Gunung Nuang Jungle Trekking 8 February 2009

This is an unbelievable trip of a lifetime! Barely knowing Sie Jie Jie for about 4 days, I agreed to join her for a jungle trekking which was a week after my return from Australia. Ironically, she told me it will be about 12 hours jungle trekking but I thought it was just an over estimation.

The main thing was I do not even know where I was going and not knowing any of her friends whose were elder than me many years. So, I kept telling my friends that I will be going to an unknown jungle in Selangor and should they did not see me online on that particular night, please do help me call the POLICE. Seriously, I did so.

Alright, I only knew that I was going to trek Gunung Nuang which was the highest peak in Selangor. Wow.. that was cool. I was actually quite attracted to the 12 hours trekking as told by jie jie. This was because my previous trekkings only took me about 4-5 hours at maximum. The most important issue was I did not do any preparations or any physical activities and I was about to trek for 12 HOURS?

History time:

Mount Nuang is located in Malaysia with the height of 1,493 metres (4,898 ft). Its peak marks the meeting point of three Malaysian states; Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Selangor. The mountain itself is the highest point in Selangor and part of the Titiwangsa Mountains.

There are three hiking routes to the peak and all of them were built by Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Parks. Two of them start in Selangor; one at Kuala Pangsoon in Hulu Langat and another at Kampung Kemensah in Gombak. The third path originates from Bukit Tinggi in Bentong, Pahang. Genting Highlands is visible at night from the peak.

These were the bunch of adults that I went with for the trekking. Most of them had been trekking here for 2-4 times and they were all well prepared physically and mentally except me. I slept at about 3 am a day before and woke up as early as 5 am. And was shocked to find out that I was about to climb the highest peak in Selangor. Was I dreaming? Wake up!!

Alright. The journey begun about 8.30 am. We started to enter deep into jungle.

Taking a picture with the tall bamboo trees as the background. You can actually see the distance between me and the front group as I was keep busy with my camera.

Alright, one thing to mention here is that we had walked the terrain ascending and descending the hill (which was not yet reaching the hill of Gunung Nuang) for hours NON STOP. This is no joke! My respiratory rate increased and kept counting the time when were we going to reach the hill. Jie Jie told me it will take another 1-2 hours. WHAT???

The scenery view in the morning.

Gosh.. when can I take a rest? I was walking non stop. The trek was not difficult at all. It was just going up and down BUT the length of the track was the matter. You were only walking for a track that seems no ending that ascend and descend with a LONG distance.

Finally, able to join the front group and managed to snap a photo. Here, we were going an ascending track, seems easy? It was a long journey.

And now descending again. Again, I was at the back to capture this view. Jie jie loves to take photo as well but do not like to be 'pictured'. She directed me to take this view which was good to compare the tiny humans and the tall huge bamboo trees.

It seemed that there were occupants in this HUGE jungle.

Jie jie and her ahemm..

Well, the experienced trekker among them had warned us that this place was heavily infested with LEECHES. When I first heard, it sounds interesting for me as I never being bitten the blood sucker before. I really hope to have experience it.

My 'dream' really came true~ All the way while trekking, jie jie was beside me and kept checking my legs should there was presence of any leech. I am proudly to announce that I had been bitten by THREE leeches which was a record for first timer.

Jie jie who brought along salts helped me to pour it on top of the leech. Within 5 seconds, the blood sucker got off from my skin. That was too fast for me to take my camera and captured it. So, I missed the first leech 'photo session'.

The above picture was the second leech in which I asked jie jie not to worry and let me take a picture before spreading the salt on the leech. She was speechless when I said so assuming I was crazy to do so just to take a photo of the sucker who paid me no money for my highly rich haemoglobin (52%) blood. When the rests were told about my records, they started to panic and constantly checked theirs also. Haha. Big man scared of leeches.

The third leech was a terrible one. It somehow got into my socks and was there till I noticed the top of my white socks turned RED. It should be a silence sucker doing its job and hidden from my view. Due to continuous movement, it may somehow got pressed and burst out. Thus, the outburst coloured my socks to red. The bottom picture was the coagulated blood after some times.

Finally, we reached to a hut for a break. It should be around 90 minutes trekking oops nop, should be walking non stop. If not mistaken, there were 3 such huts before reaching to Kem Lolo. And the distance between each huts was no joke to be more than 40 minutes flat terrain. I was in shortness of breath and kept taking deep breath. Our stop at this hut wasn't long which was about less than 10 minutes before we continued our journey.

This wooden house was believed to be occupied by the 'orang Asli'. The typical identification was the bench at the compound of their house. I saw such similar setting in my kampung too.

Finally, but not yet reach, we started to going deep into the jungle and the 'real' trekking begun. No more flat terrain but the small pathways along the jungle crossing the big trees. Again, it was a long pathway up and down the jungle~

Some rocky part ascending up the hill.

The pipeline

Finally, we reached to the top. It wasn't the top of the hill but the top of the waterfall. Look at the first pic towards the far end on the left. The waters ooze down at a great height after that point. Beside it was a water catchment seems to be non functional one. Reaching to this area was a tough journey ascending the hill.

After about 10-20 minutes from the catchment area, we finally reached at Kem Lolo. It is the spot where people build up camps here and stay overnight to enjoy the mother nature and escaping themselves from the hustle and bustle of the city. Some even stay overnight here where they will start their journey climbing to the summit middle in the night.

A nice location to set up a camp. So, we had our long stop here recharging our energy with isotonic drinks and foods.

Alright, here was the so called POWER OF BANANA quoted from jie jie. She said 'Don't ever look down to the power of banana. It helps to give you a high supply of energy when you need it'. I must gave credits to her. She was the one who prepare all the foods, buying the bananas, buying our lunch, satisfying some people demands of tar pau nasi lemak in tupperware, buying breads, supplying the raincoats, supplying the salts and almost those necessary things needed for a long hour treks. Perhaps, that's why make her a good secretary by profession~

Nice view. We then continued our journey up to the next target point which was the Kem Pacat. Soon after Kem Lolo, we needed to undergo river pathways. Thus, that was the reason of wearing sandals or crocs initially. Never cross with a sportshoe or else it will be a burden for you later due to increase of weight and uneasy feelings of wet legs.

There were many big fallen trees during the journey that one need to climb over and underneath. You somehow will stretches your whole body.

Next, was another spot for bathing in the cold waters. This place marked that we were approaching Kem Pacat. After this, we changed our sandals or crocs to sport shoes. Accordingly, it is more advisable to wear a sport shoe.

Kem Pacat was the base of the Gunung Nuang. We rested here for about 10 minutes having our lunch. I had a fried vermicelli and drank almost all my water supply. The time taken to reach here from our starting point is about 3 hours ++. What a long continuous journey that we had endured.

After the break, we then continued to a real trekking up to summit. It will be another 2 HOURS for us to reach summit. However, bye bye to my fellow friends that I was unable to join them. I actually had several muscle cramps during the long hours of trekking. I had tried to push to the limit but then my muscles were not working well that day. I do not want to burden them or delay them. However, I do appreciate for some of them who offered me help when I had the cramps attacks. It was a combination of fast sharp pain and slow chronic pain.

Jie jie supplied me with Yoko Yoko..again she was very good in preparing the necessities. Although it was sad that I can't continue the journey, I was glad that I was able to reach far to Kem Pacat.

So, I started to going down the jungle alone with the food supply and a limited volume of waters that I had. It was quite a new experience for me to trek alone. Haha.

So, I wasted no time to non stop taking pictures which was good and needed not to be waited by others.

Top second picture was a very long descending pathway which took 10-20 minutes.

How I wish I can stay here for a night and enjoy the mother nature..

During the journey, I met with this group of people. The front green shirt woman was the leader of the group named Madam Wong. She was a tour organizer and was bringing these group of 3 for a pre-training at Gunung Nuang before making their way to Mount Kinabalu, Sabah. And I found a partner ..haha.. to chit chat.

We were deep into conversation about politics. Ironically, she was from Perak and live in Pangkor where Datuk Zambry was the state assemblymen for that constituents. We chatted about the current politics fracas in Perak and the federal government as well.

Heading back to the starting point.

This was sad to see that uncivilised people were throwing rubbish everywhere in the jungle. Madam Wong was an environmentalist and asked me to take this photo and educate the rests on the importance to keep the jungle clean. It must be noted that the distance from the starting point was hours away and no one is going to pick your leftovers here. You are responsible to carry away any unused items or rubbish with you and dispose at proper place at the designated area.

Wild plants of the jungle

The hidden sight of the jungle.

Taking picture with Madam Wong. At her age, she had went to various trekking field both locally and internationally. Salute to her great stamina~ Sifu~~

For those who are interested in making trips anywhere around the country and overseas and is looking for planner/organizer for the events, you may contact her via email or website. She will plan the activities that suits to your need, accommodations, games, foods and virtually A-Z. She is majoring in outdoor activities, adventurous activities and mountain trekking. And of course, they do charge for their service. Haha..

Bye-bye~

I reached at the starting point at about 3.40 pm. It took longer time as I took longer rests at the hut and chatted with Madam Wong all the way down. Then, I had to wait for about 4 hours for the rests to return here after climbing to the peaks. (2 hours up and 2 hours down the summit).

The first person who made his way down was at 6.40 pm. Then, it started to be drizzling rain before all of them successfully reached back to starting point by 7.20 pm. Sky turned dark and it was a timely that all of them reached down before a heavy rain started.

As for them, this time was the record breaker. Previously, they had a same trip with total trekking of 12 hours and with the wet soil conditions of the treks and with a lot of leeches. However, for this time, every thing turned to be very well for them. It was so late that I was unable to join my family members for a trip to the Pesta Tanglung somewhere in Puchong. Instead, I had my dinner with bunch of them.

How to go there?

From Cheras-Kajang highway, take the first turning to he left after passing the toll. Then, go straight till you reach Batu 9 police station where you need to take a left turning. Go straight till the end of the road. You will pass by a mosque on the left and should you want to go Look Up Point, you should make the turning after the mosque. To go to Gabai waterfall, it is located at the right after passing a market area during your straight road journey.