Discover Guilin and Yangshuo
Elephant Trunk Hill
象鼻山
Guilin's civic emblem: a riverside rock whose arch makes it look exactly like an elephant drinking from the Li River. Admission was dropped and it is now a free city park, which makes it an easy first stop.
The story
What makes this place special
Elephant Trunk Hill stands where the Taohua stream joins the Li River in central Guilin, and is the city's emblem - it appears on the municipal logo and on most things sold in Guilin. The name comes from the shape: a karst hill with a water-cut arch at its base, read as an elephant standing with its trunk down in the river to drink. The arch is the Water Moon Cave, named for the effect of the moon's reflection appearing both beneath the water and floating on it when seen through the opening.
What you’ll discover
A riverside park around the base of the hill, with the elephant shape and the arch visible from the bank, a short climb up the hill to a terrace and the small pagoda on its back, and the Water Moon Cave at water level. The whole site is small - the hill is one feature in a landscaped park - and the visit is essentially walking to the viewpoint, taking the photograph, and walking out.
A little local insight
Good to know before you go
- You can see the hill for nothing from outside. The riverside path on the opposite bank, and the Jiefang Bridge area, give the classic elephant profile without entering the park, and many visitors conclude that is the sensible version of this sight.
- Go for the shape, at the right angle. The elephant only reads from a fairly narrow arc downstream of the hill; from most of the park it looks like a hill with a hole in it.
- It is small - half an hour to forty-five minutes covers it - so do not build an afternoon around it. Combine it with Two Rivers and Four Lakes, which is next to it, or Seven Star Park across the river.
- Evening is better than day. The hill and the arch are floodlit at night and the reflection in the water is the thing the Water Moon Cave is named for; the night boat on the Two Rivers and Four Lakes circuit passes it.
- Expect the single most intense souvenir-selling of any sight in Guilin, because it is the city's symbol and inside a compact park.
When to come
Dusk and after dark, when the hill is lit and reflecting; or early morning for quiet. Any season - it is a riverside city park and the water level in the dry winter months lowers the reflection.
Getting around
Partly good. The riverside park paths around the base are flat and paved and a wheelchair can reach the main viewpoints of the hill and the arch, which is the whole point of coming. The climb onto the hill to the terrace and pagoda is by stone steps and is not accessible. Viewing the hill from across the river or from the bridge is entirely level and free.
Worth knowing before you go
The free reservation needs your passport number, and since the price drop the daily cap often fills - book before you arrive in Guilin rather than on the day.
Compare established providers
Check live tours and tickets
Search for Elephant Trunk Hill in Guilin and Yangshuo. Prices, availability, payment and confirmation are handled by the booking provider.
China Travel Select does not take payment or create the reservation. Confirm the exact name, dates, inclusions and cancellation rules on the provider’s page.
Take a closer look
Maps, videos & more
Prices and hours change. These are the places to check on the day.
