Explore The interior
Around 50km north of Jerantut, KUALA TAHAN is a grassy township of guesthouses and floating restaurants, facing a solid green wall of jungle across the turbid, 50m-wide Tembeling River. As a base, Kuala Tahan has many virtues: it boasts reasonable transport connections, plenty of accommodation, a few stores selling (and renting) basics you might have forgotten to bring with you, and even mobile coverage, though no banks or ATMs. Most importantly, current information about Taman Negara is on hand at the national park headquarters – where all visitors also need to register and pay park fees – just a quick ferry ride over the river at the start of the park’s hiking trails. Take a torch with you to wander around the village in the evening, as the electricity can be flaky.
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The Kuala Gandah elephant sanctuary
The Kuala Gandah elephant sanctuary
One attraction in the southern part of the interior is worth making a diversion for, the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre (wmyelephants.org), run by the government’s Wildlife Department. Here they care for elephants being relocated to reserves from areas of habitat destruction, or which had to be subdued while mengamuk – a Malay term that would be untranslatable were it not the source of the English word “amok”. The best time to turn up is 2pm (2.45pm on Fri), when for a couple of hours visitors have the chance to get hands-on with the elephants, riding, feeding or even bathing with them (bring a change of clothes).
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Kuala Tahan activities
Kuala Tahan activities
Most people in the park for just a few days sign up for various activity packages offered through the park office and Kuala Tahan accommodation.
Night jungle walks (1hr–1hr 30min; RM25; bring your own torch) are easy and, despite being crowded and held along the park’s most heavily used paths, can turn up everything from tapirs to scorpions, and the sharp-eyed guides invariably spot camouflaged creatures you’d otherwise miss.
Night safaris (2hr; RM40) actually take place outside the park; you’re driven around a plantation in a 4WD, and may get to see leopard cats, wild pigs, civets and the occasional snake.
Orang Asli village visit (2hr; RM60) shows you how to use a blowpipe and fire-making using sticks at a semi-permanent Batek encampment; very touristy, but interesting too.
On the river, fairly tame rapids shooting trips (1hr; RM60) take place a few kilometres upstream, designed to appeal to families rather than hard-core rafters; you’ll ride this stretch anyway if you catch a boat back from Kuala Trenggan. The night river safari (2hr; RM200) uses a tamer stretch of water, where you often see larger animals along the riverside.
Longer trips include guided forest walks, the best of which have you staying overnight at a hide (Bumbun Kumbang is a favourite) or even a cave; you usually make your way down to the river on the second day and catch a boat back to Kuala Tahan. This far into the forest you really might see anything – or nothing at all. Price depends on numbers, duration and destination, but expect RM280 per person for an all-inclusive two-day, one-night trip from Kuala Tahan.
The most popular area for fishing is the Sungai Keniam, northeast of Kuala Tahan, where you can hope to catch catfish or snakehead; all fish must be returned. The very basic Perkai Fishing Lodge, around 2hr upstream from Kuala Tahan, is a popular base; a boat there costs RM480.
- Hiking at Kuala Tahan
