Red Incense Burner Summit Trail (紅香爐峰): Effortless Hike For Epic Hong Kong Views

Red Incense Burner Summit Trail (紅香爐峰) – View Hong Kong Island Victoria Harbor Kowloon And Don’t Break A Sweat

Hong Kong, a city known for its bustling streets and towering skyscrapers, also harbors hidden gems for nature enthusiasts. Among these is the Red Incense Burner Summit (紅香爐峰), also known as the Braemar Hill hike, a trail that promises an unforgettable family-friendly hiking experience. This guide aims to provide you with all the necessary information and tips to make your hike to these spectacular panoramic views of the city both enjoyable and safe.

If you have any comments/questions about all of this, feel free to leave them below, as we’ve been hiking the Red Incense Burner Summit Trail (紅香爐峰) for years, and as it’s one of our favorite family-friendly hikes in Hong Kong!

Trail Information – Fast Facts

• Trail Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance: ~1 mile (~1.6 km) out and back
• Elevation Gain: ~280 meters
• Duration: Approximately 2 hours round trip

Trail Description and Points of Interest

The Red Incense Burner Summit Trail is a scenic route. Fortunately, it’s not a challenging route, so if you want a workout, consider hiking in Kennedy Town up High West. Nevertheless, the Red Incense Burner Summit trail is a vantage point that offers panoramic views of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbor, and Kowloon. These breathtaking sights serve as great incentives for the little hikers in your group.

The first part of the trail heads up a few flights of stairs.

At the top of the stairs, look for this trail sign, and head to the right towards “Jardine’s Lookout.”

For the most part, the entire trail is very flat, and some sections have rocks like this.

There are a number of views along the way to the Red Incense Burner Summit (紅香爐峰), so take your time!

When you reach this junction (sometimes the sign/barrier is NOT there), bear to the right, and head uphill

The final stretch of the trail requires some gentle rock climbing, so make sure to spot your little ones when/if you feel it’s appropriate. We call this part the Lemon Squeezer!

This is more of a steep scramble section.

Again, make sure to spot your kids in the climbing sections.

When you arrive at the summit, consider taking a snack break, and certainly enjoy the views!

As we mentioned above, we’ve been hiking the Red Incense Burner Summit Trail (紅香爐峰) for years!

Also, if you’re inclined to come up here for sunset, or even a night hike, in both cases, the experience and view will NOT disappoint you!

Recommended Gear

In general, we recommend you bring the gear we list in our day hike packing guide. But for the Red Incense Burner Summit trail, at a minimum, we recommend:

• Comfortable hiking shoes
• Light, breathable clothing
• Sunscreen and hats for sun protection
• Water bottles and light snacks
• A first-aid kit for emergencies

Family Hiking Safety Tips

• Stay together as a group.
• Keep children informed about trail markers and signs.
• Regularly hydrate and take breaks when needed.
• Be aware of the weather forecast and plan accordingly.
• Keep in mind, there are wild boars and venomous snakes in Hong Kong. Maintain a keen eye, keep your distance, and in all likelihood, you’ll be fine.

Trail Head and Route

There are many ways to hike to the Red Incense Burner Summit. We like to start at the Braemar Hill Bus Terminus (located here on Google Maps, GPS coordinates +22.283438, +114.198724), located right next to the Chinese International School. Many buses go to this stop, and you can easily taxi/uber up here as well.

The route to the Red Incense Burner Summit (紅香爐峰) is easy to follow and leads directly to the summit. It’s a straightforward hike, making it ideal for families with children.

Route Map

If you’ve read any of our other posts, such as the one on the nearby Sir Cecil’s Ride stream hike in North Point, you already know why we use GuruMaps for navigating hiking trails even when we’re offline/have no service. Even though the Red Incense Burner Summit trail (紅香爐峰) is very easy to follow, we always recommend hiking with a map.

If you do decide to download GuruMaps, you can then download our annotated route map (just click one of the file format options in the top right-hand corner of the map below – GPX, KML, or GeoJSON), and then you’ll be able to open that file using GuruMaps. Once it opens, you’ll have our annotated trail map in your own hands.

It sounds like a lot, but the downloading of the app and uploading of our route into the app take 30 seconds max.

The best part for us is…

GuruMaps works without WIFI or cell service. So as long as your phone is charged, you’ll be good to go!

If you prefer a Google Map, however, we’ve got you covered too!

Elevation Profile

Here’s the elevation profile for the Red Incense Burner Summit Trail (紅香爐峰), starting and then ending at the Braemar Hill Bus Terminus.

Nearby Hikes

If you’re looking to explore more, nearby family-friendly trails, they include:

• Sir Cecil’s Ride
• Quarry Bay Tree Walk
• Leaping Dragon Walk
• Jardine’s Lookout (Challenging route – only recommend for families with older kids)

These trails offer varying degrees of difficulty and unique views, perfect for more adventurous families.

Red Incense Burner Summit Trail (紅香爐峰) – Conclusion

The Red Incense Burner Summit Trail is an excellent choice for families seeking adventure and stunning city views. It’s an opportunity to bond, learn, and create lasting memories.

FAQs

1. Is the trail suitable for young children?
   Yes, the trail is family-friendly, but supervision is essential.
2. Are there restrooms along the trail?
   There are no facilities, so plan accordingly.
3. Can the trail be accessed by public transport?
   Yes, it’s easily reachable by buses and taxis.

Embark on this journey and witness the harmonious blend of city and nature that Hong Kong offers!

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