Hello there,

Me and my girlfriend are leaving this sunday to China & japan for 30 days, & I have put our itinerary for 17 days in china, but their's a few things & one day that I'm not sure how to use it at it best? We are in our mid 20's & like sightseeing and adventure travel.

My itinerary it goes like this:

1.Beijing arrival (2pm)
2.beijing
3.beijing
4.beijing (sleeper train to xian)
5.xian
6. FLY xian to lijiang
7.lijiang
8.tiger leaping gorge
9.tiger leaping gorge
10.zhondian? Lugu lake? 3 days TLG? lijiang?
11.FLY lijiang to Gulin
12.yangshuo
13.yangshuo
14.
15.hong kong
16.hong kong
17.hong kong
18. FLY HK to Japan...

Now my questions are:
1- day #10
How it's best to use this day? Should I go to zhondian? it's it worth the trip? or a 3rd day in TLG doing a side trip(lugu lake or...?) or a 2nd day in Lijiang?

2- day #11
shoul we go guilin to yangshuo in a Li river boat tour (not sure at what time we'll arrive at guilin) or go directly to yangshuo and do a boat trip overthere? or Gulin river trip it's the "must do"?

3- day #14
this day is extra and and I want to use it
the smartest way possible. Should we do a side trip to Longshen? or add to Xian or any
of the other destinations? or take out a day of lijiang (#10) and added and have two xtra
days for another destination?

I thank you in advance for your kind help,
I'm trully going crazy here trying to figure this out, so Thank you, Thank you!!
Please feel free to add any sugestions and comments.

Alexis

I'd add the day in Beijing. There are lots to see, and the sights are pretty spread out. You'll also be pretty tired the first 2 days after the flight.

Don't take a day out of Lijiang whatever you do. Way too much to see and do there.

The river cruise from Guilin to Yangshou is a really good glimpse of river life in China and you should be ready for a different mode of transportation by then. Beautiful scenery is a teriffic bonus. Have fun

Hi ricachon:



If you are thinking of a trip to Lugu Lake from Lijiang it is at least a 6 hour drive each way which would require you to stay overnight. I spent a year in China and I think the drive to Lugu Lake and the interaction with the locals there was the highlight of my time in China. The accommodation once there is not elaborate but adequate, but the experience was more than we could have dreamt. For an adventure this fits the bill for sure.
The visit with some locals in their home to see how they live, to see the salted pig slowly pickling in the corner of their living area, to see the door to the "Death Room" and to remember their stories was such a life enhancing experience I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
We went up and back to Tiger Leaping Gorge in a day from Lijiang so that is perhaps a place you could cut out some time if needed, but I know many people take an overnight there to hike further than we went.
Your trip sounds wonderful. Enjoy!

HI everybody!!
Thank you so much for all the replays!
I guess if I have an extra day I could use it beijing if time is not suficient,
or add a side trip to the Tiger Leaping Gorge? or 2 in Lijiang? (the problem is having to book air & train ahead overthere with out not knowing for sure: ( And no... I'm not missing the Li river boat trip, I just wasn't sure if at the time we get to Gulin (2,3,4pm?)
we'll have the chance to take it to Yangshuo so we didn't have to spend the nigth at Guilin. Anyways... thank you, thank you, thank you for all the help, I'll be leaving tomorrow morning : )

Alexis