A guide to thru-hiking, multi-day camping and wild camping Hong Kong's major trails
The Big Four
MacLehose Trail
This is the Grandaddy of the Hong Kong hikes. An unforgiving 100km hike up and down some of Hong Kong’s highest peaks and through it’s most stunning landscapes. Beautiful beaches and coastlines, urban views over Kowloon, ridges, peaks, forests, jungles, reservoirs, grassland, monkeys, this 10 section hike has the lot.
Hong Kong Trail
The Hong Kong Trail. Easily accessed and with an elevation gain of 3200m, the least technical of the four, but poses a conundrum for the thru-hiker. With no official campsites on Hong Kong Island you have two options. Go light and batter all 50 km in one go, or bring along a tent, hammock or bivvy bag and risk it in a makeshift site for the night.
Lantau Trail
A game of two halves, the Lantau Trail is a 70km loop beginning and ending in Mui Wo. The trail is split into twelve sections with an elevation gain of 3500m, the first half of which will see you climb Sunset Peak and Lantau Peak, Hong Kong’s second and third highest mountains then along ridges and through rice paddies before navigating Lantau's lesser travelled rugged south west coast. Take your pick of campsites, there's plenty of interesting options here on the Lantau trail.
Wilson Trail
A dark horse, the Wilson is the most technical of the four. With relentless elevation throughout, this intriguing hike through a mix of Hong Kong urban and rural from the far south to to the far north is not to be underestimated. Campsites are few and far between on this trail, but for the purists out there, some creative planning, an appetite for risk and a good dose of stealth should safely see you over the line on this challenging multi-day, 78km long hike.
Other recognised long-distance trails
Northern Passage
The Northern Passage is a difficult trail which skirts the border of Shenzhen in the North New Territories. The trail offers 70km of continuous views over Shenzhen which progress as you traverse from Sha Tau Kok in the East to Ha Pak Nai in the West, incorporating some great individual hikes such as Robin's Nest, Rooster Ridge, HK Wetlands and the Grand Canyon. Each section ends at, or near to, a border crossing, so at the end of each day, why not take advantage and hop over the to Shenzhen for a hot shower, massage, great food and a cheap hotel for the night.
Argyle Ross Trail
Described as a 'devilish new masterpiece' the Argyle Ross is a challenging twelve section, 100km swim hike from the desolate far north east islands of Double Haven Geopark to the far west enclave of Ha Pak Lai overlooking Shenzhen. This hike will have you sea swimming between beautiful islands, hiking streams, jumping in waterfalls and traversing rugged coastlines, ridges, reservoirs and beaches across the length of Hong Kong.
Tinworth Trail
At 5000m gain, the Tinworth Trail is one for the elevation junkies. Nearly every section on this 91km trail begins with a calf-burning climb and it's relentless ups and downs are only broken with two flat sections. This well-designed trail avoids the big four for the most part, runs diagonally from the far north east of the New Territories, to Tai O in the far south west of Lantau bringing several classic, overlooked Hong Kong hikes into play.
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