Taman Negara National Park

Taman Negara is Malaysia’s largest and most popular national park, with excellent oppor- tunities for trekking and wildlife spotting. Covering 434,000 ha of mountainous jungle, it includes Gunung Tahan, the highest mountain on the Peninsula (2187 m). This area was left untouched by successive ice ages and has been covered in jungle for 130 million years, making it older than the rainforests in the Congo or Amazon basins. Vegetation ranges from riverine species and lowland forest to cloud and moss forest at higher elevations and on to a strange subalpine environment rich in strange pitcher plants close to the summit of Gunung Tahan. More than 250 species of bird have been recorded in Taman Negara, and mammals resident in the park include wild ox (gaur), sambar, barking deer, tapir, civet cat, wild boar and even the occasional tiger and elephant herd. However, the more exotic mammals rarely put in an appearance, especially in areas closer to Kuala Tahan.

The park is open year-round but if you intend to visit from October to January, check the weather and river levels in advance. March is the driest month, with 50 mm rainfall.