Day 1: Hong Kong -- Yangshuo
With your guide, head to Victoria Peak, the largest mountain in Hong Kong, to discover the city's best views. There are two ways to the top: a leisurely hike or a ride on the iconic Victoria Peak tram. Whatever option you choose, your guide will accompany you. Going at a gentle pace, the hike follows a route through Victoria Peak’s web of woodland trails and footpaths -- one of the few places in Hong Kong where you’ll find yourself surrounded by lush forests and green parkland. The tram option is a visual delight in its own right, too. If you choose this route, hop aboard the red funicular train in Hong Kong’s Central district, and ride straight up the mountain, passing skyscrapers and houses at a jaw-dropping angle.

As you near the top, you’ll see one of the world’s most spectacular cityscapes unfold before your eyes. The tranquil parkland of Victoria Peak frames the frantic urban metropolis below, where sparkling skyscrapers and the island’s bustling harbor teem with the relentless energy that typifies Hong Kong so well.

Soak up the magnificent vista and then head back down the peak (either hiking or taking the tram) to return to your hotel. From here, you’ll take a 2-hour train ride north to the city of Guilin, and then board an air-conditioned coach for your 5-hour journey to Yangshuo County in China (times approximate). The journey north is long, but you’ll have plenty of stops along the way to stretch your legs and eat.

Overnight: 3-star Bamboo House, Yangshuo

Day 2: Yangshuo
In the morning, venture out into the heart of Yangshuo town to experience the best of this magical region. Lying just southeast of Guilin city, the town is known for its breathtaking beauty, surrounded by karst peaks – mystical-looking limestone rock formations.

Your first activity here is a cooking class, during which you’ll learn all about the culture and cuisine in southern China. See how to cook local delicacies and get involved in the food preparation – chopping, peeling and cooking – before sampling your creations. Examples of the meals you may make include ganbian si ji dou (a delicious dish of dry-fried green beans) and kung pao chicken (a spicy chicken and peanut dish). Vegetarian meals can be cooked on request. 

From the cooking school, head down to the Li River to try out bamboo rafting – the ideal activity to soak up Yangshuo’s riverside scenery while weaving between the towering karst peaks. The picturesque stretch of water is shrouded in fog for most of the year, but just the sight of giant rock formations cutting through the mist adds to the area’s mystique. Glide down the river on a bamboo raft for roughly two hours, and then head back to your hotel.

Your evening consists of yet more riverside activities. As the sun goes down, watch local farmers fishing using cormorant birds – a practice that dates back hundreds of years in China – and then enjoy a few evening drinks (own expense) in a roof-top bar overlooking the river and karst peaks. Spend the rest of your night in Yangshuo at leisure.

Overnight: 3-star Bamboo House, Yangshuo

Day 3: Yangshuo – Moon Hill – Hong Kong
Meet your guide in the morning for a hike to Moon Hill – the spectacular karst cliff with a moon-shaped arch – situated just a few kilometers away from Yangshuo. Walking at a leisurely pace, you’ll see more of the area’s captivating limestone scenery before climbing up to the arch itself. Stop for photos at the top, and marvel at the panoramic vista of the sweeping Yulong Valley.

Continue your hike to Yangshuo’s famous water caves just behind the hill, and relax in one of the natural bud baths at leisure. Finish with a long soak in the hot mineral pools then return to your Yangshuo hotel by bike, giving you one last experience of southern China's great outdoors.

From your hotel, you’ll be transferred to the Guilin airport for your flight back to Hong Kong.