Hsinchu | Experiência de caminhada de 2 dias e 1 noite em Smangus e no grupo de sequoias de Zhenxibao

Thank you, Team Leader Xiao Tai, for guiding us on our two-day trip from March 6-7, 2025. The cherry blossom garden in Smangus was magnificent. My phone couldn't capture the beauty I saw with my own eyes. I'm very grateful to our leader for allowing our team to enjoy the cherry blossom garden exclusively. We also visited the B area of the Cinsbu Giant Tree Group. We set off around 7 AM and the leader had us warm up before starting our ascent. Due to the rain, the ground was slippery with rocks and branches. We had to cross rivers twice during the journey. I was very glad I wore hiking gear, which made walking much easier. Cinsbu's elevation is about 1,720 to 2,180 meters. The air quality was superb; I haven't been this close to nature in a long time. We also saw 13 giant trees. As a side note, our accommodation was a cozy cabin at Ya Wu, where we experienced sleeping on a communal mat and bought local snow lotus.

Although the journey was long and bumpy, our tour guide, Qiangqiang, truly worked hard these two days, not only leading us on mountain hikes but also driving us back to Taipei for several hours! The hiking difficulty was not high, making this itinerary very friendly for hiking beginners who enjoy exploring nature. Even though we didn't see a full bloom of cherry blossoms, the scenery along the way was still worth remembering. Immersed in the mountains, Smangus, a Atayal tribe located deep in the mountains, has its own culture and way of life, offering a purity and tranquility not found in the city. I was deeply impressed by the children of Xinguang Elementary School riding bicycles on the narrow paths. The grandma at Yaya Homestay treated us like her own grandchildren, constantly reminding us that it's cold in the mountains and to eat well, and actively refilling our dishes. This human touch made us feel warm. It's an itinerary I'd want to revisit and highly recommend!

The whole trip was pretty good! Although the weather was very cold when we went (the temperature at night was only 3-4 degrees Celsius), I knew before booking that we would be staying in a simple guesthouse (without heating), so I was somewhat mentally prepared. I had to wear a down jacket and gloves to sleep comfortably. At the guesthouse, we had simple side dishes, but in the evening, there was a special mochi pounding activity, and the owner even played the guitar and led us in dancing and singing Atayal songs, which was very heartwarming. Smangus and Cinsbu are both beautiful and definitely worth a visit!

Our tour leader, Cherry, was very dedicated and taught us correct mountaineering knowledge, which was incredibly useful! Driver Brother Wu's driving skills were excellent, and he thoughtfully looked after everyone in the car. I really enjoyed this experience with Mountain Forest Secrets! The themed meals and homestay were full of Atayal characteristics. Seeing the giant trees and bathing in the forest was very relaxing and therapeutic. Some members of our group, who are interested in mind-body-spirit, even said that the energy field of the giant trees was excellent, and they truly felt recharged.🤣

It was a wonderful trip. Our guide, Snowman, was very knowledgeable, explaining the stories of the mountains, forests, and indigenous tribes. Besides admiring the magnificent sacred trees, he also helped us understand the efforts the tribes put into maintaining the giant tree forests. Overall, I preferred the giant tree trail in Jhenshibao. The spectacular giant tree forest, combined with the natural and pristine mountain trails and the early spring temperatures, made for a very comfortable experience.

The guide was very kind and had a lot of hiking experience. The driver knew there were people prone to motion sickness, so he drove slowly and steadily, which was greatly appreciated. Although I went alone, everyone in the group was easy to get along with, helping each other and chatting. The two sacred tree areas are definitely worth seeing; it was very moving to see the thousand-year-old sacred trees standing tall.

This time, our guide was Wu Hsin-Yueh (Qiangqiang), a very enthusiastic guide with excellent driving skills and a gentle demeanor. The accommodation wasn't luxurious, but it was perfectly adequate. Overall, the value for money was quite good. The pace during the journey to Smangus and Cinsbu was not rushed, and the itinerary was perfectly managed. Along the way, we encountered many dogs and cats. This trip is suitable for those who want to experience something new and love cats and dogs, but are not overly concerned about accommodation quality!

司機和嚮導都很專業，兩天的健行雖然累，但風景很棒，2月中司馬庫斯沒有櫻花，有點可惜，鎮西堡比司馬庫斯較為原始，我喜歡！晚上住部落的民宿乾淨，還有搗小米活動蠻有趣的，吃飽在部落街上走走，還吃了小米臭豆腐和喝咖啡。最後回程前還去了內灣老街吃吃喝喝，很不錯的體驗

This trip was very satisfying. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom during the 228 consecutive holidays, and the number of sacred trees was also incredibly impressive. Tour guide Qiang Qiang is highly recommended.

此次活動雖在大部分都在雨中進行，而領隊及司機先生也都很貼心去了解團員們的需求，並對行程變動做妥善的安排及規劃，謝謝他們！ 民宿雖處在不便深山中，但民宿主人熱情親切，餐廳料理美味，每個空間都布置的很有原住民的氛圍，乾淨且舒適。 希望下回能在參加領隊所推薦的鎮西堡+霞喀羅東段5.5公里來回，兩天一夜行程。