Unit U6: Landscape Shaped by Water

Guilin was added in 2014 to the South China Karst World Heritage property. Its part of the listing has two components: the Putao tower karst, isolated peaks standing on a flat plain (fenglin), and the Li river cone karst, clusters of peaks that share a common base (fengcong). The Li river runs between them, falling from about 141 metres above sea level at Guilin to 103 metres at Yangshuo. Cone karst dominates the gorge; tower karst lies around Yangshuo. The view on the back of the 20 yuan note is taken just outside Xingping. See the PreeChina page on the Li River.

Underground, the same process leaves caves. Reed Flute Cave in Guilin is lit with coloured lights, but its stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone can still be read as a record of water moving through the rock.

1. Run a dissolution experiment: limestone chips in water and in a weak acid, weighed before and after.
2. Tell peaks from peak clusters: sketch the skyline from two viewpoints and mark tower karst and cone karst.
3. Read a cave profile: draw a section through part of Reed Flute Cave and label where water has dissolved and where it has deposited.
4. Keep a log of the day: place, weather, what was measured, what was learned.

• IB DP Geography (landforms)
• AP Environmental Science
• A-Level Geography

The school's coordinator confirms the fit against the current course documents.

Guilin and Yangshuo sit at either end of the Li river, so the unit fits a route through Guangxi, with the river trip between them. No PreeChina student group has done this unit on site yet.

Fees follow the length of the whole trip, for groups of 10 or more (10 included): USD 100 per person for trips of up to 10 days, USD 150 for 11 to 20 days, and an individual quote beyond 20 days. Hotels, meals, transport, tickets and other trip expenses are separate unless the agreed quotation says otherwise. See the cost page.

Is a river trip part of the unit?

Yes. The stretch from Guilin to Yangshuo is where students see cone karst give way to tower karst.

Which courses does the unit connect to?

IB DP Geography, AP Environmental Science and A-Level Geography.