Waterfalls for the adventurous

Elephant Camps at Rentis

The Department for Wild Life has set up its training center in a remote forested hill slopes of the Kelau County. The ambience here, is that of a wild, secluded jungle sanctuary. Such surrounding is conducive for trainees, usually staff of the National Parks.

Where is this place named "Lanchang"? It is an obscure junction somewhere along the stretch of road between Karak and Mentakab.

This is the gate to the training school.

It would be impolite to intrude the school compound without permission. On this trip, we had left the car outside the perimeter fencing. The situation had changed drastically. In the jungle just before the school, a huge complex for quarters are being completed. This place will no longer be that deserted.

Just outside the school perimeter fencing the center has created an impressive jungle trails that take hikers around the hills. These trails serve as training tool as well as part of the recreational facilities. The Rengit River flows down from the hills where the trails pass by and later at its lower reaches also runs beside the perimeters fencing.

At the area of the staff quarters’ compound, down a broad track into a ravine, there are waterfalls. Just a mere 50 meters from the perimeter fencing.

On approaching the river, you will see the first waterfall. The height is about 15 meters and it ends in a circular shallow pool. These waterfalls here though beautiful and the area enchanting are not known among the locals or those weekend picnickers.

This small area where the group was standing are suitable for camping and another area in front of the waterfall. We are unable to understand why the fall is called Rentis Waterfall as this signboard shows.

Just beside this 1st waterfall, a faint trail in the forested slopes leads hikers to each of the other upper waterfalls.  There is also 2nd way following the bank of the waterfalls.  A 3rd trail through the thick forested land higher up above the left bank.

Here are more pictures of these waterfalls.

This 2nd waterfall is a gentle cascade over the unique black stone surfaces

At the 3rd fall, the layers or wafers of rocks break the vertical drop, resulting in beautiful white spray forming a curtain.

All the waterfalls are beautiful to look at, particularly against a pristine jungle settings as background. It is a perfect spot for the city folks to seek refuge for the weekend and only 90 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur.

Elephant Rehabilitation Camp

In another part of the same hill, looping a circular road of 8 kilometers, is a rehabilitation center for wild elephants.

With the opening up of pristine forests, elephants are forced to look for food in newly cultivated areas that was previously their grazing ground.

To avoid confrontation and eventual elimination of these animals, the Wild Life Department people round up these misplaced elephants.

They are then transferred to the rehabilitation Center in the Kelau Forest.

Here the elephants are exposed to human being to lessen their natural hostilities. When well prepared, they are released into nearby jungle to resume a normal life again.