How To Find Rhino Rock Hong Kong — Quick Hike in Stanley — TripGuru
This short and adventurous hike in Hong Kong takes you to a breathless natural photo spot flying well below the Instagram Tour radar. Rhino Rock is a convenient and quick getaway from the city centre no less stunning than the gorgeous hikes of Kowloon and the New Territories…
If you loved the famous Dragon’s Back Trail and are raring for more, why not hop onto Rhino Rock not far from its more famous cousin? The great part about it is that not many people know about this site; it’s one of the city’s best secret hikes that only takes some 45 minutes to complete!
Distance: 1km
Duration: 45 minutes back and forth not counting photo taking
Difficulty: Medium to Hard; some scrambling or basic bouldering involved — NOT for the faint-hearted! Although many older Chinese aunties and uncles don’t seem to be daunted.
About Rhino Rock
Hong Kong’s Che Pau Teng (斜炮頂) or Rhino Rock is a fascinating outcrop found on Hong Kong Island’s south side. It’s easily accessible by a short flight of stairs and then steep gravelly paths off the side of the mountain. It’s not as dangerous, inaccessible or intense as Suicide Cliff, so if you were looking to get similarly jaw-dropping views for a fraction of the effort, this is a great option!
Is it safe?
It’s a fun and challenging hike involving some scrambling and sliding. If you’ve got fear of heights, you might want to try an easier trail like those on here.
When to do it
DO NOT do this at midday in the midst of summer as we did! There is very little tree cover for half of the hike; only bush and gravel. If it’s hot, try to go at sunrise or well after the hottest part of the day, although don’t get caught here after dark.
What to wear / bring
It would be better to wear clothes that cover your legs and maybe your torso because there’s some off-trail bush-whacking involved. DO bring a bottle of water and maybe snacks if you want to picnic with the view! Take a hat and sun protection as well.
How to get there
- From Central: Take bus 6A from Exchange Square to Stanley Fort.
- From MTR Sai Wan Ho Station: Take bus 14 to Stanley Fort
- You can also take a taxi from anywhere in HK (like Repulse Bay or Deep Water Bay) to Stanley Fort. Show this to your driver: 赤柱炮台
After getting off the bus, you’ll see a small stairs disappearing off into the woods to the left of the fort’s gate. Go up! The first part is a good uphill climb giving you a proper cardio workout until you reach a triangulation pillar. From here take the path opposite the satellite station.
To be honest we just wandered from there and went down the hill slightly veering to the right until we found people taking photos from a distance at the Rhino Head! It’s a scenic walk so if you’re not in a rush, do enjoy the great views and take epic photos — there’s more than enough great rock formations and photography spots for everyone without getting photo bombed.
If you want to go straight to Rhino Rock, keep your eyes peeled for the ribbons tied to branches of trees, and they roughly show the way.
Getting back
Retrace your steps to the bus stop — easy!
Beyond Rhino Rock
Looking for a more challenging hike farther out into Hong Kong’s wilder spaces? Try the Plover Cove Country Trail.
For an urban hike by night, do the classic Victoria Peak Evening Hiking Tour from Central to see the skyline lit all lit up.
Happy hiking! For a complete list of our tours in the ‘Kong, click here.
Originally published at https://blog.thetripguru.com on March 2, 2020.
