Hills And Mountains

                                                          
                           Bukit Broga Hill  Semenyih

Bukit Broga, also known as 'Bukit Lalang' - after the local species of grass that grows abundantly here, is a hill in Semenyih, at 400 meters high and 40 minutes away from Kuala Lumpur on the trunk road to Broga. It can be reached a short distance later after University of Nottingham, where the entrance starts at left from an oil palm estate opposite a rabbit park. Famed for its incredibly panoramic views (especially at dawn) along with easy accessibility on foot, the hill is a popular tourist attraction among locals; the estate owner cashes on the glut of visitors during weekends and public holidays by charging MYR2 per vehicle that parks on his grounds.

From the peak, visitors get a spacious view of the plains, coated by a mixture of rainforest, oil palm plantations, villages and towns, along with distant mountains. At dawn, mist rising from the ground from the warmth of the sun envelops the landscape in a carpet of white, evoking a surreal atmosphere. The hike while steep is relatively easy, taking anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes to reach the highest peak depending on one's fitness level, or photo stops. There are three peaks in total, each one ascends above the other through a clear path fringed by tall grass at each side. From the summit, a proper jungle trail leads through primary rainforest to Gunung Tok Wan (675 meters), a roughly one and a half hour hike on meandering slopes.

                                                      

                                                                 

                           Bukit Tabur  Crystal Hill

Bukit Tabur is a magnificent limestone ridge at Taman Melawati in Kuala Lumpur. It may possibly be longest crystal quartz outcrop in the world, a priceless geological wonder that is yet unrecognised. The ridge supports a type of heath forest, characterised by dry vegetation and plants that have adapted to growing on steep and harsh terrain. Climbing up the hill, visitors can see 250 species of small coniferous-like trees, shrubs, creepers, orchids and moss, including five endemic species of plants. Contained within much of the limestone are beautiful (but commercially worthless) quartz crystals, many which have been chipped off by visitors at exposed areas.

Running in a semi-circle at more than 14 km long and 200 meters wide, the most prominent section is the middle 5 km span that lies behind Taman Melawati all the way to the National Zoo. The sheer size of the ridge provides a dramatic backdrop to Kuala Lumpur, while home to many different types of mammals (including the rare mountain serow), birds, insects and other wildlife. While trekking here, dusky langurs can often be spotted making a ruckus among the trees while wild boars frequently dart away at the sound of footsteps. This section consists of several peaks that can be traversed via a few trails; the most popular route, Tabur West, begins at left from the Klang Gates entrance. This is followed by Tabur East, which can be accessed by climbing down the hill next to the Klang Gates entrance (at right), crossing a small stream and looking for a small but clear trail past the massive drain pipes.

The highest peak, Tabur 'Extreme' as called by the Internet hiking community, lies at the end of the Eastern ridge. It can be reached by three trails; the most common and longest route lies behind Zoo Negara, at a clearing along Jalan Taman Zooview. A lesser known trail begins from a farmland at the foothill; this can only be accessed by following a gravel road uphill from the bus depot, located near Taman Melawati mosque. The third method, cleared by hiking regulars, is a trail split from along the Bukit Tabur East route, just before the ascend up the final peak. The trail for the last two are not very well-marked, and heavy undergrowth (machete and long pants recommended) along with leeches (on rainy days, at the bottom sections) are expected due to the rarity of visitors.

 Bukit Putih  Cheras

Bukit Putih is a hill that sits on a forest reserve in Cheras, near Kuala Lumpur. Residents around here frequent this hill throughout whole week, more on weekends. Another peak sits a short distance away from the summit of Bukit Putih; called Bukit Saga, this other hill is more popularly accessed from Taman Saga in Ampang. As most of the hikers are middle-aged to senior citizens, Bukit Putih has earned a popular nickname in Chinese - 'Ah Pak San', which is Chinese slang for old folks, refering to white hair. The trails have moderately challenging ascents and descents; if you were to traverse all the trails, it could easily take up most of the day.

The outer fringes of the hill are made up of mostly of rubber trees but further in, it transcends to old secondary or primary forest. Despite its proximity to urban areas, Bukit Putih has a surprising number of wildlife living here, including birds, squirrels and monkeys. Forest in Bukit Putih Bukit Putih Waterfall Banded leaf langurs (Presbytis femoralis), a less common species of primate than the long tailed macaque, can easily be spotted perched among the tree tops while hiking here. Locals that live around the hill and use it for recreation have even formed an organisation dedicated to preserving and maintaining the trails and environment. As such, the trails are well-marked with labels and bands to point you in the correct direction while hiking.

The peak of Bukit Putih itself is a clearing with various crude exercise instruments. Over here, many of the senior hikers will congregate to discuss politics, family matters and all things under the sun. The trails lead to different 'stations' or check points around the hill. One of them even takes you to a small but scenic waterfall located down below following a steep descent. To get to Bukit Putih, visitors need to follow the roads leading into Taman Cuepacs in Cheras. Ask around for directions and it will eventually lead you to the trail entrance. In previous years, hikers have collided their heads with local residents due to littering and parking problems. So, if you come by car, park your vehicle along the main roads outside the housing area, and then trek in.

 Gunung Nuang  Hulu Langat

Gunung Nuang is the highest mountain of Selangor, at 1,493m with trails that start from either Hulu Langat, Janda Baik (Bukit Tinggi) or Kemensah (Gombak, near Kuala Lumpur). The most popular route is through Hulu Langat, and it is not uncommon to see the trail overrun by people on weekends. For the moderately fit, the duration to reach the peak is a deceptive four to five hours, but only when dry. Significant rainfall will turn major portions of the trail into a mudbath - a demoralising scramble up steep gradients with little traction. Hiking turns to a crawl, and if on the way back, expect heavy segments of sliding.

Many non-seasoned visitors will turn back at this point, if not already at the peak. To climb Nuang using the main route, follow directions towards Hulu Langat on the Cheras highway from Kuala Lumpur. Once you hit the trunk road, follow signboards towards Pangsoon until the entrance of a dam; the trail starts from a park at left. A small fee of MYR1 is levied by the Orang Asli gatekeeper here on weekends. The first part of the climb is an undulating gravel and dirt road walk to reach the foothill. Fringed by secondary growth and bamboo, it's a boring experience with little sights along the way. After an hour, the trail leads into proper jungle, passing through campsites with stream crossings until a steep run all the way up to Puncak Pengasih. From this check-point, the trail is more level until the summit, where a pretty view of mountains, and even Kuala Lumpur and Genting Highlands, await on a clear day.