Qingyuan Chimelong Bear Valley: A Themed Adventure Design and Construction Case Study

Bear Valley at Qingyuan Chimelong brings together bear-themed spaces, walking exploration and aerial challenges across approximately 3,860 square metres. Elephant Cultural Tourism, a division of ESAC (Elephant Sculpture Art Company), provided design and construction services for the project.

This case study examines the relationship between the attraction’s theme and its activities, focusing specifically on the Bear Valley project.

• Project: Bear Valley, Qingyuan Chimelong
• Location: Longtang Town, Qingcheng District, Qingyuan, Guangdong, China
• Project area: 3,860 m²
• Services: Design and construction
• Key features: Bear-themed environments, outdoor non-powered climbing and multiple exploration routes

Bear Valley is located within Qingyuan Chimelong Forest Kingdom, which combines forest exploration with animal experiences, themed attractions, entertainment and nature education. This broader setting provides a relevant context for an attraction centred on outdoor exploration.

Forest Kingdom began trial operations on January 25, 2025. Qingyuan Chimelong Resort subsequently marked its full opening on July 22, 2026. Against this background, the focus here remains on Bear Valley’s themed environment and adventure activities.

Bear Valley combines themed spatial elements with recreational activities in an environment inspired by an imagined bear tribe.

The connection between theme and participation is a useful aspect of the case. The bear theme establishes a recognisable setting, while walking and climbing allow visitors to engage with it through movement. The environment becomes both something to observe and a place for exploration.

Viewed as a design approach, this creates an opportunity for the attraction’s visual identity and its activities to communicate a shared theme. It offers a more specific account of the project’s character than a description based solely on equipment quantities.

Chimelong’s official description identifies four routes within the outdoor, non-powered jungle climbing attraction: a walking exploration route and green, blue and red exploration routes.

The original project documentation records 20 leisure walking obstacles and 48 aerial challenge elements, with route options at different difficulty levels. Routes provide the overall structure, while individual obstacles and challenge elements form the activities along the way.

From a case-study perspective, the combination of walking exploration and aerial challenges introduces different activity rhythms within one themed environment. Visitors encounter the space not only by looking at it, but also by moving through it and taking part in its challenges.

For outdoor adventure park design, this suggests a useful consideration: an attraction need not be organised around a single level of intensity. Different activity formats can coexist within a shared theme. Participation requirements and route availability remain subject to the park’s published information and on-site guidance.

The project’s service scope covered design and construction, bringing its bear-themed environment and outdoor adventure content into a physical setting.

There are two complementary ways to examine this type of project. One is to consider the themed environment: what kind of place does it represent? The other is to consider participation: what can visitors do within it?

Looking at both questions helps explain the relationship between setting and activity. The theme is more than a backdrop, while the adventure content has a recognisable context.

Bear Valley provides a concrete example for this discussion: a defined theme combined with multiple exploration routes and individual challenges to create an outdoor adventure experience.

The available project information supports three design observations: a bear theme establishes the setting’s identity, exploration routes organise participation, and walking and aerial challenges provide different activity formats.

These observations are not claims about attendance or commercial performance. Their value lies in helping project developers discuss the relationship between theme, space and participation more clearly.

For teams planning an outdoor adventure attraction, equipment selection is only part of that discussion. It is also worth asking what kind of environment visitors will enter—and how their activities will connect them with it.

To discuss themed attraction design or outdoor adventure construction requirements, contact ESAC.