Taroko Gorge.
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Overview

Taroko Gorge (太魯閣: Tàilǔgé) is a deep, rocky, tree-lined canyon with a boulder-strewn, blue-green river at the bottom. Its magnificent scenery makes it an incredible place for hiking, and it welcomes visitors with trails ranging from flat and leisurely to strenuous and heart-pumping. The 19-km-long canyon in Xiulin Township near Taiwan's east coast is protected as Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園; Tàilǔgé gúojiā gōngyuán).

Understand

The Taroko Gorge is composed mainly of metamorphic rocks, such as marble, gneiss, and schist. The name, Taroko, means the "magnificent and splendid" in the language of Truku, the aboriginal tribe residing in the area.

The nearest town is Xincheng near the entrance to the national park, which has a train station and a handful of hotels, restaurants, shops, and even a night market serving the steady flow of tourists. The visitor center is near the entrance to the park, and Tianxiang, a village of sorts with not-that-great restaurants and a couple of stores, is located deep in the gorge past most of the main hiking trails. Alternatively, many visitors go to Taroko National Park as a day trip from Hualien.

History When Taroko National Park was established in 1986, it was of special significance for the environmental protection movement in Taiwan: it showed that the public and the government agencies had realized despite the nation's four decades of extraordinary economic success, serious damage was being done to its natural resources.

The most phenomenal aspect of the park is the amazing relief. In a single afternoon you can travel from rugged coastal cliffs through a maze of subtropical forested canyons to high elevation sub-alpine coniferous forests. In about 60 km the landscape rises from sea level to some of the tallest peaks in Taiwan at over 3400 m. That's steep!

Over the last 70 million years, these two forces collaborated to form the world's deepest marble canyon. The slot canyons here are remarkable with narrows sections 300 m high and only a dozen meters apart, reminiscent of the Virgin River in Zion National Park in Utah, USA. Ignore the fact that Zion is in the desert, and made of sandstone and Taroko is subtropical and comprised of marble, and these two gorges have a lot in common.

The park has 144 species of birds, 10% of which are indigenous to Taiwan. It also hosts over 30 large species of mammals, including deer, boar, and bear. Monkeys can be seen if you're on a quiet trail and keep your eyes and ears peeled. 251 species of butterflies, 32 species of reptiles and 18 species of fish have been identified, but considering the rugged terrain of the park, this is probably only a fraction of the species that actually live in the park.

Climate The climate is subtropical and generally mild. Rainfall is abundant year round so be prepared and be especially cautious about entering the gorge during typhoons or periods of extended heavy rain due to the danger of landslides and rockfall.

The weather in the gorge can often be surprisingly well with open and blue sky, even when it is raining in Hualien.

According the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau, average temperatures at low elevations in the park range from 14°C in January to 27°C in July. At higher elevation it is much cooler with winter temperatures at 2000 m being about 5.5°C in the winter and 17.5°C in the summer and at 3400 m at the top of Hehuan, temperatures average -3°C in January and 9°C in July.

Get in

The nearest major city is Hualien. Flights and trains are available from Taipei and most major cities.

Regular buses from Hualien. Regular buses depart from the Hualien TRA station at 06:30 (to Luoshao), 08:40 (to Lishan), 10:50 (to Tianxiang) and 13:50 (to Tianxiang). All buses stop at Tzuchi Vihara, Xincheng Taroko Station (太魯閣火車站), Taroko Visitor Center (park entrance), Shakadang (砂卡礑) and Buluowan (布落灣). Although the distance is not large, buses should take at least 2 hours to Tianxiang, due to very frequent stops and reduced speed inside the gorge. The buses no. 1126, 1133 and 1141 can also be used with the 1- and 2-day shuttle bus passes. So, be sure to bring the exact amount. EasyCard can also be used.

The Visitor Center offers free maps of the area. They can also provide you with up-to-date information on which trails are closed, as the weather and earthquakes may make them unsafe.

The trains are cheap, reliable and comfortable. Station names are announced in English and Chinese so you should have no problem identifying your stop. The closest train station to the park entrance is (新城).

By scooter You can rent a scooter near the train station in Hualien. It takes around 30 min to reach Taroko Gorge. However in some cases you may need a local drivers license to do so.

Fees and permits

Entry to the park is free but if you want to go to some of the wilderness or into areas designated as Eco-protection areas or restricted mountain areas, you will need an entry permit. Be sure to apply for the permits early (at least 1 week before) as some permits are limited by a small number per day. Refer to the official Taroko National Park information website for application procedures:

Get around

Many tunnels can also be traversed on foot, if you want to get from one to another just nearby sight.

By bus The shuttle bus and regular buses, see above.

Furthermore, there are numerous bus tours visiting the gorge every weekend. And, while the buses are comfortable and air-conditioned, the tours tend to have a tight itinerary (including, of course, the obligatory stop at some local gift shop), leaving little time for extended hiking.

Regular bus lines are a convenient and inexpensive way to get around the gorge and avoid the need to look for parking, though they can be very crowded. You can use Taipei's EasyCard to ride the buses with a 90% discount—tap when you get on and when you get off. If you pay with cash no change is given.

Bus lines through the gorge include the 302, 1126, 1129, 1132, 1133, 1133A, and 1141. They run pretty frequently from early morning to early evening, but at inconsistent intervals, and different lines stop at different places, so get ahold of a schedule to plan your transportation. The buses are often late and sometimes even a few minutes early, so don't take the schedules too seriously. Major stops served by most of the buses include:

Hualien Station 花蓮火車站 Xincheng Station 新城火車站 Taroko Arch Gate 太魯閣 Taroko Visitor Center 太魯閣遊客中心 Shakadang 砂卡礑 Swallow Grotto 燕子口 Tunnel of Nine Turns 九曲洞 Lushui 绿水 Tianxiang 天祥

The 7-Eleven in Tianxiang is useful for reloading your EasyCard.

Don't miss the last bus back in the evening!

By car Renting a car in Hualien is definitely an option, though be very cautious; the roads through the gorge are extremely narrow with numerous bends. In addition, there are pedestrians, scooters, cars and massive tour buses all vying for the tight space.

By scooter The Gorge is not the best place for a first scooter experience. However, it's a fantastic place to ride for those with experience. Scooters are available to rent in Hualien. There is also a gas station 50 km passed Taroko on the number 8 road (around km 118). The drive there climbs to an impressive 3 km altitude. Bring warmer clothes and rain gear. Also make sure to get a helmet with a rain visor.

By bicycle For the truly adventurous, cycling is a wonderful way to traverse the park. You can rent a bike in front of the entrance of the Taroko national park.

On foot If you do not have any of the above you can see some parts of the national park by foot. The closest hiking trail to the park entrance is the Shakadang Trail, which departs from the road after the first tunnel approximately 1 km from the park headquarters. The eternal spring shrine is only 1.4 km further through the tunnels. Taking this tour takes 4-5 hr, don't forget to take enough water with you.

By thumb Although Taiwan is not a hitchhiking paradise, it is pretty easy to hitchhike in the Taroko gorge and, more generally, on Highway 8, especially if you are a foreigner.

See

The following sights will be encountered in a westward order from the entrance of the park, though starting early in the morning at Baiyang Waterfall trail and heading eastwards will lead to far less crowds.

Shakadang Trail. 4.1 km, 3- to 4-hr round trip. Shakadang Trail is also known as "Mysterious Valley Trail", which is named because more than 40 years ago a group of young folks entered the river valley and found it very secretive. This place has attracted more and more travellers, and thus everyone is used to calling it "Mysterious Valley". However, its name was reverted to "Shakadang Trail" in 2001, according to the name of the river. This trail is built along the river cliff so travelers can easily observe both the folded rocks and ecosystem beside the river shore. 4½ km after passing Sanjianwu (3D Cabin), the trail leads to an old Datong tribe village, which is a favorite of travelers. After the first curve, you can see running water from the cliff to the lake, a sight which has astonished many people. May is the season for You Tong flowers and makes the trail a pleasant floral walkway. The beginning of the trail is pretty flat and easy, and it gets less crowded after you pass the stands selling food and drinks.

The Eternal Spring Shrine. The Changchun Shrine (Eternal Spring Shrine) recognizes the personnel who died during the construction of Central Cross-Island Highway. Rivers adjacent to the Changchun Shrine become the scattering falls, and the Highway Bureau named it after "Chanchun Falls" which is now the significant landmark on Central Cross-Island Highway. In 1987 the cliffs of the rivers destroyed the pavilion nearby the Changchun Shrine, but it was restored and reopened to the public 10 years later. In the back of the Changchun Shrine, there are stairs leading to Kuanyin Caves, Taroko Tower, the Bell Tower, and through a hanging bridge called "Heaven Trail", to Changuang Temple. The river valley next to the Changuang Temple has a calabash shape, and is accordingly named Calabash Valley (Hu-lu Gu).

Swallow Grotto. 1.37 km, 20 min. The Swallow Grotto is a short easy walk along very nice views of the gorge, finishing under the impressive Zhuliu cliffs. Kiosk with restrooms available halfway. Closed as of December 2019.

Lushui Trail. 2 km, 1 hr. Great and picturesque view. Further down the road in addition a great view from the .

Dekalun Trail. 1.3 km, 3 hr. Challenging trail with lots of birds.

Cave of Water Curtains / Baiyang Trail. An easy 2.1-km trail, 2-hr round trip. Named for the cave at the end of the trail, where water literally pours down in sheets from the roof. Pack a poncho or use one discarded by other considerate hikers (or inconsiderate, depending on your point of view). Hiking to this point on the Baiyang Waterfall Trail takes you through many very long, completely unlit tunnels — an experience in and of itself. Be sure to take a torch/flashlight, or you'll be walking in pitch black darkness. The first part of the trail is wheelchair-accessible.

Do

Hiking Taroko national park features a lot of different hiking trails. For most of them solid sneakers are enough, if you want to leave the well prepared paths you need to get permission of the park administration. Don't forget to take enough water with you when hiking. Also, ask the information centre about the weather. At certain times of the year there is predictable heavy rainfall about the same time everyday and you want to make sure you aren't hiking at those times. Often rains start around 15:00, in which case you need to get an early start to do a couple of hikes in a day.

Lushui-Heliu Trail. An easy 2-km, 45-min walk from the park office at Lushui to Heliu. Winds around short cliffs above the main road. Does pass through one dark tunnel, so bring a flashlight.

Dali Datong Trail. The trail starts near the Visitor Center and goes up through a forest, offering expansive views of the area and the Liwu river. The trail is of medium difficulty, consisting of mainly stairs and dirt paths. Once arrived at the top, you will hit some restricted areas. It takes 10.6 km and 2-3 hr one way and 6-7 hr round trip.

Zhuilu Old Trail. A strenuous hike that used to be part of an old cross-mountain trail through Taroko Gorge, starting near Swallows Grotto as it winds upwards through the green forest and coming out on a narrow cliffside path 700 m above the road but not more than a meter or two across. Not for anyone with fear of heights, but offers stunning views of the mountains on the other side of the gorge. Fortunately there's a cable to hold onto, but still, be careful and don't bring small children. At the 3.1-km marker after the narrow cliff trail is a flat area that makes a good place for lunch or a snack. The trail ends there as further tracks have high risks of rockfall and landslides. There are lots of monkeys in the area around the trail, so look and listen for them snacking on leaves up in the trees. Hikers are limited to about 150 a day, so the trail is peaceful compared to the relative crowds below. Apply as early as you can as permits do run out, sometimes within minutes of becoming available at 07:00 one month in advance. The permit lets you start the hike between 07:00 and 10:00—try to make it early (before 08:00) to have the trail almost to yourself. Apply at once you get the permit, print it out and bring it and your passport with you to check in at the trailhead.

Sanjhan. River tracing is available from the community centre in the nearby town of Sanjhan. However, if you want to rappel down waterfalls or do anything complicated, it is recommended that you contact a tour agency as the community centre of Sanjhan does not arrange tours.

Buy

Various local aboriginal handcrafts are for sale in the gorge as well as some local liquor. On the road from Hualien to the park entrance are lots of roadside stands selling whatever fruit is in season.

Eat

Restaurants are in short supply in Taroko Gorge, and those at the service centers in Buluowan and Tianxiang are generally bad with inflated prices. The Visitor Center has a restaurant and a (relatively limited, compared to the average convenience store) choice of bottled drinks. The closest real convenience store is a 7-Eleven in Taroko Archway, about 10 minutes walking downhill from the Visitor Center; another 7-Eleven is in Tianxiang. A packed lunch may serve as the simplest option for a day trip to the Gorge. For breakfast and dinner, there are tasty options in the nearby town of Xincheng.

Tianxiang. There are a couple of options in the Silks Place Hotel in Tianxiang. The café there is reasonable for a snack and an air-conditioned break from the heat if you are so inclined, but prices are high. The restaurant proper is quite fancy and expensive. Just across the parking lot from the Hotel are some several reasonably cheap food stalls, and one very small grocery store. A few small restaurants are available here that serve a variety of Chinese dishes. Some of the food is on display so even if you can't speak or read any Chinese, you should be able to fill your tummy with something you can palate. The phrase "Wǒ yào mǎi zhè ge" (I want to buy that) will serve you well.

Shakadang Trail. Right before the Shakadong Trail turns into a wilderness trail (about 1.5 km), there are a few food stalls run by members of the Taroko tribe. The food's cooked fresh, tastes good, and is fairly priced for the location. Closed promptly at 16:30 in November.

Xincheng has several restaurants. There are also little shops selling sandwiches, which make a good breakfast or part of a packed lunch. Vegetarian options are not a problem.

Xincheng Night Market. Definitely quieter than the popular night markets in Taipei, but still a lively enough place to get dinner, a snack, or a drink. Don't expect a lot of English.

Sleep

In the gorge are several options in Tianxiang (Tienhsiang), from the top-end five-star Silks Place Hotel and the Leader Village Hotel (more like motel) to budget hostels. However, most tourists choose to stay in Hualien, where there's a greater range of accommodation albeit with a time trade-off.

Youth Activity Center. Foreign traveler can check in with their YH card.

If you head 50 km further into the mountains, e.g.

Taroko Xincheng Streets Of Old Homestay. A guesthouse with very helpful staff—they really go the extra mile with advice, recommendations, and rides to other places in Xincheng, where the hotel is located. Don't expect much English, though. Buses into the park leave from just around the corner.

Backcountry Backcountry hiking is technical and requires permits from the authorities.