Itinerary Help: Guilin/Yangshuo or Huangshan in November?

Question

Hello! We're planning our first trip to China in mid to late November and am having trouble deciding between Guilin/Yangshuo and Huangshan mainly because of logistics. I tried searching the forums and the web, and even asked chatgpt, but I'm coming up with conflicting answers and no itinerary quite like ours.

Our trip will be about 20 days, and we're planning on doing the following:

Beijing for 4 days

Xi'an for 2 days

Chongqing including a day trip to Wulong Karst for 3 days

Guilin/Yangshuo? Huangshan and nearby towns? 3 or 4 days

Hangzhou for 2 days

Shanghai for 3 days

Our preference is Huangshan because we like the mountain scenery, especially in November, but where does it logically make sense in our itinerary? I tried searching for flights on Trip.com from Chongqing and Xi'an, but tickets were over $500 USD! I also read that there are limited flights because it's after high season. Do we go from Hangzhou instead and take a high speed train? So we would visit the mountains before Shanghai? It that too much back and forth?

Does it make more sense given the rest of our itinerary to go with Guilin/Yangshuo instead?

Thank you go any suggestions and insights you can provide!

Answer

Given your 20-day itinerary and preference for mountain scenery in November, both Guilin/Yangshuo and Huangshan offer stunning landscapes, but the logistics and travel connections differ significantly. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you decide:

Option 1: Huangshan

Huangshan is ideal for mountain scenery, especially in November with cooler weather, misty mornings, and fewer crowds. Logistically, Huangshan is best visited in conjunction with Hangzhou and Shanghai, because direct flights from Xi’an or Chongqing are limited and expensive after high season. The high-speed train network is reliable and convenient:

From Hangzhou: Take a high-speed train to Huangshan North Station (approx. 3–3.5 hours). You can stay overnight near the city or in Tangkou town before heading into the mountains.
After Huangshan: Continue by high-speed train to Shanghai (approx. 4–5 hours), which fits smoothly into your itinerary.
Recommendation: Spend 2 nights near the mountains to allow a full day of hiking or taking cable cars and enjoying sunrise/sunset views. Optional visit to nearby ancient towns like Hongcun or Xidi adds cultural depth.

This avoids backtracking and keeps travel efficient while aligning with your preference for mountain scenery.

Option 2: Guilin/Yangshuo

Guilin and Yangshuo are famous for their karst landscapes and Li River scenery. They are farther west and closer to Chongqing, which makes them more convenient if you want to visit after Chongqing/Wulong:

From Chongqing: Flights or high-speed trains to Guilin are available, but flights may be cheaper than trains depending on dates. Travel time by train can be 6–7 hours.
Guilin/Yangshuo: Spend 2–3 days exploring the Li River, Elephant Trunk Hill, and cycling around Yangshuo countryside. This option avoids additional travel to eastern China.
After Guilin: Fly or take high-speed train to Hangzhou (4–5 hours by air), then continue your planned itinerary to Hangzhou and Shanghai.

Decision factors:

If mountain scenery is your priority and you are okay with slightly more train travel in eastern China, Huangshan is the better choice, fitting nicely between Hangzhou and Shanghai.
If convenience and minimizing east-west travel are more important, Guilin/Yangshuo is logistically simpler after Chongqing but involves flights or longer train journeys to continue to Hangzhou.
Both options allow for cultural and scenic experiences, but Huangshan aligns better with cooler November weather and less crowded mountain scenery.

Suggested itinerary for Huangshan option: