Taroko National Park Ecological Protection Areas and other Restricted Mountain Areas Park Entry Application Regulations
A. Explanation of Taroko National Park Ecological Protection Areas and other Restricted Mountain Areas Park Entry Application Regulations:
1. Legal basis: These regulations were set in accordance with the regulation of Article 19 of the National Park Act: “Entry to Ecological Protection Areas should be approved by each National Park Headquarters.”
2. The method for applying to enter this national park’s Ecological Protection Areas and other Restricted Mountain Areas is as follows:
(1) On-line application: Apply through this system for an Ecological Protection Area entry permit; fill in the form according to the regulations and, after obtaining a permit, apply to the NPA or police unit for a mountain entry permit.
(2) Email application: From 7 to 30 days ahead of planed entry, download a park entry form from this HQ’s online park entry application system, fill it in detail and send by email to （applications will be arranged in order of time received）However, because this system requires the manual registration of application information by park HQ personnel, requiring quite a lot of time, after checking and approving the applications each day the actual time of registration is 4pm.We hope applicants will understand should, as a result of this delay, they are unable to register because the daily route person limit has already been exceeded. If the application is successful and a park entry permit is obtained, be sure to then apply at the NPA or police unit for a mountain entry permit.
B. Points for attention for applicants:
1. Please be sure to check all available information before applying to enter the national park’s Ecological Protection Areas and other Restricted Mountain Areas. Online application, application form download, provision of approved climbing party information, mountain area information and the latest news, and other services are provided on the Taroko National Park website; please make good use of it. (please refer to http://npm.cpami.gov.tw/ left side park entry application system use instruction.
2. Mt. Qilai, Qilai North Peak, Qilai Mountains, East section of Mt. Qilai, Qilai South Peak, Mt. Nanhu, Nanhu-Zhongyangjian, Section 1.~2. North of Central Mts., Section 2. North of Central Mts., Mt. Shuan-Mt. Lingming, Mt. Shuan single ascent, Bilu- Yangtou Trek, Mt. Qingshui, and other routes:
(1) Apply 7-30 days before park entry (note: special routes require special case examination and this takes longer than for ordinary routes; your understanding is appreciated. Special case examination takes 7 working days (weekend and holidays are not included).
(2) Applications made less than seven days before entry will not be accepted.
(3) Applications made within 30 days of park entry will be arranged in order of on-line application time.
(4) After a park entry application is approved the date and personnel must not be changed or added to; applications can be cancelled (for the whole party or individuals). Additional party members should make a fresh application.
3. Mt. Yangtou, Mt.Bilu single ascent route:
(1) Apply 3-30 days before park entry. Case examination takes 3 working days (weekend and holidays are not included).
(2) Applications made less than three days before entry will not be accepted.
(3) Applications made within 30 days of park entry will be arranged in order of online application date.
(4) After a park entry application is approved the date and personnel must not be changed or added to; applications can be cancelled (for the whole party or individuals). Additional party members should make a fresh application.
4. Zhuilu Old Road single day route: Case examination takes 1- 3 working days (weekend and holidays are not included).
(1) There is a limit of one application for a 12 people party per day per person for Zhuilu Old Road. An applicant can be a team member or team leader once only in a day (For example, one cannot be a member of one team and leader of another on same day) .
(2) Apply 1-30 days before park entry. The latest application time for Zhuilu Old Road is before 10 am the day before entering on Tuesday to Friday and before 10 am on Friday for Saturday to Monday entry.
(3) After a park entry application is approved the date and names of party members must not be changed or added to; applications for park entry can be cancelled (for the whole party or for individual members; new members should make a separate (new) application.
5. After the application is made, the person handling the examination of the application will inform the applicant immediately by text and email if there is an error in the application; if the applicant does not correct the error(s) within 48 hours the application will not be accepted and a new application must be made.
6. To ensure the correctness of and responsibility for party member details and route planning the applicant must agree to bear certain responsibilities otherwise the application will not be accepted.
7. To ensure smooth communication in the event of an emergency rear personnel and emergency contact persons should be Taiwan, R. O. C. citizens.
8. Applicants for entry into Taroko National Park Ecological Protection Areas and other Restricted Mountain Areas should first read “Taroko National Park Ecological Protection Area and Other Restricted Mountain Area Park Entry Application Regulations,” “Things to Know About Yushan, Taroko and Shei-pa National Park Ecological Protection Area Entry Permit Application Work” and “Points for Attention when Applying for Park Entry,” carefully online, then click on “Agree” to enter the system application screen, and then complete an electronic application form and climbing plan, and climbing safety affidavit etc. in accordance with the directions and the park HQ’s regulations.
9. This system cannot automatically examine Park entry applications. After the applicant applies the application will be categorized; if it involves a special or dangerous route it will be examined by a special team. After approval at the second examination stage a park entry permit can printed from the website. If the application is rejected the reason will be clearly stated. To avoid delays applicants must complete application formalities within the time limit.
C. Points for the attention of applicants and party leaders:
1. Any applicant who registers the ID name, cell phone number, email or other personal details of another person without permission when applying or registering personal details may commit the crime of fraud in accordance with criminal law. If such behavior is discovered offenders will be barred from applying for park entry for one year and this will be recorded in the system.
2. The system accepts applications between 07：00 and 23：00 and processes them according to the time limit for applications for each route. No applications will be accepted between 23:00 and 7:00 pm. A limit on the number of persons allowed on some routes each day has been imposed; please cooperate with related points for attention and limits on the numbers of people allowed on route each day.
3. When an application made through the online application system is approved, but Restricted Mountain Areas are then closed due to a typhoon, this information and other related information will be sent to the applicant and the party leader by email and text message; applicants and party leaders should re-confirm the matters suggested by the park HQ for approved applications and whether Restricted Mountain Areas are open before setting out.
4. When children under the age of 12 enter Restricted Mountain Areas, they should be accompanied by a parent or teacher. If a parent or guardian accompanies a child they are exempted from attaching parental consent form and climbing experience.
5. Older people should only apply for routes suited to their physical ability. We suggest that a doctor or related professional is consulted before climbing a special or challenging route; also re-confirm physical ability before setting out.
6. When foreigners fill out an online application, please fill in every column in detail. Party leaders should provide a Taiwan cell phone that can be used during their time in Taiwan to facilitate reporting and contact in an emergency.
7. For park entry permits already issued, please deposit a copy of the park entry permit in the Taroko National Park Ecological Protection Area Park Entry Permit Box at the trailhead for Qilai and Nanhu mountain areas and Zhuilu Old Road. Please print out two copies of the issued park entry permit, one for depositing in the trailhead’s mailbox, the other for carrying with you for examination of park staff or volunteers.
8. If a party cannot actually make the trip after a park entry application is approved, please cancel this application two days or more before the approved date of park entry online or by phoning(03)862-1576 during office hours. The application for the entire party or individual members can be cancelled online. For failing to cancel a park entry application, one penalty point will be recorded.
9. When a typhoon warning is in place, there is a forest fire or other sudden incident the park HQ can announce the emergency closure of the park’s Restricted Mountain Areas; in this case the park entry permits already issued will be automatically cancelled. Please follow the guidance of personnel from related units to leave dangerous mountain areas or seek temporary shelter in a safe place.
10. The emergency contact person details of each party member is important information in the event of an emergency. Please provide the name of a family member who has not entered a restricted mountain area of the park; the same person should not be used as contact person by members of the same group except in the case of foreigners and members of the same family.
11. When the application is processed the system will automatically check the number of penalty points imposed on an applicant, party leader and party members in the past. If the number of penalty points has reached three the applicant will be barred from applying for protected area entry and party leader or party members (or team member) barred from park entry for one year. Separate punishment will be imposed in cases of criminal fraud.
Matters for which penalty points are imposed include:
(1) Not depositing a copy of the park entry permit in the designated mailbox when entering the Qilai Mountains and Mt. Nanhu areas or Zhuilu Old Road when a permit has been issued.
(2) Not cancelling in the online application system or by phone during office hours when a permit has been issued (failing to cancel the whole party or individual members).
(3) A volunteer warden reports that a member of a party does not enter the park but this individual’s (or more than one individual’s) details are not deleted in the on-line application.
(4) Areas not on the route the permit was issued for are entered.
(5) Rear personnel fail to report on the party’s situation initiatively after the issue of a sea typhoon warning.
12. Standby mechanism－the limit on the number of people on each route does not equal to the number of bed available in mountain huts(cabins). The following standby system was established in response to the limit on number of climbers being higher than the number of beds available:
(1) Bed standby: Every day when each hut is full the system will send out the message that applicants should take their own tent; if, for that day, an already approved climbing party cancels their reservations, thus freeing beds, the system will allocate beds to the parties on the standby list according to the time of application. Bed standby time ends one day before an approved party departs.
(2) Visitor limit standby: There are 20 standby places on each route every day. When a route is fully booked the system will automatically register applicants as “standby”. If an already approved party cancels for that day and the number of freed places is less than the number of people in the first team on the standby list, the system will automatically contact the first standby party’s leader by text and email informing them that places are available; if the notified party does not take the places within two days they will offered to the next party on the standby list. The expired date of standby application will be according to the time limit for application for each route.
13. Feeding or harassing wild animals by visitors to national park Ecological Protection Areas is prohibited.
14. Taking pets into Ecological Protection Areas, Archeological Protection Areas or Special Scenic Areas (except along the highways) is prohibited.
15. When applying for a park entry permit of mountain cabin bed, the name list should include porters and support personnel.
If you have any questions, please contact the park’s Recreation Services Section on (03)862-1576 or (03)8621100 ext. 604 during office hours.
Taroko National Park Headquarters