Victoria Peak is a must-visit for tourists in Hong Kong. it boasts one of the most spectacular night city view in the world. i never get tired of it, and never minded taking people up the peak.
there are many ways to get to Victoria Peak. you can take the famous peak tram but the queue can be pretty long and it is rather expensive. you can also take a bus or a minibus or a taxi.
but the best way to enjoy Victoria Peak, in my humble opinion, is to hike it at night.
i have taken a few people on a night hike up the peak before – most recently, couchsurfing guests. it is best to check to see if the weather is going to be clear on the day of your hike though, or you might end up with this sad sad sight:
my most recent successful night hike up the peak was on Friday night. i took a friend, who has never been up the peak before, on this lovely short hike. luckily the weather was really cool and the sky was pretty clear, so i was expecting good views.
there are many hiking routes up the peak. i only know one, as i used to hike it during my university days. it is called the Peak Morning Trail.
we met at HKU Station Exit A. we took the lift up to Wong Haking Podium in the University of Hong Kong. from there, we walked to Robert Black College, then up the stairs beside the postgraduate building. After crossing the road, we climbed up the stairs toward the left. After crossing another road and another flight of stairs, we reached an apartment with adjacent tennis courts. We followed the road uphill toward the right and that’s how we got to the start of the Morning Trail.
the trail is well-signed so it’s easy to find your way to the peak from there. just keep climbing upward and following the signs and you’ll be fine.
i once took a friend on a detour to Pinewood Battery along the way. this battery was used by the British soldiers during their fight against Japanese invasion. there were some interesting old ruins to explore there, but it’s pretty small.
the first half of the hike is a bit steep but it gets flat the rest of the way. it took us approximately an hour to reach the peak. and the views along the way weren’t bad at all.
there weren’t many people hiking when we went so it was a very peaceful and relaxing hike. we did stumble upon a huge wild boar having a feast in the middle of our hike though. we left little Pumba to his dinner and just carried on in peace.
upon arriving at Victoria Peak, we made a left to get to the Peak Circle Walk on Lugard Road. this trail goes around the peak, and is completely flat. you get a superb view of the city skyline after walking about 15-20minutes.
the trail goes on for another hour or so but is really easy and you get to enjoy a panoramic view of Hong Kong as you walk, though it’s mostly sea view afterward.
if you’re not up for another hike down the peak, you can consider joining the long queue for the peak tram or consider taking one of the buses back down.
Amanda Goes Exploring 