Is Guiyang Qiling Mountain Park Fun? What Attractions Are There

Guiyang Qiling Mountain Park is a tourist attraction worth visiting, with many fun attractions. Let’s take a look at some of them!

I. Attraction Introduction

Qiling Mountain Park is located in the northwest corner of Guiyang City. You can climb mountains and enjoy the scenery, or you can go boating on the lake, see caves, visit Hongfu Temple to pay your respects, or visit the zoo. Qiling Mountain Park has four gates: east, west, south, and north. The south gate is the main gate of the park, with many buses passing by. The cable car up the mountain is also on this side of the south gate, so it is recommended that tourists enter the park from the south gate. Entering the south gate, the first thing you see is the Seven Star Pond. The spring water flows from the Qilin Cave to the south gate of the park, forming seven stepped ponds. A few steps along the Seven Star Pond is the path up the mountain. If you don’t want to climb, you can take the cable car directly to the Viewing Pavilion on Elephant King Ridge. If you are hiking, follow the winding path upwards. The mountain is densely forested and the air is fresh. Along the way, you can also see a group of cliff carvings. The mountain is not very high, about 200 meters above ground level.

At the top of the mountain is Hongfu Temple, built in the Qing Dynasty. It is said that the temple is very effective in praying for blessings, so many devotees come to worship. After Hongfu Temple, climb a little further up the mountain and you will reach the Viewing Pavilion on Elephant King Ridge. From the pavilion, you can overlook the tall buildings in the mountains of Guiyang, making it a great spot for photos. If you really like hiking, Qiling Mountain Park is made up of several connected peaks, and you can also climb Bai Xiang Mountain, Guandao Rock, and Daluo Ridge. However, most tourists see Hongfu Temple and the Viewing Pavilion and then go down the mountain.

There are many macaques on the way down from Hongfu Temple. Many tourists come to Qiling Mountain Park just to see these macaques. They are kept in the park, and they are not afraid of people at all. People should be careful not to be too close. Anyone with a camera should hold it tightly, and anyone with food should hide it carefully, as the monkeys will try to grab it.

When you meet a fork in the road going down the mountain, go first in the direction of Qiling Lake. There are snack shops by the lake, where you can recharge your energy. Qiling Lake is a man-made reservoir. There is a monument to the martyrs on the lakeshore. You can go boating on the lake. In the summer, lotus flowers bloom, making for beautiful scenery. Next, go to the zoo. There are also snack shops next to the zoo, with grilled skewers, grilled squid, grilled tofu, etc., which are delicious and inexpensive. The zoo does not have many animal species, but if you have children, they will be delighted to see black bears, lions, sika deer, pigeons, etc.

II. Tour Recommendations

1. Hiking

Follow the winding path upwards. The mountain is densely forested and the air is fresh. Along the way, you can also see a group of cliff carvings. The mountain is not very high, about 200 meters above ground level. At the top of the mountain is Hongfu Temple, built in the Qing Dynasty. The entrance fee is 2 yuan. It is said that the temple is very effective in praying for blessings, so many devotees come to worship. After Hongfu Temple, climb a little further up the mountain and you will reach the Viewing Pavilion on Elephant King Ridge. From the pavilion, you can overlook the tall buildings in the mountains of Guiyang, making it a great spot for photos.

2. See Macaques at Hongfu Temple

Qiling Mountain Park is made up of several connected peaks, and you can also climb Bai Xiang Mountain, Guandao Rock, and Daluo Ridge. However, most tourists see Hongfu Temple and the Viewing Pavilion and then go down the mountain. There are many macaques on the way down from Hongfu Temple. Many tourists come to Qiling Mountain Park just to see these macaques. They are kept in the park, and they are not afraid of people at all. People should be careful not to be too close. Anyone with a camera should hold it tightly, and anyone with food should hide it carefully, as the monkeys will try to grab it.

3. Go Boating on Qiling Lake

When you meet a fork in the road going down the mountain, go first in the direction of Qiling Lake. There are snack shops by the lake, where you can recharge your energy. Qiling Lake is a man-made reservoir. There is a monument to the martyrs on the lakeshore. You can go boating on the lake. The price is about 15 yuan per hour. In the summer, lotus flowers bloom, making for beautiful scenery.

4. Visit the Zoo

Next, go to the zoo. There are also snack shops next to the zoo, with grilled skewers, grilled squid, grilled tofu, etc., which are delicious and inexpensive. The zoo entrance fee is 5 yuan. The zoo does not have many animal species, but if you have children, they will be delighted to see black bears, lions, sika deer, pigeons, etc.

5. See the Stalactites in Qilin Cave

South of the zoo is Qilin Cave. The entrance fee is 5 yuan. In the cave, you can see some stalactites, one of which looks like a qilin. Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were both imprisoned here by Chiang Kai-shek. There is also an exhibition hall of Zhang and Yang’s artifacts, where you can see their bedrooms at the time and related textual and pictorial introductions.

If you are traveling with children, you can also go to the children’s playground at the entrance of the park’s south gate. There are bumper cars, merry-go-rounds, pirate ships, and other amusement facilities. The prices range from 5 to 30 yuan.

III. Scenic Spot Introduction

Qiling Mountain Park is a national AAAA-level tourist area, located in the downtown area of Guiyang. It covers an area of 332 hectares. The park is connected to Zaoshan Road to the south, Baye Yan Road to the east, Shibei Road to the northeast, Guandao Rock and Xiaoguan Reservoir to the north, and Changpo Ridge Forest Farm, Qichong Ridge, Sanqiao Village, and Shengquan to the west. It covers an area of 332 hectares and is one of the few large-scale comprehensive urban parks in China.

It is famous for its beautiful mountains, beautiful waters, secluded forests, ancient temples, holy springs, and spirited monkeys. The park was built in 1957. Within the park, the peaks are stacked with green foliage, ancient trees stand tall, the forest is lush, the ancient caves are clear and cool, the deep valleys are secluded and tranquil, the scenery is peaceful and distant. Since ancient times, it has been a shining pearl on the Guizhou Plateau, known as the “First Mountain in Southern Guizhou”.