Pinglin Tea Culture & Elephant Mountain Day Tour from Taipei

Overview

Immerse yourself in Taiwanese tea culture and cultivation on this relaxing one-day tour. Visit a tea farm, take in the stunning scenery of Thousand Island Lake, stroll down the famous Shenkeng Tofu Street, and enjoy a hike up Elephant Mountain.

Highlights

Key Information

Description

This tour starts at 08:00, you'll meet your tour guide and driver at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station (BL14 /O07) Exit 2, and begin with a scenic drive along mountain roads to Pinglin. This rural district is well-known for its Wenshan Pouchong tea. Here, you'll visit a local tea factory, where you'll learn about the cultivation and production process of Taiwanese tea with a tea farmer. They'll also teach you how to properly brew and appreciate Taiwanese tea. Next, you'll head to Shiding District, home to the famous Thousand Island Lake. The interaction of the man-made Feitsui Reservoir and multiple small hills created this stunning landmark: a lake full of islands. This environment is perfect for tea growing. The famous Bagua Tea Garden and many other plantations can be found here. From the hilltops, the neat rows of tea bushes are said to look like the Eight Trigrams, or Bagua, of Taoist cosmology. After soaking in the scenery, you'll head to Shenkeng District's famous tofu street, Shenkeng Old Street. It's well known for "stinky tofu," which is exactly what you might expect! Try some if you're feeling adventurous, or opt for tofu ice cream for a less challenging treat. Finally, you'll return to Taipei City for a hike along the Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail. Located close to Taipei 101, it's so-named because of its shape: from a distance, the mountain can look like an elephant's head. It's popular with photographers for good reason, too — you can expect excellent views of the city from the mountain's summit. After the tour, you can choose to disembark at Xinyi Shopping District (Taipei 101) or at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station.