Hong Kong Trail Section 1 & 2

Duration: 

(11.5 kilometers)
3.5 hours

Difficulty: 4/10

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 1 liter

Appreciation: 8/10. Leisurely hike with good views of the harbour. Shaded.

Transportation: Bus 15 to the Peak from Exchange Square in Central. Return to Central via bus 43x in Aberdeen.

Why it's worth it:

Maps: http://hiking.gov.hk/eng/pdf/longtrail/hktrail/hkmap02.pdf

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Once you're off bus #15 at the Peak terminus, walk towards the Peak building which houses the Peak tram terminus. Then, spot the white building on the left, pictured above (and highlighted with a square on the top-view map above).  You will be walking in front of it, to the right, on Lugard Road. Make sure you don't take the steps to Old Peak Road, nor walk to the left of the building (Mount Austin and Harlech Road)...

... There's actually signage for the Hong Kong Traild right udner the Lugard Road sign. SHouldn't be too difficult to find your way. From this point on, it is quite straight forward; stay on the main path, don't take the side-paths climbing the mountain on your left, unless there's signage for the Hong Kong Trail indicating you to do so

After having gone around the Victoria Peak, you'll arrive at the Peak, Harlech and Lugard Road intersection. There's a pavillion there (white circle on the map). Take the path parrallel to the Harlech Road sign (you're coming from the Lugard Road on the map). Keep going there. Quite easy afterwards...

About an hour walk later, you'll see stairs on your left. There's signage for the trail too. Keep following the trail. There's plenty of signage (always the 2 little hiking guys). You have about another hour or so to go before we exit the trail

You'll eventually go down steps and reach the catchwater. You'll be going to the left. Keep following the catchwater until you reach the set of stairs pictures above. Signage will say 'Tin Wan Estate'. That's not the official end of section 2 per se but there's not much of a point to keep going to the end. Take the stairs down to Aberdeen

Stairs are marked by the small square on the map. As you come down to Tin Wan Estates, go around the buildings on the right. Go down Tin Wan road as per the map above. The bus stop is in front of the Tin Wan Shopping Centre. Bus 43x will bring you back to Central

Hong Kong Trail Section 5 & 6

Duration: 

(7.5 kilometers)
3 hours

Difficulty: 6/10. 

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 1 liter

Appreciation: 8/10. Great views of the harbour at Jardine's lookout

Transportation: CTB bus 6 from Exchange Square. Get off at "Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park". Do not take 6x as it goes through the tunnel. Return on Tai Tam Rd via NWFB bus 14 to Sai Wan Ho MTR station, or green minibus 16 to Chai Wan MTR station.

Why it's worth it:

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Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park bus stop. It is right by the Shell gas station. Climb-up the stairs. You'll end up on Tai Tam Reservoir Road.

Head left on Tai Tam Reservoir Road. Keep walking on Tai Tam Road until you hit the trail head which will be on your left. About 10 minutes walk.

The trail head, across from the Parkview housing complex.

Right at the beginning of the trail, just make sure you take the stairs on the right.

Quite hard to get lost on the trail, just follow the signagne and stay on Hong Kong trail. The milestone signs are pre-fixed with an 'H'. The little hiking guys are also displayed. The Wilson and Hong Kong trail overlap for about 2km, just make sure not to take the Wilson trail at the crossroads a short time after the quarry, keep going straight on Hong Kong trail

You'll eventually get to the top of Mount Buttler. At this point, it's pretty much down all the way...

After about 3k (not sure why the official maps say 4k), you'll reach the end of section 5. Many roads cross here. Make sure to take the Tai Tam Tuk road (not a path at this point), on the right. The road gently slopes down

You'll eventually arrive at the dam, which you must cross. Then end to the left. Keep following the HK trail signage.

You'll arrive at a point where the road you're on keeps going straight but there are stairs on your left. Take the stairs. You are about 20 minutes away from the end of Section 6

You'll arrive at the end of Section 6. Can't miss it, there's Tam Tam Road and the big board with the trail map. The bus stop is on your right, about 100m away. Be super careful as there are no sidewalks. HK gov should really do something about that...

Wilson Trail Section 1 (The Twins & Violet Hill)

Duration: 

(5 kilometers)
2.5 hours

Difficulty: 7/10. 631m elevation gain

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 1.5 liter

Appreciation: 8.5/10. Great views

Transportation: CTB bus 6 from Exchange Square. Get off at "Wilson Trail, Stanley Gap Road". Do not take 6x; while it will get you within 1km of the trailhead, there are no sidewalks so it is not a good idea. Return via CTB bus 6 at Wong Nai Chung Gap Road

Why it's worth it:

Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/730749304

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The "Wilson Trail, Stanley Gap Road" stop. Abundant signage of the trail-head can be found here. Take a moment to reflect on the history of the Country Parks and trails of Hong Kong...

Then start your climb up. There will be a lot of steps!

Keep going on the right of Water Catchment sign and keep going up

Be sure to look behind you from time to time!

After The TWins and about halfway into your hike, you'll arrive at this major crossroads.
Wilson 1 is across the bridge and then up on your right. If you just realized that this hike was more than you could chew, you can always follow the catch-water trail on the left after the bridge; it will get you to the same place. Although it much easier, it is also much less scenic

ParkView estates are in sight on the right

Last crossroads on the trail proper, stay on the right. You are about 1.5km away from the bus stop.
When you hit the road, head left on Tai Tam Reservoir Road and go all the way down to Wong Nai Chung Gap Road. You'll see the bus stop there which will take you back to Exchange Square

Central, High West (西高山, or Sai Ko Shan) and Victoria Peak loop

(updated 2021-04-11)

Duration: 

(10 kilometers)
3.5 hours

Difficulty: 5/10. 571m elevation gain

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 1 liter

Appreciation: 8/10. Great views of the Victoria Harbour on a clear day 

Transportation: Hong Kong MTR station

Why it's worth it:

Map & Details: 

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/720026961

https://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/5656101079

Exercise Area: Yes

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Starting at the IFC mall, exit to the escalator

Then, pretty easy, just go all the way up the escalator...

All the way! Until there's no escalator anymore...

You'll arrive on Conduit road. Head right on Conduit Road

You'll do maybe 1k on Conduit Road

Until you reach Hatton Rd on your left. Take Hatton Road up

Pretty easy at this point, just follow the Morning Trail signage

All the way up to the flat portion where there's a pavilion where Hatton, Harlech and Luggard roads meet. 

Go through the park past the pavilion and in the opposite corner, you'll see the path to High West.
There's no way out. So, you will go all the way up to High West peak. Nice 360 degrees views on a clear day!
Then back down to the pavilion here. 

Back at the pavilion, take Luggard Road for about 10m, you'll see steps on your right. Take them, they go up to Victoria Peak Garden. That's about a 15 minutes walk up

Just stay on the left

This pavilion overlooks the garden below

Once you are done admiring the garden, go through it in the diagonally opposite direction and down the path

Then first left...

Quite beautiful... Erik Satie's music as background music would go quite well here...

On your first left in this park, take the stairs

Going by the old gates. The "commercial" Peak is not far away

There ya go...

Go down on the left of the Peak tower, by the washrooms. From that point on, quite simple, just keep going down.
Can't get lost. You're "back" to the city...