Lo Fu Tau Country Trail | Discovery Bay to Mui Wo via Tiger’s Head

Tigers Head is also known as Lo Fu Tau in Chinese. Located on Lantau Island near Discovery Bay, it is called Tiger’s Head because there’s a huge rock at the summit of the mountain shaped like a tiger’s head!

It is very famous! It takes approximately a 2-4 hour hike depending on your pace.

The hike consists of stairs, rocky trails, dirt trails, and steep hills. It is one of the finest trails in Hong Kong. 

It offers panoramic views from the summit viewing point, on a clear day you can enjoy 360 views from the top. You can see the skyscrapers of Central just a few kilometers across the Victoria Harbour, and neighboring mountains.

There are also rock formations along the trail while heading down Lo Fu Tau Country Trail; Sword Testing Stone, Duckling Rock, and Peach Rock.

Getting there:

Ferry - take the ferry at Central Ferry Pier number 3 to Discovery Bay.

Bus - take the MTR to Tung Chung Station, then take the bus DB01 and get off at Discovery Plaza.

From there we walked along Discovery Bay Road to Discovery Valley Road. Continue along Discovery Valley Road and you will see a junction to Lo Fu Tau Country Trail.

The road heads uphill gradually and is quite long, it is better to take your time heading up.

Continue along Discovery Valley Road until you see a junction to Lo Fu Tau Country Trail, follow the road for a short while before coming onto another junction with a dirt path, the start of the trail heading up Lo Fu Tau.

The climb towards the summit takes approximately 1 to 2 hours depending on your pace. You can see the tiger’s head from a distance as you head up the trail. However short it might look, the path heading up Tiger’s Head is very steep.

Slowly head up the trail as it turns from a slightly steep dirt path to rocky steep rocks, then further up closer to the summit it relaxes.

Just before the summit, there is an open area just left of the trail where it is a great photo spot and resting area. 

From there, if you look towards the left you will notice a path with grasses heading toward a cliff, Looking from this direction, the rock resembles the back of a tiger overlooking Discovery Bay.

It was quite misty during our climb, and it took a few more walks to reach the summit from the open area.

Once we reached the summit, the sky began to clear for a while and we could enjoy the views for a short time before it was covered with clouds again.

At the summit, there are 2 viewing points; Lo Fu Tau Viewing Point (Northwest) and Lo Fu Tau Viewing Point (Southeast).

The most challenging part of the hike has finished and it is now a gentle walk down towards Mui Wo.

Continue to follow Lo Fu Tau Country Trail, there is a large piece of grassland on the ridge. The slopes are gentle and easy to walk, and it offers a few views along the way.

Head down a few stone steps and see a few rock formations from afar.

The first rock formation you will pass by is Duckling Rock, there is an obvious trail heading up the rock formations. Be careful while heading up as some parts are steep.

Continue ahead and follow the Lo Fu Tau Trail then you will reach the huge rock which looks like being cut open by a giant sword, this is called “ Sword Testing Stone”

Further down the trail, you will notice another big rock in the middle of the trail “Peach Rock” This rock formation resembles a peach fruit.

Once we finished admiring the rock formations, we continued down the trail towards Mui Wo.

We reached a junction with a sitting area, at this point, the Lo Fu Tau Trail Country Trail ends and the Hong Kong Olympic Trail begins.

Follow the sign to Mui Wo, otherwise head to Pak Mong to finish the hike at Tung Chung.

The Hong Kong Olympic Trail is part of the Tung Mui Ancient Trail that connects Tung Chung and Mui Wo. Hikers can find plaques and memorabilia from different games held during the Olympics, from 

Badminton to shooting and athletics.

The trail passes a bridge and pleasant green pastures. It is easy to follow and well-marked. Take a moment to check out the views from the Olympic Trail as you start the descent towards Mui Wo and Silvermine Bay.

Follow the stairs with the long green handles and you will eventually reach a small pavilion with a marking on the ground.

From there, you can visit Silvermine  Cave, the entrance of an abandoned quarry.

Keep going from the pavilion and see a small waterfall - Silvermine Waterfall. Feel free to explore and take pictures, but remember to be careful.

Once you reach the plaque with the cycling icon, you have reached the end of the Olympic Trail. 

Follow the signs towards the ferry pier to Mui Wo to end the hike. Stay awhile in Mui Wo to enjoy some food or drinks before either taking the ferry or bus back to the city.

Overall, the hike is moderate and has a few steep sections, but it was worth the climb. The views would be even better on a clear day, so plan your visit.

We recommend bringing at least 2 liters of hydration and a few snacks. Since the trail is very open, we also recommend wearing a hat and arm sleeves for protection.

Wearing quick dry and breathable apparel is a must during summer, and wear comfortable hiking shoes.