Guilin - Folded Brocade Hill (Diecai)

Folded Brocade Hill is a popular hiking spot along the Li River, north of Guilin. It is made up of Yuyue Hill, Gazing Around Hill, Crane Peak and Mingyue (Bright Moon) Peak. The unique rock formation was such named because the patterns along the hillside resembles a huge pile of folded brocade. From the southern side of the hill, a flight of stone steps leads to Nayun (Cloud-Catching) Pavilion on top of Mingyue Peak, which is 223 meters above sea level. Along the way there are Diecai Pavilion, Diecai Archway, the Windy Cave and Watching the River Pavilion as well as dozens of masterpieces of inscriptions and intricate carvings. The Cloud-Catching Pavilion is the perfect vantage point as a magnificent bird's-eye view of the whole city along the river.

Guilin Fu Bo Hill

Fu Bo Hill stands alone on the west bank of the Li River, with half of the hill leading into the river. At the foot of the hill is Pearl-Returning Cave, where as legend goes, a boy returned the sacred pearl to the Dragon King. In the cave there hangs a rock suspended from the ceiling known as Sword-Testing Rock, which nearly touches the ground. Legend has it that the gap below it was made by an ancient general Fu Bo when he tested his sword. At the end of the cave is Thousand-Buddha Cave, where there are actually over 200 Buddha statues from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) style. On the western side, a flight of steps leads to Kuishui Pavilion and then to the top. From there, one can have a bird's-eye view over the Li River.
   

Guilin - Elephant Trunk (Xiangbi) Hill

Elephant Trunk Hill is a Guilin landmark situated where the Lijiang River meets the Peach Blossom River and as its name suggests, appears as a giant elephant drinking water from the river with its trunk. There is a moon-shaped cave between the trunk and the legs, which inspired people to name it Moon-over-Water Cave. Halfway up the hill is a cave that cuts through the hill and serves as the eyes of the elephant. On top of the hill stands a pagoda named Puxian Pagoda, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). There are many carvings on the inside and outside of the cave with inscriptions, the most well known of which is a poem by Lu You (1125-1210), one of the four great poets of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 -1279).