Taroko Gorge
Discover Taroko Gorge
Taroko Gorge (太魯閣: Tàilǔgé) is a deep, rocky, tree-lined canyon with a boulder-strewn, blue-green river at the bottom. Its magnificent scenery makes it an incredible place for hiking, and it welcomes visitors with trails ranging from flat and leisurely to strenuous and heart-pumping. The 19-km-long canyon near Taiwan's east coast is protected as Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園; Tàilǔgé gúojiā gōngyuán). The Taroko Gorge is composed mainly of metamorphic rocks, such as marble, gneiss, and schist. The name, Taroko, means the "magnificent and splendid" in the language of Truku, the aboriginal tribe residing in the area.
What to Experience in Taroko Gorge
Taste of Taroko Gorge...
Restaurants are in short supply in Taroko Gorge, and those at the service centers in Buluowan and Tianxiang are generally bad with inflated prices. The Visitor Center has a restaurant and a (relatively limited, compared to the average convenience store) choice of bottled drinks. The closest real convenience store is a 7-Eleven in Taroko Archway, about 10 minutes walking downhill from the Visitor Center; another 7-Eleven is in Tianxiang. A packed lunch may serve as the simplest option for a day trip to the Gorge. For breakfast and dinner, there are tasty options in the nearby town of Xincheng. Xincheng has several restaurants. There are also little shops selling sandwiches, which make a good breakfast or part of a packed lunch. Vegetarian options are not a problem. In the gorge are several options in Tianxiang (Tienhsiang), from the top-end five-star Silks Place Hotel and the Leader Village Hotel (more like motel) to budget hostels. However, most tourists choose to stay in Hualien, where there's a greater range of accommodation albeit with a time trade-off. Backcountry hiking is technical and requires permits from the authorities.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Taroko Gorge into what it is today.
When Taroko National Park was established in 1986, it was of special significance for the environmental protection movement in Taiwan: it showed that the public and the government agencies had realized despite the nation's four decades of extraordinary economic success, serious damage was being done to its natural resources. The most phenomenal aspect of the park is the amazing relief. In a single afternoon you can travel from rugged coastal cliffs through a maze of subtropical forested canyons to high elevation sub-alpine coniferous forests. In about 60 km the landscape rises from sea level to some of the tallest peaks in Taiwan at over 3400 m. That's steep! The force behind the steep valleys and narrow canyons is a (geologically speaking) relatively fast rate of uplift combined with ample water. Over the last 70 million years, these two forces collaborated to form the world's deepest marble canyon. The slot canyons here are remarkable with narrows sections 300 m high and only a dozen meters apart, reminiscent of the Virgin River in Zion National Park in Utah, USA. Ignore the fact that Zion is in the desert, and made of sandstone and Taroko is subtropical and comprised of marble, and these two gorges have a lot in common. The park has 144 species of birds, 10% of which are indigenous to Taiwan. It also hosts over 30 large species of mammals, including deer, boar, and bear. Monkeys can be seen if you're on a quiet trail and keep your eyes and ears peeled....
Climate
The climate is subtropical and generally mild. Rainfall is abundant year round so be prepared and be especially cautious about entering the gorge during typhoons or periods of extended heavy rain due to the danger of landslides and rockfall. The weather in the gorge can often be surprisingly well with open and blue sky, even when it is raining in Hualien. According the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau, average temperatures at low elevations in the park range from 14°C in January to 27°C in July. At higher elevation it is much cooler with winter temperatures at 2000 m being about 5.5°C in the winter and 17.5°C in the summer and at 3400 m at the top of Hehuan, temperatures average -3°C in January and 9°C in July. The nearest major city is Hualien. Flights and trains are available from Taipei and most major cities. The Visitor Center offers free maps of the area.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe nearest major city is Hualien. Flights and trains are available from Taipei and most major cities. The Visitor Center offers free maps of the area. They can also provide you with up-to-date information on which trails are closed, as the weather and earthquakes may make them unsafe. A journey by train from Taipei to Hualien takes 2 hr by express train (NT$440) and 3-4 hr by local trains. The trains are cheap, reliable and comfortable. Station names are announced in English and Chinese so you should have no problem identifying your stop. The closest train station to the park entrance is 24.1281121.64051 Xincheng Station (新城). From there, you can use the before mentioned shuttle or regular buses, or there is the choice of one way taxi rides for about NT$200 or a taxi day tour for about NT$2,000. A taxi from the Hualien train station to Tianxiang (town in Taroko National Park, where the Grand Formosa hotel is located) costs about NT$1200 and takes about 1 hour....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Many tunnels can also be traversed on foot, if you want to get from one to another just nearby sight. Furthermore, there are numerous bus tours visiting the gorge every weekend. And, while the buses are comfortable and air-conditioned, the tours tend to have a tight itinerary (including, of course, the obligatory stop at some local gift shop), leaving little time for extended hiking. Tour buses leave from the Hualien visitor information center and cost about NT$988 per person for a whole day tour. Regular bus lines are a convenient and inexpensive way to get around the gorge and avoid the need to look for parking, though they can be very crowded. You can use Taipei's EasyCard to ride the buses with a 90% discount—tap when you get on and when you get off. If you pay with cash no change is given. Bus lines through the gorge include the 302, 1126, 1129, 1132, 1133, 1133A, and 1141.
Where to Stay
In the gorge are several options in Tianxiang (Tienhsiang), from the top-end five-star Silks Place Hotel and the Leader Village Hotel (more like motel) to budget hostels. However, most tourists choose to stay in Hualien, where there's a greater range of accommodation albeit with a time trade-off. Backcountry hiking is technical and requires permits from the authorities.
Money & Budget
Various local aboriginal handcrafts are for sale in the gorge as well as some local liquor. On the road from Hualien to the park entrance are lots of roadside stands selling whatever fruit is in season. Restaurants are in short supply in Taroko Gorge, and those at the service centers in Buluowan and Tianxiang are generally bad with inflated prices. The Visitor Center has a restaurant and a (relatively limited, compared to the average convenience store) choice of bottled drinks. The closest real convenience store is a 7-Eleven in Taroko Archway, about 10 minutes walking downhill from the Visitor Center; another 7-Eleven is in Tianxiang. A packed lunch may serve as the simplest option for a day trip to the Gorge.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Taroko Gorge
A body of water surrounded by trees and rocks
a river running through a rocky area
a rocky cliff with water below
Taroko Gorge, Taiwan R.O.C.
a man standing on a bridge over a river
a river with rocks and water running through it
a river running through a lush green forest
brown rock formation beside blue sea during daytime
A body of water surrounded by trees and rocks
a river running through a rocky area
a rocky cliff with water below
Taroko Gorge, Taiwan R.O.C.
a man standing on a bridge over a river