| Camping in Paradise (19-20)-8-2008 |
It was more than four years ago that I had visited the Jerangkang waterfalls in Pahang. I was impressed by this spectacular series of cascades and falls.
When friends asked me to guide them there for a camping trip, I was willing...:-)
After breakfast in Karak, we arrived in Maran at 11:30, where we bought our take-away lunch. From Maran we drove 30 km along the old trunk road until we reached the road to Jerangkang. The condition of this road is reasonable, it is clear that they are working to improve it. New bridges have been built and there are only a few parts left, where a 4WD is needed.
After about 12 km we reached the end of the road and the entrance of the Hutan Lipur Jerangkang.
We had decided to avoid the weekend, as it can be crowded. So at first we were a bit disappointed to find a large group of people here. However, it became clear soon, that they were waiting for transport back to "civilisation".
From the car park it is only a ten minutes walk to the campsite.Nobody was there! But I knew that there was an even nicer small campsite, a bit further on and it is there that we set up camp.
Just enough space for three tents, a stream with a small waterfall, the sound of the big waterfalls around the corner, pitcher plants next to my tent door.
Paradise.
After enjoying our packed lunch on a huge boulder near one of the main falls, we started our exploration of the upper falls.
A clear trail follows the river, often just over the rocks beside the falls. We had perfect weather, with rain it will be difficult. Even now there were parts of the trail where we had to be very careful.
It was a beautiful trek. Waterfall after waterfall. Almost all with large pools with clear blue-green water.
After half an hour we could choose how to continue, right or left side of the stream. We decided for the left side, because I remembered that from that side you got a good view of the falls.
This was a difficult trail however, and soon Paul and Karl decided to go back to the main trail. Rani and I continued for a while, and the view of the falls was indeed spectacular. But the rocks became too slippery. We saw the others already high above us, so we decided to backtrack and follow the main trail.
We had a nice swim at what we thought was the top fall. As it was getting late, we decided to come back the next day and explore the upper regions.
We were back at the camp around 6pm, time enough to prepare our dinner. The night was really dark, as the moon was rising only later. The numerous sounds of the jungle and the waterfalls made me feel relaxed and happy, falling asleep was not that easy however.
The next morning, after breakfast, we took the same trail, stopped for a while at the top fall, and continued. After a steep climb we reached another fall with a huge pool. Here the trail stopped, we tried to climb the rocks, but soon it became too risky. So we had another bath and turned back.
However, when we looked back after a while, we could see that there are actually MORE tiers above this "last" fall! A friend of mine has recently made aerial pictures of the falls from a helicopter and a comparison shows that our "last" fall is actually the start of a new series of falls. Found that out only after I came back, so I have to go again...:-) Maybe the rumors that Jerangkang has 43 tiers might be true?
We were back around 1 pm, had lunch and reluctantly went back to KL.
One of the most rewarding trips I have made in Malaysia!
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 Breakfast in Karak
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 Access road with new bridge
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 Arrival at park entrance
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 Ready for action!
3 comments |
 We have arrived
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 Setting up camp
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 Our campsite
1 comment |
 The lower Jerangkang fall
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 Lunch break
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 Two of the lower tiers
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 Start of our exploration
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 Looking back where we came from
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 Melastoma flower
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 Left or right side?
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 We take the left trail
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 A steep climb
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 More tiers
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 Pitcher plant
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 What a view!
1 comment |
 Aerial view with "top" fall
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 Notice how small the people are
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 More pitcher plants
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 Almost at the top
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 The top waterfall
1 comment |
 Back to our camp
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 Preparations for the dinner
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 Rock kitchen..:-)
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 Makeshift windscreen
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 Dinner is ready
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 Well, almost ready...
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 Enjoying the evening
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 A tent with a view
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 Early morning
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 Full Moon day, hungry ghosts around
2 comments |
 Our bathroom
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 Preparations for breakfast
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 Frying the eggs
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 Only the bacon is missing
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 ok, this is yesterday's newspaper...
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 There we go again
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 A beautiful moth
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 Where we stopped the day before
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 A short break before we continue
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 The top fall
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 Beyond the top fall!
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 Olympic size pool
2 comments |
 Detail
1 comment |
 Hydro massage
1 comment |
 Higher and higher
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 Bamboo orchid
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 Looking back: more tiers!
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 Aerial view: MANY MORE TIERS
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 Back in the camp
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 Our camp guard..:-)
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 Me and my tent
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 Just showing off
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 Poolside aperitif!
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 Preparing lunch
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 Enjoying lunch
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 Ready for departure
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 The official group photo
2 comments |
 The Jerangkang range
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 Road improvement
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 Underpass under the new highway
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 Almost back in KL, it will rain soon
1 comment |
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wrote on Aug 22, 2008:
Wow. Heaven on earth. Must go one day : > |
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wrote on Aug 22, 2008:
Jan, I thought I'm the first who saw this..... and just notice.....SOME ONE EARLIER THAN ME............ LOL :p U really have big time fans.... hehehehe......
Dun forget to count me in on your next trip here.... IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!!! Sean said what I wanted to say...... HEAVEN ON EARTH........... |
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wrote on Aug 22, 2008:
Tashi had reached and posted picture of the top fall. Looking up from below. |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Aug 22, 2008:
I am not sure. Look at the second aerial view. Tashi has camped near the "last" fall. You can see that the river forks upstream, the left fork is the main one, the right fork is narrow and has only little water. From his pictures I think that he reached this right fork. Tashi, maybe you can comment..:-)? |
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wrote on Aug 22, 2008:
this pic will be even much beautiful if the model is me.......... hehehehehe :p whoahahahahahaha |
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wrote on Aug 22, 2008:
wht a nice rock to stand right beside of the fall......... |
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wrote on Aug 22, 2008:
arrrrrrrrrr.................. I'M SO JEALOUS.......................... |
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wrote on Aug 22, 2008:
this looks deep.....but it's spectacular........... |
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wrote on Aug 22, 2008:
Do u know what's is missing in this pic???
ME!!!!!! |
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Liz wrote on Aug 23, 2008:
Beautiful album :-) |
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Liz wrote on Aug 23, 2008:
Why such a big bag for an overnight trip??? |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Aug 23, 2008:
I am getting more and more Malaysian, most of the content was food... |
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wrote on Aug 23, 2008:
This place felt peace.....i love it |
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wrote on Aug 23, 2008:
Wow...this site is great. |
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wrote on Aug 24, 2008:
great, overnite trip must enjoy cooking especially at places like Jerangkang. |
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wrote on Aug 25, 2008:
yeah, saw them preparing dinner. /stephen |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Aug 25, 2008:
Hey, we were sun-burnt and did not look like ghosts at all....:-) |
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wrote on Aug 26, 2008:
this is killing me!! |
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wrote on Aug 26, 2008:
amazing photos! thanks for sharing :)) |
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wrote on Aug 29, 2008:
Jans GPS,lah |
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wrote on Sep 5, 2008:
Nice looking camp site, but you should be aware that little streams can become ragging torrents, with flash flooding,lah |
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