Trekking in East Asia

The Kumano Kodo is Japan’s classic multi-day walk. The Nakahechi route crosses the Kii Peninsula from Takijiri to Kumano Hongu Taisha in two or three days, and walkers who continue to Nachi Taisha cover about 70 km in four or five. Small inns along the way serve dinner and breakfast, and luggage transfer can be booked between them. On the Nakasendo, the old Edo-period road through the Kiso Valley, the 8 km stretch between the post towns of Magome and Tsumago takes about three hours on stone paving and forest trail.

The Japan Alps are where Japan does real mountains. Kamikochi, a car-free valley at 1,500 m reached by bus from Matsumoto, is open from about mid-April to mid-November and is the start for the three-day loop to Yarigatake (3,180 m) and the Hotaka ridge. Mountain huts serve two meals and a bunk, and summer weekends fill, so book ahead.

Korea’s national parks charge no entry fee, and trails are marked, stepped and busy at weekends. Hallasan (1,947 m), the volcano at the centre of Jeju, is a full-day climb to the crater lake of Baengnokdam. Only two trails reach the summit, Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa, and both need a free advance booking with daily limits of about 1,000 and 500 hikers. Rangers turn people back from the summit section after a cut-off time in the early afternoon.

Jirisan, the largest mountain park on the mainland, has the country’s best ridge walk, two or three days along the main ridge to Cheonwangbong (1,915 m), sleeping in shelters you reserve through the national park service. Seoraksan on the east coast has granite pinnacles, the climb to Ulsanbawi rock, and its finest colours in mid-October. For something gentler, the Jeju Olle Trail circles Jeju in about 27 coastal courses. See National Parks in South Korea.

Yushan, the highest peak in Northeast Asia, is usually climbed in two days with a night at Paiyun Lodge. You need a Yushan National Park entry permit and a lodge bed, both allocated by lottery, so apply weeks ahead. Xueshan (3,886 m) has a similar system. Taroko National Park is still recovering from the April 2024 earthquake: some trails have reopened, but others, including the Zhuilu Old Road, remain closed, so check the national park hiking portal before you go. Near Taipei, Yangmingshan has easy volcanic day hikes. See National Parks in Taiwan.

Hong Kong is three-quarters countryside. The Dragon’s Back ridge is a two-hour walk to Big Wave Bay, Lantau Peak (934 m) is the classic sunrise climb above Ngong Ping, and the 100 km MacLehose Trail crosses the New Territories in ten stages. See Hong Kong Country Parks.

Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan is China’s best trek: about 22 km on the high trail from Qiaotou, with the Jinsha River far below and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain opposite. Most people take two days, staying in guesthouses on the path, and reach it by bus from Lijiang. Bring cash, since signal and mobile payment are patchy on the trail.

Altai Tavan Bogd in the far west has the Potanin Glacier and Khuiten Peak (4,374 m), Mongolia’s highest. Treks run from June to September with camels or horses carrying gear, and you need a border-zone permit, arranged by local operators in Ulgii. Closer to Ulaanbaatar, Gorkhi-Terelj has day hikes and ger camps, and the shores of Khövsgöl Lake suit multi-day walks and horse treks.

The East Asian rainy season runs from about June to mid-July, and typhoons hit Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong mainly from August to October. Winter brings snow to the Korean and Japanese mountains, where crampons are normal on popular trails.

• Book early: Hallasan summit slots, Jirisan shelters, Japan Alps huts on weekends and Taiwan’s high-mountain permits all fill.
• Guides: rarely required in Japan, Korea or Taiwan; usual in Mongolia’s Altai and recommended on the wild Great Wall.
• Bears: carry a bell in Hokkaido and the Japan Alps.
• Insurance: check your policy covers hiking above 3,000 m and mountain rescue, which can be billed in Japan.