Day 4
Viewing sunrise at Mount Gedong is superb. The sun appears just beside a hill on the left and above line of cloud over the horizon on the right. Breakfast beside the green valley of Mount Gedong must be the most sentimental ever, not exaggerating but that what I truly feel. With fresh cold air blowing and soft sunlight radiate, time ticks over not pass in a meaningless way. We really enjoyed the moment till situation become warmer, when fly become a little bit drier, we pack and ready for journey to our next campsite – Camp Teku.
Patat Lesung waterfall
We start trekking at 9.00 am. Less than 10 minutes trekking down we hear humming sound of waterfall strong enough to make us wonder from where it come from. Its amazing that the sound was brought by the wind from big waterfall at nearby mountain range. That is the amazing Pantat Lesong waterfall, this waterfall must be the highest waterfall above sea level ever in peninsular Malaysia. One girl – Umai of uitm student who lost in this park for more than 2 weeks in 2008 has find her way through stream/ valley of between these two mountain ranges. It flows straight from plain of mountain top. The other popular waterfall in this area is 4 step waterfall. Trekking to 4 step waterfall would take 4 days go and back from trek near Camp Teku. Trekking to this waterfall is very rare thus the trek usually covered by growth and not properly maintained. Every attempt to trek to this waterfall would be like opening and clearing for a new trail that make it more risk for trekker to disoriented and lost. Based on information from ranger at Kuala Tahan Park, that several recent attempts to reach the waterfall has failed. Hard to find guides who willing to take trekkers to the waterfall because of its challenge and mystique.
Today trail would be the steepest part of the whole trail. It would cover Mount Reskit, Mount Tangga 15, Mount Pangkin and several campsite of Pangkin Bawah campsite with near waterpoint and Wrays camp. To pass Mount Tangga 15 trekker have to go through 15 steel ladders as what the name is “tangga” (ladder). We have lunch at Camp Pangkin Bawah and reach Camp Teku at 4.00 pm. Today is the most mental part of the whole journey especially to go through dense jungle from wrays camp to Camp Teku - the long trail covered with high tree and its humid and basically no wind blowing through. To reach Camp Teku which is beside a big Tahan river is a salvation.
Day 5
Today journey would have 4 river crossings. The rivers is quite big and at normal level some river is at waist level deep, with strong current crossing of the river could be quite difficult and become dangerous if water level raised little bit higher. It’s important to pack accordingly to prevent rations and things from getting wet. One way is to use big heavy duty plastic bag as cover inside back pack. One thing to consider when using backpack raincover during crossing is river water would seep into inside cover and collecting water. We have lunch at Camp Putih one of Campsite beside big river. Kelah and Sebarau fish is abundance here but fishing is prohibited as this is inside conservation area. One and half day descending from Mount Gedong we have to ascend back Mount Rajah (576m) on the way to Camp Tengah. We reach Camp tengah at five pm and decided to camp there for the night as continue trekking to Camp Melantai means we have to trek overtime through lowland jungle which could be dangerous.
Camp Tengah has horror stories among trekkers and natives people here. But what special about this camp is its water point. Its water taste sweet! It’s natural and I can’t explain how it tastes that way but it’s true. It’s weird? You all have to taste yourself to believe…
Day 6
This is the last day of trekking but the longest distance ever for more than 16km. The decision not to continue trekking during night time yesterday was wise one for me as I found out a lot wild animal traces along the trek to Camp Melantai. New Elephant dropping means that the trek is one of Elephant migration route along Tahan river valley and it could be a big group. We reach campsite Melantai at 11.45am, after light meal and hot milo we continue trekking to Kuala Tahan. The distance between Camp Melantai to Kuala Tahan is 12km. The temperature becoming hotter and my inside thigh start to hurt as continuous rubbing cause blister. May be it’s because of short tight that I wear inside my track pant no longer tight enough to protect my skin. Lesson – invest for good and new tight if you going for a long trip. Finally we reach Kuala Tahan at 5pm. Welcome back to civilization!!!….
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