Feature Tours: Hiking and Trekking

Natural forests cover almost three-quarters of Malaysia's land area. The enrichment of rainforest is sure to bring rewarding experiences to the trekkers. The wilds of the country's extensive national parks and wildlife reserves presents an opportunity to rediscover the allure of nature.

Malaysia is a wonderful place to experience the oldest rain forest in the world where various species of floral and fauna are found which includes the world's largest flower (Rafflesia). As well as the many inhabitants that dwell in the forest including many species of birds, animals and the Orang Asli.

The majority of treks, either on the Malaysian Peninsula or in Sarawak and Sabah, require some forethought and preparation, and you should be prepared for trails and rivers to become much more difficult to negotiate when it rains.

That said, although the rainy season (Nov – Feb) undoubtedly slows your progress on some of the trails, conditions are less humid and the parks and adventure tours not oversubscribed. Most visitors trek in the large national parks to experience the remaining primary jungle and rainforest at first hand. For these you often need to be accompanied by a guide, which can either be arranged through tour operators in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Miri and Kota Kinabulu, or at the parks themselves.

For inexperienced trekkers, Taman Negara is probably the best place to start, while Sarawak's Gunung Mulu offers sufficient challenges for most tastes, and few people who make it across to Sabah forego the chance of climbing Mount Kinabalu – not a task to be undertaken lightly, however. Details of essential trekking equipment are given in each relevant account.

These longer hikes can be exhausting for visitors from temperate countries not used to the heat and humidity of the lowlands, and leeches can be a temporary problem. Most people, however, find their encounter with Malaysia's tropical jungle a humbling experience well worth the hardship. On some of the remote treks, it's wise to go with an experienced guide. Trails in the jungle may look all the same, but a wrong turn can have disastrous consequences, or the water level may rise unexpectedly after a sudden downpour.