Ngau Wu Reservoir hike: a quick trip to the forgotten Ma On Shan reservoir

Ngau Wu Reservoir hike is an easy and hidden hike in Ma On Shan. You can get close to the small reservoir and the turquoise water makes for an inviting photo, especially with the small waterfall on one side and the view of Ma On Shan cityscape on the other.

It can be combined with Tiu Shau Ngam on the way up to Ma On Shan, but there is a maze of trails there, so I’d recommend doing this separately or at the start, and not as a part.

Ngau Wu Reservoir Hike Summary

Tike taken: 1 hour

Ngau Wu Reservoir hike difficulty: 1/5 

Pro: very easy and mostly paved

Con: the trails leading to the reservoir is a bit messy, but you should be able to find at least one main trail and can return the same way

Note: good footwear is still recommended

How to get to Ngau Wu Reservoir trail start

There are several ways to get to Ngau Wu Reservoir, but the nearest MTR station is Ma On Shan and it’s the best starting point. It’s a short walk uphill to find the trail start, which is behind the Kam Ying Court Estate.

Take the Sunshine City exit from Ma On Shan MTR and head right (east) towards the Public Medical Center via the pedestrian tunnel. From there, look right and go up the green staircase to Kam Ying Court and turn left (east) towards the Good Health Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten and Child Care Centre.

Head south (uphill) once you see the kindergarten until you see the main road. Cross it and then go left until you’re across from Block 8 and see a trail going up.

Here is a map that shows a suggested route that also works and the GPS of the trail for you to find:

Alternatively, you can take a bus to Kam Ying Court:

Kam Ying Court Bus Terminus start

There are a lot of buses that go to Kam Ying Court Bus Terminus and here is a list:

• 85M – circular line that goes between Kam Ying Court and Wong Tai Sin
• 86K – Kam Ying Court to Shatin
• 87D – Kam Ying Court to Hung Hom Bus Terminus

Minibusses:

• 805S – Kam Ying Court to Mong Kok via Choi Hung
• 808 – Kam Ying Court to Prince of Wales Hospital

Alternative start: From Wu Kai Sha

If you want to make the hike longer, you can start or end the hike at Wu Kai Sha instead.

Take the exit to the left from Wu Kai Sha Station and get down from the pedestrian bridge using the lift. Head towards the Entrance (a private housing estate) sticking to Sai Sha Road.

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Take the pedestrian tunnel there and turn right once you reach the other side and follow it all the way to a flight of stairs leading up to the hill. This walkway goes all the way to where the Kam Ying Court trail joins up and makes for a lovely (slightly more extended) walk.

Kam Ying Court to Ngau Wu Reservoir

From the trail there, go up and then continue up when you pass the perpendicular path under the road bridge.

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This will take you to a lovely paved trail with a uniformed line of trees on the side. Go right (west) until you see a flight of paved stairs.

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Go up and you’ll find a pavilion. Turn left where there’s a dirt trail and follow it until you see a junction with an equally wide dirt trail and go up.

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When you see a concrete structure, you’ve reached the southern part of the Ngau Wu Reservoir.

Ngau Wu Reservoir

The Ngau Wu Reservoir is fed by the Ngau Wu Stream that originates near the Hunch Backs. The water level is highly dependent on rainfall in recent days/week.

It was built in the 60s to provide water to the children’s home that is now the Wu Kai Sha Youth Village. Ngau Wu Reservoir is also one of the few reservoirs in Hong Kong that isn’t under the Water Supplies Department.

There is a small waterfall on the other side and you can hike up to the top where the stream cascades down. The Ngau Wu Stream continues up and joins the Goose Valley Lost Trail between Tiu Shau Ngam and Ma Mei Ridge.

Getting out of Ngau Wu Reservoir 

I recommend going back the way we came because of how many branches there are – it’s easy to get lost otherwise.

We made our way back to the pavilion and follow the route back to Ma On Shan via Kam Ying Court. Alternatively, you can walk down to Wu Kai Sha at the alternative start.