Taroko Gorge National Park
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Port
Hualien, Taiwan
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$150
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 5 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Taroko Gorge National Park is one of the world's most thrilling natural wonders and an experience that is not to be missed. This narrow, twisting, 12-mile-long canyon is filled with craggy rocks and cascading water. Seventy million years of geologic uplift and water erosion have formed the world's deepest marble canyon. A narrated drive will have you at the edge of your seat as you drive along rugged, coastal cliffs, through a maze of sub-tropical forested canyons, to high-elevation sub-alpine coniferous forests.
Watch for some of the 34 species of mammals that inhabit the park -- black bears, Formosan macaques (rock monkeys), serow, wild boar, and sambar deer, as well as 144 species of birdlife.At the Eternal Spring Shrine, you'll visit the memorial to the 212 military veterans who died during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway, which runs over the mountains and connects the east and west coasts of Taiwan. The highway was carved out of the sheer cliffs at a cost of some US$11 million and was completed in 1960. Today, it remains one of the greatest feats of engineering in Taiwan's history.
A walk at Swallow's Grotto offers fantastic views of the gorge, the Liwu River and the impressive cliffs.
The Tunnels of Nine Turns, totally manmade, are a true marvel of engineering and lead through the steepest sections of the gorge. You can clearly see the rock folds, joints and faults of the marble cliffs.
Before returning to the pier, stop at Qing Shui Cliff, one of the most spectacular sights on Taiwan's Pacific coast. The cliff is more than 3,300 feet high and drops almost vertically into the sea.
Notes:
Wear sturdy non-skid walking shoes.