Elephant Trunk Hill

Last updated: March 2026. Check official site for tickets and opening hours.

The Li and Taohua rivers meet at the foot of the hill; a rock formation stretches into the water like an elephant’s trunk drinking—Guilin’s symbol and the image from the textbooks. Inside the park you can walk to the trunk and take photos from different angles, or view the full hill from the opposite bank or near Jiefang Bridge. The site is small; under an hour is enough. Many combine it with Two Rivers Four Lakes and Zhengyang Pedestrian Street on the same day, as the first or last stop in Guilin.

What Makes it Worth It

Elephant Trunk Hill is Guilin’s most recognisable landmark—a single karst hill that looks like an elephant, not a vast range. Good for anyone who wants to “tick” the classic view. Inside the park you get close to the trunk and the river; from the opposite bank you get more of the river and city. If you’re short on time, the free view from across the river is enough to say you’ve seen it. It’s in town with Reed Flute Cave, Prince City and the Li piers, so easy to string into a day.

What to Expect

Don’t Miss

Practical Information

Getting There

Common mistake: thinking you must enter the park to “see” it—you can view from the opposite bank; if you only want the shot or are in a rush, the free view is enough.

Elephant Trunk Hill is Guilin’s icon. Inside the park you get close to the trunk and the Li; from the opposite bank you get the full view for free. Small site, short visit—easy to pair with other city spots in half a day; if your trip includes the Li cruise and Yangshuo, the hill works well as an opener or closer in town.

If you only want "one shot of the hill" and are short on time, the opposite bank is enough. If you want to walk under the trunk and through Water Moon Cave, an hour inside the park does it.

• Guilin City Guide — Complete city guide