GUNUNG RAJAH via CHAMANG, BENTONG, PAHANG

Introduction

Gunung Rajah situated in the state of Pahang with the height of 1685 meter. It can be climbed via two entrances, no. 1 – via Kuala Kubu Bharu, Kampung Pertak and another, via Chamang Waterfall, bentong, Pahang.

Via Kuala Kubu Bharu is much more shorter i.e 23km while from Chamang is 26.8km. You may locate my previous post Gunung Rajah via KKB here.

I’ve been at Gunung Rajah via Chamang years ago but due to my phone got lost in the jungle, there were no photos, no record….but memories remain.

How to get there

You may search for Air Terjun Chamang or Chamang Waterfall.

GPS Coordinate : 3.509563, 101.857920

Accommodation

Cheap hotel are aplenty with affordable at town area, 8km from chamang waterfall

Transport

It is advisable to arrange for your own transport, public transport such as taxi is another great way to get here.

The Starting Point

There is ample parking space at the waterfall equipped with toilet/shower. The entrance is somewhere at the pondok.

There are few check points you need to pass through, lets go one by one starting from the car parking area :

The spot marked with "B" sign is the entrance. Credit to owner of this photo from google image.

Climb up. around less than 100 meters

You will reach here. 4 x 4 road. follow the signboard. 25km is the return journey

The dirt road

The big giant arch

Still at big signboard area. almost 4 km to here from parking

1) From Car Park to Gunung Rajah big Signboard arch

This is the large arch located at the foothill.

Distance from start to here : 3.9km

Trail difficulty : easy

Trail condition : dry, dirt, 4 x 4 trail

Duration Taken : 55 minutes (7am – 7.55am)

2) From Signboard to Sungai Terling

Distance from Start  : 5.36km

Distance from Signboard to Sungai Terling : 1.2km

Trail difficulty : easy

Trail condition : jungle trail, minor inclination

Duration taken : 12 minutes (8.12am)

few hundred meters from the giant signboard - an open space

5.3km to here

Follow the right trail

Looking for the green arrow - top right

3) From Sungai Terling to Resam

Distance from Start : 7.29km

Distance from Sungai Terling to Resam : 1.9km

Trail difficulty : easy

Trail Condition : dry

Duration taken from Sungai Terling : 25 minutes (8.37am)

Looking for another green arrow - top left

4) From Resam to Kuala Sungai Terling or “River Y”

Distance from Start : 8.34km

Distance from Resam to Kuala Sungai Terling : 1km

Trail difficulty : easy

Trail Condition : dry

Duration taken from Resam : 20 minutes (8.56am)

This is River Y or Kuala Sungai Terling

The photo taken after we climbed down. 

pay attention to the blue plastic tied on the tree - that is the trail marker

Cross this river to the other side.  There is a directional arrow

surrounding area

Look for this signboard at River Y

5) From Kuala Sungai Terling to Lata Naning

Distance from Start : 9.59km

Distance from Kuala Sungai Terling to Lata Naning : 1.25km

Trail difficulty : easy, minor inclination, countless river crossings

Trail Condition : dry

Duration taken from Kuala Sungai Terling :  30 minutes (9.29am)

almost 10km here. manageable track, few inclination but easy

The popular Lata Naning with its transparent water

6) From Lata Naning to Kem Batu Hijau

Distance from Start : 11.1km

Distance from Lata Naning to Kem Batu Hijau : 1.5km

Trail difficulty : Hard inclination, be patient

Trail Condition : dry, river crossing, watch out for tree roots where you steps

Duration taken from Lata Naning : 1 hour (10.26am)

7) From Kem Batu Hijau to Permatang Guntong

Distance from Start : 12.45km

Distance from Kem Batu Hijau to Pematang Guntong : 1.3km

Trail difficulty : hard inclination

Trail Condition : dry

Duration taken from Kem Batu Hijau : 1 hour (11.27am)

8) From Permatang Guntong to Rock Climbing

Distance from Start : 12.87km

Distance from Permatang Guntong to Rock Climbing :  420 meter

Trail difficulty : hard inclination

Trail Condition : dry

Duration taken from Permatang Guntong : 23 minutes (11.50am)

The infamous rock climbing

9) From Rock Climbing to Last Water Point

Distance from Start : 13km

Distance from Permatang Guntong to Last Water point : 130 meter

Trail difficulty : hard inclination, rock climbing in action, please be careful!

Trail Condition : dry

Duration taken from Rock Climbing : 20 minutes (12.09pm)

10) Final Push !! From Last Water Point to Peak

Distance from start : 13.38km

Distance to Last Water Point to Peak : 380 meter only

Trail Difficulty : hard inclination

Trail Condition : soft, black plus half dried mud at certain point.

Duration taken from Last Water Point : 30 minutes (12.38 pm)

Total ascending : 13.38km in 5 hours 36 minutes

13.38km in 5 hours 36 minutes. Rested about 20 minutes here.

We moved from Gunung Rajah peak at 1.00pm. Descending can be quite fast.

1) Peak to Last Water Point – 16 minutes (1.16pm)

2) Last water point to Rock Climbing – forgot to record..dem!

3) Last Water point to Permatang Guntong – 43 minutes (1.43pm)

4) Permatang Guntong to Kem Batu Hijau – 24 minutes (2.07pm)

5) Kem Batu Hijau to Lata Naning – 28 minutes (2.35pm)

6) Lata Naning to Kuala Sungai Terling (River Y) – 24 minutes (2.59pm)

7) Kuala Sugai Terling to Resam – 17 minutes (3.18pm)

8) Kuala Sungai Terling to Sungai Terling – 22 minutes (3.40pm)

9) Sungai Terling to Signboard – 17 minutes (3.57pm)

10) Signboard to Parking – 1 hour (4.56pm)

Total Descending Duration – 4 hours

Ended in 26.8km in total journey almost 10 hours

There you have it, the technical info about the distance, trail difficulty and time taken for each check points. Hoping the above information could be useful for future hikers to measure and plan ahead.

Food and Water Ration

Being an avid hikers and trail runner, I’ve been trained to consumed less drinking water while my body adapt with such strenuous activity and pressure. I took 2.5 litres of drinking water, in 500 ml bottles (With one bottle refilled on the way back).

Food – one Roti canai telur, yes, that’s it!

In conclusion :

1) 10km from start is mostly flat
2) 3 km towards the peak is the most challenging with hard climb
3) There is no leech here
4) Water points are aplenty
5) You can cut almost 1 to 1.5 hours on the way back

Have a great weekend.

Gunung Rajah Hike via KKB (Kuala Kubu Bharu)

Introduction

Gunung Rajah via Kuala Kubu Baru.
11.8km ascending. 11.6km descending.
Started at 6.36am. Reached the peak 7 hrs 30 min later at 2.05pm.
Started descending at 3.00pm, reached car park 5 hrs later at 8.00pm. Total hike time 12.5 hours (excluding rest time). Total distance 23.4km.
Huge gap on ascending-descending time (2.5 hrs margin)..- with moderate pace.

Powered by suunto ambit 2 with route navigation from movescount. It helped!

Here is the link to Gunung Rajah via KKB in suunto moves - here

 

Not many information about hiking Gunung Rajah using Kuala Kubu Baru route (KKB). Googling the internet ended up mostly blog hiking from Bentong, Pahang. As such, there isn't much info about route, timing, trail conditions, trail difficulty, logistics, etc.

However, I've heard that many hikers using KKB route often.

Searching movescount (web application for suunto moves) for route navigation had proved that this trail had been used countless times judging from the users. So, I downloaded one route and stored it in my suunto ambit 2 gps watch.

Asking from friend Khalil Khazali and Mohd Nashriq for more information regarding route and path to take before the hike proven fruitful. Thanks Bros, I owe you one.

For those who wants to take a little adventure to Gunung Rajah, read this :
1st, all you need to do is headed to Bukit Kutu (Kg Pertak), Google for the location.
Once you got there, please park at designated area, ample parking space (parking further up will make it hard for you to go back because of the cramp space - not recommended).

2nd, head to Bukit Kutu route. You need to walk to the 1st steel bridge.

Then, the slanting steel bridge (collapsed). Be careful though.

Slanting Bridge

 Once, you cross this river, there will be a junction ('Y' shape trail road) take your left. Trail to the right will lead you to Bukit Kutu.

The 'Y' Shape trail road after river crossing (with the leaves on the ground)

Close view of the 'Y' trail

You will walk in a forest for few hundred meters with a narrow trail until you reach wider trail road. Just walk forward.

Few hundred meters, you will reach another intersection ('Y' trail). Take your left (smaller trail). 

Another 'Y' trail

after few hundreds meters from the 'Y' trail above, you will need to pass this man made fence before reaching kem BMW, just cross underneath it

Then, you are safe. This trail will lead you to Gunung Rajah.

Back to the story:
We reached first Check Point : Kem BMW in 1 hr 54 min. 6km from start. At 8.29am.
Trail condition : dry. Easy.

Few hundreds meters from here we reached intersection Gunung Rajah (right) and Lata Macau (left). I don't know how far is lata Macau. I heard it's a nice spot for picnic.

2nd Check Point at Kem Renoma at 9.44am, 7.37km from start in 3 hr 8 min.
Trail conditions: dry, wet at some point, hilly route, moderate.

3rd Check Point at Water Point, 11.55am, distance - 9.99km from start, 5 hr 19 min.
Trail conditions: starting to get annoying. More hills, slippery.

4th Check Point will be the peak of Mount Rajah. At 2.05pm, total hike from the starting point is 7 hr 30 min. Distance 11.8km. Trail conditions: wet, muddy, slippery.

Temperature here not that cold. A lot of cloud surrounding and blocking the gorgeous view. Rest for almost 1 hour here, refueling, rest.

Started descending at 3.00pm. We reached car park at 8.00pm in 5 hours. Total distance 11.6km. Total distance return : 23.4km. Total hike duration : 12.5 hours (excluding break time).

Having cold bath shower at the parking area before heading home.

Overall trail :
1st stage (start) - kacang putih
2nd stage (mid route) - moderate hard. Ascending, descending like dragon back
3rd stage (on the way to summit) - annoying, whining, hard, muddy, slippery, a lot of thorny trees.

Caution on gear use for this hike :
Watch your head! Wear cap or helmet.
Bring extra glove, or water repellent glove. (It's gonna get wet, muddy).
Bring yoko2 or heat cream- pacat macam pesta.
Bring extra socks - your wet version of trail shoes is inevitable.
Becareful of thorny trees - will tear your clothes and hurt you
Wear long sleeves and long pants - preserve that gorgeous skin texture from scratch.

Jumpa mohd Khalil dengan geng lagi 2 orang buat trans reverse dari bentong (Mak ai!) Diorang memang power!

Jumpa doc ramli, MD zain dengan pak syed kat peak. Diorang start dari bentong. Pergh...

1st camp

 

3rd check point

Made it!

2nd check point : kem renoma

This is the sketch of the direction

 

Thanks for reading.