When it comes to Hong Kong's most iconic views, nothing beats the panorama of Victoria Harbour from Victoria Peak. The starting point of Hong Kong Trail (Section 1) is Lugard Road, a century-old circular path built between 1913 and 1914. It was named after Sir Frederick Lugard, Hong Kong's 14th Governor. Walking along this trail, you can gaze down at Victoria Harbour and see the bustling cityscape of Tsim Sha Tsui in the distance. In spring, you may even see the magical sight of Hong Kong shrouded in mist. Lugard Road is surrounded by lush vegetation, with moss-covered hillsides. From April to May, Lance-leaved Sterculia (Sterculia lanceolata) blooms with delicate pink flowers, while from July to October, white flowers of the Turn-in-the-wind (Mallotus paniculatus) adorn the trail. Along with antique stone benches and streetlights, this sense of timeless elegance offers a striking contrast to the busy tourist area on the Peak. Walking along Lugard Road to High West Picnic Area, you will reach the junction of Lugard Road and Harlech Road. Follow the directional sign “To Pokfulam Reservoir via Harlech Road” and turn right to Harlech Road. Walk along Harlech Road for about 700 m, and you will reach Lung Fu Shan Country Park Picnic Area Site No. 2. It is worth taking a short break here to enjoy the views from the Lung Fu Shan Viewing Point, which offers views of Chi Ma Wan Peninsula, Peng Chau, Kau Yi Chau and Mount Davis. You can also visit the former observation post at High West to have a look at the British military’s fortification in Hong Kong during the anti-Japanese war. After leaving the picnic area, walk for about 130 m to reach a junction of trails toward Pok Fu Lam Reservoir and Hatton Road. Turn left here to head toward Pok Fu Lam Reservoir. Then, continue for about 850 m to another junction and follow the directional sign for “Chi Fu”. Continue for another 2 km, enjoying views of Pok Fu Lam Reservoir and passing by streams along the way, until you reach a junction of trails toward Peel Rise and the Peak. Continue toward Peel Rise and walk for about 170 m to reach the endpoint.
The cliffs along Lugard Road are steep and have been shaped by years of weathering. Please follow waymarks and stay on the road. Do not cross the barriers to ensure your safety!
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Hong Kong Trail, public can participate in the “Unlocking Hong Kong Trail” hiking challenge from now until 28th February, 2026. Participants can first register at the event website: www.unlockinghktrail.hk, then visit the eight sections of Hong Kong Trail. To “unlock” the checkpoints and collect e-badges, participants should scan the QR code at the checkpoints using smart phones and answer a question about the fun facts of Hong Kong Trail. Participants may be awarded a commemorative prize if they have completed all eight checkpoints during the event period.
To facilitate the public in planning their hikes, the geographical information of the route, including the route map, starting point, endpoint, and elevation chart, has been saved in a "GPX" file. The public can download hiking-related applications on their smartphones or smart watches, then click on the following "GPX" file to import the relevant information, which serves as an aid for hiking. Please note that downloading "GPX" files may increase data usage, and the functions and content display may vary depending on the device and application used.
