Ascending : 13.3km in 5 hours 52 min
Descending : 13.3km in 5 hours
Total : 26.6km in nearly 11 hours
Overall trail condition : dry
Overall trail difficulty : moderate hard
Doing a bit of research on hiking Mount Yong Yap via Pos Kuala Mu, the information from internet like a puzzle where you have to join all the pieces together. There is no blog on this, just bits and pieces on facebook instagram of photos.And finally...there you go...a complete guide to Mount Yong Yap via Pos Kuala Mu...
The gpx file link here
The Difference
Between Via Sungai Rengil and Via Pos Kuala Mu
Both trail started at different location with 3 hours drive
apart.
Trail Sungai Rengil in Lojing, Kelantan (can be access via
blue valley, Cameron highland)
While Trail Pos Kuala Mu is in Sungai Siput, Perak.
Distance via Sungai Rengil to Yong Yap peak is 17km one way
while from Pos Kuala Mu to Yong Yap Peak is 13.3km one way
Average hike duration via Sungai Rengil – 7 hours
Average hike duration via Pos Kuala Mu – 6 hours
Trail difficulty via Sungai Rengil is more challenging to me
– steeper and longer
Start hard climb after Sungai Jerok – almost 2km to the top
Trail difficulty via Pos Kuala Mu is moderate hard – started
hard climb from Last water point – 1km to the top
Direction to here :
Search for masjid bawong from google map.
Then, less than 100 meters is an intersection to Pos Kuala Mu, just go straight, You will notice this signboard to pos kuala mu - 38km (from masjid bawong to pos kuala mu is 38km to go)
Or you can just use this coordinate straight to pos kuala mu.
4.837530, 101.334085
Nearly there....
The road to Pos Kuala Mu is a winding road with a few uneven surface, pot holes and damaged road. So, be extra careful here.
There will be no grocery shop after Masjid Bawong, so better purchase and prepare your food early.
You will reach chalet Kampung Bersah first and further up around 1km is the end of the road, Pos Kuala Mu.
Just go straight - Pos Kuala Mu is the furthest you can go.
These are chalet at Kampung Bersah :
Turn Left
Go to the welcome Arch - Its actually a bridge
This is the bridge...very narrow but passable
Immediately after the bridge, on your right hand side, there is this counter
Here, there are chalets made with bamboos, located at the riverbank with rental of rm60 to rm80 per night. The toilet is outside ya and it's clean.
The rate and fee
The surrounding area on the riverbank
Across the river
Met few girls here....
Discussion is ongoing - second from left is En Johari and En Lan with yellow and black shirt.
The guy with grey tshirt is me...hehe...
En Johari is the chief here (tok batin) and hiking yong yap would require rm50 fee per group.
Or you may contact En Lan, another otai (experienced liaison person) here.
En Johari - 011 15117527
En Lan - 013 4370512
You may also opt for the Orang Asli guide (indigineous guide) at rm60 per group (no maximum group member)
The payment will be paid on the day of the hike.
To make it simple for the sake of hiking yong yap, Pos Kuala Mu and Kampung Gepeh Hilir are the same.
All arrangements be done a day before the hike. So, to all readers who are keen to hike mount Yong Yap, you are now have access to their contact number and make arrangements before you even get there. You are welcome.
This is the rendezvous point or can be used as camping ground
Park your car here.
Can you spot the bridge and the payment counter?
From the bridge to the place where this picture was taken, you will see this Kg Gepeh Hilir Signboard.
This is the famous signboard
From the signbord, turn right and follow this road, it will take you to the trailhead through orang asli settlement.
.
.
.
Orang Asli settlement on our way back - its like a fruit orchard - rambutan, durian, mangosteen, jackfruit, cempedak
Few notes when hiking via Pos Kuala Mu; it is a totally different trail from Sg Rengil trail route, the Pos Kuala Mu trail will not joint with any point with Sg Rengil. You will reach straight to the peak of Yong Yap. Nice right?
We started hike around 6.30am without any guide as there was no guide available on that day (they were busy la).
En Johari was kind enough to take us to the starting point i.e the trail head, 3km away from our parking. Please also make this arrangement.
On our way down to the river
About 1km something from starting point, we crossed this river "MU". Actually there is a bridge made of fallen tree located at the side but en johari not recommending to use it as it's in the verge of collapsing, better safe than sorry.
Yes, our shoes were fully drenched at this point.
Just follow the dirt road. Its up and down journey, be patient.
There are only 2 junction (fork) - follow the correct path as shown below.
This is river "Mu" - please cross it
This is the bridge
You will reach this fork.
after few inclination, another fork. Follow this and you will be safe.
After hiking through 4x4 vehicle dirt road, we finally reached the trailhead - 3km away from starting point and 43 minutes taken.
Normally, the 4x4 vehicle will drop hikers here at the trailhead, they started their journey from Masjid Bawong.
This is the trailhead. Around 3km from parking. Normally the 4x4 vehicle will drop hikers here to begin their hike.
Still at the trailhead. The 4x4 will emerge from down right
Starting point to Trailhead
Distance - 3km
Time taken - 43 minutes
Trail difficulty - moderate, 2 or 3 hills climbing
From here we penetrated into the dense jungle, switching on our headlamps
This is the small bridge into the jungle
This is kem Pondok. Hikers normally will camp here. Ample camping ground with stream
Forgot to take surrounding photo la...ceh..
Trailhead to Kem Pondok
Distance : 6.4km
Time taken : 2 hour 7 minutes
Distance from start : 9.4km
Time taken from start : 2 hours 50 minutes
Trail condition and difficulty : dry, moderate
There was this bukit tampoi in my suunto trail route, we reached the location but there was no signboard
Kem Pondok to Last Water Point
Remarks : i thought that this last water point is the same with the one from Sg Rengil but I was wrong. It is a different one. From here it will go straight to the top, another 1.1km.
Distance from kem pondok : 2.8km
Time taken from kem pondok ; around 1 hours plus or so (forgot to take note!)
Distance from start ; 12.2km
Time taken from start ; 2 hours or so (forgot to take note!)
Finally made it! In 5 hours 52 minutes - 13.3km
Last Water point to Peak of Yong Yap
Distance from Last Water point : 1.1kmTime taken from Last Water point : about 1 hour plus or so (forgot to take note! Demmit!)Distance from start : 13.3kmTime taken from Start : 5 hours 52 minutes
We emerged from right handside - its a totally different trail
If you coming from Sg Rengil, you will emerge from the middle of the photo...somewhere
further up is the viewpoint
Rested around 30 minutes at the top. The weather was cloudy and cold.
We make our way down at 1pm.
We make our way down at 1pm.
Back at Kem Pondok in 1 hours 31 minutes from the top
Descending was quite fast - we reached kem pondok 1 hour 31 minutes in a heavy downfall.
Met with 20 hikers before we reached kem pondok in a wet evening. Yes! Finally there was human!
We are out from the Jungle!! Oh yeah! in 4 hours 13 minutes from the top.
There're 3km to go to Orang Asli settlement where we parked our car.
We ended our journey in 5 hours or so. and....my suunto ambit 2 went dead! no more battery. I forgot to charge it during descending. Another bummer...
Yes, the famous signboard, dont leave home without it.
Based on estimation, if you're planning to do YYBTN, please add another 4 hours or so.
From Yong Yap Peak go down to Simpang Yong Yap Bubu - 500 meters - 30 minutes
From Simpang Yong Yap Bubu - to Bubu - 2.7km - 2 hours
From Bubu to Tok Nenek - 2.7km - 3km (2 hours)
There you have it, a complete guide to Yong Yap via Pos Kuala Mu.
