On a cool, clear Saturday morning, we set out on another hiking adventure. This time, we'd tackle the Kai Kung Leng hike near Yuen Long. A steep and exposed trail, it offers epic 360-degree views for almost the entire hike. And so far, it's the best view of the Shenzhen skyline that I've found in Hong Kong! In this article, I'll show you how to hike this incredibly scenic trail in Lam Tsuen Country Park.
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Preparing for the Kai Kung Leng Hike
The Kai Kung Leng hike is a steep climb on a grassy mountain ridge in Lam Tsuen Country Park in northern New Territories. This trail is also sometimes referred to as Rooster Ridge, in English.
Although not a long hike, it's still fairly difficult due to steep and slippery trail conditions. Plus, since trees are sparse, the sun exposure on the hike is intense.
Distance: ~6.6 km / 4.1 mi
Duration: Approx. 4 hours
Elevation Gain*: ~630 m / 2,067 ft
Elevation Loss*: ~613 m / 2,011 ft
*All elevation gains/losses are approximate based on my Google Maps calculations.
Hiking the Kai Kung Leng trail from west to east as we did, you'll begin by climbing up steep, rickety stairs. Then, the trail turns into a dirt path which leads you over several peaks on your way to the top. After conquering the tallest peak on the ridgeline, it's a steep, slippery descent to the other end of the trail.
Who Should Hike It?
In my opinion, the Kai Kung Leng trail is a difficult hike due to the trail conditions and sun exposure so I'd recommend this hike for experienced hikers. And apparently so does the HK Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
We encountered this warning sign (below) as we finished our hike. It was a bit too late for us, but luckily, we were prepared anyway.
Warning sign for the Kai Kung Leng Trail
Whereas many hikes in Hong Kong have stairs on the steeper sections, much of the Kai Kung Leng trail is rocky, dirt scrambles. Proper footwear is essential to avoid slipping and falling. Even still, you have to be careful about loose rocks as you go.
When to Hike the Kai Kung Leng Trail?
Due to the sun exposure on the majority of the trail, I recommend this hike for cooler months in Hong Kong. Just be sure to pick an unpolluted day to fully appreciate the spectacular views from the Kai Kung Leng trail.
Way up in northern Hong Kong, this trail doesn't get overly crowded, even on weekends. So, you could really hike it any day of the week.
Items for Your Hike
Here are a few things I suggest you remember to bring on your hike:
Getting to Kai Kung Leng
To get to the Kai Kung Leng hike, we took the MTR to the Yuen Long Station on the Tuen Ma Line (switching lines several times).
From Yuen Long, you can get to the trailhead a couple different ways.
Green Minibus
At Yuen Long Station, on the other side of Yoho II Mall, you can catch the 603 Green Minibus to the Mo Fan Heung stop on Fung Kat Heung Road. From there, it's a short walk to the trailhead.
Because it was our first time to Yuen Long and I'm terrible at navigating through malls, we gave up looking for the minibus and took a taxi instead.
Taxi
By far the easiest way to get to the Kai Kung Leng trailhead is to take a taxi. Simply exit Yuen Long Station at exit G1, then follow signs towards the taxi stand.
We showed our driver that we wanted to go to Fung Kat Heung Road. I think she realized we wanted to hike that trail and drove us down to the basketball court which is almost at the trailhead. The ride only cost HK $36.
New to Hong Kong? Check out this Guide to Using Public Transportation.
Overview of Kai Kung Leng Hike
The trail along Kai Kung Leng, or Rooster Ridge, is a steep, rocky hike with breathtaking views. In this guide, I'll share the route we hiked, plus show you some of its incredible views.
Along the way, I'll provide some stats to give you an idea of what to expect on each section of the hike.
Quick Overview of Kai Kung Leng Hike
Distance: ~6.6 km / 4.1 mi
Duration: Approx. 4 hours
Elevation Gain*: ~630 m / 2,067 ft
Elevation Loss*: ~613 m / 2,011 ft
*All elevation gains/losses are approximate based on my Google Maps calculations.
Kai Kung Leng Hiking Map
If you'd like to follow the route we took to hike Kai Kung Leng through Lam Tsuen Country Park, click on the map below to open the map in Google Maps.
CLICK TO OPEN IN GOOGLE MAPS
Kai Kung Leng Trailhead
We began our hike up Kai Kung Leng on Fung Kat Heung Road in Kam Tin village in northern New Territories. As I mentioned, we took a taxi to get there. The trailhead is just past a basketball court on the right side of the road.
At first, we weren't quite sure we'd found the trailhead. But seeing us hesitantly circling it, a friendly minibus driver helped us out. As he drove by, he honked and pointed at the stairs to let us know we'd found the right spot. So up towards the electrical lines we went.
Toilet Tips: Although you won't find public toilets at the start of the trailhead, there is one a few hundred meters away - Wah Shing Tsuen Public Toilet. Likewise, you won't find them at the end of the trail either but there's one nearby - Ying Pun Tsuen Public Toilet. There are no toilet facilities on the Kai Kung Leng trail.
Beginning the Kai Kung Leng Climb
The first part of the Kai Kung Leng trail is a steep climb on rickety steps that have seen better days. The dirt which makes up the actual step has been washed away on some of the stairs, just leaving a piece of wood sticking up into the trail. Almost makes it more difficult to climb than if there were no stairs at all!
Shortly into the climb, you'll begin to see the magnificent views. Down below you, you'll see the village of Kam Tin. In the distance, Tai Mo Shan - the tallest peak in Hong Kong - towers above Lam Tsuen Valley.
Climbing the First Peak - Kai Kung Shan
Once you get to the ridgeline, be sure to look behind you to appreciate the views back towards Yuen Long. The wetland areas of the Nam Sang Wai fishponds offer a different kind of scenery than you usually find in Hong Kong.
As you make your way higher, the stairs disappear leaving a dirt path for the trail. At this point, the steep hills become more challenging to climb since you have to navigate dusty slopes.
Reaching the first peak - Kai Kung Shan (374 m / 1,227 ft), you'll feel pretty accomplished already. Though you still have a lot of climbing to go.
From Kai Kung Shan, you'll have incredible views of the sprawling Shenzhen skyline as well as Deep Bay and the Nam Sang Wai fishponds in northern Hong Kong.
Looking out over the scenery, I also noticed a few large suburban developments that seem much different from any others in Hong Kong.
Quick Summary - Part 1: Ascent to Kai Kung Shan
Distance: 1.4 km / 0.9 mi
Elevation Gain: ~345 m / 1,132 ft
Start Time: 12:45 pm
End Time: 1:50 pm
Short Descent
After Kai Kung Shan, the trail descends slightly as you traverse a flatter part of the ridge. It's a nice break for the legs and offers beautiful views of the mountainside ahead.
Since we hiked this trail at the beginning of December, Rooster Ridge still had a bit of green mixed with the brown hillside. In my opinion, this mix of colors was beautiful and made the hills look a bit like a tapestry. Further into winter, I imagine the hillside will turn completely brown.
Climbing the Rocky Rooster Ridge
Next up on the Rooster Ridge Trail, you'll face a series of steep, rocky climbs. Honestly, the photos don't do justice to the steepness of the trail. I'd seen photos before hiking this trail and thought, "Oh, it doesn't have stairs so it can't be that steep." I was wrong.
Much steeper than it looks!
Although you'll see several paths on many sections of this hike, it doesn't really matter which one you take. They all lead back to the same place. Try to choose one that looks less dusty and has natural stairs worked into the rocks.
Looking over the hillside, you can see other trails leading up to the Kai Kung Leng Trail
As you hike from west to east, natural breaks occur throughout the climb. These breaks are good spots to rest, take photos, and appreciate the majestic views surrounding you.
Behind me is the part we'd already hiked - explains my red face, right?
A more adventurous climber than I am posing on the rocks.
Summits of Kai Kung Leng
Once you reach the first summit, you'll probably think you're at the top. The views are spectacular and you can see for miles and miles.
However, then you'll see that there's actually one more peak to go. Kai Kung Leng has two peaks that are almost the same height. The first peak is 572 m / 1,877 ft. The second peak is 585 m / 1,919 ft, which is the highest point in Lam Tsuen Country Park.
Between the two peaks, you'll have a short downhill section before going straight back up.
Quick Summary - Part 2: Ascent to Highest Point on Trail
Distance: 2.4 km / 1.5 mi
Elevation Gain: ~264 m / 866 ft
Elevation Loss: ~64 m / 210 ft
Start Time: 1:50 pm
End Time: 3:05 pm
Steep Descent on the Kai Kung Leng Trail
After passing the final peak on the Kai Kung Leng trail, you'll begin a steep, rocky descent which doesn't relent much until you've finished the hike. Slowly making our way downward, I was glad we hadn't climbed up this direction.
Though if we'd had, due to our timing, we'd have seen a gorgeous sunset on the hike back down the western side of Lam Tsuen Country Park. Something to consider when planning your hike.
Throughout the entire descent, the dusty trail was very slippery. On a flatter section, I ended up slipping because I wasn't being as cautious as I had been on the steeper sections. Luckily, I caught myself and only ended up with a dusty hand.
The Tai To Yan mountains look much greener than Kai Kung Leng.
As you make your way downhill, you'll have beautiful views of the other section of Lam Tsuen Country Park - the mountainside of Tai To Yan. Perhaps we'll hike that ridgeline later this winter.
Jungle Trail to Fan Kam Road
From open and exposed trail to hacking your way through a jungle, the final part of the Kai Kung Leng trail is quite a difference! The dense brush wasn't my favorite as the overgrown branches scratched up my calves. If I'd been in shorts, it would have been worse.
Once you hit the concrete path and stairs leading down to the road, you're almost to the end. Emerging from the forest, you'll come to a peaceful village setting. Duck under the pipe and head up the steps to the Fan Kam Road.
Quick Summary - Part 3: Steep Descent
Distance: 2.8 km / 1.7 mi
Elevation Gain: ~14 m / 46 ft
Elevation Loss: ~565 m / 1,853 ft
Start Time: 3:10 pm
End Time: 4:40 pm
Returning to the MTR
At Fan Kam Road, turn right to head towards the 77K bus stop. Although our plan was to take the 77K bus back to the MTR, we ended up on a different bus.
As we stood waiting for the 77K, a red minibus (going to Yuen Long) pulled over and stopped for us. Since I hate just waiting around, we hopped on that bus instead. Luckily, the driver told us when to get off in Yuen Long to catch the MTR. The ride cost HK $11 per person and we paid in cash.
Dinner in Yuen Long
After our hike, we were pretty hungry and since the Yoho Mall has plenty of dining options, we decided to grab a bite to eat. We pretty much stopped at the first place we saw - Phở Lê - because who can turn down a big bowl of pho after a vigorous hike? Not me!
Final Thoughts
Although the Kai Kung Leng trail is a bit off-the-beaten path, it's a great hike with gorgeous views and worth the trip out to northern Hong Kong. With the right shoes, sunscreen, and plenty of water, it's the perfect hike for a cool, winter day.
Other Hikes You Might Enjoy
If you're looking for other challenging hikes in Hong Kong, you might enjoy the following hiking guides:
Happy hiking!
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The views really do look spectacular. Hong Kong is so far away, that I sometimes forget that other parts of the world have as much beauty and more as we do in the US!
For how small it is, Hong Kong has a lot going on in the views and nature department. 🙂 It’s been nice exploring and getting to see some of the more remote areas that visitors don’t typically see.
Love the photos with the views out across the fish ponds over to Shenzhen. You worked mighty hard to get those 🙂 My favorite photo though? The bus stop. Brings back a flood of memories. Stood at many stops that looked just like that in the New Territories back in the day.
You’re easy to please, Steven. It would have been much easier to just get the bus stop photo! 😉 Honestly, the day we hiked Kai Kung Leng was one of the best hiking days in the past few months so all the photos seemed to turn out really well.
When we visited Hong Kong, we spent most of our time exploring the big tourist sites and in the city. You are surely showing me we need to plan for some outdoor hiking time on our next visit. It was good to read you categorize the Kai Kung Leng hike as difficult due to the steep and slippery train conditions. Good to be prepared if you want those great views!
It’s funny because Hong Kong is an awesome hiking destination, but I think a lot of visitors don’t realize it. Until I moved here, I also didn’t know just how many country parks and hiking trails I’d find. The Kai Kung Leng trail certainly blew me away with its views.
Looks like a very fun hike and a proper good work-out. The views from the top are amazing and unimpaired by trees. I like how you always combine all posts with at least a bit of food. And agreed, pho would go well with hiking.
The Kai Kung Leng hike was perfect for a good workout, especially since gyms are closed at the moment in Hong Kong. Ending in Yuen Long, we had a great choice of food places at the malls, but pho hit the spot.
This looks like a great hike and nice weather. So clean! Cheers!
We were lucky to have a perfect day for the Kai Kung Leng hike which is all about the incredible views!