Lion Rock might be one of the most iconic natural lookouts of Hong Kong. Here several adventurous routes up including Lion Tail and Horse Ridge.

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On the map above I have marked the easiest route possible (pink color) too. You can take a taxi up Shatin Pass road and arrive at the gates of Lion’s Rock country park.

But that route would miss most of the fun. Instead, get down next to Fat Chong Temple (taxi or minibus around) or start walking from Wong Tai Sin MTR station Exit E on a steep concrete road. Long Blue line instead.

Once there the real hiking starts. Some stairs, find your way with several ribbon marked paths. Finally you should see this concrete gutter.

If instead, you find yourself next to the Government sign saying that you should not go up this way.

You are on the yellow route. The most traditional Lion Tail route. I would suggest you find the gutter mentioned before and these hills to be hiking on instead. A bit more interesting.

Find the quarry wall.

Depending on how good you are climbing you could find your way up through the wall. But there is an easier dirt path up on the right side of it. Continue and you will find some easier scrambling. There are even ropes set there.

You can do it without them if the rock is not wet. If you use them, check that they are safe still.

In little time you will arrive at the head of the “horse” which gives the name to Horse Ridge.

I would advise to go under it to its right and scramble up the path there, slightly more interesting. You will connect with the Brown path mark on the map around here. This starts up a semi-dry creek and requires quite some scrambling. But I do not especially like it with some downhill on sandy surface.

In any case, any of the several paths available there soon you will take you to Lion’s Tail Ridge.

Comparatively easy. Once on the top the views.

And the big sign telling you that the way you hiked was dangerous and full of steep cliffs.

Actually, it is true that depending which path you follow down (dozens and all with different ribbons), it can be tricky for nonexperienced hikers. I have tried most routes and the one marked in blue, I think, is the most interesting. In any case, you will arrive at this point and from there in a couple of minutes you are in Lion Rock Head.

From this point, you could walk back down to the pink line and down to the city. You can add some extra distance with the blue line marked just under Lion Rock Head. It is the path that climbers use to approach the wall. Also gives you another view, from below, of the place.

I have marked two completely different routes. The orange line starts at Chui Chuk Street.

You need to hike up those stairs. Initially the path is very “civilized”. Concrete stairs mainly and little shelters, “gyms” and others were you can see old people enjoying the hill. Up till the last one.

From here onwards the path becomes steeper and with quite some sandy surface. Every now and then you will find some picturesque rocks and the views of the city below continuously.

If you continue up you will arrive at the junction with the blue line. Instead, I went West direction. The path is quite uneven, with some ups and downs, sandy surface, some thorny plants around… I do not especially like it. But as a way down for a short while from the very top to connect with the green line. The green + blue allows you to see the Head from below. Very nice perspective, with all the hikers taking their pics above. The difficulty is a bit higher, cause there are ribbons that can take you to quite high cliffs. Find the easy ways down and up again with the GPS. You will need to scramble a bit too.

The purple line starts around Tsui Chuk Garden. Although every time I hiked it I went through Lion Rock road. In any case, soon you will get to some old structures. Stairs, walls, gates into disrepair.

Continue up and next to this sign find ribbons on the right side.

There is a nice boulder for practicing your climbing and taking pics from up there. The path up is similar to orange one. Quite steep, sometimes within the woods, but mainly with an open view of the city below. The rocks are a bit more interesting here.

Connect with the green + blue and up to Lion Rock itself.

If I would need to choose one route I will go with the first one + green. But you can spend hours and hours here just exploring all the different options, different scrambling routes, etc. If you have the material and knowledge, climbing is another option with well-bolted walls and tons of information in the net of the different routes

Finally, some drone footage for your enjoyment.

And more pics and videos of mine in the area.

Check here other routes that you might enjoy.

Going up on April 2019.

On December 2022

On December 2023, red route going up with extra scrambling, big slab included

and down passing through the Horse and

interesting abandoned old town at the bottom.