Taroko Gorge tour from Taipei by train

Highlights

• Discover the wonders of the world’s biggest marble gorge—Taroko Gorge
• Ramble through the trails and enjoy the stunning view of the soaring marble cliffs
• Enjoy a scenic train ride along the east coast of the island
• Chill yourself and enjoy the sea breeze on Qixingtan Beach
• Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 1 participant

All about the trip

Meet the tour operator’s representative in the early morning, and then take an express train bound for Hualien on your own. Don’t worry! Just sit back and enjoy this 3-hour journey, paradise is not far away.

Upon arrival in Hualien, your tour guide will greet you at the train station and take to you to the world-famous Taroko National Park. From the archway entry to Tianxiang, this 12.5-mile (20-km) section of Central Cross-Island Highway winding through the steep marble cliffs and tunnels of the gorge will take your breath away.

First, take a walk along Shakadang Trail, where the crystal clear blue water of Liwu River is running beside you. This river has cut through the marble over millions of years, and created the deep, narrow gorge.

After that, walk through the tunnel of Swallow Grotto, where you will enjoy a stunning view of the cliffs reaching up to the sky. The potholes on the cliff surface were created by the ground water and the rapid stream of the river. In the past, they were the natural nesting location of swallows; hence it got the name Swallow Grotto.

Today, lunch will be arranged in a restaurant in the park.

After lunch, stop by Cihmu Bridge (Motherly Devotion Bridge), an H-Shape hanging bridge built of marble and named by Late President Chiang Jing-guo, for a heart-touching story about a loving mother.

Next, hold your breath, because this nature’s masterpiece will take your breath away. Tunnel of Nine Turns is considered as the most scenic section of Taroko Gorge, which has reopened in 2019 after years of repair work. Along the trail, you can see the meander running through the deep and spectacular canyons from high above. Also, you can have a closer look at the faults and folds of the sheer marble cliffs, as well as the vegetation on the walls.

After that, you will visit Eternal Spring Shrine, which commemorates the 225 personnel (military veterans) who died during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway.

Before returning the train station for our train back to Taipei, visit a local marble factory, where you can get some souvenirs to enrich your travel collection. After then, take walk and chill yourself at the romantic Qixingtan, a pebble beach where the mountains meet the sea. If you still have some extra strength, you can challenge yourself to level stone tower with beach pebbles.

Your 14-hour adventure ends with drop-off at Taipei Main Station.

What is included in the price

• Professional licensed tour guide (Mandarin/ English/ Japanese)
• Local transfer by air-conditioned vehicle
• Round-trip TRA express train ride between Taipei and Hualien
• Lunch
• Local General Liabilities Insurance

What is not included in the price

• Beverage
• Gratuities

Instructions

Tour commentary will be provided in Mandarin, English and Japanese.

Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

The sequence and time of stay of tour stops may be adjusted according to the traffic/weather condition.

If the tour has to be cancelled due to bad weather, the tour operator will contact you no later than the evening before the excursion day by email or SMS.

Please arrive at the meeting point 5 minutes earlier than the pick-up time.

Each guest is allowed to bring one piece of carry-on baggage.

This tour is not recommended to wheelchair users and people with physical disabilities.