Start of the 2024/2025 Hiking Season: Scenic views from Lion Rock
As the weather in Hong Kong starts to cool down, I finally kicked off my hiking season for 2024/25. It has been about five months since my last hike in Hong Kong, so I chose a trail that I am very familiar with. Since I work in Sha Tin and live in Kowloon, I enjoy hiking home after my half-day work on Saturdays. This allows me to explore several mountains, and today I climbed Lion Rock.
Lion Rock is a famous mountain in Hong Kong, standing at 495 meters tall, situated between Kowloon and the New Territories. It’s part of Lion Rock Country Park and is renowned for its distinctive shape, which resembles a lion. The peak offers great panoramic views of the city, including urban Kowloon, Victoria Harbour, and parts of Hong Kong Island. Lion Rock also holds cultural significance for many residents, symbolizing resilience and determination. It’s often associated with the “Lion Rock Spirit,” reflecting the hardworking and tenacious attitude of the people in overcoming challenges.
To start my hike, I got off at Tai Wai Station and walked towards Amah Rock. Amah Rock is a prominent geological feature located in Sha Tin. Named after a local legend, it derives its name from a tale about a woman (A-Mah in Cantonese) who is said to have waited for her husband to return from the sea.
After passing Amah Rock, I made my way towards Lion Rock. Initially, I planned to skip Lion Rock because the temperature was still above 30 degrees Celsius, and it was a particularly sunny day. However, upon reaching the trail leading down from Lion Rock, I decided to climb it to enjoy the panoramic view. It was indeed refreshing to overlook a vast part of Hong Kong — from Tai Po in the north to Tai Mo Shan in the west, Hong Kong Island in the south, and Kowloon Peak in the east. After resting atop the mountain for a while, I finally made my way down to the minibus station and headed home after this beautiful day.
Key Facts
Length: 6.24 km
Uphill: 470 m
Downhill: 300 m
Shadow: Mostly shady with sunny intervals at Lion Rock
Level: Moderate
Note: You can start at Tai Wai Station, however, the first km until Hung Mui Kuk BBQ area is loud, sunny and generall unpleasant. Take the Bus to the station World-wide Gardens instead. From Reunification Pavilion you can directly climb up Lion Rock. This is recommended as the incline is not that step as from the other side.
