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Equipped with a few essentials—snacks, sunglasses and a team flag—12-year-old Li Yen prepared for the final leg of an extraordinary journey. For the past 16 days, she and a group of young adventurers had been trekking across Taiwan, covering rugged terrain and scaling high mountain passes.
“I’m really excited because it is the last day,” Li said. “I hope I can finish it.”
Li is one of the few participants who have completed this grueling trek multiple times. Each winter break, she has joined a group of children to traverse Taiwan on foot, a challenge that spans approximately 280 kilometers from National Dong Hwa University in eastern Taiwan to the Gaomei Wetlands on the west coast. Along the way, the young hikers endured an elevation gain of more than 4,400 meters.
The journey is part of a program designed to push children beyond their limits while teaching them valuable life skills. According to Tsai Song-you, a coach for the expedition, the experience incorporates both mental and physical challenges.
“[Our activities] target different learning styles,” Tsai explained. “Some focus on mental development, while others may involve practical knowledge. For example, on this trip, we’ve taught the kids many valuable lessons, including wilderness survival and environmental conservation.”
For Li, these skills came to life during the trek. “The coach taught us how to make a fire using flint,” she said. “We also learned how to read offline maps when hiking.”
During the 16-day journey, the children faced significant challenges. One of the most difficult days required the children to walk up to 35 kilometers—from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
That day was the most unforgettable part of the journey, according to the coach. One of the kids had such severe muscle soreness that he was forced to use a wheelchair. But that did not stop the team from going forward.
“At that time, the kids took the initiative to pair up for support,” Tsai said. “They stood shoulder to shoulder, accompanying one another. They supported their teammates in their own way, getting through the challenging process together.”
As the children crossed the finish line, their families cheered them on, celebrating their perseverance and growth. Parents shared how the experience had transformed their children.
“In the past, when she faced difficulties, she would first doubt her own abilities,” said Li Chao-lin. “But over the past three years, she has gradually adjusted her mindset to deal with more challenging situations. Now, she even thinks, “‘Hey, I can do it!’”
Another parent, Chang Yi-chiu, highlighted the importance of teamwork in the experience. “I think this activity can teach them about living in a group,” Chang said. “It’s not a competition between individuals but instead a team effort that allows them to learn empathy.”
After three years of participating in the cross-island trek, Li Yen and her fellow adventurers have completed a journey of growth, courage and resilience.
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