Ng Tung Chai might be the most well-known waterfalls in Hong Kong. Hiking in the stream though, you “unlock” its beauty further.

  • Beauty/fun: 8.5/10. Even if the main waterfalls can be a bit crowded, this stream is a must. Pristine water full route, pools, big waterfalls and jungle landscape.
  • Difficulty (check this link if new here, this is not your standard HK hiking web): 6/10. In several points you can exit out to the main path. You can not scramble up the main touristy waterfalls, but yes all the others with good grip shoes and skills.
  • Map

MTR to Kam Sheung Road or Tai Po Market stations and 64K bus is the usual public transportation used. Ng Tung Chai Tsuen or Chai Kek (if coming from Tai Po Market) stop.

There are two starting points that I would suggest then. If you want to avoid some of the initial stream just head up on the little concrete path up to the public toilets. There onwards you will see signs guiding you to the waterfalls. If instead, you want to hike the whole stream then head up Chai Kek road and in less than five minutes you will see the path that crosses Lam Tsuen river. This section is already pretty

even if the waterfalls are tiny. Clean, clean water.

And already mossy rocks.

After approximately 45 minutes you will find a bridge. This is the entry that I was suggesting as the second option. Just after this gate, turn left and you will find it.

Walking in the stream again.

Already under the foliage.

There is another entry marked on the OpenCyclemaps and with ribbons, but it is a steep slippery loose path. So I would not recommend you take it.

There is only one main fork that can be misleading. Marked, again, on the map and picture here.

Banana stream on your left. A similar amount of water going down in both. You need to take the right tributary.

Some areas, including just after this fork, can have quite dense vegetation. The pools can be deep too and the easiest route might require you swimming. Here she coming out of the water after a compulsory dip, once she was not able to climb some of the rocks around.

Continue up and

you will arrive at Bottom Fall.

Here you can find the first crowds. Trying to take the perfect picture. The funny thing is that just some little meters upwards the views are way better! You can climb up through the first waterfall or on the wall on the right side and you will arrive at a higher pool and the upper waterfall that you could see in the picture before.

I really like this spot. The rocks create some kind of dome. Rock, green, water, even the sunlight coming from the canopy if you come at the right time of the day.

I have not been able to find any way to climb it safely. Therefore trace back down, spoiling quite some pictures of those below 😛 and go to the main path.

Stairs up till Middle Fall.

If you turn left you will be able to see all the previous and anchors used by canyoning groups to go down the stream. Same, same from the top of Middle Fall itself.

Again spoiling some pictures of those down 😛 I was not able to find a direct way. So head up the main path and once you are close to the stream again cross it to the left side. You will see some ribbons there.

Go down the stream and you will see/hear a big waterfall.

You can climb down next to it (going downstream right side ) if you want to see Middle Fall from atop. Be careful, loose terrain and rocks.

Once finished, go up the stream again. You will be scrambling on rocks with a clear view of the main path around several times. Up till this waterfall.

Climbable. Start on the left of the picture. Carefully cross to the opposite side. Initially, It is quite simple, with good feet and hand grips. It only gets really tricky here.

With good grip shoes and skills doable. For weaker scramblers bring a rope. There is a thick tree just above, perfect for setting the rope. If not comfortable climbing it, head back to the main path, just less than hundred meters apart. If you passed the waterfall, just continue for a little while

and you will arrive at Main Fall.

Highest of all and the main attraction for those looking for selfies. Go up on its left leaving some of the crowd below. Not all though, as this has become a major path even with the Gov signs saying that it is dangerous to go ahead.

And in five minutes you will arrive at Scatter Fall.

Carefully you could climb it. Otherwise just go up the stairs and you will find paths back to the top.

Most go out here. Don’t do it! Just five minutes walk in the stream from Scatter Fall you can find another way more impressive twin waterfall.

From here on, your call. You have a very easy dirt path out connecting with the main one, just tracing back a little. Otherwise, you can continue up the stream. There is a fork just afterward. I have only tried the left side tributary. You can find couple

of additional waterfalls this way. They are a bit tricky to climb to the top, with very little traces of people visiting them.

Also man-made terraces and some quite interesting plants and trees. But soon the vegetation starts to get really dense and continuing is quite a struggle, without a machete or pruning shears. I found a way out, marked on the map above, connecting to the main path up to MacLehose. It is quite difficult though, with a landslide that changed the old path out and bit misleading ribbons around (Oct 2017). Literally making my way through the jungle for 50-100m.

I would suggest after the twin fall going back to the main path out instead.

Nov 2019. Going up from the monastery to the twin fall and back down to the starting point. Garmin track and pics in Instagram.

Jul 2022. Going up Ng Tung main stream after a heavy storm. Later down Kai Kung Pit.

Everything you should know before stream hiking.

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