the Wanhua Hall, there is an old ginkgo tree, about 430 years old and 26 meters high.

After lunch, we will visit the Shanghai Tower. It is a high-rise building with a total height of 632 meters. It is not just an office building. There are hotels, sightseeing hall, restaurants, and so on. There is a sightseeing hall on the 118th floor, where you can overlook the outside scenery from every angle. It is very magnificent that you can see the Huangpu river and beautiful modern buildings through huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

After that, we will take a stroll along the Nanjing Road. With a total length of 5.5 kilometers, Nanjing Road stretches across the Jing’an District and Huangpu District. As one of the earliest and busiest streets in Shanghai, Nanjing Road boasts more than 700 shops. The modern buildings on both sides of the road make it more prosperous. What you can not miss are the countless snacks along the road, such as the smoked fish, wonton, and other traditional Chinese foods. If you prefer desserts, you can go to the store named Shen Da Cheng. This brand has a history of over 140 years. The ingredients for the desserts in this store are fresh and carefully selected. 

Then, we will go to the Bund. As a landmark of Shanghai, the Bund is 1.5 kilometers and situated by the Huangpu River. When you walk along the Bund, you will see many exotic and old buildings with various architecture styles, such as Gothic style and baroque style. On the opposite side of these buildings, there are modern skyscrapers like Shanghai Tower we just visited. The Bund is the best place take a stroll. Hearing the whistle of ships on the river and enjoying the soft breeze on your face will be a nice thing on the Bund.

Yu Garden

Shanghai Tower

After breakfast, we will escort you to the airport according to your flight schedule. Thank you for choosing us. Look forward to your next meaningful China tour with us.

Author: Yalin Zhao

Proofreader: Yan Liu