hiking Taipei // Elephant Mountain

Elephant Mountain [or Xiangshan] has been on my Taipei to-do list for years. it's a short hike with stunning views, only a short walk from the MRT. yet somehow I hadn't yet made it happen... until this week.

I started the day thinking I would do some work and run errands. I saw the sun and decided I should get out of the apartment, and hopped the MRT in the direction of downtown. but when I saw the visibility - how clear the mountains were - I scrapped my plan and rode the line all the way to Xiangshan. it was one of those moments that Husband best described as the hills are alive/ Julie Andrews/ Sound of Music. it just happens to me from time to time. 

Elephant Mountain is known for sweeping city views, proximity to Taipei 101, and a lot of stairs. the hiking trail - stone steps - leads up the mountain and actually continues on to 3 additional peaks. Elephant, Leopard, Lion, and Tiger make up what are known as the four beasts. someday I hope to go back and hike them all, but this day the Elephant was just enough for me. I was not wearing tennis shoes or workout clothes, but decided that sweating my face off would be worth it for the views.

I was right about both the sweating AND the views. despite the hot mess I was, I still had some old Taiwanese men out for their daily climb up the mountain smile and say piao liang! - beautiful! - as they blazed right past me. most of the elderly Taiwanese I encounter are very active and spry.

the scenery improved with each platform up the mountain. I just kept following the trickle of tourists bearing backpacks and selfie sticks. at one point, there were huge boulders just made for climbing and taking photos on. 

I - once again - had forgotten my selfie stick. really what's the point of owning one if you don't use it in these instances? I need to just carry it around with me all the time apparently, so I can be prepared for these impromptu adventures.

thankfully this trail is popular enough that there was a friendly stranger around to take my photo. [even with the sweat and weird shadows going on, it's nice to have a little proof I was actually there.]

the view was great and the breeze was cool, so I rested for a bit before heading back down. one guy was sitting with his paper and looked like he was planning to stay all day. honestly, I can't blame him. 

to get to the trail, take the red line [2] to the Xiangshan MRT stop. head out exit 2 and follow the signs through Zhongqiang Park. you will make a left at the end of the park, head up the hill and then to the right, with the trail entrance on your left just past the temple [pictured above.] you should reach the trail in about 10 minutes. I would recommend bringing water with you, or stopping at the first landing to buy a bottle from the nice lady with the cart. or maybe you prefer a Taiwan beer to enjoy with your view - she sells those as well.

it seems like the Elephant Mountain hike has a lot of "bang for your buck" - low time commitment and easy MRT accessibility for such great views. this is definitely something you should add to your list if you're planning to visit Taipei. in fact, I might even go so far as to recommend this hike over the Taipei 101 observation deck [since this hike gives you city views with the famous landmark in the skyline.]

I can see this being an easy repeat hike, and a great place to take visitors. not that I'm planning to turn into a hiking blog, but when the weather is clear I just want to be outside - and thankfully Taipei is surrounded with mountains to climb.

linking up for Travel Tuesday with Bonnie, Lauren and Courtney

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Taroko Gorge // swallow grotto

the area of Taroko Gorge known as the swallow grotto is a popular stop with tourists. they arrive by the busload and are given the requisite hard hats, then walk along the side of the road for a short distance. the buses drive down the road to meet them at the end, where they return their helmets and pile in for the next stop.

we decided to add the swallow grotto to our itinerary despite the crowds. partially because - when in Taroko, right? - but mostly because our driver just stopped there anyway.

the swallow grotto is miles downstream from the baying waterfall trail - the waters weren't nearly so beautiful here. but walking along this narrow part of the gorge [and partially through tunnels cut into the mountain] is popular for another reason: the swallows. we were able to spot a few of these birds sweeping in and out of the holes in the rock that they call home. by hanging back from the crowds, we were able to get a little breathing room space to take pictures.

parts of the "trail" have been wiped out by landslides and haven't yet been repaired, so hanging back from the crowds seemed a bit safer as well. this also helped us to have a clear view when we got to the part of the trail where a face in profile can bee seen in the natural rock formations of the gorge. it's hidden in the last photo above - can you spot him?

the swallow grotto is probably the least exciting part of the gorge [for me] but if you're diving though, I still recommend stopping for the unique scenery and the chance for a helmet-head selfie.

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Taroko Gorge // Baiyang Waterfall trail

Taroko Gorge is easily one of my favorite places in Taiwan. a huge marble gorge, carved into the mountains, full of hiking trails and hidden temples... what's not to love? last spring when my friend Kelsey was visiting, we went down and stayed in the gorge for a few days to explore.

the Baiyang Waterfall trail was one of my favorite hikes. it's farther back in the gorge, so many of the tour buses don't get that far. we went in the morning and the crowds were minimal. add to that some amazing scenery, a waterfall, and a mysterious "water curtain" tunnel... and you've got a great hike.

the weather was not fantastic, but we still managed. it was misty and rained off and on the whole hike. we couldn't see the tops of most of the mountains... but the scenery at the bottom of the gorge was enough for me. the first time I visited Taroko was after a large typhoon. the rivers were flooded and muddy from all the rain and landslides. but this time? beautiful blue waters.

at the end of the trail, past the waterfall, you can continue on along what they intended to be a road. the workers started carving/blasting a tunnel through one of the mountains and discovered a water source. the water kept flowing and they had to chose a different route for the road, but you can hike through the tunnel to where they stopped. it's dark and filled with water, and thankfully past visitors have left some rain ponchos you can borrow.

PS: I swear, I tried to cut back on the number of photos in this post. I just can't help it. everything about this hike was so breathtakingly gorgeous it almost seemed unreal. even these pictures can't show you the magnitude of this place... I was shooting with a 22mm lens and still had trouble fitting it all into my frame. oh well, I still have about a dozen posts worth of photos from Taroko to share.

the cup of coffee that fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Jenn. she drinks her coffee with Truvia + almond milk and blogs about lifestyle + home improvement over at Near and Far Montana.

linking up with Bonnie, Camila, Jessi, and Amy for Travel Tuesday.

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