Down From the Peak

Down From the Peak

Imagine Victorian ladies —petticoats and parasols — taking a morning walk on well-manicured lawns or some other garden landscapes that inspired painters back in the day. This is the walk that takes you to spots worthy of a painter’s palette.

No point in rushing this walk. You have to meander at the Peak Gardens and its equally lovely neighbor, Mount Austin Playground. Breathtaking open spaces, pagodas, benches, and winding paths across green lawns. You gaze at this snapshot of Europe right here in Hong Kong, replete with classic Victorian garden fittings such as wrought iron railings that you can touch in case you suspect it’s all illusion.

The Peak Tower and the Galleria both have viewing decks that offer a view of Victoria Harbour, but the perspective from the Peak Gardens takes you farther — including the west and south of Hong Kong Island.

In between these stunning vistas are dense forests through which the trail winds its way. Down from The Peak Tower to Admiralty is a walk that weaves culture and history, and more invites for a selfie with lush greenery, and even blooms and stunning garden landscapes at the Botanical Garden and Hong Kong Park.

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DIRECTIONS

Get to the start:

  1. Start with a walk or taxi ride up Mount Austin Road, taking a right turn just as you reach Victoria Peak Garden up to the gate of the Radio Station. Alight from the taxi here and look for a path to the right that takes you up to a flat grass area overlooking Hong Kong Island.
  2. From here, walk back down to Mount Austin Road and follow the road past Victoria Peak Garden to a car park and lookout.
  3. Weave your way down from the lookout through the gardens to the eastern edge where you will find a sign for the Governor’s Walk. Follow this all the way down to the junctions of Harlech and Lugard roads.
  4. Turn right along Lugard Road and walk around all the way to The Peak Tower.
  5. Look for a sign to Old Peak Road down some steps close to the start of Lugard Road and follow the road down with a short diversion to look at the Barker Road Tram station.
  6. Keep on Old Peak Road all the way down to Magazine Gap Road which you cross and then turn right along it until you reach an entrance to the Zoological and Botanical Garden.
  7. Wind your way through the garden, stopping to enjoy the animals and birds until you reach the far eastern gate on Upper Albert Road.
  8. Follow the signs to Hong Kong Park through a spaghetti junction of roads until you drop down onto Kennedy Road which you cross, entering the park through a gate next to the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre.
  9. Once more, wind your way through the park to the far side where there is a gate into Pacific Place and the MTR station at Admiralty.

GALLERY