Classic Shanghai to Hong Kong: Self-Launched Adventure
8 days · China & Hong Kong
G Adventures charges £1,399
No-markup version: ~£476 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of G Adventures' 8-day Shanghai-to-Hong Kong route — same skyscrapers, karst peaks, river floats and rice-terrace villages, booked and run entirely by you. You'll do it on budget guesthouses, hostel dorms, a Chinese hard-sleeper train and a high-speed bullet train, using self-bookable activities instead of a guided group. Costs are rough backpacker/budget estimates in GBP and exclude international flights; expect to spend around £430-520 all-in, versus roughly £1,399 for the operator's tour before meals and optional extras.
Day-by-day
Arrive Shanghai: Bund at night
Shanghai
Land at Pudong or Hongqiao and get into town cheaply: the Maglev from Pudong to Longyang Road is ~50CNY (about £5.50) and takes 8 minutes, then Metro Line 2 to People's Square (~4CNY). Check into a hostel near People's Square or the Bund. Spend the evening walking the Bund promenade for the classic Pudong skyline view — free. Grab dinner at a local noodle or dumpling shop (¥30-50). Set up your apps tonight: Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to your card makes almost everything cashless, and Didi (Chinese Uber) works well in English.
🚌Maglev + Metro Line 2 from Pudong Airport (~£6); walking and metro in the city
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel near People's Square/The Bund (~£14-18/night)
- →Bund waterfront walk
- →Nanjing Road stroll
- →Metro/Maglev arrival transfer
Shanghai by day, overnight train to Guilin
Shanghai → Guilin
Free day exploring. Options: the Shanghai Museum (free, book online in advance), Yu Garden and the old town bazaar (¥40 entry to the garden), the French Concession's plane-tree streets, and Tianzifang lanes for coffee and shopping. In the evening, catch an acrobatics show if you fancy it — tickets bookable on Klook or GetYourGuide from about £20-30 — or just eat xiaolongbao. Then head to Shanghai Hongqiao or Shanghai South station for the overnight hard-sleeper train to Guilin (~¥300-450 for lower berth, roughly £33-50, 13-16 hours). Book on Trip.com or the 12306 app a few days ahead; bring earplugs, an eye mask and snacks.
🚌Overnight sleeper train Shanghai → Guilin (~£40)
🛏Hard-sleeper train berth (6-berth carriage)
- →Shanghai Museum (free)
- →Yu Garden & old town bazaar
- →French Concession walk
- →Optional Shanghai Acrobatics show (book via Klook/GetYourGuide ~£20-30)
Arrive Guilin, transfer to Yangshuo
Yangshuo
Arrive Guilin in the morning and take the direct tourist bus or local bus from Guilin Bus Station to Yangshuo (~¥30-50, 1.5 hours) — or the cheaper local bus from Guilin's south station. Check into a guesthouse on West Street or quieter Yulong River side. Spend the afternoon settling in: rent a bicycle (¥30-50/day) and ride out toward the karst scenery, or walk the riverside. Evenings in Yangshuo are lively — West Street bars, street food, and the Impression Sanjie Liu light show on the river (from ~¥200) if you want a big-ticket night out.
🚌Local bus Guilin → Yangshuo (~£4)
🛏Yangshuo guesthouse or hostel, private or dorm (~£12-16/night)
- →Bus transfer to Yangshuo
- →Bicycle hire and karst countryside ride
- →West Street evening wander
Yangshuo full free day: Moon Hill & cooking class
Yangshuo
A whole day for Yangshuo. Best picks: cycle the Yulong River loop past rice paddies and water buffalo (bike ¥30-50), hike Moon Hill (¥15 entry, ~45 min up, huge arch with valley views), and take a bamboo raft on the Yulong River (~¥150-250 per raft, shared). In the afternoon, do a Chinese cooking class — book direct with Yangshuo Cooking School or via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£25-35 including market tour and lunch you cook yourself). Alternatively a tai chi or calligraphy lesson (~£10-15). Eat dinner at a local beer fish restaurant (Yangshuo's signature dish, ~¥60-90).
🚌Bicycle hire (~£5)
🛏Yangshuo guesthouse or hostel (~£12-16/night)
- →Moon Hill hike (¥15)
- →Yulong River bamboo rafting
- →Chinese cooking class with market tour (~£30)
- →Bicycle countryside loop
Li River cruise, community lunch, on to Longji
Yangshuo → Longji
Morning: book a Li River bamboo raft or short cruise from Yangshuo's Xingping jetty (¥150-250 per raft, or a shared sightseeing boat) — this is the karst scenery from the ¥20 banknote. Book direct at the jetty or via Klook the day before. For lunch, eat at a village restaurant in Xingping or the countryside — the original tour's community restaurant stop is a specific operator partnership, so instead support a local family-run spot in the villages (¥30-60). Early afternoon, take a bus back to Guilin (¥30) and then a local bus to Longji Rice Terraces / Dazhai (~¥40-60, 2.5 hours). Check into a guesthouse in Ping'an or Dazhai village. Early night ahead of the trek.
🚌Yangshuo→Guilin bus (~£4) + Guilin→Longji bus (~£6)
🛏Longji village guesthouse with terrace views (~£13-18/night)
- →Li River bamboo raft from Xingping
- →Village lunch
- →Bus transfers to Longji terraces
Longji rice terrace village-to-village trek
Longji
The highlight day: a self-guided village-to-village walk between Ping'an and Dazhai across the Longji (Dragon's Backbone) terraces — the trails are well marked and take 4-6 hours at a relaxed pace. Alternatively pay a local guide ¥100-150 for the day through your guesthouse. Depending on the season you may see (or even help with) planting or harvest. Bring water, snacks, sun cream and cash for village tea stalls. In the evening, soak up the sunset over the terraces from your guesthouse balcony and eat a home-cooked Zhuang or Yao meal (~¥40-60).
🚌On foot; village paths
🛏Longji village guesthouse (~£13-18/night)
- →Village-to-village terrace trek (4-6 hrs)
- →Optional local guide (¥100-150)
- →Sunset over the rice terraces
Bullet train to Hong Kong
Longji → Guilin → Hong Kong
Early bus down from Longji to Guilin (~¥40-60, 2.5 hrs), then catch the high-speed bullet train Guilin West → Hong Kong West Kowloon (~¥260-330 second class, roughly £28-36, about 3.5-4 hours; book on Trip.com). Note China immigration is done at West Kowloon station on arrival. Arrive late afternoon, check into a hostel in Jordan, Mong Kok or Tsim Sha Tsui (dorms £16-24). Evening: Temple Street Night Market for street food and trinkets, then catch the Symphony of Lights harbour show at 8pm from the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront — both free.
🚌Longji→Guilin bus (~£6) + Guilin→Hong Kong bullet train (~£32)
🛏Hong Kong hostel dorm, TST/Mong Kok (~£18-24/night)
- →High-speed rail to Hong Kong
- →Temple Street Night Market
- →Symphony of Lights & Victoria Harbour
Hong Kong free morning, depart
Hong Kong
Use the morning for the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour (HK$4, about 40p — best-value harbour cruise in the world), a dim sum breakfast (HK$60-100), and either the Mid-Levels Escalator and Man Mo Temple, or a quick hike on Dragon's Back if you have time. Airport: Airport Express is HK$115 (~£11.50) or the cheaper A21 bus (~HK$33). Depart at any time.
🚌Star Ferry (HK$4) + A21 bus or Airport Express to the airport (~£3.50-11.50)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Star Ferry crossing
- →Dim sum breakfast
- →Man Mo Temple / Mid-Levels walk
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£476 | £1,399 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £923 per person (66%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£476
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Classic Shanghai to Hong Kong: Self-Launched Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £476 per person for 8 days in China & Hong Kong. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,399 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £476 — a saving of roughly £923 (66%) per person.
How long is the China & Hong Kong trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through China & Hong Kong.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through China & Hong Kong, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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