Is the Lantau Trail open?

Mostly, in October 2026. Sections 1 to 6 and 8 are open. Part of Section 7, from south of Kan Tau Au past Tsin Yue Wan to Fan Lau, and Tsin Yue Wan Campsite have been closed since October 10, 2025, after typhoon landslides. Check AFCD's notices at hiking.gov.hk before you go.

How long is the Lantau Trail?

The whole loop is 70 km (43.5 miles) in 12 sections, starting and ending at Mui Wo. I walked Sections 1 to 8, Mui Wo to Shek Pik, which AFCD gives as 43.5 km; my GPS recorded 30.4 miles (48.9 km) over four days, including wandering in Ngong Ping and Tai O.

Can you camp on the Lantau Trail?

Yes, but only at designated campsites: Hong Kong law bans camping elsewhere in country parks. They're free and first come, first served. On or near Sections 1 to 8 they include Nam Shan, Ngong Ping, Man Cheung Po, Kau Ling Chung and Shek Pik. There's no campsite on Sunset Peak.

Is there water on the Lantau Trail?

Not on the mountains: there's none between Nam Shan and Ngong Ping, over Sunset Peak and Lantau Peak. Fill up in Mui Wo or at Nam Shan, then in Ngong Ping and Tai O. Campsite streams are seasonal.

How do you get to the start of the Lantau Trail?

Take the ferry from Central Pier 6 to Mui Wo: about 35 to 40 minutes, all fast ferries, HK$33.50 Monday to Saturday and HK$48.50 on Sundays and holidays (2026). The trail starts at the pier.

When is the best time to hike the Lantau Trail?

October to March, the cool, dry season. The Hong Kong Observatory says November and December are many people's favorite months. Summer is hot and wet, with typhoons possible from May to November.

Watch the film

137K views on YouTube. This guide is that trip, day by day.

Hong Kong · 4 days · 30.4 miles · Hong Kong

Lantau Trail Hiking Guide

In January 2025 I hiked the Lantau Trail in Hong Kong with two friends: the ferry to Mui Wo, a night above the airport below Sunset Peak, Lantau Peak in the fog, the Big Buddha at Ngong Ping, the fishing village of Tai O and the quiet west coast, out to Shek Pik. It's the trip from my film Hiking in Hong Kong. This guide has my GPX files, maps and notes for all four days, the legal campsites and where the water is, the Section 7 closure and a plan for 2027 around it, the ferry, buses and cable car, the weather by month, safety, and a trip sheet.

Days: 4 days
Distance: 30.4 miles
Climbing: About 6,530 ft (1,990 m) up
Nights: Free campsites, first come, first served
Permit: None to hike or to camp at the campsites
Route: Mui Wo ferry pier to South Lantau Road at Shek Pik

Free updates. 2027 season edition, updated October 2026. When I update the guide, your download link gets the new version.

Or get it in Asia: 8 guides for $39, or all 58 for $59.

The cover of the Lantau Trail Hiking Guide

What's inside

Where things stand. The trail in October 2026: which sections are open, the Section 7 closure since October 2023, the campsites and the rules, checked on the Hong Kong government's own pages.
All four days. Stats, the time I took, my notes, the trail, where to get off, maps with elevation profiles, and links to that day in my film.
A plan for 2027. The same trail around the closed stretch, with every night at a legal campsite, plus shorter and longer options.
My GPX files. My own recordings of all four days, with waypoints for Mui Wo, Nam Shan, Sunset Peak, Pak Kung Au, Lantau Peak, Ngong Ping, Tai O, Kau Ling Chung, Shek Pik and the campsites, ready for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
The rules and camping. Where you can and can't camp, the campsites with their toilets and water, fires, and the dry stretch over the peaks.
Getting there. The ferry from Central, the buses, the cable car and Lantau's taxis, with 2026 fares.
Weather and safety. The months that work, typhoons and rainstorm warnings, cold on the peaks, heat, and what to carry.
Before you go and a trip sheet. One page of checks and a printable one-page summary of the route.

The route

My GPS recording of 4 days, simplified. The numbers are where each day starts; the dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the maps come with the guide.

Elevation, start to finish: highest 2,930 ft (892 m), lowest sea level.

Look inside

At a glance page from the Lantau Trail Hiking Guide — At a glance

A day page page from the Lantau Trail Hiking Guide — A day page

A day map and elevation profile

The rules and camping page from the Lantau Trail Hiking Guide — The rules and camping

The details

Format: A 53-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated October 2026.
Delivery: Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
Refunds: Not useful? Email me within 30 days for a refund: kraig@kraigadams.com.
Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

Is the Lantau Trail open?: Mostly, in October 2026. Sections 1 to 6 and 8 are open. Part of Section 7, from south of Kan Tau Au past Tsin Yue Wan to Fan Lau, and Tsin Yue Wan Campsite have been closed since October 10, 2025, after typhoon landslides. Check AFCD's notices at hiking.gov.hk before you go.
How long is the Lantau Trail?: The whole loop is 70 km (43.5 miles) in 12 sections, starting and ending at Mui Wo. I walked Sections 1 to 8, Mui Wo to Shek Pik, which AFCD gives as 43.5 km; my GPS recorded 30.4 miles (48.9 km) over four days, including wandering in Ngong Ping and Tai O.
Can you camp on the Lantau Trail?: Yes, but only at designated campsites: Hong Kong law bans camping elsewhere in country parks. They're free and first come, first served. On or near Sections 1 to 8 they include Nam Shan, Ngong Ping, Man Cheung Po, Kau Ling Chung and Shek Pik. There's no campsite on Sunset Peak.
Is there water on the Lantau Trail?: Not on the mountains: there's none between Nam Shan and Ngong Ping, over Sunset Peak and Lantau Peak. Fill up in Mui Wo or at Nam Shan, then in Ngong Ping and Tai O. Campsite streams are seasonal.
How do you get to the start of the Lantau Trail?: Take the ferry from Central Pier 6 to Mui Wo: about 35 to 40 minutes, all fast ferries, HK$33.50 Monday to Saturday and HK$48.50 on Sundays and holidays (2026). The trail starts at the pier.
When is the best time to hike the Lantau Trail?: October to March, the cool, dry season. The Hong Kong Observatory says November and December are many people's favorite months. Summer is hot and wet, with typhoons possible from May to November.