West Dog Teeth | Shek Pik to Ngong Ping

The West Dog’s Teeth Hike in Hong Kong is considered the hardest hike there, featuring an 850m incline and requiring basic bouldering and scrambling.

Distance - 8km
Duration - 5.5 hours (Includes rest & photos)
Difficulty - 5/5 Advance

Visit Shek Pik Country Park, where the starting area is approximately 100 meters from the entrance, located behind the catchwater.

You will need to climb a few stairs, and then the path levels out, remaining flat for most of the journey. Eventually, you will come upon a large rock face marked with the Chinese characters "西狗牙," which translates to "West Dog’s Teeth." This marks the beginning of your scramble.

From this point, expect a continuous steep incline that includes some light scrambling. It's a challenging climb, but still doable for those without prior climbing experience.

You will soon find yourself on the ridge known as West Dogs Tooth, so named because it resembles a row of dog’s teeth. These remarkable undulating peaks stretch out in front of you, ascending higher all the while. At this point, you'll begin to appreciate the breathtaking views of this hike and understand why it is one of the most highly ranked hikes in Hong Kong.

The final part of the ascent leads you to Hades Wall, a steep climb that requires focus and a good head for heights. This section is about one kilometer in length, and at times, you'll look up at the towering wall ahead of you. Be sure to turn around frequently to take in the views—if you have decent weather like we did, you’ll be able to see the entire ridge you’ve just hiked up.

Most of the trail consists of dirt and rock, with some sections requiring you to use all fours to climb up certain ridges, which adds to the adventure.

Although each ridge ahead may look intimidating, the views become more spectacular the higher you climb. At times, the ridgeline drops off to your left or right, but there are no major hazards, and the path is wide enough to ensure that you feel safe and balanced.

This trail serves as an alternative route to Lantau Peak, taking you along the west ridgeline of the mountain and finishing at the Ngong Ping cable cars and the Big Buddha.

Recommended : Carry plenty of water, pack some food for energy, and bring gloves and sunscreen, as the path is quite exposed to the sun. I want to emphasize that this hike is not for the faint-hearted.