Thursday 26 September 2013

ULU KUANG FALLS

I've heard about this waterfall for quite some times from few of my MTB friends and few trackers who managed to cross to Ulu Kuang from Bukit Lagong. But due lack of trail information especially when info in the internet consisting only few confusing photo and incomplete travel blog written by few, it took us nearly 2 hours to ask people on the waterfall whereabouts. Luckily we met few nice people around Kuang that leads us to the lower level of Ulu Kuang Falls that just lies behind Orang Asal settlement of Ulu Kuang. I managed to conclude two motives during this trip, exploration and photography class officially conducted by two of my buddies which i can consider a professional photographer, check out their facebook pages, Azmi Zulkafli's Ilsya Hijab and Muzairi Mustapa's Mediateamworks Studio.

Overall this waterfall would be considered pristine with clear water compared to what we have in lower part of Bukit Lagong Falls, but still there is few leftover of unwanted rubbish but if there is proper management on this area especially by state forestry office and local NGO's (there should an effort to establish a community forest down here) the problem could be tackled easily. This area had been a livelihood source for Temuan and occasionally become a recreational area for nature and extreme sport enthusiast, but the most importance of this area is the Kuang River become the water source for nearby village where gravity feed piping system is used. On the lowest part there is sign of deforestation, I wonder how the planning is done. here is the trip report:

When you reached Pekan Kuang from Sungai Buloh, take 12 o'clock route, the road leading to the Temuan Village is the same road to the quarry area.

Just few meters from Tamil's primary school you will meet with the T junction before the LATAR highway flyover.  Believe me the road condition is not very good, maybe those who familiar driving in our neighboring country will know how bad is the road.

After the bridge that cross the railway track, make a U turn on your left side and just follow the small tarred road which is along the railway track, for low chassis car please mind the hole scattered around and also some speeding quarry truck. 

Then you will past the JAKOA signboard showing the entrance to Temuan Village of Ulu Kuang, you see on the signboard it has been marked by the triads, geng 08.. i think no wonder they existed here because there is a lot of illegal factories and farms on both side of the road.

First meeting with the Sungai Kuang, calm river and the Temuan village starts from here.

At the end of tarred road, there is a small bridge, cross the bridge, go straight until you reach palm oil plantation.

Please use high chassis vehicle because inside the plantation there is a minor hilly terrain route, unless you're confident to drive on that condition, park your car at the village, but I saw Myvi near the dirt road at the bottom part of the waterfall.

Dirt road near the lowest level, you need to climb down to reach the waterfall.

Calm river bed downstream near the lowest level, my first attempt to shot photo using HDR technique... funny right, still learning using photomatix.

Upper tier of the lowest level, watch out for the slippery rock surface, we not managed to shot the lower tier because the angle had been blocked by the trees fallen into the river. 

From the lowest level you need to trek along the river, but the trail here is clear maybe lots of extreme sports activities using this trail. 


The river upstream is very clean and pristine, you can easily river trek on this condition since the boulders are small.

You will meet another waterfall, this time it got pool, not very deep and suitable for picnic.


Upper tier of the second level, there is a narrow gorge, but not too tall, you can even climb down to the river bed and the water level is only up to your waist, but during heavy rain please avoid this kind of area because this where the water pressure become gradually abnormal. 



Self-portraits of exhausted novice explorer... 

Three musketeers of nature... they both smiling but I'm very reluctant since their photo is better than me..... :(

There is upper part of this waterfall which required 2 hours trekking and maybe in the next adventure, for those interested PM us, maybe we can squeeze here and there, but honestly our trip unplanned....  

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