Taiwan, Alishan and Chiayi are putting mountain landscapes, tea culture and scenic rail travel at the centre of a slower way to explore the island in 2026. The Alishan Four Seasons Tea Travel programme is linking tea-producing areas with accommodation, tasting experiences, local guides and natural attractions, while the Alishan Forest Railway continues to provide a distinctive route into the highlands.
The combination gives travellers an itinerary that moves beyond Taiwan’s major cities. Instead of rushing between attractions, visitors can spend time among tea plantations, forest trails, mountain villages and railway stations while experiencing the landscape at different elevations.
For international travellers, Alishan provides a particularly strong combination of scenery, transport heritage, food and tea culture.
Alishan’s Tea Tourism Expands Through 2026
The 2026 Alishan Four Seasons Tea Travel programme is being organised around seasonal tea experiences, with spring, summer, autumn and winter events scheduled throughout the year. The programme connects tea tasting with landscapes including forests, waterfalls, bamboo groves, cloud formations, fireflies and seasonal flowers.
The programme also links visitors with tea-producing areas, tea-making experiences, accommodation and tasting venues. Local tea specialists are involved in presenting the experiences, creating opportunities for visitors to learn about Alishan tea while travelling through the mountain environment.
The 2026 calendar includes a spring tea journey on April 30, a summer tea gathering on July 4, an autumn tea gathering from September 5 to 6 and a winter tea gathering from December 5 to 6.
The Alishan Forest Railway Becomes Part of the Journey
The Alishan Forest Railway adds another dimension to the mountain experience. Construction began in 1899, and the railway originally served the timber industry before becoming an important tourism attraction. The line rises from around 30 metres above sea level to 2,216 metres and crosses tunnels, bridges and sharply changing terrain.
Today, the railway forms part of the Alishan tourism experience, carrying visitors through changing landscapes as they climb from Chiayi towards the mountains.
The railway also operates seasonal sightseeing journeys. In 2026, dedicated cherry-blossom and maple-viewing trains are scheduled around March and December, taking visitors towards high-altitude stations and seasonal landscapes.
Chiayi Is the Gateway to the Mountains
Chiayi provides the main access point for travellers heading towards Alishan. Visitors can reach Chiayi by Taiwan High Speed Rail or Taiwan Railways before transferring to Alishan-bound public transport. Official tourism information lists bus connections from both Chiayi railway and high-speed rail stations towards Alishan.
This makes Chiayi a practical starting point for a multi-day mountain itinerary. Travellers can spend time in the city before continuing into the highlands, or use it as their transport base for a return journey.
The Alishan Forest Railway also begins its tourism story in Chiayi, where the Forest Railway Garage Park preserves historic locomotives, passenger cars and railway equipment.
Fenqihu Adds Food, Heritage and Mountain Village Life
Fenqihu sits roughly halfway along the route towards Alishan and provides an important stop for travellers heading deeper into the mountains. The scenic area is known for its old street, food experiences and connection with the Forest Railway.
Visitors can sample the famous Alishan Railway Lunchbox alongside local snacks before continuing towards higher elevations. Hiking routes also connect Fenqihu with surrounding mountain areas.
For travellers, Fenqihu creates a natural pause between Chiayi and the Alishan Forest Recreation Area, allowing a railway journey to become a broader cultural and food experience.
Misty Forests Create a Distinct Highland Experience
Alishan is particularly associated with sunrise, forests and the sea of clouds. The official tourism authority notes that the area has an average annual temperature of around 10.6°C and experiences frequent rainfall and fog, contributing to its distinctive highland environment.
The changing weather is part of the landscape visitors encounter on mountain trails and railway journeys. Mist can cover the forest and mountain ridges, while clearer periods reveal views across the surrounding highlands.
The area also provides hiking opportunities, with official tourism itineraries including one- and two-day hiking routes.
Tea, Trails and Railways Create Longer Trips
The combination of tea experiences and outdoor activities allows visitors to build longer stays around Alishan. A typical itinerary can begin in Chiayi, continue through Fenqihu and then reach the Alishan Forest Recreation Area.
Travellers can add tea tastings, plantation visits, hiking, sunrise viewing and railway experiences along the way. The 2026 tea programme is specifically designed to connect production areas, accommodation and tasting experiences, creating a more integrated tourism route.
This also gives visitors opportunities to explore beyond the principal railway attractions and spend more time in mountain communities.
Seasonal Travel Keeps Alishan Changing
The four-season tea programme means the experience changes throughout the year. Spring brings tea journeys alongside seasonal flowers, summer features tea gatherings, autumn combines tea with changing mountain scenery and winter provides another setting for tasting experiences.
The Forest Railway adds its own seasonal calendar, with cherry-blossom trains in March and maple-viewing services in December.
Travellers therefore have different reasons to return depending on the month they choose.
Travel Planning for Alishan
Visitors heading to Alishan should plan their transport around Chiayi connections and check railway and bus schedules before departure. Weather can also affect mountain travel, particularly during periods of heavy rain or reduced visibility.
The official tourism authority recommends public transport connections from Chiayi towards Alishan, while Fenqihu provides accommodation, food and visitor facilities along the route.
Travellers should also reserve seasonal railway services and organised tea experiences in advance when booking is required.
Key Stats
• 2026: Year of the Alishan Four Seasons Tea Travel programme.
• 4: Seasonal tea events scheduled for 2026.
• 71.4 km: Historic full length of the Alishan Forest Railway.
• 2,216 m: Highest elevation reached by the railway according to Taiwan’s Tourism Administration.
• 2,451 m: Elevation of Zhushan Station, one of the railway’s high-altitude destinations.
• 10.6°C: Average annual temperature recorded in the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area.
Conclusion
Taiwan, Alishan and Chiayi are creating a mountain tourism experience where tea, railways, forests and hiking trails become parts of the same journey. The 2026 Four Seasons Tea Travel programme adds structured experiences around tea production, tasting, accommodation and local landscapes, while the historic Alishan Forest Railway provides a memorable route into the highlands.
For travellers seeking a slower side of Taiwan, the journey can begin in Chiayi, pause at Fenqihu and continue into Alishan, with tea farms, misty forests, mountain trails and seasonal railway experiences shaping the route. In 2026, the tea mountains are becoming not simply a place to visit, but a way to experience Taiwan at a different pace.
