A Comprehensive Guide to Applying for Hiking Permits to Hike the 5 Most Popular Mountains in Taiwan
The stunning scenery of the high mountains in Taiwan has attracted local and international hikers. However, most high mountain trails are within the national parks. Therefore, hikers need to apply for permits to hike those trails. Although there are English versions of how to apply for hiking permits on the national parks' websites, it is still confusing to understand the process.
In this post, you will find how to apply the 5 most popular high mountain trails: Yushan (Jade Mountain), Xueshan (Snow Mountain), Mt. Dabajian, Qilai Nanhua (Mt. Qilai South Peak, and Mt. Nanhua), and the alpine lake, Jiaming Lake Trail.
Those trails can be done by yourself or with friends. The hiking plan here can be handy for your self-guided hikes in Taiwan. But some sections of those trails are treacherous and windy. Several hikers fell to their death on the last slope of Jade Mountain peak.
Please note that it's better to plan your hike for at least 2 months. Although many popular cabins have preserved spots for foreign nationals, it does not work like hikers can do the hike after they land in Taiwan.
Table of Contents:
- What Are the 5 Most Popular High Mountains to Hike in Taiwan?
- Types of Permits: National Park Permits and Police Mountain Entry Permits
- The Comprehensive Guide and Hiking Plan That Helps You Enjoy the Most Popular High Mountains in Taiwan
- Hire Me: Simplify Your Taiwan Hike with Our Services
- Related Posts
What Are the 5 Most Popular High Mountains to Hike in Taiwan?
I don't have exact statistics about the list, but I'm sure most people will agree with this list.
- Yushan (Jade Mountain), the highest mountain in Taiwan
- Xueshan (Snow Mountain, Sylvia Mountain), the second highest mountain in Taiwan (post coming soon)
- Mt. Dabajian and Mt. Xiaobajian
- Qilai Nanhua: Mt. Qilai South Peak and Mt. Nanhua
- Jiaming Lake (the old route), post coming soon
Paiyun Lodge (Yushan), Sanliujiu Lodge (Xueshan), Jiujiu (Mt. Dabajian), Tianchi Lodge (Qilai Nanhua), and Jiaming Lake Cabin are the most difficult mountain cabins to apply for in Taiwan.
There is another popular high mountain, Mt. Hehuan (post coming soon), but it's easy to access and requires no permits. So, Mt. Hehuan is not discussed here.
Types of Permits: National Park Permits and Police Mountaineering Entry Permits
There are two types of permits to apply for hiking high mountains in Taiwan: National Park Permit and Police Mountain Entry Permit.
Please note that each national park has its rules regarding when to apply. Some national parks, like Shei-Pa National Park, have scraped the requirement to get a police permit.
Here's a table to see what permits you need to hike those popular high mountain trails.
Advanced Application and Standard Application
To accommodate international visitors' schedules, the national parks provide advanced applications to ensure they get spots in the cabins. Those spots are only available on weekdays, and there is a ratio requirement between foreign nationals and local Taiwanese guides.
Moreover, only specific routes are available for advanced applications. For example, advanced applicants can only do Tataka Trailhead to Yushan Main Peak route.
If you still want to do other mountains like Yushan North Peak, you have to apply for a standard application.
Check the National Parks' Current Status of Trails again before your departure.
Hiking Insurance
Five local governments, Miaoli County, Taichung County, Nantou County, Hualien County, and Pingtung County, require hikers to purchase hiking insurance. Otherwise, hikers might get a hefty fine of up to NT$30,000.
However, it is not easy for foreign nationals, including APRC holders, to purchase insurance. This might be a topic for another day.
One thing about hiking insurance in Taiwan is it doesn't cover the cost of flying with a helicopter. The rescue team will evaluate the patient's condition, the terrain, the weather, and other things to decide whether they can airlift the patient to the hospital.
So far, hikers don't have to pay for a helicopter. This topic has been under debate for a while because some hikers abused these resources and caused several public outrages in the past.
At least you can get travel insurance to cover medical expenses if things happen.
The Comprehensive Guide and Hiking Plan That Helps You Enjoy the Most Popular High Mountains in Taiwan
I used Notion to make this guide. You don't need to have a Notion account to read the guide. I also embedded a Google Sheet so you can input the date you wish to hike, which can help you see when to send the applications and other processes. But it seems we can only edit the Google Sheet file on a desktop computer, not on a smartphone.
Construction and Planning Agency in Taiwan built a new website: Hike Smart Taiwan Service to simplify the application process. However, I still think the old one is easy to understand. Therefore, I still use the National Park's website to demonstrate.
Click the Gumroad image below and "I want this" on my Gumroad page. Put $0 and then you are ready to add to the cart and see the guide.
If this guide helps, it would be fantastic if you could give me a 5-star rating. Thank you very much!
Feel free to comment or let me know if you have any suggestions or content you think will help improve your hiking experience in Taiwan (within my abilities).
Hire Me: Simplify Your Taiwan Hike with Our Services
Tackling the intricacies of permit applications and deciphering public transport routes in Taiwan can be daunting. We're here to make your hiking adventure hassle-free.
Our service takes care of all the nitty-gritty details, from permit applications to transportation arrangements, weather reminders, and more. Let us handle the complexities, so you can focus on the breathtaking trails and unforgettable experiences. Visit our commission page or click the image below for all the details.
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All content provided is for inspirational and informational purposes only. Creating, using, hiking, or traveling with Taiwan Hikes' suggested services or itineraries is at your own risk. Please use your best judgment and follow all safety precautions, as Taiwan Hikes and Anusha Lee are not liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from using this information.
Please also note that Taiwanese government agencies tend to change their URLs without bothering to redirect to the new ones. As a result, you will find some external sites on the Taiwan Hikes website are not working from time to time. Taiwan Hikes will try to update those URLs if possible.
Taiwan Hikes is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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