路線簡介 Routes

南路為清朝時期重要的經濟茶路。初期官府擬闢便道芻議未果，先民尋徑入山植茶，爾後臺灣開港通商，茶葉成為當時最主要出口商品，影響官府不得不正視，促成臺灣巡撫劉銘傳循此山徑闢巨道通宜蘭。現今南路又稱為「淡蘭便道」，由萬華、六張犁至深坑、石碇經坪林、石𥕢、石牌到宜蘭礁溪或頭城，包括現存的外按古道與跑馬古道。

Tamlan Old Trail – Southern Route: The Wild Heart of a Historic Journey
If you’re drawn to deep forest trails, remote mountain passes, and the untamed spirit of Taiwan’s historic trade routes, the Southern Route of the Tamsui–Kavalan Trail (淡蘭古道南路) is your call to adventure.
Once a vital lifeline connecting New Taipei’s Shuangxi to Yilan’s Dali and Daxi, this route was used by early Han settlers, merchants, and indigenous Atayal communities to cross Taiwan’s rugged northeastern backbone. Compared to the coastal and central routes, the Southern Route is wilder, steeper, and more physically demanding, but also the most rewarding for seasoned hikers and cultural explorers.