Tickets are to go on sale from Nov. 18 for limited-edition maple season tours on the Alishan Forest Railway to run through December, the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office said today.
The “dancing maples” themed steam train tours are to visit Chiayi County's Alishan National Forest Recreation Area and Erwanping (二萬平), stopping at key stations along the route and several exclusive maple-viewing spots, it said.
There would be performances at Jhushan Station (祝山), the highest-altitude station, and Dueigaoyue Station (對高岳), with an opportunity to view the steam train above the famous sea of clouds at Erwanping, it added.
Photo courtesy of the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office
Five tours are to run on Dec. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, limited to 100 passengers per tour, the office said.
The guided tours would retail for NT$3,100, including train tickets, a meal and souvenirs, it added.
The tours would run on the Steam Locomotive No. 31, a century-old national treasure with carriages made entirely of Taiwanese cypress, it said.
Ecological photographer Huang Yuan-ming (黃源明), known for his pictures of the Alishan cloud sea, is to lead the tours, it added.
Passengers would be served a seasonal lunchbox on the return journey featuring regional delicacies, including handmade bread from the Tsou indigenous community, locally grown pumpkin and wild onion leaves, it said.
Tickets can be booked online at the official Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office’s Web site or Facebook page, with reservations to open at 10am 15 days before each departure date, it said.
Bookings can also be made at (05) 277-9843 ext. 359.
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