When you conjure up an image of Hong Kong, chances are your first thoughts will turn to that of skyscrapers, street vendors and busy markets, bright lights and the general hustle and bustle that comes with city living. You would be forgiven then for not realising that just a hiking boots throw away from the skyscrapers lie mountainous forests, picturesque landscapes shrouded in thick jungle, remote golden beaches, secret waterfalls and azure lakes. There is quite simply a bounty of nature’s wonders waiting to be explored. Should you fancy leaving city life behind and exploring what is arguably the most beautiful, and less discovered side of Hong Kong, then a tour with Wild Hong Kong is the perfect place to start. Their tours focus on exploring Hong Kong’s wild areas, in the sense that the tours are, for the most part, going to places as far removed from human development as possible. Hikes to be explored are those such as the Dragon’s Back trail which will reward you with stunning views over the southern Hong Kong island. It combines many of the areas finest attributes from mountain ridges and sheltered forest trails to the white sands of Tai Long Wan (Big Wave Bay). Or there is the Tai Mo Shan (Ng Tung Chai) waterfalls, found nestled within dense jungle on the breathtaking slopes of Tai Mo Shan mountain. The tour takes you on climbs past rural villages and temples from other worlds to find a series of cascades spreading over several kilometres, each waterfall being more dramatic than the last. Then there’s the Sai Kung beaches. Described as the ‘crown jewel’ of rural Hong Kong, the Sai Kung peninsula is idillic and remote with no roads within the region’s outer reaches. In fact the only way there is to either hike or travel by boat. Founder Rory Mackay says the aim of Wild Hong Kong is to share the territories beautiful backyard which is full of hidden gems. Growing up between Hong Kong and Scotland, Rory has never been a stranger to adventure. Whether it was scaling Munros in the Scottish Highlands or finding new waterfalls in the New Territories of Hong Kong, he has always been keen to utilise any opportunity to explore. Rory got his first taste of a big adventure sailing an 80ft yacht from Scotland to the Svalbard archipelago near the North Pole. Since then he has spent time working and skiing in New Zealand and has travelled around Southeast Asia. He cycled solo across Vietnam and China, from Saigon to Hong Kong, before proceeding to tackle the bigger challenge of cycling across Africa on a solo ride from Cape Town to Cairo which he completed within 5 months.
It makes perfect sense then that adventures aside Rory is now in the enviable position of having turned his passion into a business. We asked him if he felt his job satisfaction was higher than most peoples. His response? ‘Yes! There’s a lot of handwork going on behind the scenes but it’s always worth it.’
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IN THE JULY ARTICLE OF OUR MONTHLY COLUMN IN SAI KUNG/SOUTHSIDE/EXPAT PARENTS MAGAZINES; WE CHECK KAM SHAN 'MONKEY MOUNTAIN'
Tucked away in the hills behind Kowloon lies a hidden wealth. Amongst picturesque landscapes shrouded in thick jungle, interspersed with azure lakes lies the domain of Hong Kong’s wild chiefs. This is Kam Shan, realm of the monkey.
Shek Lei Pui Reservoir stop. For those that have a private vehicle at their disposal, this is a really neat spot to visit as one can venture into the heart of the park with their car. Drive up Tai Po Road and turn off at Kowloon Reservoir, you can then drive across the reservoir dam wall and into the heart of the country park. Make sure to wind up your windows though, or else you may incur a few extra passengers, especially if you have food!
Arriving at the bus stop, you will soon be confronted by many monkeys, invariably a troop of Rhesus Macaques. Although the Rhesus species is native to Hong Kong, the macaques found today are believed to be re-introduced. In the 1910’s during the construction of Kowloon Reservoir, the apes were deployed to the surrounding areas in order to combat the spread of a fruit that tainted the water supply. They can roam in large numbers and enjoy the area around Tai Po Road, as the rubbish bins and increased human presence provides the chance of finding a meal. There are signs at the park entrance spelling out the dos and don’ts in regards to the monkeys. From experience, simply be relaxed. Don’t approach the monkeys with food and they will mind their own monkey business. Direct eye contact and sudden movements won’t endear you to them either. With those unpleasantries out of the way, the monkeys are great fun to watch and can be extremely photogenic!
Heading into Kam Shan Country Park, simply follow the concrete access road into the woods, then across the Kowloon reservoir dam wall. From here there are several cool options to choose from, the most enjoyable one being a walk up to the monkey mountain. Follow the road up the hillside for twenty minutes or so and one will reach a picnic area, usually full of macaques. The monkeys here are a little less feisty than those on Tai Po road and seeing them in their natural treetop habitat is a delight.
Heading back from the country park is equally simple as finding your way in. In addition to taking the bus or driving, there are plenty of taxis on Tai Po Road to flag down.
You’ll very quickly descend back into the city and that monkey mountain will seem a million miles away. A world of dense rainforests guarded by troops of charismatic macaques. Yes, in Hong Kong! |
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About usWe are one of Hong Kong's premier adventure & eco tour operators. This is our blog, documenting many of the wild places we explore and show guests. Archives
September 2024
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