MacLehose Trail

A cross-territory trail of ten marked sections, designed to be walked as a multi-day trek or tackled in bigger day-hike bites.

Time to Hike: Most walkers split it into 3-6 days, but it also works as ten separate day hikes because access points meet roads and public transport.

Best Time to Go: Aim for the cooler, drier months (often Oct-Mar) for clearer views and safer temperatures on exposed ridges. The hottest months can be hazardous on shade-free climbs.

Getting there: The eastern start is near Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung District; the western finish is in Tuen Mun Town in Tuen Mun District. Both ends are reachable by Hong Kong public transport, so many walkers do not need a car.

Costs: The trail itself is free to walk. Budget mainly for transport, food, water, and either accommodation in towns or simple camping.

Difficulty: Hard. While not technical, it includes long, exposed ascents and descents and reaches Tai Mo Shan, the highest point in Hong Kong (957 m).

The MacLehose Trail runs 100 kilometres from Pak Tam Chung in the east to Tuen Mun Town in the west, crossing much of Hong Kong’s New Territories. It is the longest trail in Hong Kong, marked by numbered distance posts every 500 metres (M001 to M200), which also help with navigation and emergency location.

Opened officially on 26 October 1979, the trail is named after Murray MacLehose, Baron MacLehose of Beoch, the longest-serving governor of Hong Kong, who helped establish the country parks and was himself an enthusiastic hiker. The route showcases striking variety: beaches and coastal geology around Sai Kung, reservoir engineering, and a long mountain traverse that culminates on Tai Mo Shan.

A signature highlight early on is the landscape around High Island Reservoir and the volcanic rock features linked to the UNESCO Global Geopark area, including hexagonal columnar jointing and sea-cliff viewpoints. Later, the trail becomes a ridge-and-peak journey along the mountains separating Kowloon and the New Territories before finishing along a catchwater for much of the final section.

• Section 1: Pak Tam Chung to near Long Ke - Road and reservoir-side walking around High Island Reservoir, including dam crossings and big sea views, before reaching the coast.
• Section 2: Long Ke coast and the climb toward Sai Kung hills - A coastal start followed by a steep, exposed ascent with limited shade and wide views over the Sai Kung coastline.
• Section 3: Sai Kung peninsula interior - Remote-feeling hills and country paths as the route continues anticlockwise around the peninsula, with junctions to side trails and villages.
• Section 4: Transition from Sai Kung toward Sha Tin edge - The trail begins to hug the district border, mixing upland paths with connectors that set up the long mountain traverse.
• Section 5: Kowloon and New Territories mountain range (east) - More sustained ridge walking as you enter the mountains separating Kowloon and the New Territories.
• Section 6: Central ridges and country park corridors - Rolling climbs and descents through country park landscapes, with frequent waymarking and access points.
• Section 7: Needle Hill area and steep hill country - A tougher-feeling section with sharper gradients and classic Hong Kong hill scenery.
• Section 8: Approach to Tai Mo Shan - The trail trends higher into the main massif, often cooler and windier, with expanding views in clear weather.
• Section 9: Tai Mo Shan ascent and high point - The culminating climb to Tai Mo Shan (957 m), Hong Kong’s highest point, followed by a long descent.
• Section 10: Catchwater traverse to Tuen Mun - A distinctive finish that follows a catchwater for much of the way, easing you toward Tuen Mun Town in the west.

Cooler months are the most comfortable, particularly for the exposed climbs on early Sai Kung sections and the higher ridges later on. Clear winter days can give excellent visibility from high points.

Heat is the main hazard: the trail includes long, shade-free ascents, and there are documented rescues for heatstroke on exposed hills. Plan early starts, carry sufficient water, and avoid pushing hard in very hot or humid conditions.

Most people walk east to west, starting at Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung District and finishing at Tuen Mun Town in Tuen Mun District. The start is close to a carpark, bus terminus, and visitor centre at Pak Tam Chung, making it a straightforward public-transport start.

From the western end at Tuen Mun Town, you can return into the urban transport network for onward travel. Because the trail is split into ten sections with multiple road crossings and junctions, it is also practical to access intermediate sections as day hikes if you do not want to carry multi-day gear.

No permit is required to walk the MacLehose Trail, and it is generally walked as a free public trail through country parks.

If you plan to camp, use designated campsites where provided and follow local country-park rules on fires and litter. The numbered distance posts and junction markers are useful for navigation and for communicating your location in an emergency.

The trail was opened with 12 campsites along the route equipped with simple toilet facilities and barbecue pits, and camping remains a common way to complete the trail over multiple days. Expect basic facilities rather than staffed huts.

If you prefer a bed, many walkers base themselves in urban areas near access points and tackle the route as day hikes, returning to accommodation in built-up districts between sections. Because the trail crosses multiple transport corridors, you can mix camping nights with town stays depending on your pace and comfort level.