One thing you may not know about Taiwan is that 20% of the land is protected as a forest, state reserve or national park. Thirty percent more is made out of forest. With this in mind, the entire country is suitable for hiking. You can hike every day of the year but the conditions will always be best during autumn. Hikers do need to be fit but there are options that are available for every single person out there since you can find options that are suitable.
If you want to have a great experience, you will want to choose a great trekking trail. The ones mentioned below are highly recommended based on the reviews of professionals and amateurs alike.
Wuling Sixiu Trail – Shei-Pa National Park
This trek will take three to four days tops and is a very challenging trek. It is based in the Shei-Pa National Park. Wuling Sixiu stands out as a group made out of 4 mountains. They are all covered by the trek. It has a climb of 1.5 kilometers and when you finish the climb, you will love the views. After you are at the top, you get to Mount Chiyou’s top. The views here are incredible and you will particularly love the night views. If you decide to choose this trek, make sure that you climb with the help of a qualified guide.
Zhuilu Old Trail – Taroko National Park
This trail is 10.3 kilometers long, going straight through the national park. It is a really accessible trail, one that is perfect for beginner hikers. The really challenging part of the trek is the one that takes you to the Zhuilu Cliff. You will get the possibility of seeing wonderful views of the really scenic Liwu River. Many hikers ended up abandoning plans when they saw where they were headed to when they took the more difficult treks but there is also a much easier trek in the form of the Lushui-Holiu Trail. This trek is 2 kilometers long. Keep in mind that you will need a permit for the Zhuilu Old Trail, which was reopened in the year 2008.
Beidawushan Trail
This is a Taiwak trek that is located in the south. It goes as high as 3 kilometers and has a length of 10 kilometers. It is among the most popular in all of the country. Most of the trail is really easy and the panoramic views that you see are quite stunning.
The start of the trail is at an elevation of 1,520 meters. Most of the path will be simple and clear. The second trail day will include rope sections, narrow ridges and much more. Your trail will end at the Beidawushan summit. From here you can see the Taiwan Strait and the Pacific Ocean. We are faced with a stunning rail but it will be a little difficult to reach it.
Yushan Peaks Trail – Yushan National Park
This trail is very popular for those coming to Taiwan and for people that have an average fitness level. The first day is particularly interesting because of the Cishan River views and the flora that you can see in this part of Taiwan. Your second day sill start really early in order to reach the summit. There is no need to have a guide if you go trekking on the Yushan Peaks Trail but you will need a pass.