2-Day Guilin Tours to Yao Mountain, Daxu Town, Crown Cave...

This 2-day independent tour route stretches out of Guilin urban area to its east, including Yao Mountain, Daxu Old Town and the Crown Cave. 

The first stop is Yao Mountain, which is located 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) outside of Guilin and is known for having some incredible views, diverse wildlife and ancient tombs. You can take the public bus No. 24 or No. 13 (CNY2) from the city and get off at the station of Tombs of Jingjiang Princes. It is a little more strenuous to hike up to the mountain top, which may take you more than one hour. But you can also take the cable car one way or both way of the trip. Sitting in the cabin, you can have a panoramic view of Guilin landscape. There could be a more exciting experience if you walk half way down the mountain and take the toboggan downhill. Just enjoy the amazing view when you pass by the dense forests. It costs CNY110 for the round-trip cable car, CNY60 for one-way toboggan down. At the foot of Yao Mountain located the Tombs of Jingjiang Princes, a well-preserved imperial burial complex during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). You can also find a museum there displaying more than 300 pieces of rare relics unearthed from the mausoleums. You can have a short visit here if you desire. 

You can still take No. 24 bus to Donghuan Shichang Stop, where transfer to No. 306 and get off at Daxu Town. Unlike other ancient towns, Daxu is primitive and not commercialized. It has a long history and lots of traditional Chinese residences. There isn’t much to do in the town, but stroll along the long and narrow blue flagstone lanes, look at those age-old buildings made of black brick and grey tile, and pay a visit to these friendly villagers’ homes to feel their slow-pace and carefree life. 

After that, take the Guilin-Guanyan bus to Crown Cave. This bus regularly departs from Guilin Bus station to the Crown Cave and stops at Daxu Town from 7:30 to 17:00. If you cannot find the bus, taxi is another choice. It needs around half an hour and costs around CNY40. 

Upon arrival, find a hostel around the Crown Cave for overnight. There are many home-inns and guest houses, which might not be well-equipped with hotel supplies, but can provide you with good opportunities to communicate with locals. Good hotels are also available here and the Foggy Resort inside the scenic area is a better choice. 

Get up in the early morning and set off to visit the Crown Cave, which is a giant karst cave on the east bank of Li River. The cave got its name for the hill it is located looks just like a crown. There is an underground stream passing through the cave and then joining the Li River. Stalactites and stalagmites in all strange shapes are illuminated by lights and cast their glittering reflections on the water. The cave has been set with modern facilities, including a tramcar, an elevator, a mini train, and small boats, which can provide you different visiting experiences. It may take you around forty minutes to walk from the entrance to the cave, but you can also take a sightseeing rail car to the mountainside, where you will take an elevator descending into the cave. The sightseeing rail car is CNY30 for a single trip. The entrance fee of Crown Cave is CNY60 including the elevator, tramcar, and boat. It will take about 3 hours to finish the visit of the cave. 

After that, you can take the Guilin-Guanyan bus towards Guilin from Crown Cave, but get off midway at Gudong Waterfall. It is the last destination of this 2-day independent Guilin tour. The admission fee is CNY55. Don't miss the chance to challenge yourself by climbing up a layered waterfall inside. It will be a unique way to get a close contact with the waterfall. Besides, you can also walk on the Hanging Bridge and appreciate the beautiful red maple forest. This bridge is the longest one in Guangxi Province with a length of 200 meters (650 feet). 

After getting refreshed, you may hail the Guilin-Guanyan Bus back to Guilin by the road. You will get back to Guilin after one hour's bus ride.