Hill Climbing

There is always a lot of fun to climb up a limestone mountain or hill to get a beautiful view of the surrounding. Some of the most beautiful and popular hills for climbers are Elephant Trunk Hill, Solitary Beauty Peak, and Fubo Hill in Guilin city, and Moon Hill in Yangshuo. Climbing the limestone hills in Guilin region is relaxing as the most hills are less than 300 meters high. And the views on the peaks are always wonderful.

Elephant Trunk Hill, also known as Elephant Hill, is located at the confluence of the Li River and Peach Blossom River in the south central area of Guilin City. It looks like a huge elephant stretching its trunk and drinking water, hence the name. Elephant Trunk Hill is the symbol of Guilin and its karst landscape.

On the top of the hill is a two-storey pagoda built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) surrounded by green trees. The north seat of the second floor is inlaid with an image of Bodhisattva Puxian. The pagoda looks like a precious vase on the back of an elephant seen from distance and many beautiful legends about the pagoda with good wishes are said among people.

Solitary Beauty Peak (Duxiu Feng) is located in downtown area of Guilin city. This place was named after the famous poet Yan Yanzhi of the Southern Dynasty. There is a natural stone chamber located in the east of the hill and it is believed to be the study used by Yan Yanzhi when he was the Magistrate of Guilin 1,500 years ago. The peak provides a good view of the town below. It has been called the "pillar of the Southern Sky." In the haze of dawn or the glow of sunset the peak is purple or gold. A climb up the 306 stone steps to the top is rewarded by a panoramic view of the city. The view from here shows clearly the many limestone pinnacles that rise out of the flat land that surrounds them.