According to the British media coverage, Ta-roko is a top ten must-see tourist spot in the world. Such acclaim is not overstated at all.
英國媒體報導，太魯閣是全世界十大必遊景點。這樣的稱讚一點也不誇張。

Ta-roko National Park occupies an area of ninety thousand some hectares. Over one sixth are high mountains over 3000 meters above sea level.
太魯閣國家公園面積9萬多公頃，3千公尺以上高山佔了六分之一。

The park is demarcated by the Central Range. Situated west is the Li-wu River Basin;
公園以中央山脈為分界，西邊是立霧溪流域;

situated east is the He-huan Mountain Range, which we will introduce in another article.
東邊的合歡山群峰，我們會在另一篇文章介紹。

Jinwen Bridge

錦文橋

You get to see spacious riverbeds at Jinwen Bridge in the vicinity of the Tourist Information Center or around the corner of Eternal Spring Shrine.
在遊客中心附近的錦文橋，或者長春祠附近，你可以看到寬廣的溪床。

You'll be approaching the sea level here, which is also the Li-wu River Mouth.
這裡己經接近海平面，也就是立霧溪出海口。

The stream that you'll be seeing flows through high mountains 3000 meters above sea level in order to get here.
你看到的溪水，流過海拔3000公尺的高山才來到這裡。

Wu-ling

武嶺

We picked the route that goes back to the source of the stream which is He-huan Mountain, demarcating Hua-lian and Nantou near Wu-ling at 3275 meters above sea level.
我們選擇回到溪流源頭，也就是花蓮和南投交界的合歡山，海拔3275公尺武嶺附近。

Walk down the route alongside rock formations that have been cut through by streams for tens of thousands of years.
沿著幾萬年來，溪水切穿岩層的路徑往下走。

You'll first come across the bare and rocky terrain of He-huan Mountain.
最先看到的是，合歡山裸露的岩層地形。

You can readily see the high mountain grasslands and forests here.
可以看到，現在這裡是高山的草原和森林。

This was orogenesis causing the initial rock formations undersea to be lifted to 3 thousand some meters above the crust.
這是造山運動，原本海底下岩層，被地殼抬升到3千多公尺。

Getting washed out by Li-wu River throughout the years, undersea coral became visible after being piled up into limestone from the rock formation bottom.
立霧溪長年沖刷，岩層底部，海底珊瑚堆積成石灰岩顯露出來。

Limestone became tough marble due to crustal stress, forming an U-shaped valley.
因為地殼壓力，石灰岩變成堅硬的大理石，形成了U型谷。

Bilu Shen-mu

碧綠神木

Bilu Shen-mu is a demarcation point where the elevation drops from 3 thousand some meters all the way down to two thousand some meters.
從海拔3千多尺，下降到2千多公尺，碧綠神木是一個分界點。

The parking lot is on a big hairpin turn above. Park your car and walk ahead. There is a 3000-year-old China Fir Shen-mu.
停車場在一個大髮夾彎上方，停好車，走到前方，路邊有一棵3千年的香杉神木。

There is a Bilu Shen-mu Inn here, allowing you to eat a meal, drink coffee or some tea.
這裡有一家碧綠神木小棧，可以用餐喝咖啡或者喝茶。

At an elevation of 2150 meters, the scenic surroundings are still high mountain forests.
海拔2150公尺，四週還是高山森林的景觀。

Bai-yang Trail

白楊步道

From here on, the U-shaped valley is becoming increasingly clear, especially at the road segment in the vicinity of Bai-yang Trail where the elevation goes down to four hundred some meters.
但是從這裡開始， U型谷地形可以看得越來越清楚,尤其到白楊步道附近，海拔降到4百多尺以後的路段。

You can see from this picture taken on the east end of Bai-yang Tunnel, just how violent the impact of collision was between the river and rock formations.
從這張從白楊明隧道東端拍下的照片，你就能明白，溪水和岩層撞擊作用，有多劇烈。

Tian Hsiang

天祥

Tian Hsiang is at an elevation of 480 meters, where the river is close to the sea level.
天祥海拔480公尺，溪水接近海平面。

There are many historic trails and scenic spots here.
這裡有很多景點和古道。

You can go through Pudu Bridge to get to Hsiang-de Temple.
你可以穿越普渡橋到祥德寺。

Standing at the center of the bridge, you can view the magnificent canyons and river bends.
站在橋中央，可以看到壯觀的峽谷和河彎。

Getting to the top of Tiang-fang Tower, you can get a bird's eye view.
也可以登上天峰塔，從高處俯瞰。

Lu-shui Trail and He-liu Campground

綠水步道和合流露營區

Next up, you'll arrive at Lushui Trail and Heliu Campground.
接著會到綠水步道和合流露營區。

There is a geology museum, presenting the geological changes of Ta-roko in detail.
有一個地質館，清楚介紹太魯閣的地質變化。

After another short drive, you'll arrive at Yuewang Pavilion. Be sure to stop by.
再開一段路到岳王亭，要記得停下來。

You'll need to wait in the line in order to get on the suspension bridge. It's really worth standing at the center of the suspension bridge to view the waterfall ahead and ravine under your feet.
登上吊橋要排隊。站在吊橋中間看前方瀑布，以及腳下的深谷，非常值得。

You get a terrific view standing above the U-shaped valley.
站在U型谷上方，視野特別好。

Tunnel of Nine Turns

九曲洞

Arriving at Tunnel of Nine Turns, you can see numerous types of chasm scenery where the road goes right through the precipices.
到了九曲洞，可以看到很多斷層景觀，道路直接打通斷崖。

Your car will be traveling inside the cliff with an entire fault line overhead.
車子就走在斷崖裡面，上方有一整排巨石斷層，

There is a pedestrian separation lane. Remember not to get off the car along the way.
這裡有人車分道，記得一定千萬不要中途下車。

Swallow Grotto

燕子口

If you didn't get to take pictures at Tunnel of Nine Turns, there are still plenty of places, such as Swallow Grotto, bearing a resemblance to this terrain.
拍不到九曲洞，還有機會，沿途有很多這樣的地形，例如燕子口。

The best-known U-shaped valley is at Swallow Grotto.
最有名的U型谷地形在燕子口。

Many Ta-roko photos that everyone is familiar with were taken using this scenic spot as a symbol.
大家熟悉的太魯閣照片，很多就是取這個景點為代表。

Buluo-wan

布洛灣

If time allows, remember to check out the tableland in Buluo-wan.
如果有時間，記得到布洛灣看看台地地形。

Eternal Spring Shrine

長春祠

Once you reach Eternal Spring Shrine, the elevation is already down to 85 meters.
到了長春祠，海拔已經降到85公尺。

The stream coming down from the uphill transforms into a waterfall. It's spectacular.
從山上沖下來的溪水，變成瀑布，相當壯觀。

Ta-roko Tourist Information Center

太魯閣遊客中心

At 60 meters above sea level, Ta-roko Tourist Information Center is very close to the starting point of Central Cross-Island Highway.
而海拔60公尺太魯閣遊客中心，接近中橫公路的起點。

We suddenly have an open terrain as the surroundings are no longer mountainous and dangerous.
地勢突然變得很開闊，四周不再是驚險的山勢。

This Ta-roko experience is akin to following the stream to get to the sea from high mountains.
這一趟太魯閣旅行，好像是跟著溪水，從高山來到了大海。