Canopy walkway over the jungle in Malaysia

Merapoh: the hidden Taman Negara

Bite-sized trip

Itinerary:
Kuala Lumpur - Taman Negara National Park (Merapoh)
Duration:
3 days / 2 nights (flexible)
Price:
From £ 394.- per person (excluding flights)
Highlights:
✓Off-the-beaten-track Taman Negara adventure
✓Discover hidden waterfalls & walk among the treetops with a knowledgeable local guide
✓Stay in a simple, but comfortable guesthouse

Day 1 – KL to Merapoh: the hidden Taman Negara

Taman Negara National Park is home to the world’s oldest tropical rainforest. It’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malaysia and can get busy. Over the next three days you’ll experience Taman Negara without the tourist crowds. You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Kula Lumpur and transferred to the town of Merapoh (a journey of approx 3.5 hours). Here you will enter the park via a lesser-known entrance and head to a local guesthouse where you will stay for two nights. The guesthouse is simple, but comfortable and has an ensuite bathroom with hot water. You’ll be met by a local guide who will explain the programme for the next few days and leave you to settle in. Your guide will then join you for dinner in one of the nearby restaurants.

Day 2 – Explore Taman Negara National Park

After breakfast, it’s time to head into the national park with your guide. First, you’ll have an introduction to the rainforest from a birds-eye view, as you follow the canopy walkway through the treetops, high above the forest floor. Then continue by 4WD to the starting point of the Gua Gaja Trail (also known as Elephant Cave trail). This 4km trek is amongst the longest trail within the park. You’ll walk the first section, searching for birds, wildlife and animal footprints. The 4WD will then take you to the Sungai Kelam Waterfall Trail. Follow the trail for around 1 hour, crossing streams in some places, to the waterfall, where you’re rewarded with a refreshing dip in the pool at the base. Time for lunch! Back in the 4WD you’ll continue to the river for a picnic lunch. There will be time for a swim in the freshwater before you head out of the park and back to your guesthouse. After a well-deserved rest and shower, meet your guide again for dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 3 – Departure from Taman Negara

It’s time to head out of the rainforest and continue your journey in Malaysia. You could swap the jungle for the rolling tea plantations of the Cameron Highlands. Or for some tropical beach time, hop over to The Perhentian Islands, where you can explore the underwater world and stroll the soft sands.