Kraig Adams 835K159K75.3K29KWork with me
Lantau Trail: a still from my film

Hong Kong · January 2025

Lantau Trail

48.9 KM · 4 DAYS · 1,990 M

Mui Wo over Lantau Peak to Tai O in 4 days.

Watch the film 15:43 · 137K views

At a glance

Where
Hong Kong
Distance
48.9 km (30.4 miles)
Days
4, with 3 nights: 4.8 miles on Day 1 (an afternoon), 7.2 on Day 2, 12.8 on Day 3, 5.7 on Day 4
Climbing
About 6,530 ft (1,990 m) up and 6,300 ft (1,920 m) down, going west like I did
Difficulty
Sections 2 and 3 (Sunset Peak and Lantau Peak) are rated 4 of 5, Difficult, by the government: long stone staircases. The rest is 1 to 3 of 5
Route
Mui Wo ferry pier to South Lantau Road at Shek Pik
When I went
January 2025
Relief map of the Lantau Trail route: 4 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Mui Wo, Shek Pik, Lantau Peak, Tsin Yue Wan and Sunset Peak.
Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Highest 2,930 ft (892 m)

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

My GPS recording on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts. The GPX files come with the guide.

Everything I made about it

The film

Photos

  • The ridge below Sunset Peak at dusk, Day 1.
    The ridge below Sunset Peak at dusk, Day 1.
  • Lantau Peak in cloud from Sunset Peak's shoulder, Day 2 morning.
    Lantau Peak in cloud from Sunset Peak's shoulder, Day 2 morning.
  • Lantau Peak and Shek Pik Reservoir from the ridge, Day 3.
    Lantau Peak and Shek Pik Reservoir from the ridge, Day 3.
  • The south coast on Day 4, from my drone.
    The south coast on Day 4, from my drone.
Mui Wo and its ferry pier, with Lantau's mountains behind: where the trail starts.
Mui Wo and its ferry pier, with Lantau's mountains behind: where the trail starts.

The guide · 53-page PDF + GPX files · 2027 season edition

Do it yourself

Mui Wo over Lantau Peak to Tai O in 4 days.

  • Where things stand
  • All four days
  • A plan for 2027
  • My GPX files
  • The rules and camping

Paying in the Facebook/Instagram app? Tap ⋯ and Open in browser to use Apple Pay or Google Pay.

$19

Instant download: PDF + GPX files.
Not useful? Email me within 30 days for a refund.

Look inside the guide

Free sample

Try Day 2 free

The whole Day 2, Sunset Peak to Ngong Ping page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. Both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

Music in this film

All music

What I'd take now

My current kit

Everything I use, in Tools

Asia bundle

This guide is in Asia Hiking Guide Pack: 8 guides for $39. Or all 62 guides for $59.

Short answers

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.

I make my guides with AI, from my own films and GPS recordings. How.