[Photo from guilin.com]

The Twelve Rapids Rafting Area is situated in the northeastern Wantian township, Lin’gui county, Guilin. The area is located along the popular tourist route through Guilin and Longsheng county. The rafting section of the scenic area can be found at the upper reaches of Yijiang River in Guilin and is easy to get to, as both the beginning and the end points are connected to National Road G321. The end of the route is only 55 kilometers from Guilin and 30 kilometers south of Longsheng county.

The whole course covers 9.5 kilometers, and the overall descent is just shy of 100 meters. The name of the scenic area comes from the 2-kilometer long ‘twelve rapids’ section, which contains a single drop of 3 meters. In the twisting channels of the Twelve Rapids, amid the thrashing of waves on the rocks, rubber rafts buck their way down the river, providing the ultimate thrill.

Alongside the river are towering cliffs, terraced fields and lush forests covering the mountains from head to toe. Summits in the scenic area range from 300 to 5000 meters and the climate varies depending on the height. Differences between the four seasons are distinct, with an abundance of rainfalls throughout the year. In midsummer, the temperature is 3-5 degrees lower than in downtown Guilin. Twelve Rapids has been rated as a “professional rafting resort in China” and is one of the first self-service canyon rafting sites in Guangxi.

The rapids are located in the Lin’gui Water Reserve, where the natural forest is well preserved. The forest is an evergreen broadleaf forest, containing mostly Chinese fir, Moso Bamboo, oak and Chinese Bayberry trees, in addition to a few rare species such as silver fir, incense cedar and Chinese yew. This is an ideal place not only for rafting, but also for mountain biking, hiking and camping.

Features: At the riverbanks is the Cambrian dark grey shale and scattered in the riverbed are giant stones in various shapes and colors. The areas constitute peculiar landscapes such as steep pits, platforms and potholes. Many small picturesque waterfalls hang from the cliffs along the canyon.