Guizhou, China: 7 Day Itinerary & Travel Tips
Don’t miss out on China’s southwest Guizhou Province! Known for its karst mountain landscapes and sour-spicy food, it’s a beautiful province with a diverse array of experiences. Guizhou is also home to the Miao and Dong ethnic minorities, with many ancient villages where you can witness their traditions up close! The Miao and Dong ethnic minorities have a rich cultural heritage, and their traditional costumes and festivals are a sight to behold. Additionally, Guizhou Province is famous for its stunning waterfalls, such as Huangguoshu Waterfall, which is one of the largest in Asia. Go to Guizhou if: You want a unique local experience You want to avoid larger cities You’re looking for outdoor adventures Here is a 7 day itinerary for Guizhou Province that includes some of Guizhou’s highlights including Guiyang, Huangguoshu Waterfall, the Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village, and Mount Fanjingshan. Tips To Know Before Traveling Around GuizhouDay 1: Arrive in GuiyangDay 2: Huangguoshu Waterfall & Nearby AttractionsDay 3: Travel To Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Qiandongnan Day 4: Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village 西江千户苗寨Optional: Zhaoxing Dong Village Day 5: Travel to Tongren CityDay 6: Mount Fanjingshan 梵净山Optional at Night : Zhaisha Dong Village 寨沙桐寨Day 7: Travel Back To GuiyangOther Places To Visit in Guizhou Note: This map is just a help general resource to use. In China, Google Maps is not the most accurate, as some listings in English aren’t the most accurate Chinese location. I’ve included the Chinese names for locations in the itinerary below. Tips To Know Before Traveling Around Guizhou Starting or Ending in Guiyang: Usually Guizhou’s capital city Guiyang is a popular choice to start and end a Guizhou trip because of it’s airport and train network, but as you can see there are other ways to navigate around from different cities too. Guizhou is not a large province, but it’s deceivingly big when traveling to some remote scenic spots and villages. Many sites require additional driving by car or bus to get there. For example, when going to Mount Fanjingshan you need to take a train to Tongren City, and then a 1 hour drive by car to the actual mountain. Much of Guizhou Province is best navigated by car and bus. A great option is to call a taxi or Didi when you want to go to some remote scenic sites, or to check the local bus schedules. Day 1: Arrive in Guiyang Depending on when you arrive, you can choose to stay overnight in Guiyang, or head directly by bus or train to Anshun. Option 1: Arrive in Guiyang by plane in morning or afternoon, take a train to Anshun Option 2: Arrive in Guiyang by plane in the evening, stay overnight in Guiyang and travel the next morning to Anshun. Option 3: If you’re arriving by train, you can choose to directly go to Anshun by train. Day 2: Huangguoshu Waterfall & Nearby Attractions Morning: Huangguoshu Waterfall (黄果树瀑布) Known as the largest waterfall in China, Huangguoshu Waterfall is a breathtaking natural wonder that attracts visitors with its powerful cascades and surrounding lush greenery. Afternoon: Longgong Scenic Area 龙宫风景区 The Longgong Scenic Area, also known as the Dragon Palace Scenic Area, is famous for its stunning natural landscapes, including majestic mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and intricate cave formations. *Note: These scenic areas will be affected by the rainy season, so double check these sites the day of. If there is lots of flooding or water damage, some sites may be closed. The day I went, Longgong Scenic Area was entirely closed because of flooding, and certain walking paths around Huangguoshu were closed as well for safety concerns. The main waterfall area was open though! Optional: Tianlong Tubu Village 天龙屯堡 Explore this local village more than 600 years old. They hold local performances here. Day 3: Travel To Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Qiandongnan Take a Train from Anshun Railway to Kaili Railway. From there, you can either take a bus, or a private car to the Xijiang Qianhu Village. By Private Car: It is highly recommended to use private car service from China Discovery. If by car, it takes less than 1 hour. By Coach: Independent travelers can take direct bus from South Kaili High Speed Train Bus Station (凯里高铁南站公交站) to Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village Bus Station (西江千户苗寨公交站). Whole journey takes about 1.5 hours. Day 4: Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village 西江千户苗寨 The Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is a special ancient village in the Guizhou Province of China. It is home to the Miao people, a minority group in China. Visitors here can not only learn about the Miao culture, but also enjoy the traditional wooden architecture and stunning scenic views of the ancient village. Rea
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Don’t miss out on China’s southwest Guizhou Province! Known for its karst mountain landscapes and sour-spicy food, it’s a beautiful province with a diverse array of experiences.
Guizhou is also home to the Miao and Dong ethnic minorities, with many ancient villages where you can witness their traditions up close! The Miao and Dong ethnic minorities have a rich cultural heritage, and their traditional costumes and festivals are a sight to behold. Additionally, Guizhou Province is famous for its stunning waterfalls, such as Huangguoshu Waterfall, which is one of the largest in Asia.
Go to Guizhou if:
- You want a unique local experience
- You want to avoid larger cities
- You’re looking for outdoor adventures
Here is a 7 day itinerary for Guizhou Province that includes some of Guizhou’s highlights including Guiyang, Huangguoshu Waterfall, the Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village, and Mount Fanjingshan.
- Tips To Know Before Traveling Around Guizhou
- Day 1: Arrive in Guiyang
- Day 2: Huangguoshu Waterfall & Nearby Attractions
- Day 3: Travel To Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Qiandongnan
- Day 4: Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village 西江千户苗寨
- Optional: Zhaoxing Dong Village
- Day 5: Travel to Tongren City
- Day 6: Mount Fanjingshan 梵净山
- Optional at Night : Zhaisha Dong Village 寨沙桐寨
- Day 7: Travel Back To Guiyang
- Other Places To Visit in Guizhou
Note: This map is just a help general resource to use. In China, Google Maps is not the most accurate, as some listings in English aren’t the most accurate Chinese location. I’ve included the Chinese names for locations in the itinerary below.
Tips To Know Before Traveling Around Guizhou
- Starting or Ending in Guiyang: Usually Guizhou’s capital city Guiyang is a popular choice to start and end a Guizhou trip because of it’s airport and train network, but as you can see there are other ways to navigate around from different cities too.
- Guizhou is not a large province, but it’s deceivingly big when traveling to some remote scenic spots and villages. Many sites require additional driving by car or bus to get there. For example, when going to Mount Fanjingshan you need to take a train to Tongren City, and then a 1 hour drive by car to the actual mountain.
- Much of Guizhou Province is best navigated by car and bus. A great option is to call a taxi or Didi when you want to go to some remote scenic sites, or to check the local bus schedules.
Day 1: Arrive in Guiyang
Depending on when you arrive, you can choose to stay overnight in Guiyang, or head directly by bus or train to Anshun.
Option 1: Arrive in Guiyang by plane in morning or afternoon, take a train to Anshun
Option 2: Arrive in Guiyang by plane in the evening, stay overnight in Guiyang and travel the next morning to Anshun.
Option 3: If you’re arriving by train, you can choose to directly go to Anshun by train.
Day 2: Huangguoshu Waterfall & Nearby Attractions
Morning: Huangguoshu Waterfall (黄果树瀑布)
Known as the largest waterfall in China, Huangguoshu Waterfall is a breathtaking natural wonder that attracts visitors with its powerful cascades and surrounding lush greenery.
Afternoon: Longgong Scenic Area 龙宫风景区
The Longgong Scenic Area, also known as the Dragon Palace Scenic Area, is famous for its stunning natural landscapes, including majestic mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and intricate cave formations.
*Note: These scenic areas will be affected by the rainy season, so double check these sites the day of. If there is lots of flooding or water damage, some sites may be closed. The day I went, Longgong Scenic Area was entirely closed because of flooding, and certain walking paths around Huangguoshu were closed as well for safety concerns. The main waterfall area was open though!
Optional: Tianlong Tubu Village 天龙屯堡
Explore this local village more than 600 years old. They hold local performances here.
Day 3: Travel To Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Qiandongnan
Take a Train from Anshun Railway to Kaili Railway. From there, you can either take a bus, or a private car to the Xijiang Qianhu Village.
By Private Car: It is highly recommended to use private car service from China Discovery. If by car, it takes less than 1 hour.
By Coach: Independent travelers can take direct bus from South Kaili High Speed Train Bus Station (凯里高铁南站公交站) to Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village Bus Station (西江千户苗寨公交站). Whole journey takes about 1.5 hours.
Day 4: Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village 西江千户苗寨
The Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is a special ancient village in the Guizhou Province of China. It is home to the Miao people, a minority group in China. Visitors here can not only learn about the Miao culture, but also enjoy the traditional wooden architecture and stunning scenic views of the ancient village. Read more here: The Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Guizhou.
Optional: Zhaoxing Dong Village
If you want to extend your trip by a day and travel to more villages in Guizhou, Zhaoxing Dong Village is a popular choice. You can take a train from Kaili City to Congjiang, or go by bus.
Day 5: Travel to Tongren City
Take a train to Tongren City, in northeast Guizhou.
Where to stay in Tongren: You can choose to stay in Tongren City, or find a hotel by Fanjingshan mountain. It’s about an hour drive between them, so it depends on your schedule. I stayed in Tongren City, then drove and hour both ways to get to and from the mountain and Zhaisha Dong Village.
If you choose to stay in Tongren City, you can explore than Tongren Ancient City at night. It’s an ancient style town, but also has a Burger King inside
