Hong Kong History Tour: Peak Tram, Old Town, Dim Sum

Discover Hong Kong’s history with a Peak Tram ride, Old Town Central tour, and Michelin-starred dim sum tasting.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Peak Tram - Ride the Peak Tram to the iconic Peak (Round trip tickets included)
    Top 10 must do experience voted by visitors!

The first Peak Tram commenced service on 30 May 1888 (first cable funicular of Asia) and has undergone various phases of modernization from coal-fired steam boilers in its earliest days to today’s super-efficient electronic control system. The 6th generation Peak Tram has been painted in a bespoke “Peak Tram Green”, in a nod to its heritage and earlier 3rd and 4th generation tramcars, which were in service from 1948-1959 and 1959-1989 respectively.

Getting to the Peak by the Peak Tram is an unforgettable experience. One of the world’s oldest and most famous funicular railways, the tram rises to 396 meters (about 1,300 feet) above sea level. It is so steep that the buildings you pass look like they are leaning a gradient of between 4 and 25.7 degrees!

  • Victoria Peak (The Peak) - Take a guided walking tour to learn about the history of the peak and visit the Lion’s Point View Pavilion.

Victoria Peak, known simply as The Peak, is a must-see Hong Kong destination — both day and night — offering iconic views of skyscraper-flanked Victoria Harbor, Kowloon peninsula and craggy mountain peaks.

Lion’s Point view Pavilion - A Chinese-style pavilion near the Peak Tram terminus on Victoria Peak offers a panoramic view of Victoria Harbor. A Chinese-style pavilion near the Peak Tram terminus on Victoria Peak offers a panoramic view of Victoria Harbor. The pavilion was built by a local Hong Kong Lions Club in 1976, another icon of “East Meets West”

  • Peak Tram - Take the Peak tram to return to Central Lower Terminus
  • Upper Lascar Row Antique Street Market - The highlight of Upper Lascar Row is the seemingly endless row of antique stores, offering an eclectic collection of Chinese calligraphy, arts and vintage furniture.
  • Mid-levels Escalator - Ride the longest outdoor covered Central Mid-Level Escalator

Central Mid-level Escalator - the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system, opened in 1993. It runs for over 800m and rises over 135m in elevation, from Queen’s Road Central up to Conduit Road. It was built to ease traffic congestion in the residential Mid-levels district, and comprises 20 escalators and three inclined moving walkways. It is not only residents who utilize it – it has become a popular tourist attraction as it takes visitors through a historical district and up to the Soho dining and nightlife hub. The escalator background is also being used in many Hong Kong movies and promotional clips throughout the years.

  • Tai Kwun - Tai Kwun meaning ‘big station’ in Cantonese, was a nickname for the former Central Police Station Compound, which boasts a history of more than 170 years. The site is a unique cluster of relatively low-rise buildings sitting in a prime location in the heart of Central, Hong Kong. Its significance was officially recognized in 1995 when the former Central Police Station, the Central Magistracy and the Victoria Prison were listed as Declared Monuments. The site comprises 16 heritage buildings – all magnificent works of architecture.
  • Man Mo Temple - There is no clear record of when did the Man Mo Temple at Hollywood Road was built. The only evidence they can find is the inscription on a brass bell in the temple. It was dated “the 27th Year of Emperor Tao-kuang, Ching dynasty” which is 1847 A.D.

Man Mo Temple is a stunning complex estimated to have been built more than 150 years ago, including an assembly hall for resolving community disputes. It comprises three blocks, each serving different purposes. The namesake structure, Man Mo Temple, pays tribute to the God of Literature and the God of War.

  • Pottinger Street - Running down from Hollywood Road is the photo-worthy Pottinger Street, whose cobbled stone steps drop sharply to Queen’s Road Central, where the waterfront used to be. Dating from the 1850s, this is one of the district’s oldest streets and is named after Hong Kong’s first governor, Sir Henry Eldred Curwen Pottinger. A walk along the street now will take you through the area’s famed fancy dress market, where you can pick up any type of outfit imaginable.
  • Edinburgh Place - A special guided tour have been arranged (April to June only) to visit “A Path to Glory — Jin Yong’s Centennial Memorial” A literary giant in Chinese literature, offers an immersive experience with multilingual audio guides and augmented reality technology. Highlights also include recreated scenes and iconic costume designs from the novels.
  • Hong Kong West Kowloon Station - Enjoy a delicious dim sum tasting menu (10 kinds) at Michelin Awarded Tim Ho Wan (2010-2021)
  • Hollywood Road - Hollywood Road is a street in Central and Sheung Wan, on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It was the second road to be built in Hong Kong and was the first to be completed.

Hollywood Road is filled with trinket and antique shops of all sorts: from Chinese furniture to porcelain ware, from Buddha sculptures to Tibetan rugs, from Japanese netsukes to Coromandel screens, from Ming dynasty ceramic horsemen and kitsch Maoist memorabilia.

Along the way, the tour will pass by Kung Lee Sugarcane juice store. Founded in the 1940s, the store remains much of its old-school features, including its wooden fixtures, ceramic tiles and ceiling fans.

What's Included
  • Round Trip Peak Tram Ticket
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Professional tour guide service
  • Insurance
Additional Information

Embark on a journey through the history and development of Hong Kong on a guided tour. Ride the Peak Tram to the iconic Peak, explore the Old Town Central, and enjoy a dim sum tasting at Michelin-awarded Tim Ho Wan.

Begin your adventure with a ride on the Peak Tram to the iconic Peak. Take a guided walking tour to learn about the history of the peak and visit the Lion’s Point View Pavilion.

Continue to the Old Town Central and enjoy the guided walking tour to explore Pottinger Street, the Central Escalator, Tai Kwun, Hollywood Road, Lascar Row, and Man Mo Temple.

Finally, end your tour on a high note by enjoying a dim sum tasting at the Michelin-awarded Tim Ho Wan.

  • For insurance purpose, please provide full name and last 4 digit of passport from each particiapnt. Collected data will be destroyed after tour is completed
  • The remaining time is allocated for the travel from place to place
Location
The Kowloon Hotel
Nathan Road
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.0
(5 Ratings)
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1 star
Tinaz_k
Sep 5, 2024
The Peak Tram, visit to... - The Peak Tram, visit to the temple and dim sum tasting were wonderful experiences. Out tour guide Anna was exceptionally kind and ensured we had a wonderful experience of HK.
Review provided by Viator
Allan_p
Aug 27, 2024
The best local tour in HK! - We were very impressed by the service provided by our guide Ricky: one of the best EVER on our many OS travels: if you get him for your tour you are GUARANTEED a wonderful day out! We rate this trip very highly. We went to some of the main attractions around HK, travelled in an air conditioned minibus, which was fantastic given how hot it was outside. It is almost impossible to pick out one highlight. DimSum dinner was included: really nice, at a Michelin One Star restaurant in Kowloon: forget western food whilst on hols: the local Cantonese food is outstanding! Ricky’s local knowledge was 10/10: any questions were answered with enthusiasm and interest: we learnt so much from him: he is a gem! Pickup at the Kowloon Hotel was spot on: on time & a smiling face to meet us: he clearly loves what he does! We did plenty of walking also. The Peak Tram was a great experience: Ricky walked us past all the crowds: no queues! Booking this terrific trip through Viator was so easy and reasonably priced: we recommend highly that you try this one: we booked about 10 things with them for this trip, as we had great experience in previous OS trips. In summary, this is a must do trip: if you are lucky enough to get Ricky you are in for a great outing! We rate this Viator trip a no brainer as a 10.
Review provided by Viator
Gregdupont
Aug 26, 2024
This is a must - This tour is a must when visiting Hong Long the first time! It’s worth every cent! The tour guide was great and the dim sum tasting was to the jewel in the crown!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lawkuen84
Mar 30, 2024
Peak Tram and HK City Tour - Excellent tour for the money. Came with many extra excursions that were not listed on the Viator website description. However, that was the problem because my wife had foot issues and did not anticipate so much walking. It was difficult to catch up with the group. Otherwise, excellent tour.
Review provided by Viator
Cheryllh8612xm
Aug 29, 2024
ZERO - Peak Tram Ride Dim Sum tasting and city guided tour. Ref: 1175361461 Confirmation: 1560358267 Dear Sir/ Madam This is not really a review but a complaint with respect to the attitude of the Tour guide by the name of Anna. My friend and i booked this tour with much anticipation for a great time but was sorely disappointed as Anna did not fullfill her promise of waiting for out arrival at the meeting point. Allow me to expand. We were due to meet at a particular point but due to us being lost in Hong Kong we arrived at the meeting point 20 minutes late. Then when we contacted her she advised us to meet her at another point where she will wait for us. When we arrived at that second point and did not see her, once again we contacted her , only to be advised that she had already left and that we should contact the company. My concern is that as we organised to meet why when she did not see us at the first point, that she did not contact us to find out if we were still coming. Secondly at the second meeting point, she did not wait as promised. I mention that each time we contacted her she repsponded very curtly and that we had to ask a local to call her as we had no data on our mobiles. Hence we are thoroughly dissatisfied with this. What is your recommendation on this scenario? I look forward to your response. Regards, Cheryl A Lee.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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