23 Simple Tips for Conquering Gunung Nuang
If you’re a hiker living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, chances are that you will have heard of the infamous 1493 metres (4898 feet) Gunung Nuang.
Gunung Nuang is the third highest mountain in Malaysia after Gunung Semangkok and Gunung Ulu Kali. It is regularly listed as one of the most difficult hikes near Kuala Lumpur. Unless you are gunning for something more extreme like a 4-day trek to Gunung Tahan inside Taman Negara, Gunung Nuang will be your choice for the ultimate day hike.
But why is climbing Gunung Nuang so tough?
Here are several reasons:
- Its duration: It takes an average of 12 hours to climb Gunung Nuang from the car park up to the peak and back down. Do note however that there are 2 entry points to Gunung Nuang – if you access Nuang via Pangsun, that will take you around 12 hours. If you access via Janda Baik, it will probably take you around 6 hours (considerably shorter!)
- The terrain is tough: The first 2-3 hours of hiking is relatively normal. It is the journey after the 5th and final river crossing that is a challenge. You will be constantly going uphill, climbing with ropes and roots to support yourself. Some of the ledges were up to my chest area and the only way up was to use the ropes and roots available to haul myself up!
- Leeches: I’ve been to Nuang several times (including once when it RAINED on us) and thankfully never saw any leeches. But I have it on good authority that leeches are abundant in Gunung Nuang. In fact, one of the stops – Kem Pacat – translates to mean Camp Leech!
That said, Gunung Nuang is conquerable. I’ve even done it back-to-back with no issues and I am by no means a fitness buff. But it was definitely a mental struggle and a continuous reminder to myself that I was doing Nuang in preparation for Everest Base Camp. Sigh! The sacrifices one makes.
I’m going to be talking about Mount Nuang in 2 different posts. This will contain my top 15 tips for surviving your first Gunung Nuang hike. Because after doing it once, the next few times really don’t seem that bad!
My second post will be on the actual journey itself. What to expect at each stage. And this is vital towards conquering Gunung Nuang as I will be explaining right now…
Table of Contents
Pre-Hiking Tips
1. Get your permit
You need a permit before you are allowed to enter the gates to Gunung Nuang. The guards are pretty stringent and will stop you to ask for a permit.
To be honest, the first time I went, I hadn’t realised we needed a permit. We were lucky enough to be allowed in after paying for our car park (RM 3) and entrance fee (RM 2) but warned to not do it again.
The permit can be obtained by applying to:
Pejabat Hutan Daerah Selangor Tengah
Blok B Tingkat 1
Platinum Cheras Jalan Zen 1
43200 Cheras Kajang, Selangor
Tel: 03-9081-4918
Pejabat Perhutanan Daerah Selangor Tengah
BT7 Cheras 43200 Kajang
Tel: 03-90814918
Of course, you could always take a chance and arrive at Nuang, hoping to be allowed through. They won’t check to ensure that your name matches the authorisation letter so another way to gain entry is to see if another hiking group has had any members drop out. The likelihood of dropouts is VERY high given Nuang’s reputation.
If you do spot any hiking groups with an empty spot, ask them politely if you can “join” that group, and you’ll be allowed through the gates.
This is all unofficial of course, so don’t bet on it! It is simply what has happened when we went hiking at Nuang. The simplest and safest way is to always make sure you get your permit.
2. Cut your toenails
This may seem innocuous – it is a hiking tip I don’t tend to see being posted much – but trust me, it is so important and I learned this the very hard way on Mount Kinabalu.
If your toenails are long, you WILL feel the pain, especially on the descent. Never hike with long nails; cut them. Because when you are trekking downhill, you are going to be putting a lot of pressure on your knees and front toes.
Save yourself the pain and keep them short.
3. Remember that it is all in the mind
In case you did not catch the hint earlier, here is a simple truth: conquering Gunung Nuang, like any other hike, is a mental battle.
You can do it. You can go past the 5 river crossings, past the next 2 camps all the way to the peak. It might take you longer, but you can make it.
However, if you have never hiked before, don’t go to Gunung Nuang. Try another mountain like Gunung Angsi or Gunung Datuk before coming here lest you feel disheartened by how hard it is!
For a fun hike, you can even do Bukit Nanas.
4. Go with a group of friends
You can always hike by yourself, but there is safety in numbers. As well as companionship and a shared sense of achievement. You will also have the perfect group of people to go out with for a victorious meal after the hike!
In any event, you can still conquer Gunung Nuang solo. And if you ever require any help, know that Malaysian hikers are incredibly friendly and will no doubt lend a hand to you.
In the few times I’ve been back, I noticed that the majority of hikers were locals with very few foreigners but don’t worry about language.
So long as you can speak English, you will be able to communicate with the majority of the people you encounter to a certain extent. 🙂
5. Go at your own pace
Hiking is a marathon, not a race. Always go at your own pace and you will find that the trek becomes doable.
If you need a rest, just pause but don’t sit down!! Just give yourself a couple of minutes to catch your breath then move on.
It gets a lot harder to motivate yourself when you’ve sat down and allowed your body to cool down.
6. Hike on a Saturday
Despite being a very challenging hike, Gunung Nuang is very popular with the locals. If you come around 6 – 7 am (yes, it is still pitch dark then!!) you will find a huge crowd of hikers gathered and ready to enter the park.
Saturdays are great because you know you won’t be alone on the trail and someone will be there to assist if you need it.
7. Pick the right entrance to Gunung Nuang
As mentioned earlier, Gunung Nuang has 2 entrances.
The entry point via Janda Baik is known to be the shorter, easier version and should take you around 4-6 hours to complete.
The entry point we took to Gunung Nuang was via Pangsun and that is the killer route with the time taken to complete averaging around 12 hours.
Of course, if you want an extraordinary challenge, you can always do the Pangsun – Peak – Janda Baik and back route! I doubt I’d be doing that; I know my limits. But there have been some people who do this!
8. Carpool if possible
While there is a rather spacious car park, the parking spaces fill up REALLY fast. By that I mean if you arrive around 7am, you might already have run out of space.
I had to “create” my own space, like many other people, which is awkward. And creates a heart-in-mouth feeling every time you return to your car after your hike, wondering if your car somehow miraculously avoided being scratched.
Things to Wear & Bring to Nuang
9. Wear long pants & long-sleeved shirts
You will be crawling over massive tree trunks, hauling yourself up steep, high rocks and battling through everything else the rainforest might throw at you. Including an unfortunate series of bees at certain points in the track.
I’ve found it to be a lot easier to just cover yourself up to minimise the exposure.
10. Wear hiking socks (at the very least, long socks)
To prevent blisters from exploding on your feet after the hike. And perhaps more importantly, to shield yourself from the leeches that await in the muddier parts of Nuang.
I was lucky enough to escape the leeches every time I went but plenty of hikers have been bitten before.
“Pacat” also happens to be the Malay word for “leech”, and when Nuang has a specific camp called “Kem Pacat”, you can already guess why!
11. Wear gloves when hiking (after you go pass the 5 river crossings)
Personally, I found that I had to use my hands a lot. I was gripping rocks, rope and roots to haul myself from section to section.
There was also a section where it was essentially a bamboo grove that had gone through a violent storm – I suspect. So lots of prickly plants and trunks were strewn across the trail.
In addition, the trail has many plants with thorns on them and the first time I went, my hands were scratched all over!
When I went with my gloves the second time, it was so much better because my gloves protected my skin.
12. Use shoes with good grip
I saw some hikers hiking Gunung Nuang with socks and slippers and I truly don’t know how I did it. But I will say that if you are unfortunate enough to climb the day after it rained, or when it rains on you during the hike (both of this happened to us during our second time back at Nuang), then most of the trail turns VERY muddy and slippery.
You will want shoes with very good grip to avoid any tumbles.
13. Use lots of sunscreens
Because you will be out for around 12 hours and most of the route isn’t exactly shaded.
That said, it is not a hot trek. The first time I went, it was breezy and even cold! Almost like being in Cameron Highlands or back on the trail up to Mount Kinabalu. It was wonderful.
When the weather is great, it is fantastic. When it’s not, it is the worst thing in the world.
14. Bring an extra pair of shoes/clothing
To change into when you are done with your hike. There is a toilet by the entrance of Gunung Nuang to use and trust me, you will be filthy.
15. Bring at least 2 litres of water & lunch
Make sure you bring plenty of water and also your lunch to eat either at one of the two camps before the peak (Kem Pacat or Kem Pengasih) or at the peak itself. I can’t imagine hiking the whole day without enough food and water!
16. Bring your phone charger
If you’re into photography or want to take videos of your trip, make sure you bring your phone charger.
Your phone will also be invaluable if you want to use the torchlight function (see point below).
17. Bring a headlight
Headlights are essential if you intend to start your hike while it’s dark.
They are also really helpful backups in case you make it out of the forest after it gets dark because there are no street lights available at all.
If it is dark, it is pitch dark.
18. You can bring camping gear
Alternatively, you might choose to spend the night in Nuang. Quite a few people do this and camp out at Kem Lolo (located at the fifth and final river crossing, before the terrain gets steep and challenging).
Some of the campers we met were so friendly that they even offered to share their freshly cooked lunch with us!
Essential Things to Know About Hiking at Gunung Nuang
19. If you are using the Pangsun entry point, Gunung Nuang is a mere 1 hour away from Kuala Lumpur
Which makes Mount Nuang one of the most easily accessible mountains in Peninsula Malaysia.
20. Start as early as possible
Some people start hiking at Gunung Nuang as early as 6 or 6.30 am.
Personally, I think that 7 am is a good starting point; it should give you enough time to get back to your car before it gets dark and you already have enough light to begin your hike for the day.
21. Break each section of the Nunang hike into smaller mental chunks because it is a mental game
All hikes are a mental game.
The good thing about Mount Nuang is that it actually has very distinctive portions to its hike and I realised that when I really broke down the time it took to get through each section, as well as the time it took to each mini landmark, time passed a lot faster.
A brief overview of a Gunung Nuang via Pangsun hike looks like this:
- 4.5km hike through grassy, steep terrain/bamboo forest;
- 5 river crossings that pass in quick succession (and ends with Kem Lolo)
- Kem Pacat – which takes quite a long time to traverse! And it felt like we would never get there.
- Kem Pengasih – the false peak and a place that is easy to miss as it is just a clearing; the next portion requires getting through REALLY muddy terrain. The mud is there regardless of how dry the rest of the forest was and if you don’t pick the right spot, you’ll easily find yourself knee-deep in the mud! Oh, and the mud is rumoured to be filled with leeches, though I never saw them. Another good reason to wear long pants and socks!
- The peak – you’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the 4 sets of “tangga besi” (or metal ladders) that are joined to each other.
22. Look out for the little white rectangles nailed to the trees for direction
The majority of the hiking path in Nuang is very clear but there were certain portions that were confusing. When in doubt, look for the little white squares that tend to be nailed onto trees. They will tell you the path to take.
Sometimes, you will also see specific signs pointing to the peak, but these signs will only appear much later on after Kem Lolo.
23. Buy a coke/celebratory drink before your hike
I don’t know why but I really, truly craved a coke after my first attempt at Nuang. And the coke had never tasted better. But truly, it was so painful getting that coke after my climb because my knees and legs were aching so badly.
So the second time I went to Nuang, I made sure to purchase my Coke the day before. Which provided to be a fantastic decision!
Even if you don’t want to have a Coke, make sure you have planned out your dinner treat beforehand. So you don’t have to think about it after Nuang and can just dive straight into it. After a good shower, of course!
P/S: This is not a sponsored post for Coca Cola! I just happened to have a real craving. 😂
Pin/Share this 23 Simple Tips for Climbing Gunung Nuang
Did you find this hiking guide helpful for climbing Gunung Nuang? Or have other tips that you think would benefit other hikers?
Let me know in the comments below!
P/S: If you’re looking for an easier hike that is perfect for families with small-children & within walking distance of the Kuala Lumpur Golden Triangle, then check out the KL Forest Eco Park (otherwise known as Bukit Nanas, and the only real rainforest reserve included within Kuala Lumpur). KL Forest Eco Park is a real haven for Instagram lovers because of its photographic forest canopy, and a mini zoo for children.
2 Comments
Rasdan Rahim
EXCELLENT review and advise on Gunung Nuang hike via Pangsun.
Will hike this mountain as a warming up session before my Gunung Tahan trail.
Iuliya
Thank you! Hope you enjoyed hiking up Nuang.