Yangshuo hidden trekking area from Putao to Shikou

This nice trekking area near Yangshuo start in Putao village. This is a hidden Yangshuo"s trek area with awesome old villages far away of tourustic activity. This hike invites you to discover authentic villages whose lives seem immuable for century. You can meet farmers working in their fields in a stunning place, surrounded by limestone karst hills.

trekking area near Yangshuo

Not far from Yangshuo, discover karst hills Putao's landscape without tourists congregate. Sure you will not see others tourists all around you. This trekking area leads you in the Tortoise river country.

ROUTE MAP
Yangshuo > Putao > Cuiping > Zhouzhai > Yangshan > Shikou > Lingtoushang > Cuiping > Putao > Yangshuo

Time
Walking during 3 hours. Acces and returm to Yangshuo time 
and trip on a full day
Getting There

Download the map to see more details

Start your trek from Yangshuo North bus station. Take the bus to Guilin (20 yuan) ask the driver to stop at Putao vikkage . From the bus stop in Putao situated at crossroads of National road G321 and 098 county road (point A on the map) turn left onto the 098 road.
Ib Putao, ask a moto taxi (¥ 5) to going Elementary school of Cuiping.
Or walk this distance on foot by joining first Putao Old Village (1.2 km) (point B). From this point, take the road on the left to lead to the south in the Putao plain. After walk 2 km, you  arrive at the Cuiping School (Elementary school of Zhouzhai) (point C).

Street in Putao Old village

Equipment :
Next the Cuiping School, there is a grocery store. There after, it will not possible to buy water, drink or food. Have on you a compass to better follow this treck guidelines. A small note book and pencil to write on paper chinese characters indicated on this page.

1 - From Cuiping to Zhouzhai

Since Cuiping School continue the main road in south direction. At 250 meters road approches a small river where a wash basin is located. Just after it, a  crossroad.  Take the road on the right. 500 m further an other crossroad. Take on the right (West) towards Zhouzhai village situated at 1 km. You arrive in the entrance of Zhouzhai village on a bridge named Wangfu bridge over the tortoise river.

Old Wanfu bridge in Zhouzhai

2 - From  Zhouzhai to Yangshan

From The Zhouzhai Bridge (point D), come back on 50 m to take a small path on the right (south east) (point E) going in plantation fields towards a small hamlet: Jinglong. Take the time to explore this small hamlet and then, continue by road (East) which joins the main road. Take it on the right to reach Yangshan village surrounded by impressive limestone Karst hills. Go through the main street's village and see the fine Shikou bridge. On the other side of the river, it is Shikou village. Take time to discover this two well preserved villages. 

Main street in Yangshan

3 - From Shikou to Lingtoushang

Cross Shikou village (South). You cannot get lost: on West the route is surrounded by impassable hills and on East by the tortoise river. The path goes close abig hill and round it to comes near the tortoise river. here, we arrive in Lingtoushang hamlet. Very few tourists was arriving here. 

At this point, we could choice to go back to Putao by the same ride.

But it's more interesting to go round the huge hill that is just in front on the other side of the river. It's only 600 meters more for the whole trip. For this, let'get closer to the river and reach a little river dam

From Shikou, The bridge and Yangshan village

4 - Turn of the hill and crossing farm fields

Trail arround the Ma Shan Hill

Cross the river on the little dam (F point) and follow the path to the East along the big hill. Dont take trail on the right going in fields, but always stay on the foot of the hill (Mashan hill). The path turns North direction and cross a small pass between two hills.

Now a detailed description, but it's finally very easy and obvious. :-)

Further an intersection on the path.The left path continues around the hill and returns to Yangshan village. Take the right one that joins a main path going West to East (point G). Turn on right (go to East) and only 20 m further turn left into a small footpath leading down to farm fields. From this point we follow towards the North a very nice ancient paved path. A beautiful and ancient bridge cross a little river at point H. Finally the path reach the main Yangshan/ Putao road. Follow the road to reach the Cuiping school.

5 - From Cuiping go back to Yangshuo

At cuiping Grocery, near le Cuiping school, ask the woman who holds the shop to call a taxi bike or walk back to Putao (4 km). Then, join G321 road in Putao and take the bus to Yangshuo 阳朔

6 - Usefull chinese words for asking the way

• Yangshuo North bus station 阳朔汽车北站
• Putao 葡萄
• Cuiping school 翠屏 周寨小学
• Zhouzhai village 周寨
• Jinglong 景隆
• Yangshan village 羊山寨 
• Shikou village 石口
• Lingtoushang hamlet 岭头上
• Mashan hill  马山
• Yangshuo 阳朔