The BETTER Taroko Gorge Tour

Excellent trip, great organisation and amazing views! Was really surprised by the high quality of organisation, no delays, prompt pick up, great service in English by the guide, everything under control and on the schedule.
Would definitely recommend this tour to everyone, just amazing nature, less crowds and nice food. Worth every cent you pay!

A must-do tour in Taroko Gorge! I booked this trip pretty last minute (3 days before the tour date) and got very timely email replies and confirmation from Jamella. The tour group was small enough (only had 6 of us) and Allan as our tour guide/driver. Allan speaks very well English, is funny, has really good vibes and is very knowledgeable about the gorge. He also knows a lot of locals there. One of many highlights of this tour was swimming in the beautiful turquoise water, a REAL hidden gem that no other tourists knew about – thanks to Allan! The snack (sausage + special veggie) and lunch provided were amazing. I am very happy with the tour and truly believe the itinerary provided by this tour is the best itinerary that you won’t be able to find from any other tour company out there! Another interesting thing about this company is that you can pay the fee after the trip in cash while all other tour companies require travelers to pay in advance. I am sure I will engage this company/Allan again when I come back to Taroko Gorge, which is soon!

Great Tour
Had a great time in Taroko with these guys. They also recommended some great restaurants around town and gave us some tips on local life. Special thanks to Bruce for making it all happen.

Great tour with Allen! This was a fantastic tour. You will get picked up directly in front of your hotel and dropped off there and the end. The tour is really huge, we left at 8:15am and got dropped off around 4:30pm. We got to see a ton of sites in Taroko Gorge National Park, driving from one place to the next, while sometimes getting off for a quick hike. We also ate some great food at a native restaurant inside the Gorge. Allen, our very informative tour guide, was super fun and told us great stories about Taiwan and the Gorge. He also spoke fantastic English. Our group was full of other fun and interesting people as well. We can’t recommend this tour enough, it is absolutely worth it!

Our trip to Taroko Gorge was amazing! My friend and I were initially going to explore the gorge by ourselves, but luckily we stumbled upon this tour while researching. It was the best tour we could have ever hoped for. The service overall was awesome, from the scheduling to the drop off at the end of the tour. We had such a fun time with our tour guide, Iris. She was so kind, funny, and knowledgeable about the history of Taiwan and the Taroko tribe. She really took care of us, making sure we were safe and didnt get wet from the rain while treading the trails. We even got to go ATVing on the beach near the gorge and also experienced Taroko tribe food at the top of the mountain. Our trip was 10x more memorable and amazing because of her. Highly recommend a tour with her as your guide!

Secret spots of the Taroko Park. Alan was an amazing guide, he took us to the main trail early so we didn’t get into the crowd. He showed us all his favorite secret spots along the way and explained us all the curiosities we needed to know about Taiwan and the aboriginal tribes living in the park, in a perfectly understandable English. The included lunch was very nice and typical. Very much recommended!

The absolute highlight of our Taiwan vacation. Originally, we wanted to do the Lushui-Wenshan Trail in Taroko Gorge National Park, but due to a lot of rain in the preceding days it was closed, so we decided to do the Better Taroko Gorge Tour instead. Unfortunately, a typhoon passed Taiwan when we were in Hualien and the park announced its closure the day before our tour. Luckily the weather turned out to be much better than expected and the park reopened in the morning. Even more lucky for us, Island Life Taiwan quickly passed this information on to us and offered to start the tour with a little delay. We accepted and were picked up 40 min later by our fantastic guide Iris. She showed us all the highlights of Taroko Gorge that were accessible and told us a lot of interesting facts about Taiwan and Hualien. Even though we started the tour later than Island Life usually does, none of our trails were overcrowded because she shifted the itinerary a little. We had an amazing day in the Gorge and a great deal of fun with Iris. We thank Island Life Taiwan for being so easy to communicate with and so responsive to our wishes! We could not have had a better experience in Taroko Gorge and highly recommend them for a trip to this breathtaking landscape!

Amazing Experience, Highlight of our trip in Taiwan!

We did two tours with Island Life Taiwan (Taroko and Zhuilu Old Trail) and both were spectacular experiences. They were definitely the highlight of our time in Taiwan!

Our tour guides (Iris and Manual) were very knowledgeable, nice, and accommodating. They went above and beyond to make the hiking as enjoyable as possible, and made it special for everyone on the tour.

Overall, I highly recommend doing the tours! The parks are huge and you need a great, local guide to be able to make the best of your time there.

This tours was amazing and we got to see everything we wanted and even more!
We had the best day with our guide Iris who was very helpful, knowledgeable and funny. We could not have asked for a better guide. The tours was very nice since it included a variety of activities, from swimming in crystal clear water to hiking to a temple in the mountains in the breathtaking scenery of Taroko gorge.

We would definitely recommend anyone to book this tour!

More impressive than famous Caminito del Rey in Spain (Malaga)! Earlier this summer, my wife and I with our Spanish friends walked the famous Caminito del Rey trail in the Spanish mountains. We were impressed by this: steep cliffs, gorges and tunnels. We didn’t think there was anything more exciting in the world. Although our Spanish friend turned 80 and we were close to that age, we felt young again, so even before we left for Taiwan, we didn’t hesitate to order The Better Taroko Gorge Tour from Hualien. What a surprise it was when we spent the whole day with amazing Iris, who knows everything about Taiwan and its secrets. The trip surpassed everything we had seen before in Europe.
The trip included visits to Buddhist monasteries on the high mountains, stories of Iris about the courageous people of Taroko (it is a pity that it is no longer possible to see their tattoos on their forehead), crossing of the hanging bridges at a dizzying height, and a beautiful long walk along the river, where giant butterflies flutter and almost sit on your clothes when you walk by. Iris knows secret places where you can swim in the mountain river far away from the eyes of other tourists, so don’t forget to bring your swimming suit along.
When we finally sat down at the tables of a delicious lunch next to the Taroko Museum, we thought that our tour was over. But it turned out that we just needed to recharge our batteries before the main adventure: walking the trail along the mountain gorge and tunnels on our own, with breathtaking views that make the beauty of the Caminito del Rey seem like a walk through the park. Add to that the excellent driving skills of our Iris on the mountain serpentine road, which even Schumacher would envy, but you feel comfortable, as you listed to her inexhaustible stories about everything around. In general, we can summarize our story simply: the Taroko Gorge tour made our summer unforgettable.

Best way to experience Hualien’s nature!
I had wanted to see Taroko Gorge while visiting in Hualien, but knew I couldn’t see much of it without some kind of tour. This one proved to be the best out there! Though it was a tiny bit pricier than a few of the other options I found, I thought it was well worth the cost. Alan was a great local tour guide! (And yes, he speaks English). Because our tour group was only 3 people, he was able to personalize the tour a bit more for us, staying longer in certain places to take pictures, or doing things in a slightly different order. It was all amazing!! So beautiful and not strenuous hikes. I paid extra for the ATV ride on the beach and it was absolutely worth it! We had the beach to ourselves and a whole hour to ride and enjoy the view. I highly recommend this tour while you are there, especially if you are traveling with multiple people, since the price will drop with each additional person. All in all, had a great day!

Truly an experience of a lifetime. We did the Taroko gorge tour and Zhuilu old trail tour with island life and couldn’t recommend them enough. Our guides, Allen, Iris and Jay were as friendly as could be. Great job.

What a day! Taroko Gorge is a spectacular place to visit, especially with a great guide. Our guide Iris took us to all the best places in the park and was hilarious and joyful the whole time. It was a HOT day, so it was nice when at the conclusion of the tour, Iris took us to a nearby river for a swim. Just what we needed! Thanks so much to Island Life, we will definitely contact you again when we come back to Taiwan.

Outstanding experience with Island Life Taiwan! The Tunnel of Nine Turns had just opened so we got to experience possibly the best place in the park on our visit. It’s the summer, so the park is fairly busy, but our Island Life guide Allen did a good job of avoiding the crowds and getting there early made a big difference. Overall a wonderful experience and i would definitely recommend Island Life Taiwan to anyone visiting Hualien.

Great Taroko tour with Alan
We did full day Taroko tour with Alan and had great time. His English is very good. Stopped at several spots and had a great time. Scenery is amazing.

Breathtaking
Highly recommend Island life Taiwan tour. We stayed in Hualien for 4 days and we booked them for all our tours during the duration of our stay. They are very professional and provided such excellent service. Tour groups are small, 8 people the most, so we didn’t feel rushed. Each guide catered to every guest and answer each question knowledgeably. They made me and my 10 year old feel very comfortable. I would recommend them to anyone. We did the Zhuilu old trail, Taroko gorge tour, and Heshuan (I know i spelled this wrong sorry) tour and we enjoyed every single bit!

Great Family Fun. We spent the day with our tour guide, Iris, taking us along the coast. The sites were amazing and Iris knew when was the best time to be at each spot as we always seemed to beat the crowds.

We had a special request as my kids loved to swim so Iris took us to Jiqi beach and it the kids had a wonderful time swimming. It was a very safe and shallow beach, which is hard to find in Hualien.

We finished off the day with some great aboriginal food and a tour of some volcanic rocks and coastline. I would recommend to anyone who loves nature and taking pictures with amazing scenery.

Spectacular Sights of Taiwan. We booked private tours to Taroko Gorge, along the coast from Hualian to Taitung, and a round trip along the mountain route from Taitung.

We loved every minute of it, and the spectacular scenery exceeded our expectations. Iris catered for all of our needs and went out of her way to tailor the experience to what we wanted to see, meaning we were able to see the day lilies we were yearning to see when inclement weather threatened our plans.

By booking a private tour we were able to escape the tourist traps and experience the tranquillity and gob smacking beauty of eastern Taiwan, at our own pace, without the stress and hassle of planning transport and timing. Iris took us to charming local restaurants that used the freshest local produce (including the petals of the day lilies!), informed us of the significance of the places we visited, and answered our many questions about Taiwan.

Iris was a fabulous travel companion with a great sense of humour, which made it feel like we were travelling with a friend.

We highly recommend Iris and Island Life Taiwan, and hope to be back soon!

Kris and Rob

Unforgettable day at Taroko Gorge with Alan. It’s our first time visiting Taiwan and I couldn’t give Taroko Gorge a miss! I chose Island Life (despite it being pricey) due to the WIDER scope of areas they cover, and the EARLIER departure time. Jamella was very efficient in confirming our tour, and Daniel as well, in following up with us. I was pleasantly surprised when our guide is indeed a local EXPERT! He brought us to uncommon spots, and even so kindly took photos for us. For those who like to have fantastic photos as memorabilia, he does an EXTRAORDINARY job in finding spots to create unique pictures for you. Alright, no more spoilers! I would like to end with you get what you pay for, and more! We’re so grateful that we had a fulfilling trip, thanks to Alan. My buddies and I will definitely be approaching them when we’re back in Taiwan! <3

Great Taroko Gorge visit ! I had just arrived in Hualien and wrote at the very last minute to see about a tour. Thankfully, Jamella was very efficient and was able to confirm my tour at 21h30 the night before. The tour started at 7h30 in the morning – Thanks !

Alan was our super guide who shares his experiences, ideas and Taiwanese culture with us throughout the trip. The Taroko Gorge is stunning and don’t worry, even in the tropical heat, the walking is pretty easy. We also had lunch at an aboriginal restaurant in the middle of the national park.

À great day and a great personalised way to visit the Taroko Gorge. Thanks again Alan and Jamella !

Owen, Montréal (Québec) Canada

Fantastic day with Tiffany, Taroko Gorge not to be missed! We would highly recommend Island Life Taiwan for your visit to Hualien and the surrounding area.
All email inquiries received prompt replies with useful information and Jamella sent along some helpful tips as to what to see in the neighborhood of our hotel in Hualien. Our excursion to the Taroko Gorge was fantastic start to finish. Beginning the tour early was very smart as the trails do become quite busy as the day progresses. We were so lucky that Tiffany was our tour guide. She was thoughtful and knowledgeable about the gorge and Taiwan in general. She accommodated our curiosity about the indigenous population that lives in the area and in general just a very pleasant person to spend the day with. She took some great photos of us and for us and sent them along for great memories of the day.

Try it! Easy booking, superb service from online booking to pick-up and drop off. Our tour guide Alan made sure we enjoyed our whole day, even taking very nice pictures of us which were also sent thru email. I am glad we had the chance to take this tour while visiting Taiwan. Great value for money and equally superb service. Definitely won’t be the last

Great group tour w/Santa. Unfortunate cancel of Old Zhuliu trail so default to Better Taroko Gorge tour; had a fantastic experience with Santa for full drive around. Picked up on schedule at hotel and drop off as fully described. Enjoyed the video about aboriginal culture, which was unexpected, but added lots of richness to understanding the local culture and history. Recommend again. I’m Taiwanese American x 40+ years so great to appreciate the rich history of Taiwan… including awareness of “historical headhunters”!

Efficient and affordable
This tour was everything we were looking for. We saw the best of the park and spent a minimal amount of time in the car for how big the place is. Highly recommended.

Beautiful views, great day! Great option for a last-minute, no-hassle day trip to Taroko. Our guide Alan was prompt, professional, and had great information to share about the gorge and Taiwanese culture. There was a good mix of guided and free time. Alan also made the time to stop for a photo opp of the Qingshui Clfifs as per a group member’s request and at a fruit market on the way back from the park after we talked about how good Taiwanese fruit is (be sure to get some pineapple). Overall, a great way to avoid having to navigate the bus system and large crowds.

Simply the best. We had the best time. We booked last minute, and where lucky enough to get Alan. He went above and beyond making sure we where looked after.

Five star service. Five star park! Thanks to our guide Alan for an epic day!

Excellent Tour! Allan our tour guide was simply outstanding. Very knowledgeable about the spots and history behind them. We also learned a lot about the culture of the indigenous people of the island thru him. He’s one of the few tour guides we’ve experienced during our travels that we can truly say has a passion for what he’s doing. Would love to come back soon!

Island Life is #1 for a reason
The organization was amazing. Our guide picked us up right on time and the group was small but fun. Our guide Santa kept us active throughout the day and we had a blast out on the trails. We even got to do a little swimming at the end of the day! I highly recommend Island Life & Santa.

Wonderful day. We spent a great day with Iris, showing us some wonderful scenery. Iris was very knowledgeable and helpful.