After we had done all the sightseeing around Liziba (李子坝) area, our next stop was Eling Park (鹅岭公园). On the map, it seemed "walkable" but after getting advice from a local, we decided to call for a DiDi ride. We were glad we did that as Eling Park is right at the top of the cliff. Based on our stamina, it would probably take us more than an hour to climb up and by that time, we would be extremely exhausted. As Chongqing is a city with multiple-level elevation, maps cannot be 100% "trustable". :-)
The DiDi ride took about 10-15 minutes and we alighted right at the entrance of the park.
Built originally in 1909 during the late Qing Dynasty, Eling Park was conceived as "Li Garden" (or Yi Garden), a private, luxurious villa belonging to a wealthy salt merchant named Li Heyang. Reopened as a public park in 1958, it acts as the serene "green lungs" of the roaring mega-city below.
Perched high on the narrow "goose neck" ridge of the Yuzhong Peninsula, Eling Park stands as the highest geographic crown of central Chongqing. For over a century, this hilltop sanctuary has offered the ultimate bird's-eye view of the city's surreal, multi-layered cyberpunk skyline.
The park has become even more spectacular with the grand opening of the Eling Walking Bridge / Skywalk (鹅岭栈桥). Hanging dramatically off the mountain cliff, this elevated footbridge loops around the hillside, delivering a thrilling "walking in the clouds" perspective.
To access to the entrance of Eling Walking Bridge, we need to exit the park and register for a free entry pass with our passport. Initially we were told to register at the below building but when we reached there, we realized this place is for locals. For foreign tourists, we need to walk further down the street to a visitor center for the registration.
Opened as a spectacular highlight of Chongqing's Mid-Mountain Hiking Trail network, the Eling Skywalk (鹅岭栈桥) is a modern engineering marvel. This 460-meter-long elevated steel and glass walkway curves like a silver ribbon along the vertical cliffs of Eling Mountain.
Suspended up to 30 meters in mid-air, the walkway offered panoramic views over tumbling hillside streets, transit lines, and futuristic overpasses.
At one point, we could even see the famous Liziba light rail entering the residential building from another perspective.
Due to crowd management, the skywalk operates on a strict one-way system moving from Fotuguan Park up into Eling Park.
The exit of the skywalk led us back into Eling Park.
Kansheng Tower (侃天楼) and referred to by locals as the 两江亭 (Liǎngjiāng Tíng), is a historic nine-story pagoda that required a serious stair-climbing workout but rewarded us with an unmatched 360-degree panoramic viewing platform. Standing at the top, we could look down at the spectacular clash where the brown Yangtze River meets the green Jialing River under a glowing horizon.
We then continued to explore the rest of the park. We strolled past ancient camphor trees to discover hidden villas, the Fei Pavilion, and historical monuments that safely hosted foreign diplomats during the World War II era.
We left the park at about 5pm and took a metro from a nearby station towards Ciqikou (磁器口), our next and final stop of the day.
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