Elephant Trunk Hill - An Iconic Landmark of Guilin

Elephant Trunk Hill – the Famous Landmark of Guilin City

Written by Clementine | Updated July 21,2025

Elephant Trunk Hill, formerly known as Li Hill, is located at the confluence of Taohua river and Li river in Guilin. It is named after its shape that looks like a giant elephant standing by the river and drinking water from the Li river.

200 meters above sea-level and 55 meters above the surface of the river, it is a karst landform formed by pure limestone depositing on the seabed 360 million years ago. It is regarded as the symbol of Guilin’s landscape and the city emblem of Guilin. Every year, people from all over the world visit and take pictures here when traveling Guilin.

Fast Facts about Elephant Trunk Hill

Location: Xiangshan Distict Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Chinese name:象鼻山
Dimension: 200 meters above sea level and 55 meters above the river surface
Opening hours: 6: 30- 18: 30
Tickets: Free entrance
Best time to visit:April – October
Time needed: 1- 2 hours

Elephant Trunk Hill History

There is a legend about Elephant Trunk Hill. Long time ago, a little elephant came down to earth from the heavenly palace and was hurt badly. Luckily, the kind local people found him and saved his life. In order to thank the people who saved him, the elephant decided to stay here and tried his best to help them.

Unfortunately, the heaven soldiers tried to caught him back to the heavenly palace. But the elephant had been accustomed to the daily life here and was reluctant to leave. Consequently, the soldiers began to fight fiercely with the elephant. During the fight, the elephant was killed by a sword stabbing into his back when he drank water from the Li river defenselessly. It is said that the Puxian temple today is right the sword which killed the elephant. The elephant therefore became a beautiful hill standing along the river forever.

What to See at the Elephant Trunk Hill

Water Moon Cave (Shuiyuedong水月洞)

Elephant Trunk Hill is well-known for its amazing shape that looks like a giant elephant. There is a water moon cave about 150 square meters between the trunk and leg of the elephant, which looks like a moon floating on the Li river. So, there is a wonderful view called “water moon of elephant hill”. Located on the west bank of Li river and the Chuanyue Cave on the east bank, it constitutes a charming and fantastic scenery called “two moons of Li river”.

Elephant Eye Cave (Xiangyanyan 象眼岩)

Located on the north and south sides of the waist of Elephant Trunk Hill, the Elephant Eye Caves are interconnected, approximately 2 meters high, 5 to 10 meters wide, and 52.8 meters long. They are oblong in shape, with an area of about 274 square meters. Originally a short section of an ancient underground river, the Elephant Eye Caves were formed earlier than the Water Moon Cave and are named for their position at the “eyes” of the elephant. The north and south caves serve as excellent vantage points for enjoying the scenery.

Puxian Pagoda (Puxianta 普贤塔)

When you look afar, it feels like that the Puxian pagoda is a sword hilt stabbing into the elephant’s back. So the pagoda is also given name “Sword Hilt Pagoda” or “Vase Pagoda.” The base of the pagoda is a double-layer octagonal platform. It is 13.6 meters tall. The entire brick structure is robust, harmonious, simple yet charming. To the north of the pagoda stands a line-engraved stone Buddha statue, with six sutras inscribed on its head, named “Samantabhadra Bodhisattva”. That is why it is called the Puxian Pagoda.

Yunfeng Temple (Yunfengsi 云峰寺)

Nested in the southwest slope of Elephant Trunk Hill, Yunfeng Temple is a southern ancient temple featuring a double-layered roof, horse-head walls, green tiles and red beams. The temple has housed statues of Buddha, Taoist deities and even Panwang, which has made it into one of the famous ancient temples in Guilin.

The present temple was rebuilt and renovated in 1978 by the Guilin City Cultural Relics Management Committee. It is a two-storey, hard-mountain-style structure with five bays and a central courtyard. There is a stone carving from the Tang Dynasty on the rock wall behind the temple. The second floor of Yunfeng Temple is now an exhibition for “Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in Guilin,” featuring a plaque written by famous Chinese painter Liu Haisu inside.

Sanhua Wine Cellar (Sanhuajiuyao 三花酒窖)

The “belly of the elephant” of Elephant Trunk Hill is hollow, warm in winter and cool in summer, always maintaining a temperature 19°C. So it is called a natural large wine cellar. The Sanhua wine cellar includes two large rock caves, with an area of nearly 3,000 square meters. It stores thousands of tons of Guilin Sanhua Wine dating back to the 1950’s.

After aging in the cellar, the wine becomes mellow, pure, and sweet. The Sanhua Wine Cellar hosts various cellar-opening ceremonies and festive activities related to Guilin Sanhua Wine each year. By doing so, it provides chances for more people to learn about Sanhua Wine.

Guilin Elephant Trunk Hill with Guests — Our customers at Elephant Trunk Hill

When is the Best Time to Visit?

Generally speaking, the Elephant Trunk Hill is suitable for sightseeing all year round. But the best time to visit is April to October, which is also the best time to visit Guilin.

The best time of a day to visit here is the early morning and night. The night view of Elephant Trunk Hill is particularly enchanting. Visitors can also appreciate the scenery in the misty rain, a representative scene of Li river, especially in Spring. When the night falls down, visitors can see the wonderful view called “water moon of the elephant trunk hill” under the moonlight.

Essential Tips

The scenic area is free to enter, but advance online reservation is required. One phone number can book up to three tickets.
Safety should be a priority during your visit, especially when climbing stairs and taking photos.
Dress for the season — you’ll want sunscreen in summer and warm clothes in winter. Bring a camera, extra batteries, and appropriate medication if necessary.
Elephant Trunk Hillis a good place for hiking, from which you can have a closer look at its unique karst formations and the scenic views of the surrounding rivers and mountains.

How to Get to Elephant Trunk Hill

Bus: Visitors can take Bus No.16 or 23 and get off at Xiangshan Park (Elephant trunk hill).
From City center: Take Bus No. 2 from the city center or Guilin Station, and then get off at “Elephant Trunk Hill Park Station.”
From Liangjiang International Airport:Take the airport shuttle bus from the T2 terminal, get off at the Civil Aviation Building city check-in hall station, and walk 1.4 kilometers to reach the destination. You can also take a taxi, which cost about 61 yuan, with a total journey of about 29 kilometers.

Nearby Attractions

The Two Rivers and Four Lakes: Comprising Rong Lake, Shan Lake, Gui Lake, Mulong Lake, Li River, and Taohua River, this water system encircles Guilin. A boat tour offers views of more than ten traditional famous mountains and several historical sites.
Seven Star Park: Named for its seven peaks that resemble the Big Dipper in the sky, it is a landmark of Guilin’s cultural landscapewith green mountains, clear waters, strange caves, and beautiful stones.