Guiyang’s Mountain Park
This walk is an extensive hike and exploration of Qianling Hill Park, a massive, over-a-thousand-acre mountain park located directly within the center of Guiyang. This urban trek is a multi-hour endeavor that involves climbing a series of peaks, often navigating many steps, along the park’s various edges. Despite its location, the park is vast enough to give visitors the feeling of being deep in the mountains. The physical effort of traversing the peaks is rewarded with spectacular views that contrast the natural mountain ridges with the backdrop of the modern city skyline.
The day-long outing offers a blend of natural exploration and cultural observation, giving a
glimpse into a slice of local life. As the trails descend into the valleys, visitors encounter various public activities, such as dancing, Tai Chi, and swordplay. Beyond the natural scenery, the route passes by several points of interest, including a small zoo, a cave, and a lake. A key destination is the ascent to the Hongfu Temple, a hillside structure well-known for being surrounded by a large population of monkeys. The extensive hike typically concludes after summiting the final peak, where a cable car can be taken to ride back to the park’s main entrance.
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DIRECTIONS
1. From Guiyang city center, take Metro Line 3, exit from Exit C of “Qianlingshan Park Station”, and walk north for 3 minutes to reach the south gate of Qianlingshan Park.
2. Begin at the South Gate plaza of Qianling Park, where you can buy water and snacks from the small kiosks before entering the park.
3. After entering from the south gate, follow the main paved path gently uphill for several minutes, Walk along the mountain path on the east side (right side) of the park from the fork in the road.
4. Follow the signs from the stone tablet toward Qilin Cave, climb the hill (White Elephant Mountain), ascend the steps, and pass through the dense forest. Along the way, you can see both city and mountain views.
5. After climbing for about 230 meters along the road leading to the south peak of White Elephant Mountain, you will reach a spacious viewing platform where you can see the city landscape.
6. From the mountain platform, descend to the main road in the valley. Walking north along the main road will take you to the zoo. After passing through the panda enclosure, you enter a tunnel and then the zoo area, where you can see many animals like tiger and bears.
7. Continue straight along the main road for five minutes to enter the monkey viewing area. A large number of monkeys will be active on both sides of the road; please keep a close eye on your belongings.
8. Follow the waymarked path downhill toward Hongfu Temple, descending on paved steps through dense forest for approximately 10 minutes.
9. After visiting Hongfu Temple, walk south downhill for about 5 minutes to reach a cable car that will take you back to the starting point at the south gate of the park.
GALLERY
