As you all quite know, Hiking In Hong Kong is celebrating its first anniversary! We’ve come through a hard but eventful year, but it is not only us who had come a long way. In fact, the Hong Kong Trail is celebrating its 35th anniversary!
This 50-kilometre trail was first opened in 1985, and from then on, along with the other 3 long-distance trails, MacLehose Trail, Lantau Trail and Wilson Trail, served Hong Kong by providing a scenic, wonderful trail for us hikers. The Hong Kong Trail is also the shortest and easiest of the four long distance trails.
The Hong Kong Trail was even awarded ‘Ten of the world’s best city hikes’ of Lonely Planet in 2013! The Hong Kong Trail crosses Hong Kong Island from east to west, while weaving its way between Hong Kong Island’s four main country parks, Aberdeen Country Park, Pok Fu Lam Country Park, Shek O Country Park and Tai Tam Country Park. As it is situated close to the bustling city, all sections are easy to reach, making it an extremely popular hiking trail. You could almost always see at least one building in the distance. But that’s not all! The Hong Kong Trail proves how Hong Kong has come a long and bumpy way of war, development, establishment, destruction to an international metropolis! There are historical monuments situated along the Hong Kong Trail like the Osborn Memorial (Section 5), Tai Tam Reservoir Dams (Section 6), Pok Fu Lam Reservoir (Section 1,2), Lugard Road (Section 1) and more, while looking down at Victoria Harbor, Lion Rock Hill, and the urban areas Hong Kong is proud of today.
A popular trail stretching from Victoria Peak to Big Wave Bay in Shek O, the Hong Kong Trail passes by Hong Kong’s famous landmarks, Jardine’s Pass with the Osborn Memorial, Victoria Peak, Tai Tam Reservoirs, Aberdeen Reservoirs, Pok Fu Lam Reservoir and more, and also lets one savour amazing views of the Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong Island Worldwide Metropolis of Central and Admiralty, Tai Tam Reservoirs, Tai Tam Harbor, South China Sea, Southern District, the Hong Kong Island Southern Coast and much more! The Hong Kong Trail is not that of a difficult trail except for occasional steep terrain, making it great for families and experts alike, who hike either one or two sections at a time or all the eight sections at once! The Hong Kong Trail certainly is a symbol representing the hiking trails of Hong Kong and is still now a tourist hotspot for both tourists and locals to have a hike! And lastly, the Hong Kong Trail is a great trail for experiencing and admiring Hong Kong’s ecosystem. As you walk relaxingly along the trail, you would always feel that you are in nature, with trees and plants surrounding you, butterflies fluttering around and birds calling. If you’re lucky, you might even spot some wild pigs! You would also be always near to water, as you cross bridges to cross streams and reservoirs, to finish the final touch to the natural landscape of Hong Kong. You would always feel relaxed even with the knowledge that you’re always not too far from the city.
Hong Kong Trail consists of 8 sections: Section 1: Peak Plaza --> Pok Fu Lam Reservoir (Difficulty: 2/5) Section 2: Pok Fu Lam Reservoir --> Peel Rise (Difficulty: 1/5) Section 3: Peel Rise --> Wan Chai Gap (Difficulty: 2/5) Section 4: Wan Chai Gap --> Wong Nai Chung Gap (Difficulty: 2/5) Section 5: Wong Nai Chung Gap --> Windy Gap (Difficulty: 3/5) Section 6: Windy Gap --> Tai Tam Road (Difficulty: 1/5) Section 7: Tai Tam Road --> To Tei Wan (Difficulty: 1/5) Section 8: To Tei Wan --> Big Wave Bay (Difficulty: 3/5)
As Hong Kong Trail’s 35th year come to an end, why don’t we have a try at completing at least part of it, to celebrate how Hong Kong Trail has contributed to the Hong Kong community for 35 years? Hong Kong Trail really deserves a visit from you!
For More Information
Hiking In Hong Kong has also contributed in trail websites of the Hong Kong Trail! These sections have taken on different names! For more information in particular sections, please refer here:
Section 3 (Aberdeen Circular Trail): https://chanbernard1005.wixsite.com/mysite-1
Section 4 (Aberdeen Country Park Trail): https://chanbernard1005.wixsite.com/aberdeencpthihk
Section 5 & 6 (Tai Tam Scenic Trail): https://chanbernard1005.wixsite.com/ttst-hihk
Section 8 (Dragon's Back Scenic Trail): https://chanbernard1005.wixsite.com/hihk7dragons-back
Quick Facts
The distance from Victoria Peak to Big Wave Bay is in fact only 14 kilometres, however, Hong Kong Trail weaves in and out between mountains and avoiding flat or too steep terrain, resulting in almost tripling the distance.
The highest elevation the trail reaches is 435 metres, the peak of Butler Peak, which Hong Kong Trail Section 5 passes by.
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