Nature Calling!!!

During September 2011, I went for a camping trip at Endau Rompin National Park. This camping was organized by my batch in order to complete our task for Sport and Recreation subject. There were almost 90 of us take part in the camping including the lecturers. We went there for 3 days and 2 nights. For me, it was the best nature travel ever!!!!

Image 1: The students are given a detail briefing by the lecturers in front of the Hal Ehwal Pelajar Department.

Endau-Rompin National Park is the second designated national park in Peninsular Malaysia. And rightly so, as it contains the one of world's oldest rainforests and the volcanic rocks there date back 240 million years. Its name is derived from the two rivers through the park; the Endau River in the south in the state of Johor and the Rompin River in the state of Pahang in the north. It also has some unique flora and fauna, including the endangered Sumatran Rhino. It has some of Malaysia's best waterfalls namely Buaya Sangkut, Upeh Guling and Batu Hampar all within 2 hours trek of each other. Also I got a chance to meet the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, known locally as Orang Asli at Kampung Peta. The major tribe that call the park home is the Jakun.

A proper trip to see all the major highlights of Endau-Rompin National Park should take 3 days. Of course it's not hard to spend a week to get lost amidst the breathtaking rivers and forests. Unless I’m an experienced jungle trekker, it's best to stick to the packages offered – the Johor National Parks Corporation organises the most reasonably priced ones.

There are 3 entrances to the Endau-Rompin National Park. We can either enter through Johor (East or West) or through Pahang. A different entrance would mean a different adventure as the Johor National Parks Corporation manages the Johor portion of the park while the area encompassed by Pahang comes under the Pahang National Parks Corporation.

The Johor Endau Rompin East approach (Kampung Peta) is the more popular, time saving and easier approach. If you are driving, it's best to take a 4WD, as there are no tarred roads for the last 20km of the journey, only mud tracks.

We need to inform the Johor National Parks Corporation at least a week prior to our departure. If you are coming from Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru or Singapore, use the National Highway and exit at Air Hitam. Turn right at the exit and drive on for another hour to Kluang. But for our trip, the bus drivers use shortcut path which we pass by oil palm estates and some jungle.  Whatever last minute supplies we need would be best bought here. From here another 40km along the route to Mersing and we reach Kahang, where the last petrol station before the Park can be found. About 3km from Kahang, turn at right at the park sign. The first 35km will be through oil palm plantations, a rather uneven and bumpy track in the beginning, followed by tarred roads and finally through a laterite track. Then the last 22km will run through uninhabited rainforest. This is a mud track with a lot of protruding rocks, potholes, and wooden bridges that don't allow room for mistakes. (Please note currently, 31st of July 2008, the main bridge giving access to the park over this road is broken.)