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Imagine a mass of primary jungle over 130 million years old and covering
an area of 4,343 sq. km. (approximately 7 times the size of Singapore).
This is exactly what Malaysia’s premiere nature park, Taman Negara
offers.
The park, which surrounds Tahan Mountain, is considered to be the
world’s oldest tropical rainforest. For the intrepid or wildlife loving
traveler, the place is an absolute adventurer’s wonderland. Visitors can
trek through deepest, darkest jungle, brave the creaky canopy walk,
shoot 'poison' darts through a blowpipe and explore stunning caves.
 The
park lies within the headwaters of three river systems; the Tembeling
in the south, the Trenggan in the east and the
Relai-Aring-Labir in the north. The park receives rain throughout
the year, around 2,200mm in the lowlands and 3,800mm in the mountain
areas. Temperature during the day averages at 260 Celsius while it drops
220 Celsius at night.
 Taman
Negara lies largely on sedimentary rock while the rest is granite and
limestone. It is interesting to note that a large part of Malaysia was
submerged under water millions of years ago and that volcanic and
non-volcanic islands emerged and submerged from time to time. Peninsular
Malaysia only became land during the Jurassic era. Sedimentary rocks
would normally yield fossils and the bulk of the fossils of this period
are found in Taman Negara.
Within the park are around 14,000 species of plants, 250 species of
birds, and around 200 mammals. As many as 240 species of trees can be
found within a single hectare, as compared with an average of seven for
a European forest.
 Evidence
of human habitation within part of Taman Negara almost 2,000 years ago
came in the discovery of bronze artifacts along the Tembeling river. One
small group of Orang Asli (Original People), the
Negrito Batek, still live within the border of the park,
gathering wild food and hunting with blowpipes as they have for
countless generations.
Spotting wildlife however requires some patience and luck. If you take a
two to four day trek and camp in an observation hide in the jungle, you
may spot deer, snakes, 'small' big cats, tapirs, and insects, spiders
and huge beetles.
Though extremely rare, stories of elephant, tiger and black panther
sightings are always a thrill to any budding naturalist.
When to Visit
The best time to visit the park is in the dry season between February
and September - but it doesn't always rain in the rainy season,
when the number of visitors drops dramatically.
Entrance to the park costs RM1; an optional camera permit is an extra
RM5. You get these from the office (Kuala Tembeling jetty) or at Hotel
Sri Emas (tel. 266 4499; tamannegara@hotmail.com) in Jerantut.
Kuala Tahan is the main kampung in Taman Negara. It has
accommodation, mini supermarkets, floating barge restaurants and is the
main base for organized tours. Directly opposite Kuala Tahan, on the
other side of the Sungai Tembeling, is the National Park, Taman Negara
resort and park headquarters.
Planning For Taman Negara
Stock up on essentials in Jerantut. If it's been raining, you can be
sure that leeches will be plentiful. Mosquito repellent, tobacco, salt,
tooth-paste and soap can be used to deter them, with varying degrees of
success. A liberal coating of insect spray over shoes and socks is said
to work best.
Everyday clothes are suitable around Kuala Tahan, but be prepared if
heading farther afield. Lightweight cotton clothing is ideal.
Loose-fitting, long trousers protect your legs against scratches and
insect bites. Take a water bottle, even on short walks, and on longer
walks take water-purifying tablets to sterilize stream water.
Sturdy boots are essential; lightweight, high-lacing canvas jungle boots
that keep out leeches can be hired from the camping ground office.
Sleeping bags, tents, cooking gear and torches (flashlights) can also be
hired here or at Kuala Tahan jetty for trekking or sleeping overnight in
a hide.
What to do/see
Taman Negara has several readily accessible bumbun (hides), many close
to Kuala Tahan (Tabing and Kumbang hides being the most popular) and
Kuala Trenggan. All observation hides are built overlooking salt licks
and grassy clearings, which attract feeding nocturnal animals. Even if
you don't see any wildlife, the jungle sounds are well worth it - the
'symphony' is best at dusk and dawn.
If you're staying overnight (try to book at the Wildlife Department the
day before), you need to take food and a sleeping bag. Hides cost RM5
per person per night, sleeping six to eight people, and are very rustic
with pit toilets. Rats on the hunt for tucker are problematic, so hang
food high out of reach.
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