Entree Kibbles: The Hike Up Elephant Hill @ Taipei [Taiwan]

This post shall document our hike up Elephant Hill in Taipei, said to be easy and also the best viewing spot for the 508-meter tall Taipei 101, tallest building in Taiwan.

First thing upon exiting the train at Xiangshan MRT station; checking the map as I am unsure how to go up! I only heard from friends that it's a no-brainer but as I was with my 71-year-old dad; it's better to have SOME information.

After stepping out of Exit 3, we noticed a large congregation of hikers; should I ask if they would be hiking up elephant hill? Okay, decided not to as they were professionally equipped.

Walking past Xiangshan Park, which had a small temple known as Sanchang Temple. From what I read online, it appeared to honor the three deities; Fu Lu Shou.

The Xinyi precinct seemed to be rather high class, with many condominiums; one of which had the same Chinese name for Genting Highlands! With proximity to Xiangshan MRT station, and to nature, I bet prices would be quite high in this area!

Okay, just saw one group of hikers going this way.

Guess we should be in the right direction.

Pathway going up; for such a popular hill, I was honestly expecting a lot of visitors but aside from the group of hikers we saw earlier, there weren't that many people. *shrugs*

Meandering path up!

What would you have done? I am very focused in the destination but I am aware that some hikers have a keen eye for the nature surrounding them, and able to spot flora and fauna. Pity I am not that observant.

Unless the thing is humongous enough for me to notice. Like the above engraving on the rock, which was the 太上清静经; a Taoist sutra known as the Classic of Clarity/Purity and Stillness/Tranquility.

Oh! Have we reached?!

That's hardly a 5-minute hike!

We came to some sort of a landing that housed the Quanzhen Donghua Taoist Temple. I was sure this didn't seem correct as we were nowhere at the top of the hill.

However, it's a spectacular sight of Taipei 101 right in front of us!

Statues of Taoist deities that were honored in the Quanzhen Donghua Taoist Temple. Fun fact, more than half of Taiwanese practice a mix of Buddhism and Taoism, and you can find numerous temples dotted all over the country.

A pulley system likely for delivery of daily necessities up to the temple. Many temple caretakers are quite elderly and such a system will help them immensely.

There was a dirt path next to the temple, which I assumed will connect to the actual trail up Elephant Hill. I was hesitant to check it out at first as there wasn't anyone using and I didn't want any safety mishaps with my dad. Thankfully, the group of hikers led the way!

Finally, the proper pathway for the correct trail.

Main object wasn't Taipei 101.

Focus was on the spider.

Firefly paradise from end April to early May. According to the Chinese text, I think you would have to come after sunset and before 9pm.

About to reach the end of the path.

Very important map of the trails! I professed to be quite good in reading maps and this came in handy so that I would know where to go next!

Decided to trek over to the Fireworks Lookout just 150 meters away. It's frequently on social media, especially on new year eves, when people would purposely stake out this lookout to take photographs and videos.

Up, down, up, down.

Fireworks lookout; it was 31 December 2023 and I can just imagine the amount of people who would come hours before midnight to reserve a place!

From this angle, not hard to see why it's such an optimal spot! While it was a slanted view of Taipei 101, do keep in mind that the fireworks would launch from the angular edges of the building; hence, it will be much more stunning.

And if the fireworks were green in color, this would make it more prominent as Taipei 101 was said to look like a bamboo with noticeable internodes, and the fireworks would then look like leaves if they were green.

Maximum 30 persons on this lookout. The notice, in Chinese, mentioned that no one should use a tripod to reserve a space on the lookout. Well, not sure how enforceable it would be.

Not so famous view to the right.

Just wondering what mountain is at the back.

On our way back, via the same route. Just notice the moveable planks at the pavilion. So cute the image, which was a small elephant holding on to the tail of the mother elephant.

Dilemma - should we hike for another 311 meters to check out the summit of Elephant Hill, which was only about 183 meters above sea level? Or go the other way to the Photographer's Lookout, a short walk away?

Latter it shall be.

We were lazy.

Photographer's Lookout was a lot more crowded than Fireworks Lookout and I think it has to do with its location, a short distance from the main trail up Elephant Hill.

Even though Taipei 101 was also slanted, it appeared to be of a further distance compared to Fireworks Lookout. And the other thing that caught my attention was the alluring rooftop swimming pool of Jade 12 condominium!

Time to make our way down the hill.

In comparison to our way up, it was a lot more crowded along the main trail. Now, I am curious as the start of the trail, so that I can advise friends who decide to check out this hill.

From far, you might assume that the two Chinese characters were just the Chinese name of Elephant Hill. Closeup, you would realize they were benches!

Generally, people walking up kept to the left whereas those going down would keep to the right. This would be the same pattern as one would do when using the escalators in Taiwan. In Singapore, it's the opposite way.

Strange to find this notice which indicated that a wife's smile is the light of the household. I mean, it's true that keeping your wife happy is good but why this notice out of nowhere?!

Maybe something to do with this entrance.

Let's go check it out!

Another temple! 代天殿靈雲宮 and according to the directional guide, there were a lot of patron deities, from the Jade Emperor, to Jigong and even Guanyin Bodhisattva!

Start of the main trail for Elephant Hill. So many people were jostling to take photographs with the main signage that I simply just gave us since it's just my dad and I.

Strolled past 代天殿靈雲宮.

This was the same path I took before I followed the group of hikers! It turned out I should have just continued walking on the road, which would skew right and I would just need about 75 meters more to reach the start of the main trail.