象山

Taipei Cityscapes Guide

Everyone wants to get that iconic shot of Taipei 101 and the Taipei cityscape while visiting Taiwan.

But how do you get it? Where should you go? 

Taiwan’s rising popularity as a tourist destination means that it important that answers to these questions are readily available in order to help people make the most of their trip. 

While the local government does try its best to attract tourists and provide the necessary information, they often do a poor job of the latter which means people have to to rely on guide books, travel sites and blogs for their travel tips and expertise.

Fortunately, there are some excellent resources out there helping to introduce the country these days and I’m happy that this website has been able to play a small role in that. I have to say though, even though I do enjoy personally responding to people who have questions - I have discovered that I’ve been spending quite a bit of time responding to the same questions over and over again.

So, even though I’m personally not a fan of list-style blogs, I think having something that I can actually direct people to, rather than answering each person individually might save us all some time!

So, if you’ve been looking for a helpful guide to (some of) the best locations to get a shot of the beautiful Taipei cityscape, I think this guide might be of use!

Before I start, I should mention a couple of things:

  • All of these locations are free of charge. I’m not promoting any businesses here.

  • Rooftop photos of the city are popular, but I’m not promoting that here.

  • Each location is accessible using Taipei’s excellent public transportation network.

  • I’m not including any of the popular ground-level locations frequented by Instagrammers.

  • If you want that beautiful cityscape photo, you’re going to have to do a bit of hiking to get it!


By far the most popular spot for tourists to get their cityscape photos is on the Elephant Mountain Hiking trail (象山登山步道).

The trail is so popular that it even has its own dedicated MRT station!

The problem with Elephant Mountain however is that everybody knows about it - No matter what day of the week you visit, you are going to have to line up to take photos and in most cases you’ll probably miss that beautiful sunset photo that you had your heart set on.

For those landscape photographers who want to get the iconic shot of the Taipei City landscape from this mountain, you’re going to have to arrive quite early in the day to reserve a spot for your tripod as the best locations are always packed with photographers.

Elephant Mountain might be one of the best locations for photos but it goes without saying that it is also one of the most popular, which makes taking photos more of a challenge.

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Red Line to Xiangshan Station (象山站) and then follow the signs that lead you to the trailhead. The hike to the top takes anywhere between ten and thirty minutes.

Link: Elephant Mountain (象山)

For those wanting to get shots from the iconic Elephant Mountain but also want to escape the crowds and get a different perspective of the city - Thumb Mountain and 9-5 peak are a great option that requires only about twenty to thirty more minutes of hiking.

Situated on the same trail as Elephant Mountain, the peak of Thumb Mountain is considerably higher, is less clogged with tourists and offers a wider perspective of the city that also includes green mountains in the foreground.

Likewise, the observation platform on 9-5 Peak offers probably the widest and most beautiful view of the cityscape that you are going to get on this side of the city.

If you want the iconic photo of Taipei but want something that stands out from almost every shot on Instagram, you’ll want to keep these two peaks in mind!

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Red Line to Xiangshan Station (象山站) and then follow the signs that lead you the trailhead. After passing by the peak of Elephant Mountain, follow the signs which will lead you to the peak of Thumb Mountain and then continue on to 9-5 Peak.

Link: Thumb Mountain (拇指山)

Looking for an alternative to Elephant Mountain to avoid the massive crowds of tourists?

Tiger Mountain might just be the answer for all your social anxieties!

This trail is very much similar to the Elephant Mountain hike in terms of location and how well-developed the trail is (they are actually part of the same system of trails) but it isn’t as well known in tourist circles as it is with locals.

When you hike Tiger Mountain you will be treated with amazing views of the city in a location that differs only slightly from what you get at Elephant Mountain. You can even continue your short hike and can easily connect with other peaks along the Four Beasts Trail (四獸山) - which all offer great views of the city.

It is also a considerably easier hike than Elephant Mountain and takes very little time to complete.  

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Blue Line to Houshanpi Station (後山埤站) and from Exit 2 follow the signs that will lead you to the trailhead. Hiking this mountain doesn’t take a lot of time but you can easily make a day-trip of of the trails behind it that lead to other peaks.

Link: Tiger Mountain (虎山)

Fuzhou Mountain is a well-known alternative for locals who want to avoid the hordes of tourists on Elephant Mountain or on the other Nangang Mountain trails.

While not as popular in tourist circles, the mountain offers spectacular unobstructed views of the Taipei cityscape without the wait.

Situated in Fuzhoushan Park (福州山公園), the hike to the top takes a lot less time and energy than its more popular neighbours and it just so happens that this one is a personal favourite of mine.

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Brown Line to Linguang Station (麟光站) and then follow the signs across the street that lead you to the park. Once inside the forest park follow the signs that lead you to the peak of Fuzhou Mountain.

Link: Fuzhou Mountain (福州山)

Bishan Temple is a massive mountain-side temple in Taipei’s Neihu District - The temple is the largest of its kind in Taiwan, dedicated to the patron saint “Kaizhang Sheng Wang” is not only beautifully ornate but also provides visitors with beautiful views of the Taipei cityscape.

In recent years the temple has actually become more well-known for its beautiful night views of the city than its religious functions - but rest assured, Taiwanese visitors will always pay their respects before enjoying the view.

Likewise, you should also take some time to tour of the temple and the surrounding area.

This one doesn’t require much of a hike as the bus will drop you off near the entrance of the temple - simply walk up the stairs to the entrance and enjoy the view!

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Brown line to Neihu Station (內湖站) and from there walk to the bus stop at #452 Neihu Road, Section 2 (next to a small shrine) and wait for the #2 (小2) bus.

Link: Bishan Temple (碧山巖開漳聖王廟)

This mountain in Neihu (內湖) became extremely popular with locals a few years ago and for good reason - It offers amazing views of the city with beautiful mountains in the background.

The hike to the top takes about 20-30 minutes and even though its quite easy, it is really fun as you get to climb up the rock face of a mountain while enjoying beautiful panoramic scenery.

While at the top don’t forget to get a shot of yourself on the rock ledge that has become an internet sensation in Taiwan.

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Brown Line to Xihu Station (西湖站) and walk toward Tamkang University where you’ll see signs that lead you toward the Jinmian Mountain Trailhead (金面山登山步道).

Link: Jinmian Mountain (金面山)

Jiantan Mountain is a hiking trail that starts near the popular Shilin Nightmarket (士林夜市) and offers not only great views of the city (from the opposite side of the Keelung River) but also allows you to walk around the beautiful Grand Hotel and check out some cool temples.

The mountain has quite a few attractions and can be part of a much larger day-trip if you like, but for the purposes of this blog, people are going to want to head directly to the ‘Laodifang lookout’ (老地方觀景平台) where there are unobstructed views of the city.

This hike might be the longest of all the hikes I’m providing (around 1-2 hours) but you can take solace in the fact that once you’re done, you can visit the Shilin Nightmarket and fill your belly.

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Red Line to Jiantan Station (劍潭站) and from there cross the street and walk toward the Grand Hotel. You’ll see a temple on the side of the road. The trailhead is next to it.

Link: Jiantan Mountain (劍潭山)


Photography Tips

The old saying ‘The best camera is always the one you have with you’ applies quite well to most of these locations. What you’ll want to take into consideration is the kind of photos you want to take and how much equipment you’re willing to carry.

If you are looking to take beautiful, yet simple cityscape photos (to post on your social media), you can do that easily enough with the camera on your smartphone. That being said, a lot of people are like me and are more than willing to carry heavy camera gear up the mountains to get even better shots to bring back home.

No matter what you choose to do, there are a few things you’ll want to take into consideration to avoid the frustration of missing out on the perfect shot.

Smartphone Cameras

  • Smart phones aren’t particularly useful when it comes to ‘focus’ for night shots of people with the city in the background. It is either going to be one or the other. Never both. If you want a photo of yourself and the city, you’ll be better off hiking during the day.

  • If night shots are your only option, bring a light that you can put in front of your camera which will help the sensor focus with the lack of light.

  • You may want to consider purchasing a smart phone tripod at one of the night markets around the city - Having your phone stabilized for a shot always helps.

  • Some smart phones let you manually control your camera’s functions - If you can control your ISO, it could help get better results. If you download the Adobe Lightroom app for example, the free functions allow you to control your camera a bit more than the native camera apps do.

  • Don’t forget that your phone’s camera likely has ‘panorama’ mode. Take a panoramic shot while visiting so that you can post a 3D image on social media!

  • If you are using a filter app that makes you look really young, it’s likely to ruin your shot of the cityscape. Be careful with the apps you use. You can always edit your shots afterwards.

  • Last but not least - If you have a selfie-stick, don’t hit others in the face while taking photos!

Digital Cameras

  • If you plan on taking shots of the sunset and/or shots after dark, you’re absolutely going to need a tripod.

  • If you are bringing a tripod and want to set up in the perfect location for photos, in most cases, you’re going to have to arrive early to ensure that you get a good spot.

  • If you have them, you may want to bring some filters for the sunset.

  • Bracket your exposures - One of the most difficult things about shooting Taipei - and most cities - is all the artificial light that creates issues with dynamic range. If you bracket your exposures (HDR Mode) you’ll be able to capture balanced shots with higher contrast.

  • Shoot in ‘Aperture Priority Mode’ - This allows you to control everything in your camera and will save your photos from the disastrous effects of auto mode which compensates during low light.

  • Manual Focus allows for much sharper images than auto-focus and ensures that your camera focuses on the area that you want.

Locations Map

A map to guide you to the best mountain spots to check out the view of beautiful Taipei. Created by Josh Ellis Photography www.goteamjosh.com


I hope that this guide proves useful if you’re planning a visit - If you have any questions or suggestions for other locations that I might have forgotten, feel free to comment below or send me an email.

I plan on updating this guide quite often, so check back for updates.

Have a great time in this beautiful city and take some nice shots!

Four Beasts Hiking Trail (四獸山步道)

If you’ve read an article in a magazine, newspaper or purchased one of the many travel guides dedicated to Taiwan in the past few years, then it is very likely that you’ve seen an image like the one above. Much like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Taipei 101 has become an image that defines the Taipei skyline and is a testament to the prosperity of this small nation. 

Taipei 101, which was once the highest building in the world, has towered above the rest of the city for almost two decades, but the height of the building is only a small part of what makes images like the one above so popular.

The most important ingredient, if you’re asking me, are the mountains that surround the city (pre-dating the building by a few thousand years) and providing us not only with a perfect escape from the city, but amazing vistas for which we can take beautiful photos of Taiwan’s capital. 

Even though Taipei is almost completely surrounded by mountains, the most important (with regard to taking these iconic photos) are those located in the city’s eastern Xinyi District (信義區) on Nangang Mountain (南港山), which is home to Elephant Mountain (象山).

Currently considered to be one of Taipei’s top tourist destinations, Elephant Mountain has become the go-to location for those iconic images of the Taipei cityscape as well as for all those epic travel photos that people love to show off on their social media.  

This wasn’t always the case though - for long time residents of Taiwan like myself, most of us remember when Elephant Mountain was just a quiet hill on Nangang Mountain and was just a small portion of the ‘Four Beasts Trail’ (四獸山步道). 

Today, if you ask a tourist about ‘Nangang Mountain’ or the ‘Four Beasts’, they’d probably have no idea what you’re talking about. Not only that, but even though you can see Four Beasts-related stuff on the trails, it seems like very few are actually interested or aware of what the name actually refers to.

So for those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, let me explain: The Four Beasts Trail refers to a collection of mountain peaks located on Nangang Mountain (南港山) which includes Elephant Mountain (象山), Tiger Mountain (虎山), Lion Mountain (獅山), Leopard Mountain (豹山) and extends to include 9-5 Peak (九五峰) and Thumb Mountain (拇指山) as well.

I was first introduced to the ‘Four Beasts’ more than a decade ago by fellow photographer and hiking enthusiast Neil Wade. In the years since then his passion for Taiwan and its mountains has become a full time job and he’s currently one of the owners of Taiwan Adventures - a hiking company that offers English-language tours of Taiwan’s highest peaks. 

At that time, getting to the ‘Four Beasts’ was a bit of a pain in the ass - There weren’t any Youbikes, there weren’t any MRT stations nearby and the bus service in the area was limited. If you wanted to get to the trails, you’d have to either take a taxi or walk quite a distance. Likewise, once you arrived, the trails weren’t that great and it was easy to get lost on the vast network of paths on the mountain. Today, the situation is entirely different and the process of hiking the trails and getting to them has become really easy. 

Unfortunately, most of the information you’ll find online and in travel guides these days focuses only on Elephant Mountain which means that a lot people come to Taipei and are completely unaware of what treasures await them if they continue hiking. For me, I think this is really unfortunate, because yeah, the photos you’ll get from Elephant Mountain are great, but you can get even nicer photos if you keep hiking up the mountain, which is why I’m writing this guide. 

I also feel like in the next year or two the situation is going to revert back to normal with more and more people becoming aware of the Four Beasts and wanting to hike the entire trail. My optimism about this isn’t exactly unwarranted - This is because the Taipei City Government recently completed construction on what has become known as the “Taipei Grand Trail” (臺北大縱走), a 92km long network of hiking trails that surround the city. 

Considering that the Four Beasts is probably the most popular part of the whole trail, I feel like if the city government does a good enough job promoting the newly completed network to locals as well as tourists, it should help to attract more tourists to the trails.

So far, all signs are pointing in that direction with the Grand Trail getting a lot of attention and publicity with more than a thousand hikers having already completed the trail. The amount of information available in English though needs a bit more attention though. 

Link: Taipei Grand Trail (Official / Facebook)

With more people coming to Taiwan now than ever before, its important that this information is readily available, especially for avid hikers who are more than willing to hike beyond what the average tourist is willing to do. 

If your plan is to visit Taipei and spend an hour hiking Elephant Mountain, thats cool. 

You should know though that if you spend a bit more time hiking, you’re going to have a great time and enjoy even more opportunities for photos than the average tourist. This guide is for those people willing to spend a little more time and energy enjoying the beauty Taipei has to offer.

Hiking the Four Beasts 

The Four Beasts Hiking Trail is an extremely well-developed network of trails that not only provides hikers with stone paths, but also lights at night, rest stops, pavilions, photography platforms, water fountains and surprisingly clean and well-maintained public restrooms. 

Taipei’s vast network of hiking trails are generally very well taken care of, but in the case of the Four Beasts, they went over and above with these trails. 

When you hike any (or all) of the Four Beasts, there isn’t much that you’re going to have to worry about - The trails are safe and it is pretty much impossible to get lost. Hiking the trails doesn’t require any past experience or special skills - it is essentially just a walk in the forest where you’re going to be able to enjoy some great opportunities for photos and can also bring grandma, grandpa and your family pets along for the ride. 

If you’re wondering what you’ll need to prepare for your hike, my advice is that you simply wear a comfortable pair of shoes and clothing suitable for the season. You’ll also want to bring some water, snacks and a camera for taking photos. 

The amount of time it takes to hike the entire trail varies and will more or less depend on how much time you stop to rest or take photos. If I were to hike the entire trail without stopping, its likely that I’d only need about an hour and a half to finish. I’m not sure how anyone could hike these mountains though and not stop on several occasions to enjoy the spectacular scenery. 

If it’s your first time, I think its best to plan for at least three hours.

Official estimates from the local government tend to vary, but the trail from one end to the other is anywhere between 3.2km to 3.9km long with a hiking time of 90 minutes to 150 minutes. 

Link: Nangang Mountain Hiking Trail Map (Taipei City Government)

If you are in pretty good shape, you should take the time estimates with a grain of salt. It seems like they base all of these estimations on the time it would take a senior citizen to complete the hike, so if it says 30 minutes, you’re probably only going to need half of that. 

Something you’ll want to pay attention to before you start hiking is the weather - Even if the day you plan to hike is forecast to be really nice, you’ll also need to take into account the air quality as Taipei can often be quite hazy even on the nicest of days. 

So let me take a minute to explain how this guide is going to work. 

The first thing I’m going to do is offer an introduction to all of the peaks located on the Four Beasts trail. I aim to keep each of them quite short though, so if you want to know more about each of them, click on the links provided to go to the dedicated articles about them. 

The next section is going to provide a map that I’ve put together that you’ll be able to save to your phone to help guide you to each of the trailheads and each of the places of interest you’ll find on the trails. I’m also going to talk about the pros-and-cons of each of the trailheads and offer advice on the best possible routes to help you maximize your enjoyment


Elephant Mountain just so happens to be the most well-known of the Four Beasts, and is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Taipei. 

Taking photos from the peak of the mountain or on one of the various platforms constructed throughout the trail has become somewhat of a rite of passage for anyone who visits Taiwan and it is rare that a day goes by that less than a thousand new photos from the mountain posted to the various social media platforms. 

Generally speaking, hiking to the peak of Elephant Mountain really only takes about fifteen gruelling minutes up a steep set of stairs. Most people however stop several times along the trail to take photos, so the amount of time you’ll spend on the mountain really depends on how many photos you take and the amount of traffic on the trail. 

Even though Elephant Mountain provides some of the best opportunities for photos on the trail, I wouldn’t be introducing the rest of the mountains on the trail if I didn’t recommend you hike them as well. If you are visiting Taipei and are dedicating the better part of an afternoon to hiking Elephant Mountain, you should really consider extending your hike a bit further to enjoy the rest of the hike - or at least a few other peaks. 

Tiger Mountain is one of the most popular sections on the Four Beasts trail thanks to the amazing views of the Taipei cityscape you’re rewarded with on the various platforms located throughout the trail.

Acting as either the starting point (or the final stage) of your Four Beasts hike, Tiger Mountain is one of the easiest sections of the trail to climb and is easily accessible by either bus or MRT. Once you’re at the trailhead, it takes around twenty to thirty minutes to arrive at the peak, but compared to Elephant Mountain, the hike to the peak is much easier with a gradual incline. 

Speaking from experience, if I was planning to hike the entire Four Beasts trail, I would prefer to start my hike from the Tiger Mountain trail and then finishing at the Elephant Mountain trailhead which helps to avoid a few of the really steep inclines you’ll come across between Elephant Mountain and Thumb Mountain. 

I also prefer to hike this way because not only does it allow you to avoid all of the traffic on the way up to Elephant Mountain, it also allows you to enjoy the sunset at one of the various platforms on Elephant Mountain near the end of your hike where you can take much better photos without the sun blocking your view.  

Leopard Mountain is a short distance from the peak of Tiger Mountain and getting there only requires a short detour off of your route to the other peaks on the Four Beasts trail.

If you are coming down from 9-5 Mountain, or if you’ve just finished checking out the peak of Tiger Mountain, the Leopard Mountain peak is simply a short walk up a paved road between the two sections of the trail in an old mining area of the mountain. Near the entrance to the Leopard Mountain path you’ll find a couple of odd temples and some supposedly ‘haunted’ mining tunnels, so its not likely you’ll find a lot of locals hanging out nearby. 

Once you pass by the temples, you’ll come across a trail marker that points you in the direction of Leopard Mountain, which is a short path that should only take you about two minutes to complete. When you arrive at the peak you’ll find a beautifully constructed cityscape-viewing platform where you’ll be able to take photos relatively similar to that of Tiger Mountain, but at a slightly different angle. 

The platform isn’t usually very busy, so if you want to set up a tripod and hang out for a while to take photos of the sunset, you probably won’t have to fight for a spot. 

One thing you’ll want to take into consideration when it comes to taking photos at Leopard Mountain is the time of day you’re planning to arrive there. If you arrive in the morning, you should have no problems with light, but if you arrive in the late afternoon when the sun is starting to set, you’re going to have issues with backlighting with the sun obscuring a lot of the detail in your photos.

The platform is relaxing, and is covered by trees which should give you some relief from the sun, so if you’re on your way up or on your way down, its a nice place to stop for a break before continuing your hike. 

Lion Mountain (獅山)

Not much to see here folks.

Lion Mountain is probably the least visited section of the Four Beasts Hiking Trail - and for good reason - There’s not really much to see when you arrive. 

The peak of the mountain is a short distance from Leopard Mountain and is situated within a forest where all you’ll find is a stone marker on the ground surrounded by trees. 

Unlike all of the other destinations on the trail, where you’ll be able to take some great photos of the cityscape, Lion Mountain is completely devoid of scenery and doesn’t have a well-developed trail like the other parts of the trail. 

Still, people who are wanting to complete the entire Four Beasts Hike should spend the five-to- ten minutes it takes from the peak of Leopard Mountain to stop by for a photo. 

Be sure to be safe on the trail though - the last time I visited I slipped on a wet rock and landed hard on my behind, which hurt for a few days. 

9-5 Peak (九五峰)

9-5 Peak is the highest point on the Nangang Mountain range and one of the most important destinations on the Four Beasts Trail. Once one of Taipei’s hardest to reach destinations, attempting to climb it wasn’t for the faint of heart.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Taipei City Government though, people of all ages and physical ability are able to reach the peak, thanks to the network of well-developed trails that have been constructed throughout the mountain. 

When you arrive at the peak, you’ll notice a giant rock with the Chinese words “九五峰” etched onto the side. The name of the peak might seem weird but it is dedicated to a 95 year old man who climbed the peak several decades ago when the trail was much more difficult than it is today. 

Unfortunately the once amazing view from atop the giant rock on 9-5 Peak is completely obscured by trees and brush. Never fear though, the nearby 9-5 Peak Lookout is probably one of the best views on the whole mountain range and there is lots of space for you and your camera to take beautiful photos of the city! 

Once you’ve arrived at 9-5 Mountain, the trail splits and you have the option of heading toward Thumb Mountain, Tiger Mountain or down the mountain to Nangang. Depending on what stage of your journey you’re on, its still a good idea to relax a bit and enjoy the scenery on this peak. 

Thumb Mountain happens to be one of my favourite spots on the Four Beasts Trail. I’ve been to the top of the rocky crag on more than a handful of occasions and not once have I ever had to share it with anyone else. While I wouldn’t particularly mind sharing it with others, there is a special feeling when you’re alone on the peak enjoying amazing views of the city with some rare peace and quiet.

Considered to be one of Taipei’s best kept secrets, Thumb Mountain provides wide-open views of the Taipei cityscape, which (depending on the weather) can be some of the best views you’re going to get on the Four Beasts Trail.

The thing is though, the trail to the peak isn’t very well-marked and unfortunately it seems like most people pass by it without even realizing.  

If you’re like me and you don’t want to miss out on visiting the peak of Thumb Mountain while hiking the Four Beasts trail, click on the link above for detailed directions about how to get to get there. 


Getting There 

The Four Beasts Hiking Trail Including Elephant Mountain, Leopard Mountain, Lion Mountain, Tiger Mountain, 9-5 Peak, Nangang Mountain and Thumb Mountain. www.goteamjosh.com/blog/sishou

Hiking the Four Beasts has never been easier than it is today - With such a well-developed network of trails and more than a handful of trailheads, hikers are spoiled when it comes to planning the route that they will take. With so many options though, it would be understandable if you felt a little overwhelmed when planning your hike.  

Don’t worry, thats what this blog is here for - In addition to the map above (which you are more than welcome to save to your google maps), I’m going to do my best to explain some of the routes, how to get to them and some of their pros and cons so that you can make more informed decisions on how to successfully hike the trail. 

  • Route 1 - Elephant Mountain - Tiger Mountain

    It is safe to say that the most obvious route for a lot of people would be to start their Four Beasts hike at the Elephant Mountain trailhead and later finishing at Tiger Mountain. 

    This may seem like it makes a lot of sense considering the trailhead is easily accessible, takes you from one MRT station to another and allows you to first enjoy the beauty of Elephant Mountain before moving on to some of the other mountains.  

    Let me caution you though, if you decide to hike this route, you’re going to have to work a lot harder than you would with some of the other options. This is because when you start hiking Elephant Mountain, rather than walking up a gradual incline, you will be walking straight up a steep set of stairs that only eases up once you’ve reached Thumb Mountain.

    If you’ve come looking for a workout, then this is the route you’ll want to take. If however you’d prefer something a bit easier on the knees, you may want to consider one of the other options suggested below. 

    Hiking this route, you’ll reach each mountain in this order: Elephant Mountain -> Thumb Mountain -> Nangang Mountain -> 9-5 Peak -> Leopard Mountain - > Tiger Mountain 

    The best way to get to the Elephant Mountain trailhead is to take the MRT’s Red Line (紅線) to Xiangshan MRT Station (象山捷運站) where you’ll leave from Exit 2. From there you can simply walk along the sidewalk parallel to Xiangshan Park (象山公園) before turning left to walk up the hill where you’ll find the trailhead.  

  • Route 2 - Tiger Mountain - Elephant Mountain

    As far as I’m concerned, if you want to hike the Four Beasts trail, the best place to start is on the Tiger Mountain trail where you’ll be able to easily make your way around Nangang Mountain before ending your hike at Elephant Mountain. 

    The reason why I prefer this route is because it allows you to reach each of the peaks without much backtracking and is considerably easier with a gradual climb rather than a steep hike straight up the mountain. It also allows you to complete your hike at Elephant Mountain, where if you time it correctly, you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful sunset. 

    The most difficult thing about starting your Four Beasts trek at Tiger Mountain is that there are a number of trailheads available for you to choose from, so you’ll have to take a few minutes to chose the one that best suits your itinerary. 

  • Songshan Road Trailheads (松山路登山口)

    Songshan Road, which runs parallel to Taipei’s ‘Songshan High School of Commerce and Home Economics’ (松山家商) has two separate trailheads to the Tiger Mountain trail. The first trailhead is situated pretty much at the start of the road while the other is a short distance down the road.

    The only difference between the two is that at the closest entrance, you’re going to gradually walk up hill over a long distance while the one further down the road eliminates much of that distance and is instead a short, yet steep walk up a set of stairs.

    Both trailheads will get you to exactly the same place, so which one you choose depends on how you prefer to start your walk up the hill. 

    The trailheads are about a ten minute walk from Exit 3 of Yongchun Station (永春捷運站)  where you’ll walk straight down Songshan Road until you reach Fude Street (福德街) and then you’ll make a left turn passing by the high school where you’ll once again meet Songshan Road and the trailheads. 

    If you are taking a bus, you can take bus #46, #88, #207, #257 or #286 to the Songyou New Village Stop (松有新村站) where the trailheads are only a minute or two away.  

  • Fengtian Temple Trailhead (奉天宮後登山口)

    Another popular option is to start your hike from the beautiful Songshan Fengtian Temple (奉天宮) where you’ll find a trailhead to the rear of the temple. This route takes you up the opposite side of Tiger Mountain than the other trailheads but more or less takes the same amount of time to arrive at the peak.  

    To get there from the MRT station, you’ll want to take Exit #2 and from there walk straight until you reach Dadao Road (大道路) where you’ll turn left and walk straight until you reach Fude Street (福德街). Upon arrival you’ll simply cross the road where you’ll find the entrance to the temple. 

    Once you’ve arrived at the temple, I recommend you take a look as its one of the prettiest temples in Taipei, but if you’re in a hurry to get started, the trailhead is to the rear of the temple near the parking lot. 

    If you are taking a bus, you can take bus #46, #88, #207, #257 or #286 to the Fengtian Temple Stop (奉天宮站) where you’ll just have to follow the directions up the hill to the temple. The temple is huge, so you won’t have to worry about missing it. It towers over the main road where you’ll get off the bus. 

  • Songshan Cihui Temple Trailhead (松山慈惠堂後登山口)

    Another one of your options is to take the MRT to Houshanpi Station (後山埤捷運站) and then making your way to the beautiful Songshan Cihui Temple (松山慈惠宮) where you’ll find the trailhead at the rear of the building. 

    To get there from the MRT station, you’ll want to take Exit #2 and from there make a right turn on Zhongpo South Road (中坡南路) which you’ll follow until you reach Fude Street (福德街) where you’ll turn left and continue walking until you reach Fude Street, Lane 251 (福德街251巷) which will take you up the hill to the temple. 

    If you want to save time walking, you could also take one of the various buses that travel through the area. If you take the bus, make sure to get off at the Fude Elementary School Stop (福德國小站) stop and from there walk up the hill to the temple. 

    Buses that serve the Fengtian Temple Stop: #46, #88, #207, #257, #286 and BL10. 

    I’m not personally a big fan of this trailhead due to the fact that it is more difficult to reach and the trail is much longer than if you would have started at the Songshan Road trailheads. 

    If you are already in that area though, it is a pretty good place to start your hike.

    Hiking from any of these trailheads, you’ll reach each mountain in this order: Tiger Mountain -> Leopard Mountain -> 9-5 Peak -> Nangang Mountain -> Thumb Mountain -> Elephant Mountain

    The great thing about starting your hike from Tiger Mountain is that it allows you to start out at a leisurely pace and once you’ve reached the peak of Tiger Mountain, you’re only a short distance from Leopard Mountain and Lion Mountain with the trailhead to 9-5 Peak close by. Once you’ve hiked to 9-5 Mountain, you’ll start walking down to Thumb Mountain and then finishing at Elephant Mountain where you’ll descend back to ground level with the MRT station nearby. 

  • Route 3 - Beixing Temple (北興宮) - 9-5 Peak

    If you’ve already hiked Tiger Mountain and aren’t really interested in including it on your Four Beasts trip, you also have the option of starting your hike at Songshan’s Beixing Temple (北興宮) where you’re able to take a bus that will drop you off near the trailhead. 

    From there all you have to do is follow the signs on the trail that will take you directly to 9-5 Peak. I would caution you though that this trail doesn’t really take the most direct route, so you’d probably save some time if you just started at Tiger Mountain. 

    There are only two buses that serve the Chengfu Temple Stop (城府宮站): BL22 and #88. The stop however is the terminal station for both routes, so when you get to the final stop all you have to do is get off and start hiking. 

  • Route 4 - China University of Science and Technology - Elephant Mountain

This hike starts from the opposite side of the mountain as all the other trailheads and is probably the trail that is much less travelled. You’ll start your hike at the China University of Science and Technology (中華科技大學) in Nangang and walk up the backside of Nangang Mountain where you’ll first arrive at 9-5 Peak and then from there moving on to the other mountains. 

The thing about this trail is not only that it is long but if you’re wanting to hike all of the mountains, you’ll have to eventually do some backtracking between Elephant Mountain and Tiger Mountain which means you’re going to need a lot more time. 

Still, if you are staying in Nangang District, or you’re a student at the university, this is a pretty good option if you don’t want to take the MRT or a bus into town to the other trailheads. 

Hiking this route, you’ll reach each mountain in this order: 9-5 Peak -> Nangang Mountain -> Thumb Mountain - > Elephant Mountain -> Leopard Mountain -> Tiger Mountain

These days, it seems like the majority of tourists hiking the Four Beasts Trail are sadly only interested in hiking the Elephant Mountain portion. I’m assuming that this is because they’re only coming to get their epic travel photo and are otherwise uninterested in investing the time and energy necessary to hike the rest of the trail. It could also be because they’re completely unaware that the trail extends much further beyond Elephant Mountain due to a lack of English-language information about the trails. 

As it stands, there is a very clear divide when it comes to the people you are going to meet on the trail - The Elephant Mountain portion is always full of international tourists while rest of the trail and the other peaks are mostly full of local hikers. I feel like this points to the fact that most tourists are unaware of the beauty (and better photo locations) that they’ll find if they keep hiking the trail to some of the other peaks. 

The Four Beasts Hiking Trail shouldn’t be a secret - It should be enjoyed by everyone. 

I hope that this guide helps you with your trip and that you ultimately decide to go ahead and hike the whole trail, I promise that you’re not going to be disappointed if you do. Be safe and have fun


Thumb Mountain To 9-5 Peak (拇指山 - 九五峰)

So, you’ve hiked Elephant Mountain, you’ve got your epic travel selfie and some beautiful pictures of the city. Now what? Are you going to head back down the trail and onto your next destination? Or are you going to keep following the trail to see what you’ll discover? 

If you’re like most tourists, you’re probably coming to enjoy the view from the peak of Elephant Mountain and then you’ll head back down to ground level without ever really questioning what amazing things are waiting to be discovered further up the trail. 

If you ask me, thats quite unfortunate. 

So, I’ll let you in on a little secret - You should keep hiking. 

With a little more time and effort you’ll be rewarded with the opportunity to enjoy the view of the city from a couple more mountain peaks and will have the chance to take some beautiful photos of the cityscape while you’re at it. 

The topic of today’s post, if you haven’t already figured it out, is Thumb Mountain (拇指山) and what is known as 9-5 Peak (九五峰), two mountain vistas that are a short distance from Elephant Mountain and are an absolute delight to visit, if you give them a chance. 

The two peaks are located within the same network of trails known as “Four Beasts Hiking Trail” (四獸山) which also includes Elephant Mountain, Tiger Mountain, Leopard Mountain and Lion Mountain. Thumb Mountain and 9-5 Peak however are located at the highest portion of the trail and tower above all the others.

One of the great things about this network of trails is the way that they are set up allowing you to easily summit several different mountain peaks, with only a small amount of time and effort. The trails are also really well-developed, well-marked, well-lit at night and also provide hikers with washroom and water filling stations at various points throughout the hike. 

So, if you’ve hiked Elephant Mountain and feel like continuing along the trail, I’ll share another secret with you - You’ve already hiked the most difficult part of the trail. If you decide to continue hiking to Thumb Mountain and 9-5 Peak, you’ll be able to enjoy a leisurely walk through a beautiful Taiwanese tropical forest and will be rewarded with even better views of the beautiful Taipei cityscape. 

Thumb Mountain (拇指山)

Measuring at 320 meters in height, Thumb Mountain is one of the highest points on the Nangang Mountain range. While standing on top of its beautiful rock face however, you’d be hard pressed to care about that as it is the only peak on the trail that actually gives off the impression that you’re on the peak of a mountain. 

So why is it called “Thumb Mountain?” 

Well that’s simple, because it (apparently) looks like a thumb.

I suppose when you’re walking up the smooth rock face to the peak of the mountain, you could imagine that you’re walking up the back of someone’s thumb, but when it comes to seeing images in rock formations, I’m lacking in imagination. I suppose I might feel differently if I was flying a drone and saw it from above but I’m not here to argue about that.

Considering how well-marked the network of trails is, it is a bit strange that when you arrive at the entrance to Thumb Mountain, there isn’t a sign that points you in in the direction of the peak.

I recall that there used to be a sign, so I asked one of the experienced hikers on the trail what happened to it and they explained that a typhoon blew it away and it has yet to be replaced. This probably means that that a lot of people have been passing by the peak without even noticing. 

The trail to the top of Thumb Mountain is an off-shoot from the main trail and if you’re like most people you may end up walking past the entrance if you’re not playing close attention. 

The best way to know if you’ve passed the entrance to the trail without noticing it is if you’ve arrived at a shrine that has been constructed within a rocky part of mountain face. The shrine is actually constructed at the trail level of the rocky Thumb Mountain crag and if you’re walking by you can’t miss it. 

So, if you’re looking at the gods and goddesses, you’re going to have to backtrack until you reach a small clearing in the trail where you’ll find a set of stairs. As you walk up the trail to the mountain, you’ll notice that there are ropes fashioned to the side of the trail that are meant to help you safely get to the top.

Even though the trail isn’t that difficult to walk up, you’ll probably want to hold on just in case, especially when you’re on your way down as the trail can be a bit damp at certain times of the day.

From the trail to the peak of Thumb Mountain you’ll need little more than two or three minutes. 

As I mentioned above, the peak of Thumb Mountain is a rocky mountain face that is probably the most ‘peak-like’ experience you’re going to have on any of the mountains on the trail. The rocks are easy to walk up and once you get to the top there is a marker that indicates you’re on the peak of Thumb Mountain with the official height of the mountain.  

One of my favourite things about Thumb Mountain is that when you’re standing on top, you’re going to have beautiful 360 degree views of the Taipei cityscape as well as the Muzha district to your rear. You may even be able to see the Maokong Gondola in the distance if the weather is clear.

If you’re visiting on a hot day though, you are going to be completely exposed to the sun, so if you want to sit there for a bit to relax, you’re going to need to remember to protect yourself with a hat and sun screen. It also tends to be quite windy on the peak, so you’ll want to be careful when you’re walking around. 

The view from Thumb Mountain looks directly down at the city with only Elephant Mountain sitting between you and the cityscape. You should be able to take some really nice photos from here, but if you’re visiting on a hazy day, you might feel a bit disappointed as it could be difficult to get a clear photo.

Even if the weather seems really nice, if you are planning on hiking all the way to Thumb Mountain and 9-5 Peak, I recommend first checking the current Air Quality index which should give you an idea of how your photos will turn out.

Link: Air Pollution in Taiwan: Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map

Nangang Mountain (南港山)

If you’re thinking, “Isn’t this blog titled Thumb Mountain and 9-5 Peak? Why is he talking about Nangang Mountain now?”, you’d be making a good point. But the truth is, if you’re hiking to both Thumb Mountain and 9-5 Peak, you’re going to pass by the peak of Nangang Mountain - whether you realize it or not. 

I always thought it was a little weird - “Nangang Mountain” (南港山) is the name for the mountain where you’ll find Elephant Mountain and Tiger Mountain but why are they referred to as mountains in both Chinese and English? Are they mountains or simply different peaks? 

The answer is simple, Nangang Mountain is the name of the mountain, which consists of several different peaks. The “peaks” started being referred to as “mountains” when the hiking trail became popular and people started realizing that the views of the city were beautiful.

GTJ-2019-0914-67.jpg

So is there such a thing as Elephant Mountain? Not really. Should it be renamed to Elephant Peak (象山峰)?

Nah. I don’t think so. Elephant Mountain sounds better.

The peak of Nangang Mountain receives little fanfare, mostly because there’s not really very much to see when you’re there. There’s just a simple marker on one side and a crane-like machine on the other. If you take a picture at the peak of Nangang Mountain, your friends and family on social media aren’t going to get very excited, because there isn’t really anything worth taking a photo of - its just a marker without a view.

And this is why we continue on to 9-5 Peak, where the view is fantastic.

9-5 Peak (九五峰)

For many years 9-5 Peak was an area of the trail that only experienced climbers would attempt to reach. Now though, people of all types can reach Nangang Mountain’s highest point through the well-developed network of trails.

At a height of 375 meters, 9-5 Peak offers visitors one of the best views in the whole city from its lookout. 

In the past, if you wanted to reach 9-5 Peak, you would have to scale up the dangerous mountain side making use of ropes that were fashioned to the rocks. Not only was this too difficult for most people, it also caused quite a few accidents and injuries.

In 2014 for example, a young women lost her grip, fell a hundred meters and died. 

While the ropes still exist and you can still try your hand at using them to climb up the mountain, the city government has made the whole process a lot easier by connecting trails on several different sides of the mountain that allow you to reach the peak. There are currently warning signs that caution hikers of the danger of climbing the mountain side and it seems like the local government is in the process of removing them entirely. 

You might be wondering why all the other peaks on the mountains have relatively normal names while this one is oddly named 9-5 Peak - The name is surprisingly fitting and is meant to pay homepage to an avid hiker who (several decades ago) successfully climbed the mountain at the age of 95.

The name 9-5 Peak (九五峰) is dedicated to Mr. Yang Sen (楊森) who to the surprise of many was able to successfully climb to the peak of Nangang Mountain. Given the difficultly of hiking the mountain several decades ago, it was considered quite a feat for a man of his age to complete the hike, so they renamed the peak in his honour. 

The peak is famously home to a giant rock that people often climb on top of to take photos. The front side of the rock features the Chinese characters “九五峰” etched into the side indicating that you’ve reached the highest point of the mountain. 

The reason why I think the name of the peak continues to be fitting is because the majority of the people you’re going to find on the peak are the elderly retirees of Taipei who hike the trail on a daily basis for a bit of exercise and to meet up with their friends.

When you’ve arrived at the peak, you’ll probably notice that there is a sense of community up there with most of the people stopping to have a chat with their fellow hikers, who are people they see almost on weekly or daily basis.

When I first hiked to the peak over a decade ago, sitting on top of the rock, especially at night provided excellent, even romantic views of the city. Today though, the view from the top of the rock has mostly been obscured by trees and brush that has grown a little too high.

You would think that with such a great view that people would want the trees obscuring the view to be removed, but that isn’t really the Taiwan way. People here wouldn’t support the natural environment being destroyed for something as unimportant as an epic view of the cityscape.

Thankfully, there is an even better lookout a short distance away from the peak where you’re afforded panoramic shots of the Taipei cityscape high above the rest of the mountain range. The 9-5 Peak Lookout is probably the best photo-taking spot on the whole trail and hiking the extra hour or so that it takes to get there is well worth the effort thanks to the spectacular photos you’ll come away with.

Getting There

Route Map for Thumb Mountain and 9-5 peak www.goteamjosh.com/blog/thumbnine

How you get to these two peaks really depends on where you’re starting your hike - In this case, we’re spoiled with several different options, so when you’re planning your hike, your most important consideration is going to be what route you want to take and what you want to see along the way. 

I may just be guessing here, but I would assume most short-term tourists are likely to start on the Elephant Mountain side, while local people or long-term travellers (like myself) are more likely to start on the Tiger Mountain side. 

There are pros and cons to each of these starting points, so let me introduce the different routes you can take and the walking method for each. 

Route 1 - Elephant Mountain - 9-5 Peak

What is likely to be the most popular route for tourists is to start hiking at the Elephant Mountain trailhead, completing that trail and then making your way from there to Thumb Mountain and then onto 9-5 Peak. This route might seem like it is the most convenient due to the fact that its close to an MRT station and allows you to first enjoy the beauty of Elephant Mountain.

You will however have to deal with a much steeper climb as well as a much more crowded trail for the first section of the hike.

If you’re a short-term tourist visiting Taipei, hiking this route combines a visit to Elephant Mountain and allows you to travel a bit further than most other tourists do. 

The thing is though, I’m not exaggerating when I say that the Elephant Mountain trail is quite steep and there is a section of the route that takes you to Thumb Mountain that is also quite steep.

There are better options if you’re worried about wearing yourself out on the hike.

Route 2 - Tiger Mountain - Thumb Mountain

Another option would be to take the MRT to either Houshanpi Station (後山埤捷運站) or Yongchun Station (永春捷運站) and walk to the Tiger Mountain (虎山) trailhead. From there you’ll continue your hike from the peak of Tiger Mountain to 9-5 and Thumb Mountain and then leaving from Elephant Mountain.

If you elect to take this route, you’re in for a much easier hike with a fraction of the traffic on the trail and you’ll also get to enjoy the beautiful view from Tiger Mountain as well! 

This route requires a 10-15 minute walk from the MRT station to the trailhead but you’ll save time on the actual trail as the distance to 9-5 and Thumb Mountain is much shorter than the route from Elephant Mountain. 

There are several different trailheads for Tiger Mountain, but the closest and easiest to get to from the MRT station or by Youbike are the two trailheads on Songshan Road (松山路). You’ll find them both on the map above.

Route 3 - Songshan Cihui Temple - Thumb Mountain 

Let’s say you’re a pro and you’ve hiked Elephant Mountain and Tiger Mountain a bunch of times and have little interest in hiking them again. Can you still hike to these two mountains while avoiding the others? Sure. You’ll have to keep in mind though that even though there are a number of trails in this mountain network, they all eventually meet up at some point and allow easy access to all the other peaks. 

If you prefer to hike this route, simply take the MRT to either Houshanpi Station (後山埤捷運站) or Yongchun Station (永春捷運站) and then make your way to the beautiful Songshan Cihui Temple (松山慈惠宮) where you’ll find the trailhead at the rear of the building. 

This route will take you around Tiger Mountain and directly to 9-5 Peak where you’ll be able to continue along the trail passing by the peak of Nangang Mountain (南港山) before arriving at Thumb Mountain (拇指山). From there you can either leave the way you came or head down the mountain passing by Elephant Mountain and finishing at the Xiangshan MRT station.

If you want to save a bit of time walking, you could also take one of the various buses that travel through the area. If you take the bus, get off at the Fengtian Temple (奉天宮) stop and then walk up the hill to the temple from there.

If you need info on bus stops or real time info, check the Taipei eBus website for more information. You may also want to download the “台北等公車” smart phone app which uses GPS to let you map your route more easily.

Buses that serve the Fengtian Temple Stop: #46, #88, #207, #257, #286, BL10.

Something that I’ve always questioned in regard to the majority of tourists hiking Elephant Mountain is whether they were only hiking the mountain for a selfie halfway up or if they were just completely unaware of the existence of Thumb Mountain and 9-5 Peak. I suppose you can’t blame most people, these two peaks aren’t really all that well advertised, and thats a shame.

I would contend that one of the best photo locations for a cityscape shop is at the lookout on 9-5 Peak - It gives you the widest perspective of the city that you’re going to get and is an absolutely beautiful spot to enjoy the sunset.

So my advice to you is simple, if you’re going to hike Elephant Mountain and the weather is great, why not take another hour to hike to these two peaks as well? You’re going to enjoy yourself along the path, you’ll get some great photos along the way and you’ll have travelled further than 98% of your fellow tourists.

There’s nothing wrong with taking the road less travelled.