Longji Rice Terraces All In One Dazhai and Pingan Villages Tour

Two terrace worlds, one long day. This private Guilin excursion takes you to both Dazhai and Pingan, the two most celebrated sections of the Longji Rice Terraces, without making you arrange separate transport. I especially like the chance to compare the two villages and the ease of having a private, air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide. The cable car at Dazhai and golf cart at Pingan also reduce some of the uphill effort.

The main drawback is the extra cost once you arrive: the Dazhai cable car costs 100 yuan per person and the Pingan golf cart costs 50 yuan, while lunch and other personal expenses are also separate. At about nine hours, this is a full day with plenty of driving, so you should book it for the views and village culture, not for a slow, unhurried mountain stay.

Key points at a glance

• Two famous terrace areas in one day: Visit both Dazhai and Pingan rather than choosing just one.
• Dazhai cable car ride: Reach a high viewing platform by cable car in about half an hour, with the fare paid separately.
• Pingan’s Nine Dragons and Five Tigers: See the ridges and rock forms that give this celebrated viewpoint its unusual name.
• Private Guilin pickup: Meet your English-speaking driver-guide at 9:00 am at your Guilin hotel or the Guilin Bravo Hotel meeting point.
• Local village food: Bamboo rice, bamboo chicken, smoked pork, and other village dishes may be available, but meals are not included.
• A personal guide experience: One highly praised guide was named Li, who was noted for his conversation and strong knowledge of the area.

Why seeing both Dazhai and Pingan matters

Longji Rice Terraces is not one single viewpoint. It is a broad area made up of several terrace sections, including the Ancient Zhuang Village terraces, Pingan, and the Jinkeng Dazhai terraces.

Pingan and Dazhai are generally regarded as the most scenic parts. That makes this tour useful for someone who does not want to spend a second day returning to the mountains. You get two different village settings, two sets of high viewpoints, and a better sense of how the terraces fit together.

The terraces are called the Dragon’s Backbone because the long, curved fields twist across the hills like a series of ridges. Their beauty changes with the season. Depending on when you go, the fields may show water, young crops, or mature rice. The exact view is seasonal, but the structure of the terraces remains impressive throughout the year.

I also value the cultural side of the day. These fields are not simply arranged for sightseeing. They help provide food for local communities, and the villages remain part of the experience. You are not only looking at lines cut into a mountain. You are seeing farmland tied to everyday life.

The tradeoff is distance. A visit to both sections requires a substantial amount of road time from Guilin, and the tour lasts about nine hours. That is a sensible use of one day if Longji is high on your list, but it is not a quick scenic stop.

Leaving Guilin at 9:00 am

The day begins with pickup at 9:00 am from your hotel in Guilin city. The listed meeting point is Guilin Bravo Hotel at 14 Rong Hu Nan Lu in Xiangshan District, and the activity ends back at the meeting point.

The private arrangement is one of the tour’s strongest practical features. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with only your own group, rather than joining a large coach with fixed seating and a long list of hotel stops. That matters on a day when the mountain sections already require careful timing.

Your driver-guide speaks English and handles the route to both terrace areas. The guide’s role is especially useful here because the day involves more than taking you to one entrance. You need to understand which section you are visiting, where the main viewpoint is, and how the cable car or golf cart fits into the schedule.

One guide named Li received particularly warm praise for conversation and local knowledge. That detail is worth noting because a long drive can feel very different when the guide explains what you are seeing and answers questions along the way.

The tour description does not provide an exact driving time from your hotel to the terraces. You should expect the nine-hour estimate to include transport, stops, and time at both sites, but the balance may vary with road conditions and the pace of your group.

Dazhai Rice Terraces and the cable car

Dazhai, also called the Jinkeng Dazhai Rice Terraces area, is famous for its steep mountain fields and cable car system. Instead of relying entirely on a long climb, you can pay for a cable car ride to a high platform.

The ride takes about half an hour. That gives you a moving view of the terraces and a more relaxed way to reach the upper area. For many people, this is a smart use of money, especially if you want to save your legs for the viewpoints and village walking later in the day.

The cable car costs 100 yuan per person and is not part of the tour price. The base tour includes the Longji Rice Terraces entrance fee, but you should budget separately for this ride.

Dazhai is a good first major stop because the cable car turns the climb into a scenic experience. You can focus on the shape of the fields instead of treating the ascent as a test of stamina. The high platform gives you a broad view, though the supplied tour information does not name a specific platform or state how long you stay there.

The practical limitation is that the cable car is an added expense, not an optional detail hidden in the headline price. At $99 per person, you should think of the tour cost and the local transport charges together. The total value remains reasonable for private transport, a guide, and access to two major sections, but it is not an all-inclusive day.

Dazhai also gives you a chance to see how dramatic the terraces can look when they climb steep slopes. The fields are not broad, flat paddies. They follow the contours of the hills, with narrow bands and curving lines that change as the ground rises.

Pingan Village and Nine Dragons and Five Tigers

Pingan Village offers another view of the Longji terraces, with its own famous scenic point called Nine Dragons and Five Tigers.

The name refers to nine ridges that resemble dragons branching from a main ridge, along with five rock shapes compared to tigers. You do not need to take the name literally to enjoy the viewpoint. It is a useful way to notice the forms of the hills and the way the terraces spread below you.

A round-trip golf cart runs from the base of Pingan to the upper area. The fare is 50 yuan per person and is also paid separately. Like the Dazhai cable car, the cart saves time and reduces the amount of uphill walking required.

This is an important distinction when planning your day. The tour gives you access to both terrace areas, but the two paid rides are not included. If you want the most relaxed version of the outing, allow for both charges.

The Nine Dragons and Five Tigers viewpoint is described as one of the best places to get a bird’s-eye view of the Pingan fields. From above, the curved terraces make more sense. You can see how the rice plots follow the slopes instead of forming a regular grid.

Pingan also brings you into a village setting where the terraces are linked to local life. The visit is not only a photo stop. It provides a chance to see the relationship between homes, paths, farmland, and the mountain setting.

The schedule allots about two hours for Pingan. That is enough for a focused visit, especially with the golf cart handling the main transfer, but it may feel short if you want a long walk through the village or a relaxed meal. Since the tour also includes Dazhai, the time is divided between two large sights.

Lunch in a village, with food paid separately

Lunch takes place in a local village, but it is not included in the $99 price. This gives you flexibility, though it also means you need to pay directly for the meal.

The foods associated with the outing include bamboo rice, bamboo chicken, smoked pork, and other village dishes. These are more interesting choices than a generic meal at a highway stop because they connect the food to local cooking methods and available ingredients.

Bamboo rice is particularly fitting for a mountain visit. The name itself reflects the use of bamboo in preparing the dish. Smoked pork offers a stronger, saltier flavor, while bamboo chicken provides another local specialty to look for.

The exact menu and cost are not provided, so you should not assume every named dish will be served at your meal. Ask your guide what is available that day and how much it costs before ordering if you are watching your budget.

A village lunch can be one of the most memorable parts of a day like this, but it may not suit someone who wants a fast, controlled meal. The tour gives you a local setting rather than a detailed food program. Think of it as a chance to try regional dishes, not a formal culinary tour.

How much value does the $99 price offer?

The listed price is $99 per person. It includes an air-conditioned vehicle, private transportation, an English-speaking driver-guide, and the Longji Rice Terraces entrance fee.

For a private day from Guilin, that package has real value. You avoid organizing transport to two separate terrace areas, and your group does not share the vehicle with strangers. The guide can also adjust explanations and conversation to your interests, which is more personal than a standard coach excursion.

The price needs a careful reading, however. You still pay 100 yuan for the Dazhai cable car and 50 yuan for the Pingan golf cart per person. Meals and personal expenses are not included, and pickup from Yangshuo or Xingping requires an additional $70 per booking for private transfer.

That means the tour is best judged as a private transport and guiding package, not as an all-inclusive ticket. If you are staying in Guilin and want to see both major terrace sections in one day, the cost is easier to justify. If you are traveling alone and mainly want one viewpoint, a simpler arrangement could be more economical, though this tour offers more coverage.

Group discounts are offered, which may improve the value for families or friends traveling together. Since the activity is private, a larger group can share the vehicle and guide cost while keeping the same personal format.

What the two five-star ratings tell you

The available feedback is limited to two five-star ratings, so I would not treat it as a large statistical record. Still, both comments point to the same strengths: beautiful scenery, a complete route, and strong guide service.

One guest praised the scenery and recommended the outing, while another valued the fact that the day included both Dazhai and Pingan. That second point is important. The all-in-one format is the tour’s central reason to book it.

The guide Li was singled out for being good company during the day and for explaining the area well. That matters on a long excursion. A private guide who can keep the drive interesting adds value beyond simply delivering you to the entrance.

The second account also described an off-season visit with few Western tourists and a very small group. You should not assume the same crowd level on your date, but the private format does mean only your own party participates. That provides a quieter structure than a large group tour, even if the sites themselves vary in busy periods.

Who will enjoy this Longji day trip?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want to see both Dazhai and Pingan but have only one day available from Guilin. It suits people who value private transport, a guide who can explain the area, and a less demanding route to the high viewpoints.

It is also a good fit for families or mixed-age groups. The cable car and golf cart reduce the need for continuous uphill walking, though you should not expect a completely effortless visit. The tour still involves mountain sites and village areas.

You will likely appreciate it if local food interests you, especially bamboo rice, bamboo chicken, and smoked pork. The meal is separate, but the setting gives you a more regional choice than an ordinary city lunch.

I would hesitate to recommend it if you want a slow hiking day in one village. Visiting both sections in nine hours means the schedule has purpose. You see more, but you have less time to linger in any one place.

It may also be less appealing if you are staying in Yangshuo or Xingping and trying to keep costs low. The added $70 private transfer fee makes the day more expensive from those areas.

Booking, timing, and cancellation advice

The start time is 9:00 am, and pickup is offered from Guilin city hotels. Confirmation is provided when you book, and the activity is listed as suitable for most participants.

The tour is often booked well in advance, with an average booking point of about 81 days before departure. That suggests you should reserve ahead if your Guilin dates are fixed, particularly if you want a private vehicle for a specific day.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours ahead are not accepted for a refund.

The tour ends back at the meeting point. If you need to reach another city or hotel after the excursion, confirm your onward plans carefully because the supplied details only promise the return to the Guilin starting point.

Should you book this tour?

Book it if your priority is seeing the two headline sections of Longji in one organized day. The combination of Dazhai, Pingan, private transport, an English-speaking guide, and easier access by cable car and golf cart gives you a broad look at the area without requiring separate planning.

Before paying, add 150 yuan per person for the two local rides, plus lunch. If you are leaving from Yangshuo or Xingping, add the $70 transfer fee as well.

For me, the tour’s best feature is its coverage. You are not forced to choose between Dazhai and Pingan, and the private format leaves room for conversation and questions. It is a strong choice for first-time visitors with limited time, provided you accept the full-day pace and the extra on-site charges.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

Pickup is offered from your Guilin city hotel at 9:00 am. The listed meeting point is Guilin Bravo Hotel, 14 Rong Hu Nan Lu, Xiangshan District, Guilin.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately nine hours and ends back at the starting meeting point.

Does the tour visit both Dazhai and Pingan?

Yes. The route includes Dazhai Rice Terraces and Pingan Rice Terraces, allowing you to see both major sections in one day.

Are the cable car and golf cart included?

No. The Dazhai cable car costs 100 yuan per person, and the Pingan round-trip golf cart costs 50 yuan per person. These charges are paid separately.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included. A village meal may include dishes such as bamboo rice, bamboo chicken, or smoked pork, with the cost paid separately.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not refunded or accepted.