How to hike Kam Shan Country Park (Monkey Hill)

Tucked away in the hills behind northwestern Kowloon and Sha Tin lies a hidden wealth of picturesque landscapes shrouded in thick jungle, interspersed with azure lakes. Named after its populations of wild monkeys, Kam Shan Country Park (Monkey Hill) is the domain of Hong Kong’s wild chiefs.

Read more: Best hikes in Hong Kong

Getting to Kam Shan Country Park

• By minibus: Catch the number 81 KMB bus from Nathan Road (this bus can also be ridden in the opposite direction from Tai Wai) and disembark at the Shek Lei Pui Reservoir stop.
• By taxi: You can venture into the country park by car. Drive up Tai Po Road and turn off at Kowloon Reservoir, then head across the reservoir dam wall and into the heart of the park. Make sure to wind up your windows though, or else you may incur a few extra passengers, especially if you have food!

Things to know

Once you arrive, you will soon be confronted by many monkeys, invariably a troop of Rhesus Macaques. There are signs at the park entrance spelling out the dos and don’ts in regards to the monkeys. From experience, be relaxed. You’re not supposed to feed the animals, but some people do. As a result, the monkeys will approach you if you have food. Just don’t approach them with food and they will mind their own monkey business. Direct eye contact and sudden movements won’t endear you to them. With that out of the way, the monkeys are great fun to watch and can be extremely photogenic.

Route

Heading into Kam Shan Country Park, follow the concrete access road into the woods, then across the Kowloon Reservoir dam wall.

From here there are several options to choose from, the most enjoyable one being a walk up to the monkey mountain. Follow the road up the hillside for twenty minutes or so until you reach a picnic area, usually full of macaques. On the way to the top of the monkey mountain the Kam Shan Family Trail makes for a pleasant detour.

Back down beside the Kowloon Reservoir, you can also leave the road to explore the Kam Shan Tree Walk. This well signposted pathway leads to Shek Lei Pui and back, highlighting many different types of flora and fauna along the way. 

Getting home

Heading back from Monkey Hill is as simple as finding your way in. In addition to taking the bus or driving, there are plenty of taxis on Tai Po Road to flag down. You’ll very quickly descend back into the city and the monkey mountain will seem a million miles away.