Simple Elegance!

Gunung Datuk aka Mount Grandfather

Participants:
Car 1: Me, Razak, Pauline, Katie & Don
Car 2: Yazid, Nizam & Arifah
Car 3: Awie & Din ( from Rembau)

5.45am
Razak reached Giant Kinrara. Kena soal siasat ngan polis 2-3 minit hahahaha..
Meet-up at my house. The drive from Puchong to Rembau was about an hour at a leisure speed of 100 km/h. We stop at Seremban R&R for breakfast. Tunggu kereta Arifah pun sama. Lambat sangat!

8.00am
Reached the foothill. We need to pay RM3 for the parking. Since this is my second trip to the place, I know it’s not very hard to reach the peak. The route itself is not tough, it the weight of our haversacks makes the trip slightly tough. it is really just a hill with a height of 870m. So the trek time isn’t very long. Trekking at a moderate speed will take 3 hours two-ways. The trail is really straightforward as there’s one clear path leading all the way to the peak.

Pity on you la Razak. First time join our activity. Looks like you’re very struggle to climb it. But it just for starting. Once you get the pace, should be OK. Awie & Din terpaksa jadi sweeper.

Don & Nizam our model

Half way to the peak. Katie decided to wait here as she can’t proceed to the top anymore. Her reason is she sleep too long while on d way to foothill .. :P

The best part of the trek is at the peak. There is no beirut, nor muddy ground and tall trees to block the view. Formed by several gigantic granite boulders, the area around the peak is spacious. Whoever braves the few rungs of metal ladders and sits at the peak will be offered a 360-degree view. On a clear day, one can see the Seremban town and as far as the Straits of Malacca.

Stair to the peak.

Top view from 870m above the sea level

Once at the top, be prepared for for some of the strongest winds on an open mountain top. After the walk up, sitting with the strong cool winds blowing in you face is truly a refreshing experience.
Hehehe What happen to your hair pauline?.. btw, respect with you la.. watermelon tu… heavy wo!

We spent quite a bit of time chatting with other climbers while enjoying the beautiful and interesting sound various faunas- insects, birds, various species of monkeys etc…
Group photo

Group photo in HDR

Last makan2 before we descent down. Aik? Katie pun ada?.. oh ya!.. She slowly climb to the peak… Scare of waiting alone? hehehe

The journey down was shorter, it took us about an hour to the foothill.

I’m looking forward for a few more hills in coming weeks. Hope I’m prepared enough for Mount Kinabalu next month
In my mind so far : Bukit Tabur, Bukit Saga, Gunung Nuang

This is what I’m waiting for…never been here before, so i’m very excited with National Park. However, the trip is just only 2 days and 1 night stay in Kuala Tahan which i think is not enough the explore.

Arrangement has been made among teams who will drive from KL. So we planned to meet at Gombak SHELL petrol station toward Karak highway at 7am. I bring all my family for this trip. Just to let them feel the nature especially my kids who really love this kind of activity. Mana ade budak tak suka mandi sungai? kan? oh ya, my in-law also join.

Sometimes the journey is not as what we planned. Hmmm
Emran & gang already in Karak highway. KingMarul is on d way while I just warm-up my car. Still in Keramat. Janji melayu! So, we decided to meet at Bentong PETRONAS station. I told them to drive slowly so i can catch up.

9:00am : Met all the teams @Petronas station. Take a light breakfast then continue to Jerantut. We drove slowly at 140km/h. The kelisa really fast even with 3 big fat people inside.. hehehe jangan marah ye?…

10:30am : Arrived Jerantut. Dr Jamal & the gang already there. We take another breakfast (again?) then continue to Kuala Tahan. Another 1 hour drive

12:00pm : Reached Aki Chalet. Check-in and prepare for the canopy walkaway trekking. We need to register @Perhilitan for permit & camera. If i’m not mistaken fee is RM10/person & RM5/camera (SLR la kot). Compact bole sorok dalam pocket. hehehe

Kuala Tahan, The gate to National Park, Pahang

01:00pm : At Canopy Walkaway. The trekking to the entrance canopy is harder than the Canopywalk itself. It’s about 50meter vertical. I bring my wife, Farhan & brother in-law only since yg lain takut nak manjat2 bukit ni…

KingMarul with his gears

My wife. Aik? Pegang tali tu takut ke?

After the 350m canopy walkaway… main jongkang jongket plak!

These are my Infrared collections.

Can you see my wife at the end of this canopy?

WOW.. pink tu?

03:30pm : Back to chalet for lunch and then free & easy activity. I just shoot Macro near the chalet. The rest dah pengsan kot! Zzzzzz
Baby frog

Night : We have a great time BBQ together. The food very delicious especially squid & prawn. Thank Dr Jamal for the recipe. Memang berbaloi baloi!

Sunday
Yeeyyyyy… Lata Berkoh! Can’t sleep last night! Mmg tak sabar dah…
We take 4 bots to Lata Berkoh. 5 person in each boat. The journey to Lata Berkoh is about 45mins. The landscape is wonderful. I’m speechless! Really love the scenery.
Lata Berkoh was so beautiful and definitely worth the effort to get here. The water was clear and cool but it has a slight brownish discoloration due to the shale stones commonly found on the riverbed. There were no other people here and it was so peaceful. There were a few cascades of water and a deep pool to swim but hazardous for swimmers!

Good morning friends! Are you ready to bring us to Lata Berkoh?

Team in 1st boat able to shoot Deer & KingFisher. They’re lucky!

Hmmm.. It’s my fault didn’t bring my Tele lens… See this guy? Manyak eksyen wooo!

Last point. We had to take a short trek to the waterfall.

The trekking to waterfall is easy just by riverside. 30-45mins walk. Also have toilet & rest area in between but not well manage. Bau hancing! There are few spots you can stop to shoot a very beautiful landscape..
This is one of it

I can feel it!

No one dare to make a first move to swim.. Takut kot! Air pun deras.. hmmm

Hmmmmm..
Repeat again!… and this time with Luarbiasa team & geng2 Kinabalu.
As usual, we plan to meet @Restoran Deen at 6.15am but at the end, split into 2 group as geng2 Kinabalu stuck at Puchong. Biasa la tunggu org tu.. tunggu org ni…:D
I call Arey to proceed with the climbing, dont wait! If not, they wont be able to catch the sunrise…

We start climb at almost 7am, no sunrise for sure…
I call Arey if they able the shoot the sunrise.. hehehehe

Me : Arey! Dah sampai mana? Sempat shoot ke sunrise?
Arey : Kitaorg belum naik lagi la.. Baru nak sampai kat parking. Tadi lambat sbb tunggu org & gi surau dulu…
Me : Lerr.. Ok lah! Aku pun baru je naik ni.. Jumpa kat atas je lah.
Arey : Ok! ok!

The weather is so cold. Much better than Genting Highland :D.. hehehe but seriously it’s cold and windy.
As for the sunrise, i think we have no luck today. The sunrise not really good as last week but still OK… can see the Ray Of Light + awan kepul2

Husband & Wife - Katie & Don

Husband & Wife too - King Marul & Nur. Arey cum photographer terlampau

Best friend Pauline & Katie

Just after 15min we rest at 1st check point, the Luarbiasa team arrived lead by Azri. Arey slightly late as he follow Emran aka acting as sweeper. Actually i respect with you la Emran… Weight doesn’t matter! hehehe

Group photo

Kinabalu team. From left : Don, Pauline, Katie, Yazid, Nizam, Arifah

Luarbiasa team

Short story, the Kinabalu team decided to climb 3/4 way only while the Luarbiasa wanna completed the journey…
It’s not far already for Kinabalu team as they reached already at the ‘dead rope’ check point. Since too many people waiting for their turn to use the rope and it seems the move is very2 slow, we decided to turn back. The Luarbiasa team still proceed with the plan to climb full route.. and they make it! CAYA LAH!

On the way back, we have our lunch @Nasi Lemak antarabangsa at Taman Melati. Tak sedap mana pun!.. Harga pun mahal

As confirmed yesterday during Sg. Pisang outing, we have decided to climb Bkt Tabur today to catch the sunrise. Unfortunately, none of the Luarbiasa team is able to make it… Too tired maybe after trekking yesterday. hehehehe

So, only left me and Arifah to climb it today. 2 org pun 2 org lah… Skandal pun skandal lah!
Thought not many people to climb this place because of few cases of death, injury and lost track BUT this place still famous. Parking area full and people keep coming… wahhhh!
I decided to climb just until the point where i can shoot the sunrise which it’s about 30 minutes climb only. Arifah seem like not happy with this. I told her that i’m still tired and my target today is just to shoot the sunrise, not to conquer it.

We’re lucky as the sunrise is very very very beautiful today. Subhanallah!…

Arifah with her Lumix

I love this place… so peaceful!

And shoot of the day!

And after view this pictures, the Luarbiasa team request for another trip to this place.. hahahahahaha!
That’s another story and the sunrise could be difference from today. It’s about your luck, sometime you may get frustrated with the nature. So, next week another trip to this place? Hmmm Perhaps….

An another outing with a Luarbiasa team and this time to shoot the waterfall which is located near to Karak Highway.
Meet up at last LRT station, Gombak @8.30am ( it should be 7am ). Our guide is Mr Arey, the OGKL people.  He told us that there are 2 ways to go there:

1. From the karak highway. The easy way.Need to park our car near to the highway
2. From  Jungle Lodge Alang Sedayu. This is the best route, you will see the twin the tunnel and get wet.

Since everyone excited with the tunnel, so we take the 2nd option :D. I like it!
Just after 30mins walk and cross the river (3 times? ), we reached the tunnel.
The trail difficulty is easy and the hike will take approximately 2 hours to and back via river and jungle trails to reach the waterfall.

Crossing the river to the tunnel…

The tunnel

A group doing abseiling. I want to try this 1 time..

Arey in action

We have a great time & weather. Also playing around with the Ray Of light… Syiok!…

And enjoy the Waterfall…I just let the picture talk! Its’ so cool.

On the way back. We took the route along the highway. Then continue again via the tunnel.

I asked them if they want to hick Tabur hill tomorrow morning.. Got a good respond from 3-4 peoples, so tomorrow will be another nature trip..hohoho
See ya!