Hong Kong Runners Discover 100km MacLehose Trail and Peak Loop Routes

Hong Kong packs an unusual amount of running variety into a small footprint: a flat, canopy-shaded road above Central, a colonial-era loop at the Peak, and one of the world's great long-distance trail systems starting almost from the doorstep of the financial district. Here are the best running routes in Hong Kong for 2026.

Bowen Road

Bowen Road is Hong Kong's most iconic everyday run: a flat, paved, car-free path roughly 4 kilometres one way through the Mid-Levels above Wan Chai and Central, shaded by trees and lined with fitness stations, with sweeping views over the city below. It is the rare genuinely flat route in a famously hilly city, and is packed with locals and expats from dawn.

Victoria Peak and the Lugard Road Loop

The Peak Circle Walk, following Lugard Road and Harlech Road, is a roughly 3.5 kilometre paved loop at around 400 metres elevation, gentle enough to run despite the height. Lugard Road itself was built in 1913 and 1914 and named after Sir Frederick Lugard, Hong Kong's 14th governor, and includes a genuine cliff-hugging plank-road section with panoramic harbour views. It also marks the start of the Hong Kong Trail, whose first section runs 7 kilometres past the 1863-built Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, the oldest water storage facility on Hong Kong Island.

Victoria Harbour Waterfront, Tsim Sha Tsui

The Tsim Sha Tsui promenade is a flat, paved waterfront run of around 2 to 2.5 kilometres past the Avenue of Stars, with unobstructed skyline views across the harbour to Hong Kong Island. It is also the site of the nightly 8pm Symphony of Lights show, a Guinness World Record holder for the world's largest permanent light and sound show, and this stretch overlaps with the early section of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon course.

The Hong Kong Trail and Tai Tam Country Park

Beyond its first section, the Hong Kong Trail runs about 50 kilometres across 8 sections and roughly 1,400 metres of total elevation gain, threading through Tai Tam Country Park's four historic colonial-era reservoirs on a mix of paved reservoir road and natural trail, popular as a longer, family-friendly option on the south side of the island.

The MacLehose Trail

For serious distance, the MacLehose Trail runs the full 100 kilometres from Sai Kung to Tuen Mun, crossing 23 peaks including Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong's highest point at 957 metres. It is the course of the annual Oxfam Trailwalker, which began in 1986 and sees teams of four attempt the full 100 kilometres within 48 hours, raising well over HK$500 million for charity since it started.

Practical Guide to Running in Hong Kong

Bowen Road and the Peak Circle Walk are the most reliable choices for a flat or gently rolling run close to the city centre; the Hong Kong Trail and Tai Tam are better suited to anyone with a full morning and proper trail shoes.