Guilin Elephant Trunk Hill — Tickets & Complete Guide
Guilin's central landmark, named for its profile of an elephant lowering its trunk into the river. At the confluence of the Li River and Taohua Stream — the city's official emblem. Klook tickets from ¥60.
At a Glance
| Base ticket | ¥70 / Klook ¥60 |
|---|---|
| + Li River night cruise | ¥130 / Klook ¥110 |
| Opening hours | 06:30–21:30 |
| Location | Central Guilin, Metro Line 1 "Elephant Trunk Hill" station |
| Time needed | 1.5–2 hours |
| Size | 11.88 ha |
1. What Elephant Trunk Hill is
A hill in central Guilin at the confluence of the Li River and Taohua Stream. From the side it resembles an elephant on the riverbank, long trunk dipped into the water — and it serves as Guilin's official city symbol. The whole hill is limestone, lifted from the seabed 360 million years ago — classic karst.
At its base sits Water-Moon Cave, the natural round arch between the elephant's trunk and body. On the 15th of every lunar month, moonlight reflects off the water through Water-Moon Cave to create the famous "moon under the water, moon afloat on the river" effect.
2. The 4 must-do experiences
- Water-Moon Cave — natural circular arch beneath the trunk, magical in moonlight.
- Climb to the summit — 200 stone steps to a panorama of the Li River and old Guilin.
- Riverside walk — 5 km along the Li River for multi-angle photos of the elephant.
- Night light show — 19:30 nightly.
3. Best windows
- Early morning 6:30–8:00: quietest, sunrise on the elephant.
- Dusk 17:00–19:00: sunset gilds the river.
- After 19:30: light show + Li River reflections.
- April–May, September–November: most comfortable weather.
- Avoid: June–September thunderstorms.
4. Other Guilin attractions compared
| Site | Location | Price | Hook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elephant Trunk Hill | City centre | ¥60 | Guilin's emblem + 1.5 hr |
| Silver Cave | Yangshuo | ¥80 | 3 km karst cave |
| Li River cruise | Guilin–Yangshuo | ¥270 | 4 hr scenic boat |
| Yulong River bamboo raft | Yangshuo | ¥240 | Bamboo raft drift |
5. Suggested 2–3 day Guilin itinerary
- Day 1: Elephant Trunk Hill + old-town walk;
- Day 2: Li River cruise Guilin → Yangshuo;
- Day 3: Yangshuo West Street + Yulong River raft + Silver Cave.
6. How to get there / back
- Metro: Line 1 directly to "Elephant Trunk Hill" station;
- From Guilin Liangjiang Airport: Metro Line 1, ~50 min;
- From HSR station: Guilin North → Elephant Trunk Hill, ~30 min;
- Didi / taxi: ~¥15 from central Guilin.
7. How to save money
- Pre-book on Klook: save ¥10;
- Children under 1.0 m free;
- 1.0–1.4 m half price;
- 60+ half price;
- Skip the climb: see Water-Moon Cave for free from the riverside path outside the park.
8. Practical tips
- Bring: ID / passport, comfortable walking shoes, rain jacket;
- Not allowed: outside food, pets, selfie sticks;
- Toilets: 5+ in the park;
- Accessibility: ground level is step-free; the summit involves many stairs.
9. Why book through us
- ¥10 cheaper than the gate;
- Scan-and-enter;
- Voucher valid 6 months;
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.