Qianlong Ancient Trail: Hiking Hong Kong's Historic Incense Trading Route
Contents
- Essential Information
- Qianlong Ancient Trail Highlights
- Google Route Map and GPX
- How to Get There
- Quick Route Summary
- Trail Start to Hung Mui Kuk Nature Trail
- Hung Mui Kuk Nature Trail
- The Qianlong Ancient Trail
- Reunification Pavilion Views
- Descending to Lok Fu MTR
- Getting Back
Essential Qianlong Ancient Trail Hike Details
- District: New Territories
- Duration: 1 hour 45 mins at a decent pace with no breaks
- Distance: 6km to walk from Tai Wai MTR to Lok Fu MTR
- Elevation: 360 meters
- Difficulty: 2.5/5
- Facilities: Vending machine, public toilet at start point
Why Hike the Qianlong Ancient Trail?
The Qianlong Ancient Trail (乾隆古道) in Hong Kong is a historic mountain path primarily located within the Lion Rock Country Park area, linking Sha Tin and Kowloon. This hike can easily be paired with a trip up to the summit of Lion Rock. You can find a full Lion Rock hiking guide here.
The trail is quite easy to follow and is of medium difficulty, though it is suitable for beginner hikers with a decent level of fitness. There are no technical sections on this trail and it's completely safe.
Historical Background
- The trail dates back to at least the late Ming Dynasty (1600s) and was used extensively during the Qing dynasty (1636-1912). It served as a vital route for villagers traveling between Sha Tin and Kowloon, mainly for trade purposes.
- Sha Tin was historically known for cultivating and producing agarwood (土沉香), a fragrant wood highly valued in incense making. The Qianlong Ancient Trail was used to transport this agarwood from Sha Tin across the hills to Kowloon. From there, the wood was loaded onto boats for further shipment to Hong Kong Island and beyond.
- The trail was reportedly repaired and maintained by local villagers in 1792, the 57th year of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign, which likely influenced its name.
- The agarwood trade was significant enough that the name "Hong Kong" is believed to be linked to the fragrant wood trade, with the trail playing a part in this cultural and economic history.
Qianlong Ancient Trail Google Route Map and GPX
*Click the box icon in the top right of the map below to load the blue route directly into your own Google Maps. You can then see your location relative to the trail in real time!
How to Get to the Qianlong Ancient Trail Hike Start Point
By Bus
Get off at the Worldwide Gardens bus stop. The start point on Google Maps is ‘Hung Mui Kuk Barbecue Area’. For detailed instructions look at the section below.
From HK Island:
- Bus 182
- Bus 170
From Kowloon:
- Bus 81c (Toward Yiu On)
From the New Territories:
- Bus 81c (toward TST)
- Bus 85
From Lantau:
- Bus E42 (get off at Tai Wai Station and follow the MTR instructions below)
By MTR
Get off at Tai Wai Station exit F.
Tai Wai MTR to the Start Point
Leave via exit F (it's on the platform of trains heading toward Admiralty) in Tai Wai MTR Station and head toward the ‘Octopus Pedestrian Bridge’. Take the Hung Mui Kuk road exit (on the far left of the bridge near the playground and village houses). Go straight past the playground and cross Tin Sam Street via the overhead footbridge.
Keep following Hung Mui Kuk Road (it will slope upward). At the Chung Pak Road intersection, just after the World Wide Gardens bus stop, cross to the other side of Hung Mui Kuk Road.
Nearby, you’ll see a bus stop and another crossing. There, you’ll need to cross back to the right-hand side of Hung Mui Kuk Road to access a set of stairs under a little tunnel.
Take the stairs up. The start point on Google Maps is ‘Hung Mui Kuk Barbecue Area’.
No matter what happens, stay on Hung Mui Kuk Road and you’ll eventually find the stairs to the start.
Quick Lion Rock Route Summary
- Get the MTR to Tai Wai Station and leave through Exit F
- Walk to the Octopus Bridge just past Festival City and head all the way to the end of the bridge
- Take the furthest left exit and walk along Hung Mui Kuk Road, crossing another pedestrian bridge
- Keep following Hung Mui Kuk Road as it ascends upward. You will be able to see Lion Rock and Amah Rock as you head higher.
- Cross to the left side of Hung Mui Kuk Road. This area is where you will alight if you took a bus to Worldwide Gardens
- Take the stairs up at in the tunnel and you'll arrive at the start of the trail
- Follow the stairs with white markers until you reach a concrete road. Follow the road to the right (don't cross the bridge and keep climbing)
- The concrete Road is part of the Hung Mui Kuk Nature Trail. Follow it for 15 minutes until you reach a big caged fence. There will be a small bridge on your left
- Cross the small bridge and you'll see a brown Qianlong Ancient Trail just past the bridge
- Follow the trail through the trees. You'll pass by 3 little wooden bridges along the way
- When you see a chain railing and stairs, it's the final ascent to Reunification Pavilion
- After reaching Reunification Pavilion, follow the brown sign pointing to Wang Tau Hom
- Descend for 20 minutes until you reach Lion Rock Road. Follow it downward to Chuk Yuen Road
- At Chuk Yuen Road, you'll see a silver sign pointing you to Lok Fu MTR Station. Cross the street in the direction the sign is pointing and head into Tin Ma Court (There's a Number 55 Chuk Yuen Road sign at the entrance)
- Walk to the bottom of Tin Ma Court and enter Tin Ma Court Commercial Centre
- Head down a couple of floors and you'll see an outdoor area. Take the footbridge across Lung Cheng Road
- Take the left exit from the footbridge after crossing and walk straight. You'll see a little silver Lok Fu MTR sign on your right pointing down a little road with red lanterns hanging from it
- You'll want to follow Wang Tau Hom East Road until you reach Lok Fu MTR Station
Trail Start Point to Hung Mui Kuk Nature Trail
Once you arrive at the start point, you’ll see a sign that says ‘Lion Rock Country Park’. This is where the fun begins, and by "fun", I mean stairs. Lots of them. So, grab a drink from the vending machine (next to the country park sign) if you didn’t stock up on water, use the public toilet if you need to and prepare for a steep and rewarding climb ahead.
The first section of the hike is literally a steep set of stairs that forces you to warm up really quick. The climb gets pretty intense, but it's all shaded, so you won't suffer too badly.
When you arrive at a concrete road, which is the start of Hung Mui Kuk Nature Trail, take a right so that you're following the flat concrete road. Do not cross the bridge in front of you.
Hung Mui Kuk Nature Trail
This section lasts about 15 minutes and is totally flat. As you walk along the Hung Mui Kuk Nature Trail, you'll see a catchwater to your left and some incredible views to your right.
There are no deviations during this section, so it's impossible to get lost. Look out for cool wildlife though! There's plenty around
The cage fence and little bridge, mark the start of the Qianlong Ancient Trail.
The Qianlong Ancient Trail
This entire section took about 25 minutes with a little time to explore the secret pond that was guarded by the kind skink who let me share his generational watering hole.
The wooden bridges in the area are quite charming and the monkeys at the start of the trail were a delight to be around. Just don't eat in front of them, or you're asking for trouble!
Beyond that, keep an eye open for wonderful wildlife and enjoy the tranquility of the forest. With no buildings or modernity in sight, you can almost picture what the old incense traders would have experienced traversing this trail back in the 1600s.
I suppose there might have been tigers back then though!
Reunification Pavilion Views
Reunification Pavilion is the highest point of the hike. You will descend from here if you follow the Qianlong Ancient Trail.
However, if you want to make your hike more challenging, you can climb to Lion Rock Summit or Beacon Hill before returning back to complete the Qianlong Ancient Trail.
Descending to Lok Fu MTR
It takes about 45 minutes to get from Reunification Pavilion to Lok Fu MTR Station.
You'll start by descending all the way down to Lion Rock Road after following the Wang Tau Hom Sign.
After that, head into Tin Ma Court by crossing Chuk Yuen Road. After walking to the end of Tin Ma Court, go into the Tin Ma Court Commercial Centre and descend a few floors before reaching an outdoor area.
Take the stairs on the right across the footbridge and then turn left at the very end of the footbridge.
After walking straight for a minute or two, turn into the alley with lanterns, which is marked by a silver Lok Fu MTR sign.
At the end of lantern alley, you'll be on Wang Tau Hom Road. Follow it until you arrive at Lok Fu Bus Terminus and MTR.
Getting Back
Take a bus or the MTR to pretty much any part of Hong Kong from the end of the hike.
