Have you been in Tei Shek? If you want similar water quality, you are OK with a bit less flow, but higher waterfalls; this is for you.
- Beauty/fun: 6.5/10 Crystal clear water, a few big waterfalls, ending up in one of the major hiking paths in Lantau. Go after significant rain.
- Difficulty (check this link if new here, this is not your standard HK hiking web): 5.5/10 the rocks are a bit less slippery here vs Tei Shek, but the climbs are higher. Several forks head to different tributaries. No potential early exits as soon as you are in the stream.
- The map (how to download to your phone offline maps)
See full screen & the Garmin track.
I was hoping that we were going to have a big flow day. But finally, we had only a good rain day on the 25th August, 3 days beforehand. Approx 50mm that day. The rest were completely dry and extremely hot. Nevertheless, we gave this stream a try.
Same as Tei Shek, you can take a minibus to Shek Mun Kap. Walk on the concrete road for a while.
You will arrive at a fork of four directions. Counterclockwise: the one you came from, the road that goes up to some houses, the path you need to follow, and another one that goes to the dam just under. The start of the stream already offers crystalline water, small pools and the view of the highrises behind.
First noteworthy spot. This waterfall.
You can pass under the rock and then climb it on the right side. Easiest pushing yourself from the tree below, not as how Antoine was doing (trying to hold the flimsy vine), but on your butt and using your triceps. If in doubt, easy side path on the right side.
A bit later the first fork, with Alexa and Wayne waiting for us for the good direction. Quite some of the tributaries in this system are worth checking. In our case, we went for the traditional route. That basically is summarized as “take all the time the right tributary”.
Deep pools and more small waterfalls to climb before arriving at one of the major spotlights on the route (#4 on the map). This double waterfall.
If you want to do it easy, ribbons on its left side. If you want to do it intermediate, go up on the left of the lower section, cross to the right and climb where Antoine was. If you want to do it most difficult, climbable within. Wayne on the last pic.
The only fork that can create a bit of confusion is this one.
The left tributary can have more water. But nevertheless, continue on the right one if you want to see the highest waterfalls (#7) around. As per Colin, 40m high in total. They need rain the very same day or tons of water the previous to look best.
There were ribbons in different places. In our case, we climbed on the left side of the first section and then follow the ribbons on the left again through
the woods. Atop you arrive at the upper part of cliff, to navigate slowly and back again on the forest for the last section that little by little gets
with no water till you exit to Nei Lak Shan country trail.
Decide where to go after. Most of our buddies were too tired due to the heat and took the bus next to Ngon Ping or run back down to the starting point. Ana and I did Tei Shek downstream.
It is a bit slippery, as explained in the post. So good shoes and skills are required. Doable downstream in less than two hours (1 if you are Colin fast).
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