Hiking in Southern China

You will be met at Hong Kong International Airport and driven to your hotel in Sha Tin in the New Territories, where you can settle in for the coming five nights. Sha Tin lies between the Shing Mun River and the mountains – a calmer and greener base than central Hong Kong, yet with the metro just around the corner. In the evening you'll enjoy a welcome dinner with local specialities, a first taste of the Cantonese cuisine that has made the city one of the world's food capitals.

After breakfast you travel to the trailhead, about an hour's journey. Today's hike is Dragon's Back, stage 8 of the Hong Kong Trail, the city's fourth longest trail and named by Time Magazine as Asia's best urban hike. You climb up to Shek O Peak, where the undulating ridge resembles the spine of a flying dragon. On one side the South China Sea and small islands, on the other glimpses of the city whose slender skyscrapers rise up out of the subtropical greenery. The trail ends at Big Wave Bay, one of the island's best surfing beaches.

After the hike you follow your guide back to the hotel. They'll be happy to give tips for the evening's dining experience, either in Sha Tin or downtown, reachable by metro.

After breakfast you travel about 1.5 hours by car to Lantau, Hong Kong's largest island. Here you hike stage 2 of the Lantau Trail, the most beautiful section of Hong Kong's third longest trail, up to Sunset Peak, also known as Eason's Mountain after a famous pop singer. The summit is known for its golden-shimmering miscanthus grass and the old stone huts scattered across the crest; at sunset this is Hong Kong's most photographed view.

After the hike you take the ferry past Central Pier and watch Victoria Harbour light up for the evening. If you want the full panorama, you can make your own way up to Victoria Peak. Then transfer to the hotel and a free evening.

After breakfast you travel about 1.5 hours by public transport to the trailhead. Pat Sin Leng, the Ridge of the Eight Immortals, is stage 9 and the highlight of the Wilson Trail, Hong Kong's second longest trail. You hike along a series of peaks on the ridge, with dense greenery below and views across the water toward the Shenzhen skyline, a reminder of just how close mainland China actually is. It's a long day with many steps, but the reward is one of Hong Kong's most iconic landscapes. You reach the end of the trail at Tai Mei Tuk by the Plover Cove Reservoir in the late afternoon, then head back to the hotel for well-deserved relaxation.

We've saved the finest hike in Hong Kong for last. You travel about 40 minutes by public transport or taxi to the Sai Kung Peninsula. The trail begins at the High Island Reservoir and Po Pin Chau, the dramatic cliff of hexagonal basalt columns that adorns Hong Kong's 500-dollar banknote.

You then hike stage 2 of the MacLehose Trail along a coastline of jungle-clad mountains, white sandy beaches, bays and islands in the South China Sea. You pass Long Ke Wan, over Sai Wan Shan and down to Sai Wan and Ham Tin Wan – two of the four famous Big Wave Beaches. Hong Kong's most awe-inspiring peak, Sharp Peak, watches over the hike. The trail continues through the old fishing village of Chek Keng and ends at Pak Tam Au in the evening. Afterwards, transfer to the hotel for a final night in Hong Kong.
Please note: a permit may be required to visit Po Pin Chau. If it is not granted, you will instead hike the Sharp Peak Spur Loop, about 2 km with ±100 m of ascent, with views over Long Ke Wan, Po Pin Chau and High Island.

After breakfast you make your way to West Kowloon Station and take the high-speed train to Guilin, a three-hour journey from Hong Kong's neon lights to Guangxi's karst landscape. Along the way you'll get great glimpses into the Chinese countryside and the towns you pass at speeds of up to 300 km/h. On arrival, your guide takes you to a simple lunch spot (not included but very affordable). In the afternoon you visit the city's symbol, Elephant Trunk Hill, which dips down into the Li River, and Chuanshan Park with panoramic views over the water. As an optional extra, you can try a café inside a karst cave or take a tour of the old town of Daxu. Dinner featuring Guilin's local specialities (do you dare try everything?) and overnight at a riverside hotel in Daxu.

Today you get to experience the Chinese postcard scene one imagines when dreaming of the Far East. After breakfast you travel a couple of hours north to the Longji Rice Terraces in Longsheng. At the entrance to the area you switch to a bus that takes you in about an hour to the village of Dazhai, named by UNWTO as one of the world's best tourism villages in 2022. For lunch you try the Yao people's oil tea and traditional village dishes.

After a short rest, the hike begins: Dazhai – Xiaozhai – the mountain peak Jinfoding – and back to Dazhai. Those who wish can stay at Jinfoding to watch the sun set over the terraces. Dinner includes, among other things, the Yao people's herb-cooked chicken. In the evening you can stroll among the terraces, listen to the crickets and gaze at the starry sky. Now you're far from home!
Please note: cars cannot drive all the way to the guesthouse. Pack what you need for the night in a smaller bag; the large suitcase stays in the vehicle.

After breakfast you travel about 3.5 hours south to Yangshuo, whose landscape the Chinese call "the most beautiful under heaven". Here you take an easy walk along the river from West Street to Longtoushan Pier. Then you travel to the village of Gaozhou on the Li River, where today's hike begins.

The trail passes through Pubutang, Shawan and Yuanbaozha and continues on the old Sweet Osmanthus Ancient Trail, named after the fragrant osmanthus shrub. You then reach your guesthouse in the village of Dahebei near the old town of Xingping. In the evening, a home-cooked dinner featuring Xingping's local specialities awaits.

After breakfast you travel to the Lengshui ferry crossing at Nine Painted Horses Mountain and cross the river. From here you hike one of China's ten classic trails: Nine Painted Horses Mountain – Laocuntou – Xialong – Quanjiazhou – Langshi – Yangdi. Try to spot the nine horses in the cliff face – according to legend, anyone who sees all nine will become an outstanding scholar. Lunch is a simple meal with a farming family along the way. In Yangdi you board a bamboo raft that drifts back along the Li River, a lovely finale to the hiking programme. After disembarking, you walk 3.5 km back to the hotel to change.
In the afternoon you head to Yangshuo, China's climbing capital, for a thrilling but safe via ferrata – "the dance on the cliff face". Afterwards you drive back to Xingping for your last evening in Guangxi.

After breakfast you are driven to Guilin's airport or high-speed train station, depending on how you continue your journey. Heading home, or on to further adventures in this vast, fascinating country that has just opened up to you? If you're flying home via a larger city like Shanghai or Beijing, we recommend a few extra nights there. The only thing we can promise is that it will be different - China resembles nothing so little as itself.