Walk Down from The Peak: Don't Take the Tram Back

Here's how it happened. We rode the Peak Tram to the top, stood at the viewing platform with our jaws on the floor, took about a thousand photos and then wandered over to the return tram queue.

It was enormous. Stretching out the door, down the stairs and around the corner enormous. We looked at each other, looked at Chloe, looked back at the queue and made a snap decision.

We tore up our return tickets and walked down instead.

It was one of the best decisions we made in the entire trip.

The walk down from Victoria Peak via Old Peak Road takes around 45 minutes to an hour depending on your pace. It winds through lush green hillside, past luxury apartment buildings and colonial era architecture, and gradually the skyline of Hong Kong begins to rise back up around you as you descend. It is genuinely one of the most beautiful urban walks we have ever done anywhere in the world. There's a public toilet half way down.

It is also completely free.

What you need to know

The path starts near the Peak Tram upper terminus and is clearly signposted. Old Peak Road is the main route down and it is mostly paved and manageable. It does get steep in sections so wear comfortable shoes. We did it with a stroller and while it required some careful navigation (if you watched our YouTube episode haha) it was absolutely doable with some muscle.

The walk brings you down into the Mid Levels area where you can hop back onto the escalators, grab a coffee at Halfway Coffee or continue down into Central on foot.

Kristina's tip: Time it for late afternoon so you arrive back in Central as the city lights start coming on. The view of the skyline rising up around you as the sun goes down is something you will not forget. Wear good comfortable shoes, bring water and do not let the queue at the top talk you out of it.

Your knees may feel it the next morning. But it's worth it!