Land of Jade & Tea – Taiwan

Welcome to Taiwan! Upon arrival in Taipei, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Taiwan's sprawling capital city is an exciting mix of South East Asia, US and Japanese influences. The skyline is dominated by the impressive Taipei 101 Tower, once the tallest in the world, and made more impressive by its backdrop of rolling mountains in the North. The city is quirky and friendly and one of the safest capitals in Asia. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure to get acquainted with the city. Stay 3 Nights: ArTree Hotel or similar

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel this morning before departing to explore Taipei. You will start at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, an impressive local monument with a square which has the National Concert Hall and National Theatre on either side. Similar in shape to Beijing's Tiantan, the building has been designed to invoke the character of the number 8, which represents good fortune and abundance. You will continue to Lunghsan Temple, one of the oldest and largest temples in Taiwan, built in 1738 and housing the statues of hundreds of Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist Deities. Close by is Herb Lane, a fresh produce market that sells a wide variety of herbs, to be used primarily in traditional healing. The range of herbs include rare and specialty herbs such as Japanese Knotweed and saxifrage – learn how they have been used in the past and in present day.

Next, it is time to get an incredible aerial view over Taipei, as you head to the 89th floor observation deck of Taipei 101 Tower. From 2004 to 2010, this was the tallest building in the world and it is the perfect place to take in a birds eye view of the city. From here you will continue to Mt. Elephant, where a trail of around 600 stairs will take you to a lookout from where you can get impressive views of the city, but this time with the iconic Taipei 101 Tower is included in the skyscape.

For something slightly more challenging, your next stop will be Jinmian Mountain, which will be the first trail walk that you do in Taiwan. This trail is classified as moderate, and in certain areas you will need both hands to climb, with ropes permanently attached to these areas for you to use to assist you as you walk. The view from Jinmian Mountain is simply breathtaking.

You will continue to Raohe Night Market, one of the oldest traditional markets in Taipei and bustling with street food stalls, carnival games and quaint little shops. You might like to try some of the interesting local specialties as you walk around the eateries (paid locally). Afterwards, you will return to your hotel and have the evening at leisure. (B)

After breakfast at your hotel, you will depart to visit Yangmingshan National Park, a stunning National Park that is well known for its sulphur crystals and hot springs. At the western entrance of the park, you will see the Flower Clock, a large garden artwork formed of colourful flowers. From here you walk to the volcanic landscape of Thermal Valley, often referred to as Hell Valley or Ghost Lake, due to the surreal looking setting of sulphuric mist that rises from the hot springs.

Your hike today is known as the Jinbaoli Path (Yulu Historical Trail), a century old path that linked the villages of Daping and Dapu, and was used as a trade route to deliver fish, tea and sulphur. This 6.3km route will take around 3 hours to hike, and you will see wildflowers and tantalising glimpses of the coast as the follow the dirt trails and stone steps that make up the path.

This afternoon, you will visit Dunshui Harbour Town, a laid-back coastal town with a main shopping street full of historic buildings and interesting street vendors. You will explore Fisherman's Wharf which is full of little cafes and restaurants as well as being a hub for fishing boats. Here, you can walk along Lover's Bridge, a curved white cable-stayed pedestrian bridge that gets its name from its original opening which was on Valentine's Day. At night, it is lit up with changing colours and a great place to watch the sunset. After enjoying the Danshi River bank with its interesting variety of wetland plants, you will take a ferry ride to the other side of the river.

At the end of the day you will return to your hotel in Taipei and have the evening at leisure. (B)

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before departing for Yehliu Geo Park. Located on a strip of land that stretches into the Pacific Ocean, this beautiful park is known for its bizarre rock formations formed by wind and sea abrasion. These include mushroom and honeycomb shaped rocks, and one particularly regal rock tower known as the Queen's Head which looks like either Queen Nefertiti, or Queen Elizabeth in likeness, depending on which angle you are looking at it from.

You then continue to Jiufen (Chiufen) Village, a quaint and charming small town packed with history. The word “Chiufen” means nine pieces and refers to when this town was originally so small and isolated that its inhabitants were made up of just nine families. With markets far away, when they needed supplies they would send just one family who would come back and divide the spoils into nine pieces. For a while in the 1890's, the town swelled to a larger size as it became a site of the gold rush, and there are multiple historic sites to be seen as you explore the narrow alleyways lined with teahouses, giving a glimpse of the past glory of this location. Throughout the town you will find nooks that have beautiful mountain views, as well as vistas that take in the Yingyang Sea.

This afternoon, you will trek for around 3.5 hours on the Caoling Historic Trail, which cuts across Sandiao Cape (Sandiaojiao) starting at Yuanwangkeng, and finishing at Dali on the coast. It is the only section that still remains of the old Ching Dynasty Trail, which is over 130 years old. The present trail is approximately 10 kilometers long and beautifully scenic, as you walk over rolling green hills, with stunning ocean views.

When you have finished your hike, you will drive to Yilan, where you will check into your hotel and have the remainder of the day at leisure. Your unique accommodation includes hot and cold spring water baths in your room, perfect for soaking in as you relax at the end of a long day. Stay: Lakeshore Hotel Suao or similar (B)

After breakfast today, you will travel to Volandosatoyama, where you will walk along a mountain trail in a stretch of nature that is full of fruit trees and birdlife. The round trip hike takes approx. 1.5 -2 hours. You will stop half-way for some refreshments, and to soak up the beautiful surrounds. As you reach the top of the mountain, you will reach an open-air theatre, where you will see a performance of U-Theatre. This is a drum beating performance with a focus on zen and has been described as ‘attaining the state of total calmness while in motion'. For this troupe, a performance is not an end in itself, but rather an approach to a holistic way of life oriented in the Tao. Lunch will be arranged for you in the park, before you depart for you next location – Hualien. On the way, you will visit the Qingshui Cliffs where you will take in incredible views. You will then do a light hike called the Shakadang Trail, which is built along a river cliff, with trails that often go under overhanging cliffs, and past rockpools and interesting plant ecosystems.

After a photo stop at Gorge Gateway, you will then travel to Taroko National Park where you will find your accommodation for the night on an isolated plateau in dramatic mountain surroundings. Time will feel like it has slowed down in this beautiful environment, with its background music of birdsong, and the backdrop of towering green mountains and blue sky. This accommodation is owned by members of the local Taroko tribe and the semi-detached log cabins are full of Indigenous influence, with hand-made weaving and canvas paintings crafted by the community, and a slightly retro design which is reminiscent of the traditional Tang Dynasty. Stay 2 Nights: Taroko Village Hotel or similar (B/L)

Wake up in your mountain surroundings and enjoy breakfast before departing for a hike in the Taroko National Park. You will first see the Eternal Spring Shrine, a memorial built in 1958 to commemorate 212 workers who died building the Central Cross Island Highway. The peaceful memorial is set above a waterfall, and with many Buddha sculptures lining its paths. You will continue to Bulowan Terrace, a large hill-top home, before visiting the magnificent Tunnel of Nine Turns. You will continue walking to Swallow Grotto, so named because the caves and crevices created by erosion are an ideal nesting place for swallows. You will often see swallows flying in and out of the surrounding rock formations, and from here, you have an incredible view of the Liwu River flowing below and the beauty of Taroko Gorge. This gorge is also known as Grand Marble Gorge because of its impressive, steep marble walls. You will continue on to Tianshiang Village, where your hike for the day will finish, and you will transfer back to your accommodation in Taroko National Park. (B)

Today you will be trekking Hehuanshan Peaks in Taroko Gorge National Park. Hehuanshan is 3,416 metres high, the peak of which lies on the boundaries of Nantou and Hualien counties. In summer, it is delightfully cool and also highly scenic, as different alpine flowers are in bloom from May to September. Autumn and Spring are also incredible times for hiking and trekking in this area. The main trail for Hehuan East Peak (938m, altitude 3421m, 2 hours round-trip) starts from a cottage and ascends the northern slope of the mountain. Hiking poles will come in handy on this path as there are some steep sections.

You will then travel to Goang Xing Paper Mill, where you will learn the knowledge of the paper making process. Enjoy a lesson in how to make Chinese style paper fans and perhaps take one home as a souvenir.

You will continue on to Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan's largest body of water and a tranquil oasis with a rich indigenous culture. You will check into your hotel and have the remainder of the day at leisure. Stay 2 Nights: Richforest Hotel Sun Moon Lake or similar (B)

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel and enjoy the beautiful views of Sun Moon Lake. The lake sits at an altitude of 762m in the mountains of Nantou County. After breakfast, you will drive around part of the lake to visit Wen Wu Temple. This impressive temple is the only Confucius temple in Taiwan where you will see a statue of Confucius himself, and some of the other bronze statues also represent his disciples. If time permits this morning, you will also visit Tse En Pagoda, and Tehua Village.

It will then be time for your hike of the day, the Mt Moalan Trail (approx. 3 hours). This is a relaxed scenic walk that takes you to a weather observatory that was built by the Japanese in 1940. From the summit, at 1020m, you can see as far as Puli. The 3km trail is paved, and you will wind through villages, cedar trees, and vast tea plantations, accompanied by the sound of birdsong. The scenery around you is spectacular, with the view of rolling green hills and silhouetted mountains in the distance.

Today is free for you to explore Sun Moon Lake before your departure transfer. If time permits, you may want to cycle around the beautiful Sun Moon Lake cycling trail.

You will be transferred to Taipei International Airport in time for your onwards flight. (B)