Bukit Elmo (via Kemensah)

 

It's a long journey ahead

Summary of Hike

26.9km return (13.7km one way)

6 hours 42 minutes return (3 hours 16 minutes/3 hours 30 minutes one way)

Pre-amble

Bukit Elmo is another rare hill which under the radar.

Not many post via google about this hike, we only managed to put the route into pieces and experience it by ourselves (thanks to Mr Sega and his team). 

Bukit Elmo located at the boarder between KL and Pahang.

Hikers can either enter from Janda Baik (Bentong Pahang or Kemensah, KL).

The trail is popular for motocross activity.

For those who had been to Pondok Repin via Kemensah, hiking bukit elmo is easier than that.

The inclination only happened few hundred meters to the peak. Nothing to be alarmed at.

Leeches not many as I got bitten by only two (I didn't see it coming).

Few river crossings that could not be avoided, yes, your shoes will get wet.

There are no trail markers but the trail is clear (I would advise for navigation device as an added assistance).

For those next hikers, appreciate if you could put up trail markers along the way.

Download GPX route file via suunto apps (android) here : 

suunto FIT file

sunnto apps

Or download via wikiloc Here

Wikiloc | Bukit Elmo Kemensah Trail

https://www.wikiloc.com/trail-running-trails/bukit-elmo-kemensah-68503903

Starting Point

Teratak angah GPS coordinate

overall distance at a glance

The starting point

Teratak Angah parking lot

Bukit Roket

Please turn right after this

From Starting point to Bukit Roket - 5.2km

at Bukit Roket - 5.3km from starting 

Lubuk Tedung at 6.2km

From Bukit Roket to Lubuk Tedung - 900 meters

From Starting to Lubuk Tedung - 6.2km

Junction pondok Repin and Bukit Elmo Janda Baik

The junction is 7.2km from starting point

and 1km from Lubuk Tedung

From Lubuk Tedung to Junction - 1km

From Starting point to Junction 7.2km

The waterfall is 10.8km from starting

Done Bukit Elmo

12.7km from starting point

From Junction to Peak (bukit Elmo) - 6.5km

From Start to Peak Bukit Elmo - 13.7km in 3 hours 16 minutes

(we keep on moving further up to reach 700 meters which is the highest peak according to contour as per our handheld device and come up at this spot below)

This is the peak at 700 meters above sea level

Another great hike organized by Mr Sega and his team.

Thank you for giving the opportunity

Lubuk Tedung (Kemensah) via Isi Rimba - A Cool and Calm River

 

There are many trails in Kemensah to Lubuk Tedung for you to explore, among the popular ones are :
1) Teratak Angah to Lubuk Tedung - most popular
2) Teratak Angah to Bukit Pau and Lubuk Tedung
3) Teratak Angah to Kem Salleh (I think that is the name) to Lubuk Tedung

Actually there are many river chalet around the area and apparently Teratak Angah is the most prominent picnic spot and provide ample parking space, most of hikers will park here to begin their journey.
Nevertheless, few river chalet also operate close together such as Isi Rimba, Warisan Hati Rimba and Jinbara.

This time we will start from Isi Rimba chalet using some sort of a back-end trail and make our way to Lubuk Tedung.

Summary of hike
6km one way forgot to take photo on the timing...ouch!
12.5km return in 3 hours 22 min

(please take note that the distance is a little bit off - around 500 - 600 metres as we have been diverted to orang asli farm and turned back)

Parking fee is RM5. Toilet and praying room are available.
Also small chalet for those who wish to spend the cold night here.
Isi rimba also have paintball...mmmm...

Red arrow - isi rimba trail 

Orange arrow - the normal route

Our journey begin right after Isi Rimba parking spot, make our way through this newly developed land - for parking and commercial fishing pond.

Teratak Angah Parking space overlapping with Isi Rimba

From Isi Rimba parking please turn left to this bridge

Located just beside Isi Rimba

Please enter the gate

Previously this area was empty but now the landowner had set up fence along the perimeter. In future, this passage trail to Lubuk Tedung may become impassable as the gate will be closed with lock. Nevertheless, if "desperate times requires desperate measures", we can always use Isi Rimba passage to cut through the fishing pond, but we need to cross the river at isi rimba first...hahaha...

There are 3 gates we need to pass through...2 at the pond and one after the pond, then the forest belong to us.

The fishing pond, view from where we came from

another get to pass thru

turn left....

turning right is a dead end...

Go straight to the gate

the gate is unlock...if  it is locked, you can always go to the side of the fence...plenty of room for you to pass through

you will reach here

about 600 metre from starting point

this is the turning point

You need to cross the river

to get to the other side

Side Track Moment

at the 500 metres from the start, if you go straight following this path

It will lead you to here...orang asli area

We noticed that there are many trails leading to unknown territory and one of it is here, it seems that the land had been cleared for agriculture plant by Orang Asli (indigenous people). The trail ends here for us but we also noticed that there are still trail that need to explore which we don't want to take the risk.

We turned back to the spot earlier and crossed the river. My suunto gps navigation indicated that the trail will join with the normal trail to Lubuk Tedung.

the breadcrumb dot trail is what we had done, the round black dot is where we are - the trail will be in the correct path to Lubuk Tedung.

Going back to the original trail : 

keep on walking

follow the trail

500 metres from start ...you will reach here

going straight is one of killer hill but very brief (red arrow)

the Green arrow is where you will be coming if you follow the normal trail via Teratak Angah

another view 

The red arrow is where we came from (isi rimba)

The turquoise arrow is from normal route from Teratak Angah

Going straight following the trail will lead you to Lubuk Tedung - about 5km away

Good Luck!

 

12.5km in 3 hours and 22 minutes of total journey

Oh yes, it was jam packed on that day as sudden influx of picnickers, we're unable to move our car.

Apparently Isi Rimba chalet is having buffet lunch on every weekends and public holiday at RM10 per person for Kampung style malay food consist of fried fish and 3 more dishes with free flow of drinks.

No booking needed.

For those interested to follow this trail, kindly download the gpx file below via wikiloc : 

Wikiloc Lebuk Tedung

Bukit Repin via Kemensah - The Mean Trail

Kampung Kemensah located behind National Zoo (Zoo Negara) in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Kemensah is a known hot spot for it's waterfall, river chalet and vast trails.

Among popular trails in Kemensah are Bukit Pau/paw, Bukit Tabur Extreme and Tabur Far East, Bamboo Trail, Sungai Pusu trail, Pondok Repin trail, Bukit Repin Trail which can be extended to Gunung Nuang.

Teratak Angah street view via google map

Teratak Angah location in google map

My point of view on categorizing how hard or easy the trails :

• Easy Trail (beginner level) - Bukit Pau/Paw to the Lake, Bamboo Trail
• Moderate Trail (intermediate level) - Lubuk Tedung, Tabur Extreme/far east
• Hard Trail (expert Level) - Pondok Repin, Bukit Repin, Gunung Nuang and Beyond

Of course, if you're going for expert level, you may need special preparation in term of fitness and better preparation.

Total distance in Strave

You may find the gpx file of the trail complete with waypoints here : Wikiloc-Kemensah Bkt Repin

Going back to the Bukit Repin hike, the journey started from "Teratak Angah", one of popular picnic spot river chalet, heading to Lubuk Tedung, then Pondok Repin and advance to Bukit Repin.

There will be 4 river crossings which you may get your shoes wet - at Lubuk Tedung and another one after Lubuk Tedung - wet guaranteed.

3 major hills after Lubuk Tedung :

Bukit Merah (manageable but hard)

Bukit Korea (mean and long ascending)

Bukit S (Manageable but hard)

Then, the mother of all hills you need to climb is - after Pondok Repin all the way up to Bukit Repin, the whole 3 km of it!

As it's a long journey ahead, we started as early as 6.00am.

Summary of hike:

17km in 5 hours in 53 minutes (one Way)

33.6km in 10 hours 48 minutes (return)

Breakdown of Hike :

Teratak Angah (starting point) to Bukit Roket
Distance From Start to Bukit Roket : 5.4km
Duration from Start to Bukit Roket : 1 hour 3 minutes
Trail condition : mostly dry, little bit muddy at certain section
Trail Difficulty : few small inclination

Bukit Roket to Lubuk Tedung
Distance From Bukit Roket to Lubuk Tedung : 900 metres
Duration from Bukit Roket to Lubuk Tedung : 12 minutes
Distance from Start : 6.3km
Duration from Start : 1 hour 15 minutes
Trail condition : mostly dry, little bit muddy at certain section
Trail Difficulty : easy, mostly downhill

From Lubuk Tedung follow the arrow to make your way to Pondok Repin. There are trail markers too at the trees.

Lubuk Tedung to Bukit Merah
(crossing the river at Lubuk Tedung and onother one towards Bukit Merah)
Distance From Lubuk Tedung to Bukit Merah : 1.1km
Duration from Lubuk Tedung to Bukit Merah : 22 minutes
Distance from Start : 7.4km
Duration from Start : 1 hour 37 minutes
Trail condition : mostly dry, little bit muddy at certain section
Trail Difficulty : easy to moderate

jangan buat main dengan budak ni, laju nak mampus!

Bukit Merah to Bukit Korea

Distance from Bukit Merah to Bukit Korea : 1.4 km

Duration from Bukit Merah to Bukit Korea : 18 minutes

Distance from Start : 8.8km

Duration from Start : 1 hour 55 minutes

Trail condition : mostly dry, little bit muddy at certain section

Trail Difficulty : hard inclination

At bukit Korea...the 2nd meanest hill (the first one which we discovered later on the way up to Bukit Repin)

Bukit Korea to Bukit S
Distance From Bukit Korea to Bukit S : 3.1km
Duration from Bukit Korea to Bukit S : 43 minutes
Distance from Start : 11.9km
Duration from Start : 2 hours 38 minutes
Trail condition : mostly dry, little bit muddy at certain section
Trail Difficulty : long and hard inclination

Bukit S to Batu Landak
Distance From Bukit S to Batu Landak : 600 meters
Duration from Bukit S to Batu Landak : 14 minutes
Distance from Start : 12.5km
Duration from Start : 2 hour 52 minutes
Trail condition : mostly dry, little bit muddy at certain section
Trail Difficulty : moderate inclination

Batu Landak to Pondok Repin

Distance From Batu Landak to Pondok Repin : 1km
Duration from Batu Landak to Pondok Repin : 18 minutes
Distance from Start : 13.5km
Duration from Start : 3 hours 10 minutes
Trail condition : mostly dry
Trail Difficulty : moderate to hard, 2 short and brief hills

A well kept hut - please don't litter here,bring along your unwanted items back

Pondok Repin to Bukit Repin - Hard mode, be prepared!
(We rested for a while at Pondok Repin and started our journey to Bukit Repin around 9.27am)

Distance From Pondok Repin to Bukit Repin : 3.6km
Duration from Pondok Repin to Bukit Repin : 2 hours 30 minutes
Distance from Start : 17.1km
Duration from Start : 5 hours 53 minutes
Trail condition : mostly dry, slippery - please wear glove
Trail Difficulty : hard and long inclination

Brotherhood at the top

As I laid my ground sheet to sit down, suddenly emerged these ultra runners out of nowhere!

It took them 4 hours to reached top of Bukit Repin from Teratak Angah..imagine how fast there were!!!

This is the view point at Bukit Repin, make sure you take a selfie

Rested few minutes at the top, we started going down at 12.17pm.
Going down is a little bit faster as its all the way down, but be careful of the trails as it is slippery.

Reached back at Pondok Repin at 1.38pm
Duration taken from Bukit Repin to Pondok Repin : 1 hour 21 minutes
Distance from Start : 20.2km
duration from Start : 7 hours 36 minutes

Bumped into my long time friend during Mount Rinjani climb years back - Mr Jaz Jerry, known as one of the fast hiker. Laju ya amat!

Finally back at Pondok Repin

Rested few minutes at Pondok Repin, we started back at 1.50pm
Making few stops at Lubuk Tedung and in the middle of the track after lubuk tedung as my body felt very weak...haha...

Finally we ended our journey at 4.51pm, after a grueling 33.6km and 10 hours 48 minutes.
From Pondok Repin to finish : 13.4km
Duration from Pondok Repin to Finish : 3 hours

Few tips on hiking to Bukit Repin

• Water supply is aplenty - top up station at Lubuk Tedung and Pondok Repin
• From Pondok Repin to Bukit Repin - No Water point - bring at least 1 litre
• Please also include isotonic, sour and sweet, minty and sweet taste in your drinks
• Food - heavy food is essential - Nasi Lemak, roti canai telur, burger are recommended - consume it on top of Bukit Repin, you won't regret it.
• Leech was not that many on that day - one bite and 1 attempted bite...was a bonus
• Hot Cream for massage - in case of cramp, one of our team member suffered a burning calf muscle which had slow us down during Bukit Repin hike.