Four Beasts

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.

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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.


Elephant Mountain (象山步道)

So you’re sitting at your computer, you’re planning a trip to Taiwan and you’re wondering what you’re going to do while you’re here. You type ‘T-a-i-p-e-i’ into Google and what comes up? My bet is that you’re going to get a collection of photos that look more or less the same as the photo above.

This shouldn’t surprise you. 

Taipei is a city with an endless amount of things to see and do - but its fair to say that the undisputed champion of the city’s tourist attractions is the Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail. This is why each and every day hundreds, if not thousands of photos are posted from the many popular photo spots on the trail.

You’re of course welcome to disagree with my assessment, but before you do, I recommend taking some time to hike the mountain and taking note of the amazing mixture of languages being spoken by all of the travelers on the trail. You’re not likely to have an even remotely similar experience anywhere else in Taiwan (at least not in such a high concentration) as you will on Elephant Mountain. 

Even though I’m not a big fan of crowds slowing me down when I’m hiking, I can appreciate the fact that the mountain has become so popular and has played a part in helping so many people from different areas of the world realize that Taiwan is a great place to visit.

It goes without saying that the popularity of the mountain does have its downsides - Namely that it doesn’t matter when you visit, you’re going to be hiking the trail with hundreds of other people. You’re also probably going to have to stand in line at the top to get your cool-looking tourist photo. You’re also going to have to arrive quite early to reserve a spot if you’re wanting to take ‘professional’ style shots of the sunset or the view at night.

If this kind of stuff worries you, never fear, there are quite a few other options for mountain trails in Taipei where you’re able to take beautiful cityscape photos. 

If you’re a short-term visitor though, I can’t recommend enough that you deal with the crowds, hike the mountain and enjoy the experience - I’ve hiked the mountain a hundred times over the years, and even though it has gotten progressively busier, it rarely disappoints. 

Before I start, I’d like to take a minute to explain why I’m writing about this mountain for the second time.

When I first started this blog, I honestly didn’t really have any idea about what direction it would take. I figured I would use it as an outlet to showcase my photography and the beauty of Taiwan, but never could have imagined that it would become such a popular travel resource for people wanting to learn more about Taiwan.

Now that I’m much more experienced with this whole blogging thing, when I look back at some of the articles I wrote when I first started, I feel a bit embarrassed - especially with those that attract a lot of traffic. My Elephant Mountain article in particular is one where I felt like I needed to provide an update and offer much more in-depth information to travelers. 

I hope this updated version helps travelers and answers any questions you may have about hiking this beautiful trail. 

The Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail

Benches designed in the shape of the Chinese characters for Elephant Mountain.

Most tourists seem to be unaware that the Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail (象山登山步道) is essentially just a small section of the much larger network of trails known either as the ‘Four Beasts trail’ (四獸山步道) or the Nangang Mountain Hiking Trail (南港山系). 

The 7km long network of trails also includes Tiger Mountain (虎山), Leopard Mountain (豹山), Lion Mountain (獅山), Thumb Mountain (拇指山), Nangang Mountain (南港山) and 9-5 Peak (九五峰) - all of which provide excellent views of the Taipei cityscape and takes several hours to complete.  

The Elephant Mountain portion of the trail however is just a short hike up a very well-developed set of stairs that should only take you anywhere between fifteen and twenty minutes. Don’t let this fool you though, I’ve seen people showing up in high-heels and their Sunday best thinking that it is going to be quick and easy. 

This mountain trail is steep and even an avid hiker like myself gets a pretty good workout every time I go.

You’re not going to need to wear hiking boots or bring a bunch of gear with you when you go. You’re just going to have to wear comfortable footwear and clothes that are suitable for a bit of exercise.

From the trailhead, you’re going to hike on a very steep incline that will quickly transport you well above the city to a height of about 183 meters (600 feet) above sea level. 

Elephant Mountain Trailhead

The trail is well-developed with a stone path, signage, benches for taking breaks, lights that guide your path at night, water fountains and surprisingly clean washroom facilities. This allows you to not only hike the trail during the day, but also at night without having to worry. 

While there are several cityscape viewing platforms along the way, the main attraction of the trail for most tourists is the area known as the ‘Six Giant Rocks’ (六巨石) near the peak of the mountain. The giant rocks are part of an open space near the peak where you’re going to enjoy the best selfie opportunities, but is also where you’re going to encounter the largest amount of traffic.

Having your photo taken at the rocks is probably the most important part of hiking the trail, so it shouldn’t surprise you that you may end up having to wait in line to get your chance to stand on the rock and take your photos. So if there is a line, its just something that you’re going to have to be patient about if you want to get a photo of yourself.

My advice would be to hike the mountain early in the morning which should save you some time as the mountain isn’t as busy then.

If you’re a solo traveller and are hiking the mountain alone, I recommend requesting a fellow traveller to help you take a photo while standing on the rock rather than simply taking a selfie. If on the other hand you have others traveling with you, you can take turns by having them stand on one of the giant rocks to the rear to take photos of you.

This way you’ll get a bit more perspective when you take your photo and you’ll also save you some time waiting in line if you work together.

Once you’ve finished getting photos at the Giant Rocks area, if you’re not too tired and would like to get some more photos, I recommend continuing your hike a bit further past the Giant Rocks where you’ll come across several other viewing platforms that provide excellent perspectives of the city.

If you hike further up past the rocks, you can choose to complete your hike by returning the way you came, or simply continuing along to Tiger Mountain where you’ll descend upon another MRT station. 

Personally, I prefer to exit through Tiger Mountain for a couple of different reasons - It is a short distance from Elephant Mountain’s final platform, it also allows me to experience another mountain peak, there is less traffic, and more importantly, its much easier on the knees.

How you leave though depends on you, if you missed some platforms on your way up, you’ll probably want to revisit them, so if thats the case you’ll probably just want to head back the way you came.  

Elephant Mountain Photo Spots

Night view of the Taipei cityscape from Elephant Mountain.

When it comes to taking photos of the Taipei cityscape, you’re spoiled for options on Elephant Mountain - There are at least five different vistas for taking photos that provide tourists with an elevated platform giving an even better perspective of the city. 

So when you’re visiting Elephant Mountain, you simply have to ask yourself: What kind of photos do I want to take?

Do you want to take epic travel photos/selfies? Do you want to take professional quality photos of the cityscape? Do you want to take photos of the sunset or the night view? Or are you hoping to get photos of the New Years fireworks? 

Once you’ve decided what you’d like to do, there are a few considerations that you’ll want to keep in mind: 

  1. If you’re hoping to take photos of yourself, you’re probably going to have to wait in line to get up on the giant rock. You should also bring a photo-taking pal who can take turns with you. 

  2. If you’re wanting to take professional quality photos of the cityscape, you’re going to need a camera, possibly a tripod and a spot on one of the platforms where you can set up. 

  3. If you’re hoping to take photos of the sunset, you’re going to have to arrive early, bring a camera and a tripod and wait. Spots on the platforms fill up quickly, so if you don’t want to miss out, you’ll have to arrive several hours early. 

  4. If you’re hoping to take photos of the New Years fireworks, you should probably prepare a tent and camp out for a few days in order to reserve your spot. You may think I’m exaggerating but some of the old guys in Taiwan will have their tripods chained up in spots on the platform several days before New Years and they take turns standing guard. 

Elephant Mountain Photography Platforms

There are a number of platforms and viewpoints located on the mountain where you’re able to take some pretty awesome photos, but even though the signage on the trail is surprisingly helpful, its not easy for tourists to plan their trip in advance with all the scattered information available online.

I’m embedding a map below that includes the location of all the popular photo locations and the routes you’ll take to get there as well as a short description of each of the stops below.

Guide to hiking Taipei's Elephant Mountain (象山) www.goteamjosh.com/blog/xiangshan

  • Photographers Platform (攝手平台)

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The trail to the ‘Six Giant Rocks’ can more or less be divided into two sections, the first part is a 5-10 minute walk up a very steep set of stairs and the second part is another 5 minute walk up an even steeper set of stairs. Fortunately the space between the two sections is a flat section of trail where you’ll be able to catch your breath and take a break. 

The first viewing platform, the ‘Photographers Platform (攝手平台) sits along this flat piece of land and is an elevated structure that allows hikers the opportunity to take photos of the cityscape. This platform is often full of people so if you want to take photos from here, you’re probably going to have to be patient to get a spot.

Personally I feel like it is a nice spot to stop for a selfie, but its not one of my preferred spots for setting up a tripod and taking photos. I think what this platform does well though is give hikers a pretty good taste of what they’re about to experience as they hike further up the mountain.

  • Fireworks Viewing Platform (煙火平台)

The amazing view of the under-appreciated Fireworks Viewing Platform.

Once you’ve passed the first platform, you have the choice of either hiking up the hill to the ‘Six Giant Rocks’ or continuing straight along the flat path. Most people are going to elect to continue up the hill to their preferred destination, but here is where I’ll let you in on a bit of a secret. If you continue straight along the path, you’re going to find one of the best photo spots on the mountain, the Fireworks Viewing Platform. 

Continuing straight along the flat section of the path you’re going to come upon a covered rest area with public restrooms. What most people don’t realize is that if you keep following the path behind the rest area, you’ll find another trail that will take you to a small platform that has probably one of the best views of the city.

The trail to the platform doesn’t show up on Google Maps, so I’ve drawn a line to it on the map. You’ll see signage along the trail pointing in its direction, but the way they’ve blocked the trail with the rest area confuses a lot of people. Trust me, its there and its awesome!

  • Six Giant Rocks (六巨石)

The view from the popular Six Giant Rocks

The ‘Six Giant Rocks’ area is essentially the main destination for all of the tourists hiking this trail. This is the area where you’re going to get your ‘epic’ Instagram travel photos and also where you’re also going to have to line up with a bunch of fellow travelers all wanting the exact same photo. 

The area is aptly named for the six giant rocks that people climb on to take photos - The first rock you’ll meet as you walk up the stairs, which is coincidentally the smallest of the bunch is the main attraction. People are going to be waiting in line to take turns climbing up to the top of the rock to take their Instagram shots. This is because even though the rock is small, it towers over the peak which provides a unique perspective that makes you seem almost as tall as Taipei 101.

The best way to take photos here is to take turns taking photos with a fellow traveller so if you’re traveling with friends or family, you’re in luck. If you’re traveling solo, you’re going to want to ask another person waiting in line to help you take some photos. Don’t be shy, everyone has come here for the same reason, so make some friends while you’re there.

The reason that you’ll want to have someone else help take your photos is due to the fact that if you simply take a selfie while standing on the rock, you’re not really going to get the full perspective of just how awesome this spot is. If you have someone else helping, they can stand on one of the larger rocks to the real and take wide-angle shots that are so much better.

  • Six Giant Rocks Platform (六巨石觀景台)

Once you’ve finished taking photos at the Six Giant Rocks, you can continue walking along the trail where you’ll very quickly be met with yet another platform for taking photos. The ‘Six Giant Rocks Platform’ is another beautifully constructed elevated platform situated on a cliff and offers some pretty good views of the city. 

The platform has benches, so people like to stop here to enjoy the view and rest a bit. Unfortunately this means that if the mountain is busy on the day that you’re visiting that you’re going to have to wait to get a spot to take photos. 

While I do enjoy taking photos from this location, I don’t think its the best place to set up a tripod to take photos. The reason for this is because when others are walking on the platform, it shakes a bit, so if you’re taking long-exposures, you’re going to have quite a bit of ruined shot. You can however sit your camera on the rail to take some nice photos during the day, especially if you want to take multiple-exposure HDR shots of the cityscape.

  • Chaoran Pavillon (超然亭)

The Chaoran Pavillon is one of the most popular spots for local photographers.

The final photo spot tends to be the most popular one with local photographers, especially with those wanting to take photos of the cityscape at sunset. From the Six Giant Rocks area, it shouldn’t take you any longer than ten minutes to arrive at the pavilion, which thankfully doesn’t require you to walk up any more steep hills. 

While walking along the path you’ll come across a fork in the road with signage pointing that indicates the trail to Thumb Mountain (拇指山) is to the right and to the left you’ll find the pavilion. From there you’ll only have to walk for a minute or two before you arrive. 

The view from the pavilion is beautiful, but spaces fill up quickly, especially before sunset, so if you’re wanting to set up a tripod to take some cityscape photos, or night shots, you’ll probably want to arrive quite early to make sure you get a spot. 

Getting There 

In the past, hikers would have to walk from Xinyi District toward the mountain and (if they were anything like me) would invariably get lost or have to ask directions. All of those problems have been solved thanks to the addition of an MRT station near the trailhead. You can of course still walk to the mountain from the Xinyi area, but the easiest way to get there is by taking the Red Line (紅線) to Xiangshan Station (象山捷運站) and from there walking the short distance to the trailhead.

Something you’ll want to keep in mind is that not all trains go to Xiangshan Station as quite a few end their service at Da’an Station (大安站). Before getting on the train, make sure that it is one that goes all the way to Xiangshan, which is currently the terminal station for the red line.

Once you’ve reached the MRT station, take Exit 2 and walk through Xiangshan Park (象山公園) until you reach the end of the road. From there you’ll see signs directing you to turn left. When you’ve reached the top of the hill you’ll turn right and within a minute or two will arrive at the trailhead which is next to a temple.

If you want to grab some water or a snack before your hike, you’ll find a 7-11 and a Family Mart a short distance away from the park. Before you turn left to walk up the hill, turn right and walk down Xinyi Road to get to the convenience stores.

If you find yourself in the Xinyi (信義) area, you could also just as easily hop on a Youbike, ride to Xiangshan Park and then follow the directions above. 

Likewise, Xiangshan Station is serviced by buses 20, 32, 33, 37, 46, 88, 207, 612 and Red 10. 

If you want to take a bus and 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.  

While you’re in Taipei, there is certainly a lot for you to see and do, I’d suggest though that Elephant Mountain should be at the top of your list - Not only does it have arguably the best views in the city, it is also a quick and easy hike and is extremely accessible. You can also get some pretty epic travel photos while you’re there and best of all - its completely free. If you’re visiting Taipei and you’re not planning to visit the mountain, you’re certainly missing out on a great experience.