If there is only one place you need to see in Hong Kong, it has to be Victoria Peak. And the best way to see “The Peak” is by hiking the Victoria Peak Trail.
The paved circular trail is easily accessible, suitable for all ages, and takes less than an hour to complete. On a clear day, you can see a gorgeous panoramic view of Kowloon, Victoria Harbour, the north side of Hong Kong Island, and some of the neighbouring islands in the South China Sea.
In this guide, I will show you all the highlights of the Victoria Peak hike, several public transportation methods for getting to Victoria Peak, and the best scenic route for hiking to the top.
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Best Time to hike the Victoria Peak Trail
The best times for the Victoria Peak hike are late autumn, winter, and early spring. But if you are keen, you can also hike the trail on a cool summer day (part of the trail is exposed so that it can be hot).
Even if you visit Victoria Peak during the day to see all the panoramic views, you should go back in the late afternoon to watch the sunset and see the views again at night when the building lights are all on. The view is quite magical!
If you go at night, Victoria Peak’s Lions Pavilion is an excellent spot for taking photos. The area around the pavilion is bright enough to walk around at night. However, the Victoria Peak trail can be quite dark, so be careful.
Victoria Peak Hike Info
First, let’s talk geography.
Victoria Mountain is a 552m tall mountain on the west side of HK Island. At the very top is Victoria Peak, which has luxury mansions, telecom radio stations, water service reservoirs and a small park. This is not part of the hike.
Victoria Peak Trail is a circular trail around the top of the mountain. This loop trail is often called The Peak Circle Walk or the Peak Trail. Google Maps has a pinned location, and it is called “Harlech Road and Lugard Road Circular Walk, The Peak.”
The Peak trail is a paved path that starts at The Peak Tower and the Peak Galleria area. You can either hike the loop clockwise or counter-clockwise.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 50+ minutes
- Distance: 3.6km
- What to bring: comfortable walking shoes (sandals are okay too), camera, water
Click “more options” on the top left corner of Google Maps, and the map will open in your browser or the app on your smartphone.
How to hike Victoria Peak Trail
Start at Peak Tower & Peak Galleria
Regardless of the Victoria Mountain route, your hike will always start around the Peak Tower and Peak Galleria area.
Look for the signage to The Peak Circle Walk and Lugard Road. The trail starts west of the Peak Tower and goes anti-clockwise around the Peak Trail.
Highlights on the Victoria Peak Trail
The entire path is paved and flat, making the Peak Trail an easy hike for anyone.
Soon, you will see several giant banyan trees with long tree roots. I’m always amazed by these wondrous trees; many people like taking photos here.
After about 10 minutes of walking, you will reach Lugard Road Lookout, a stretch of the path with an unobstructed view of the north side of Hong Kong Island, the south side of Kowloon, Victoria Harbour, and many small neighbouring islands.
Lugard Road & Harlech Road Junction
Continue walking on the Victoria Peak Trail, and you will arrive at a little park where you can rest for a bit and get some water. The park is right at the junction between Lugard Road and Harlech Road, and it has a covered pagoda, some benches, and picnic tables.
There are several options you can consider at this junction:
- Continue on the Peak Trail (on Harlech Road); the path will take you back to where you started, near Peak Galleria and Peak Tower.
- Hike Mount High West and see more of the southern part of HK Island, Pok Fu Lam, Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, and Lamma Island in the distance. Follow the signs in the park.
- Explore the west side of Victoria Mountain by walking along Hatton Road, the third road from this junction. Hatton Road will take you to Lung Fu Shan Country Park and down the mountain to Kennedy Town or Sai Yin Pun.
For this post, we will pick option #1 and continue on the Peak Trail on Harlech Road. It takes about 15 minutes to return to the Peak Galleria and Peak Tower area. Along the way, you can see the south side of Hong Kong Island, including Pok Fu Lam and Pok Fu Lam Reservoir. And in the distance, you can see Lamma Island too.
How to get to the Victoria Peak
4 transportation modes for getting to Victoria Peak
There are several ways to go up to Victoria Peak. First, get an Octopus Card, a rechargeable smart card for public transportation. This is especially useful when you take the MTR, minibus or bus to and from Victoria Peak.
Below, I summarize all four options and provide a detailed explanation of how to take the Peak Tram.
| Public Transportation | Additional Info |
|---|---|
| 1. Bus No.15 from Exchange Square Bus Terminus to the Peak Galleria Bus Terminus | * Double-decker Bus No.15 starts at Central Pier 5 and stops in several places in Central and Admiralty before reaching the Peak (every 7-15 minutes between 6:15-12:15am) * Take MTR to Hong Kong Station, Exit B1. Turn right and cross the road. Look for Platform E at the terminus. |
| 2. Minibus No.1 from Central (Two IFC) Terminus to the Peak Galleria Bus Terminus | * The 16-seater minibus ride takes about 30 minutes. (every 10-12 minutes between 6:20-12am) * Take MTR to Hong Kong Station, Exit E. Follow the signs and walk towards Four Seasons Hotel. After the bridge, an escalator will take you to ground level, where the terminus is located. |
| 3. Taxi from anywhere in Hong Kong | * Tell the taxi driver you are going to “The Peak” and the cab driver will drop you off near the Bus Terminus at the Peak Galleria. * Fare starts at $29HKD. This may include other fees like cross-harbour tunnel fees. Pay with cash. |
| 4. Peak Tram from Peak Tram Lower Terminus to the Peak Tower | * Take MTR to Central Station, Exit J2 and walk 10 minutes to the Peak Tram Lower Terminus. * Purchase a Peak Tram ticket in advance to bypass the line. $136HKD for one-way and $168HKD for return. * See more below |
Best Scenic Transportation: Peak Tram
Perhaps the most scenic way to Victoria Peak is to take the Peak Tram. The funicular railway has been taking passengers up the steep mountain since 1888. The Peak Tram recently underwent a recent upgrade, and the newly redesigned tram was launched in August 2022.
First, take the MTR to Central MTR Station, take Exit J2 and then walk 10 minutes to the Peak Tram Lower Terminus.
Purchase a Peak Tram ticket in advance. It includes access to Sky Terrace 428, the highest viewing deck in HK. Plus, you can bypass the line (big time saver, especially on the weekends). The 15-minute ride costs $136HKD for one-way and $168HKD for return.
3 Trails to hike up to Victoria Peak
There are several ways to hike up Victoria Mountain, but this post will highlight two worthwhile hiking trails.
Option 1: Best Scenic Hiking Route via Tramway Pathway
One of the most scenic ways to hike up Victoria Mountain is via the Tramway Path.
Start walking up the concrete stairway to the left of the Peak Tram Lower Terminus. When the stairs end at Macdonnell Road, cross the street and continue up the stairway to the right of the tram line.
When you reach Magazine Gap Road, find Brewin Path (a smaller road to the right) and walk up the hilly street. Brewin Path becomes a pedestrian-only path. Continue forward until you see a sign to turn left. Take a left here and continue on Clovelly Path.
Soon, you will reach May Road and see the tram line again. Find Chatham Path to the left of the tram line so you can continue hiking up the mountain.
Chatham Path is also known as the Central Green & Heritage Trail. Along the hilly pedestrian-only path, there is a fantastic viewpoint.
Continue up the path until you reach Barker Road. Turn right and walk on the road (watch out for cars). At the end of the road, turn left on Plantation Road, then right on Findlay Path and see Victoria Peak’s Lions Pavilion before walking over to the Peak Tower and starting the Victoria Peak Trail.
Option 2: Old Peak Road Hike
Another great way to Victoria Peak is via Old Peak Road. The road starts at the intersection of Albany Road and Robinson Road, which is close to Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
You can start your hike anywhere in Central and walk toward Old Peak Road. However, the easiest way is to take the Mid-Level Escalators to Mosque Street and walk across Mosque Street, which merges with Robinson Road. Then turn right on Old Peak Road.
Stay on the sidewalk on Old Peak Road until the road splits. Take the pedestrian-only path on the right, which will take you to the start of Victoria Peak Trail.
Are you including Victoria Peak Hike in your Hong Kong itinerary?
I hope so because Victoria Peak Hike is one of the most scenic and easiest trails in Hong Kong. It is a must-see attraction even if you only have a day or two in the city.
I hope my post helped you determine how you will go up to the Peak and how to plan a fantastic afternoon hiking Victoria Peak. Let me know if you have any questions – leave them in the comment section.
Ready to plan your trip to Hong Kong? Here are some of my go-to travel planning resources:
* Book your flight: find flight deals on Skyscanner
* Book accommodation: find the best Hong Kong accommodations on Agoda or Booking
* Buy insurance: Safetywing is my go-to provider for travel insurance, as it covers many things. I will never travel without the Nomad Insurance Package because it protects me against unforeseen events. Get a quote today.
* Order a SIM card: order a SIM card in advance, collect it upon arrival, and set up your mobile phone before arriving at your destination.
* Join tours: check Klook or Get Your Guide for the best tours in Hong Kong.
Thank you for reading my Victoria Peak hiking guide
For more HK travel inspiration, check out my Hong Kong page for more posts on solo travel in Hong Kong:
Hong Kong Island Hikes
- High West Hike: 3 ways to hike up High West Peak
- Dragon’s Back Hike: the most popular day hike in HK
- Violet Hill and the Twins: hike over two mountains with over 1,000+ steps
- Rhino Rock Hike: see a rocky rhinoceros head in Stanley
- Red Incense Burner Summit on Braemar Hill: best spot for sunset and night views
- Mount Nicholson Hike: see hidden rock statues in the middle of HK Island
- Cape Collinson hike: visit an old battery used during WWII on Hong Kong Island
- Mount Davis Hike: see an old military site on HK Island
Island District Hikes
- Lamma Island: hike from Sok Kwu Wan to Yung Shue Wan
- Cheung Chau Island: 1-day itinerary around Cheung Chau
- Peng Chau: 1-day itinerary
- Tung O Ancient Trail: hike the coastal trail in Lantau North Country Park
- Lo Yan Shan Hike: hike Chi Ma Wan Country Trail in southern Lantau Island
- Fan Lau Hike: explore the southwest tip of Lantau Island
- Po Toi Island: see Hong Kong’s South Pole
New Territories Hikes
- Pineapple Mountain: the Great Canyon of Hong Kong
- High Junk Peak: one of the three sharpest peaks in HK
- Ma On Shan Hike: hike across the horse-saddle mountain to Sai Kung
- Pat Sin Leng Hike: hike over 8 peaks named after Chinese Mythological immortals
- Po Pin Chau: hike around hexagonal rock columns in Sai Kung
- Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail: hike around HK’s largest reservoir
- Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff: See HK’s most dramatic cliff
- Trio Beach Hike: see a secret beach and rocky headland in Sai Kung
- Tsing Yi Nature Trails: meander through the easy trails in Tsing Yi
- Tsing Yi Peak: hike the three peaks on Tsing Yi Island
- Ma Shi Chau Nature Trail: see 280 million-year-old rocks in Tai Po
- Tai Tan Country Trail: hike an easy coastal trail in Sai Kung
- Robin’s Nest Hike and Lin Ma Hang Cave: explore northern HK near the Shenzhen border
- Kai Kung Leng: hike the Rooster Ridge in Lam Tsuen Country Park
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Hi, my name is Queenie, and I’ve been a solo traveller for 20+ years and currently based in Hong Kong. Follow me on my adventures through Instagram and my blog!
